Now that the Thanksgiving feast has been relegated to leftovers, college hockey fans can indulge in their favorite sport with plenty of tournaments this weekend, including the inaugural Windjammer Classic at the University of Vermont and the illustrious Primelink Great Northern Shootout at Norwich University.

Windjammer Classic

UVM women’s hockey coach Jim Plumer believes the Greater Burlington community can and does enjoy the women’s game, given the area’s support of the women’s world championships and several U.S.-Canada showdowns.

Thus the Windjammer Classic featuring the Catamounts, Ohio State, Cornell and Boston University is set for Saturday and Sunday at Gutterson Fieldhouse.

“There are very few true tournaments in women’s college hockey,” he said. “I thought this is a place we could show off how much people care about women’s hockey.”

This year the pairings are preset with BU (10-6-0, 8-3-0 Hockey East) facing Cornell (3-5-2, 1-2-2 ECAC) and UVM (3-11-0, 3-5-0 Hockey East) playing Ohio State (5-9-0, 3-9-0 WCHA) on Saturday. Sunday will feature BU against Ohio State and Vermont taking on Cornell. The games are at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. with UVM playing the second game both days.

Plumer said in future years, the plan is to have one team from each of the four major Division I leagues and a true tournament format with a championship game.

“For this one, we were definitely looking to bring in some high profile programs,” said Plumer. “Ohio State has a first-year head coach in four-time U.S. Olympian Jenny Potter. Doug Derraugh, Canada’s head coach for the 2015 world championships, directs Cornell. Defending Hockey East champion BU has been a perennial national championship contender.”

“For us as a team, this is an opportunity to play two very good teams in non-conference,” he said. “Ohio State has had an up-and-down season but had the firepower to beat North Dakota. I think we can have success against both of these teams but we’re still focused on getting better week by week.

“I know it’s a coach’s cliché, but with the team we have being on the younger side with just two seniors, we have to focus on those little things.”

Great Northern Shootout

The premier in-season Division III men’s tournament is the Primelink Great Northern Shootout, now in its 18th edition. This year the tourney is at Norwich’s Kreitzberg Arena on Friday and Saturday.

Friday’s first round pairings feature Plattsburgh (6-0-0; 5-0-0 SUNYAC) against Middlebury (1-0-1; 1-0-1 NESCAC) at 4 p.m. and Connecticut College (0-2-1, 0-1-1 NESCAC) against Norwich (6-1-0; 6-1-0 NEHC) at 7 p.m.

The three standing tournament teams won the first 16 titles before Concordia became the first guest to win a year ago. Norwich has eight titles, the last coming in 2012. The last of Middlebury’s four championships was in 2008 and Plattsburgh won its fourth title in 2013.

The Cardinals are currently ranked No. 2 nationally in the USCHO.com D-3 poll while the Cadets stand in at No. 7.

Norwich coach Mike McShane and PSU coach Bob Emery have participated in every Shootout. The Panthers’ Neil Sinclair is making his debut as head coach although he led Middlebury to a third-place finish in 2002 as interim head coach while the now-retired Bill Beaney was on sabbatical.

More tournaments

Castleton University’s men’s team will host the Rutland Herald Invitational, facing Brockport on Friday at 7; Tufts plays Western New England in the first game … The Middlebury women meet Elmira at 4 p.m. in the opening round of the Panther/Cardinal Classic on Friday at 4 p.m. On Saturday, Plattsburgh hosts Wisconsin-Sevens Point. On Sunday, the Panthers host Stevens Point and the Cardinals host Gustavus Adolphus …

Catamount recruits

For those interested in future UVM men’s hockey players, here’s an updated list of players who have announced their commitments to be Catamounts. The year of attendance is fluid, particularly with those expected to attend more than a year out. Few of the players have signed national letters-of-intent and could change their commitments at any time.

Right now, the incoming class for 2016 includes (with height, weight and 2015-16 team): forwards Ross Colton (6-0, 190; Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, USHL), Alex Esposito (6-0, 200; Youngstown Phantoms, USHL) and Cameron Klein (6-3, 209; PAL Jr Islanders, USPHL), defensemen Max Daigle (5-11, 190; Islanders Hockey Club, USPHL Premier), Matthew O’Donnell (5-11, 180; Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, USHL) and Corey Moriarity (5-10, 181; Boston Jr. Bruins, USPHL); and goaltender Stefanos Lekkas (5-9, 150; Sioux Falls Stampede, USHL).

Currently scheduled for 2017 are forwards Ace Cowans (5-7, 150; Islanders Hockey Club, USPHL Premier), Kkale Kane (5-8, 165; Chilliwack Chiefs, BCHL), Max Kaufman (5-7, 160; Langley Rivermen, BCHL) and Ryley Risling (6-2, 194; Waterloo Black Hawks, USHL) and defensemen Brinson Pasichnuk (Bonneyville Pontiacs, AJHL) and Owen Grant (5-11, 180; Carleton Place Grads, CCHL).

The year of attendance for the remaining commits is less certain. These include forwards Martin Frechette (2017-18; 5-8, 150; Cumberland Grads, CCHL), Jacob Kamps (2017-18; 6-3, 205; Cushing Academy), Simon Boyko (2018; 5-10, 180; Select Hockey Academy/South Kent School), Joey Cipollone (2018; 5-11, 161; Loomis Chaffee School); Max Sauve (2018; 5-9, 165; Tabor Academy), Jeremy Cote (2018-19; 5-7, 155; Tabor Academy); Andrew Petrillo (2018-19; 5-11, 175; Delbarton School); Christian Thomas (2018-19; 5-9, 160; Northern Cyclones, EJEPL) and Anthony Cipollone (2020-21; 5-1, 119; N/A) and defenseman Carter Long (2018; 6-4, 209; Selects Hockey Academy/South Kent School).

As the season goes on, statistics will be updated when and where available.

Correspondent Ted Ryan covers UVM hockey for The Burlington Free Press. Contact him at TedRyanVT@aol.com and follow him on Twitter at @TedRyanVT.