The Brown University Bears 2010-2011 season is over. The Bears finished the regular season 3 games above .500 with an 8-5-1 record while placing 2nd in the Ivy League Tournament.

The Bears have 22 returning players for the 2011-2012 season as they aim for more success in the coming years. Brown's entire leadership group is also returning, as Chris Baker, Chris Longman, and Desmond Jung were all re-elected as Captains for the coming year.

The Bears will boast considerable offensive firepower next year, with all 11 point-per-game players returning to the team with another year of experience under their belts. Of these players, 4 are defensemen – an impressive feat that will make the Bears difficult to shut down. The team also remains stacked in the crease, with all 5 goalies poised for even greater success next year.

For many players, this was their final year with the team. Nick Jesse, John Racioppo, Tony Assad, and Phil Fernbach all played their last game in a Bears jersey this season, and the team wishes them well in the future.

Brown University squared off against their College Hill rivals in an annual end-of-season game at the Meehan Auditorium. The good-spirited game featured several Bears players facing off against each other in order to even up the two sides after only six RISD players were able to take the ice.

The game was a loose, high scoring affair, with several Bears playing their last game in a Brown sweater. In the end, Brown prevailed 11-5.

Brown's first game after the Ivy League Tournament was played against a highly touted UNH squad. The undermanned Bears team kept the game close in the first period with 2 goals from Eddie Angus, and went into the second period down 3-2.

The Bears' fatigue began to show midway through the second, and UNH capitalized on every strange bounce and scoring chance to defeat Brown 9-2.

Ashley McDonnell, Jesse Shapiro, and Matt Deren split goaltending duties for Brown. Riley LaForge won a spirited scrap in the third period. The loss dropped Brown's regular season record to 7-5-1.

Brown vs. Harvard

The first game of the Ivy League Hockey Tournament did not start well for Brown University. Harvard scored twice in the opening minute of the game and built up a 6-0 lead by the midway point of the game.

After an ice clean midway through the second period, Brown came out with a vengeance. Kevin Koopman scored 2 goals and Sumner Becker and Kent Leslie added 1 each to narrow Harvard's lead to 6-4 after two periods of play.

The third period saw a calmer Harvard team extend their lead, scoring three more goals to finally down the Bears 9-4. With the loss, Brown's upcoming game becomes a must-win for the Bears to have a chance of advancing to the Tournament Final.

Brown vs. Penn

Brown University went into their final round-robin game against UPenn knowing that it was a must-win game if they wanted to advance to the championships. Right from the opening faceoff, Brown took it to Penn, pressuring them hard all night long.

Kent Leslie opened the scoring at 17:25 of the first period, and his line with Desmond Jung and Nick Bartos was dominant throughout the game, combining for 4 goals and 8 points.

Kevin Koopman increased Brown's lead to 2-0 with a quick shot from the top of the circle just over a minute after Leslie's goal. Afterwards, Nick Bartos scored his 12th and 13th goals of the season to bookend Desmond Jung's 7th.

With the score 5-0 for Brown, the glass behind the Penn net was irreparably cracked. With no possibility of replacing the glass, the game was ended with 8:08 remaining in the final period.

Brent Grossman-Mckee collected the shutout for Brown, stopping 13 shots. Brown went 1/3 on the powerplay, and outshot Penn 30-13.

Brown vs. Harvard (Championship Game)

Coming off their 5-0 victory over the tournament host Penn, Brown University squared off against Harvard in the Ivy League Tournament Championship Game. An extremely motivated Bears team came out strong defensively in the opening period, but failed to generate many quality scoring chances.

Heading into the second period in a scoreless tie, members of Brown's Taekwondo team surged into the arena to support the Bears. Responding to the charged atmosphere, Jeo Oberbeck scored on a breakaway to make it 1-0 Brown. Harvard tied the game a few minutes later before scoring late in the period, putting Brown in a 2-1 hole after two periods of play.

In the third, more stellar defensive play by Brown held off an early push by Harvard, before a powerplay goal was tipped past Joe Mello to give Harvard a 3-1 lead. Brown would pull their goalie for an extra attacker with just over 2 minutes to play, but failed to mount a comeback and fell by a final score of 4-1.

While it was not the result Brown had hoped for, the second-place finish leaves room for improvement at next year's tournament. Brown went 0/3 on the powerplay. Joe Mello was stellar, stopping 26 shots in the loss.

It wasn't Brown University's prettiest win of the season, but it still counted as the Bears outscored Conn College 10-6 in a wide open game. The goals came fast and furious in the opening period as both teams traded multiple goals. Jack Sullivan scored twice and Desmond Jung once to end the period with a 3-2 lead.

Brown would extend its lead to 4-2 when Kent Leslie scored at 14:00 of the second frame. However, a 5-minute major penalty to Kamal Fuller left the Bears in trouble. Conn College scored four unanswered goals on the ensuing powerplay, as a depleted Bears roster was worn down playing a man short. However, Brown would fight back. A rebound goal from Eddie Angus and Jack Sullivan's hat-trick goal combined to tie the score 6-6 heading into the final frame.

In the third, the Bears finally came to life. Fuller put the Bears ahead 7-6 before Leslie's second of the night and Sullivan's fourth made it 9-6. Evan Atkinson eventually put Brown into the double-digits goals column for the third time this year, for a final score of 10-6.

Brown's powerplay went 1/1 on the night. Jesse Shapiro and Matt Deren split goaltending duties. With the win, the Bears' record improves to 7-4-1.