Weekend One is Done with Four Teams Sweeping
Quinnipiac makes outstanding ECACHL debut
ALBANY, N.Y. - Four teams emerged from the opening weekend of ECAC Hockey League action with two wins under their belts, as Colgate, Cornell, Quinnipiac and St. Lawrence swept their competition. Friday night's game was also a big moment for the Bobcats, as it was their first-ever league game.
Also earning wins this weekend were Harvard, Clarkson and Princeton.
On Friday in Connecticut, with Gordie Howe on hand to officially start the game, Quinnipiac came to life in front of over 5,000 home fans to earn its first-ever victory in the ECAC Hockey League. The Bobcats scored just 1:12 into the game and went on to beat Harvard 5-2. Freshman David Marshall scored the game winner with an unassisted goal in the second period. The Bobcats continued to ride their first-night momentum and picked up win No. 2 on Saturday vs. Dartmouth. Chris Myers, who was named Rookie of the Week, had a hand in four of the team's seven goals in the win with two goals, including the game winner, and two assists. He had two helpers the night before for a six-point weekend. Credit also goes to freshman goalie Bud Fisher who earned both wins on the weekend after making 39 saves.
Like Quinnipiac, St. Lawrence downed its visitors over the weekend, beating Union 6-2 and Rensselaer 3-2. Senior T.J. Trevelyan was outstanding in the win over Union, earning a career-high six points on a goal and five assists. The next night, freshman Kevin DeVergilio came through for the Saints, netting the winner with 6:31 to go in the game.
Travel partners Colgate and Cornell were the weekend road warriors, winning both their games away from home, downing Brown and Yale.
For Colgate, Tyler Burton had a goal each night and had three assists for a five-point weekend. Not only was this week's Player of the Week helping put points on the board, he was instrumental on faceoffs, winning over 70 percent of his draws. Teammate Mark Dekanich earned his first career shutout on Friday with the 5-0 blanking of Brown and then earned the 6-2 win vs. Yale the next night. He made 50 saves on the weekend en route to earning Goaltender of the Week Honors.
Cornell got its scoring from several different players over the weekend, and it was Mitch Carefoot who was one of the leaders. The junior forward had a short-handed goal in the 4-2 win over Yale and followed it up with the overtime game winner in the 3-2 victory vs. Brown. Classmate Mark McCutcheon also scored against Yale, an empty-netter, which was his first collegiate goal.
Princeton also started off the league season on the right foot, earning a 3-0 shutout over Dartmouth on Friday. Junior goaltender B.J. Sklapsky made 41 saves to earn the win.
Rensselaer and Clarkson started off the season with each earning a league point, as the two tied at 3-all on Friday. The Golden Knights went on to earn two more points on Saturday by downing Union 4-1. Clarkson's Shea Guthrie factored in on two of the three goals vs. the Engineers with a goal and an assist and then had a helper on the winner vs. Union.
Harvard also picked up points over the weekend, rebounding from Friday's loss with a 2-1 victory over Princeton on Saturday. Jon Pelle netted the winner vs. the Tigers early in the third period.
This coming weekend has another full slate of league games, with all 12 teams in action against each other. Cornell and Colgate are on the road at Harvard and Dartmouth; Princeton and Quinnipiac will visit Union and Rensselaer; and Clarkson and St. Lawrence travel to Brown and Yale.
