Weekly Release: Sweeps Were Call to Order

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ALBANY, NY -- Now skating in full stride in the second half of the season, ECAC Hockey took part in one last week of preparation before extensive league play commences this weekend.  Five teams got off to strong 2008 starts recording weekend sweeps. 

Quinnipiac continues its climb up the national polls, coming in as the No. 16-ranked team.  The Bobcats extended their unbeaten streak to seven game (6-0-1), which is the nation's current second longest streak, by tying Harvard 3-3 Friday and earning a 5-3 come-from-behind win over Dartmouth Sunday.  In a tight defensive-minded contest Bobcats' junior netminder Bud Fisher stopped 21 shots meriting a tie versus the Crimson.  Fisher improved his personal record to 5-2-2 on the season.  Crimson freshman forward Michael Biega continued to find the net (1-0-1), scoring goals in eight of his last nine games.  The Bobcats found the win column Sunday afternoon against the Big Green.  Sophomore forward Jean-Marc Beaudoin scored twice and junior defenseman Dan Henningson added three assists the Bobcats. 

Seven different Bulldogs scored goals, as Yale exploded for nine goals in defeating intrastate rival Connecticut in a mid-week match-up.  Yale followed-up its victory recording 34 shots against the Brown Bears en route to a 3-2 overtime win.  Senior forward Will Engasser scored his third goal of the season under a minute in the extra session to give Yale the victory.  Bulldogs goaltender sophomore Billy Blase stopped 41 of 44 shots getting both victories.

No. 11-ranked Clarkson posted its 10th straight win over non-conference foe No. 12-ranked Boston College, 4-2.  The victory snapped an 0-2-1 skid for the Golden Knights and was their ninth win at Cheel Arena this season.  Senior netminder David Leggio made 29 saves and the Golden Knights' defense found a way to stop the Eagles' top-rated power play.

St. Lawrence scored three goals in the final 7:04 to overcome a 5-3 New Hampshire lead and staged a 6-5 upset of No. 7-ranked Wildcats to get the 2008 portion of the season off to a great start Sunday.  Junior forward Brock McBride scored two goals and set-up a third, while ECAC Hockey Rookie of the Week forward Aaron Bogosian netted a goal and assisted on the game-tying goal for the Saints. 

Junior forward Michael Kennedy registered six points for the Big Red in their sweep over Niagara.  Cornell blanked the Purple Eagles 6-0 Friday behind sophomore goaltender Ben Scivens' 17 saves.  The Big Red finished the weekend sweep with a 4-3 victory Saturday.  Kennedy who has now scored in four straight games was named ECAC Hockey Player of the Week for his performance.

Union notched its second weekend sweep of the season by continuing its sharp play at Messa Rink  downing Connecticut 4-1 Friday and defeating Army 3-2 in West Point.  Junior defenseman Brendan Milnamow played solid at both ends of the ice for the Dutchmen, recording a career-high three points (1-2-3) versus the Huskies.  Union netted two third-period goals and freshman goaltender Corey Milan stopped 28 of 30 shots in the win versus the Cadets.

Standing alone in second place in ECAC Hockey play, Princeton welcomed strong efforts between the pipes by sophomore Zane Kalemba in defeating league foes Dartmouth 5-2 Friday and Harvard 2-1 Saturday.  Kalemba stopped 53 of 56 shots he faced earning him ECAC Hockey Goaltender-of-the-Week honors.

In Rensselaer's lone game of the weekend, the Engineers dropped a 4-2 decision to non-league foe Maine 4-2 at the Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland.  Freshman forward Chase Polacek and junior forward Seth Klerer netted the goals for the Engineers.