Weekend Preview: Streaking Ahead
ALBANY, NY -- Five of the 12 ECAC Hockey teams
are currently riding multiple game unbeaten streaks. All five
of these teams and five other league teams will be in action this
weekend looking to extend their winning ways and earn valuable
league-points. One of the highlights of the weekend will also
feature Dartmouth in a top 20 match-up with intra-state rival New
Hampshire Saturday.
No. 5/5 Cornell/Colgate at Union/Rensselaer:
Coming off a stretch where it wrapped-up playing in five and six
consecutive non-league contests respectively, Cornell and Colgate
return to ECAC Hockey action travelling to the Capital District to
take on Rensselaer and Union. The Big Red, 5-1-1 in their
last seven games, will first take on the Dutchmen Friday, who face
their third top five opponents in their last five games.
Cornell leads the all-time series with Union by a count of
25-12-5. None of the ECAC Hockey foes have been able to solve
the play of junior goaltender Ben Scrivens who has a 6-0-2 record,
0.74 goals-against average and a .972 save percentage, along with
three shutouts in eight games for Cornell. Union is averaging
3.00 goals-per-game, netting 60 in 20 games, ranking them 25th in
offense in the nation and second in ECAC Hockey play. Union
has received its own hot goaltending as of late with sophomore
Corey Milan posting a 3-1-0 record allowing just 2.00
goals-per-game since the holiday break. Colgate will first
battle Rensselaer this weekend at Houston Field House.
Thirty-two all time games between the Engineers and Raiders have
been decided by one goal or less with each team winning 16 of
them. Junior forward David McIntyre has tallied at least one
point in ten of the Raiders' last 11 games. Equally as hot on
offense for Colgate is freshman forward Austin Smith who has
recorded eight goals and seven assists in the last 11 games.
Coming off a solid road trip last weekend, where it earned three
league points, Rensselaer is 2-0-1 in its last three league
games. Playing an aggressive schedule this season, the
Engineers will face Cornell Saturday in their 11th game against a
nationally-ranked opponent (2-8-0).
Clarkson/St. Lawrence at No. 19 Yale/Brown:
Nationally-ranked for the first time this season with an overall
record of 11-4-0, Yale will host an ECAC Hockey weekend welcoming
Clarkson Friday and St. Lawrence Saturday. The Bulldogs,
winners of four straight, have started three different goaltenders
in the last three games. Sophomore forward Broc Little leads
the nation with four shorthanded goals. The Bulldogs
currently rank in the top ten in the nation (9th) in scoring
averaging 3.47 goals-per-game. Senior netminder Alec Richards
owns a perfect 5-0-0 mark in league games this season for
Yale. Clarkson leads the all-time series against Yale,
67-30-4, but the Bulldogs have claimed victory in the last two
meetings. Clarkson will battle Brown Saturday, who they have
beaten six straight times and own a commanding lead in the all-time
series by a 54-13-6 margarin. Golden Knights' senior foward
Chris D'Alvise has a team-high four points against the Bulldogs
(0G-4A) and a team-high ten points versus the Bears
(4G-6A). North Country travel partner St. Lawrence, coming
off a weekend sweep of Clarkson, has won four of its last five
games. The Saints have been getting solid goaltending from
junior Alex Petizian, who has a 2.36 goals-against average and .918
save percentage, and balanced scoring with senior forward Casey
Parenteau leading the offensive assault with seven goals.
Currently on a six-game winless skid, the Bears have battled back
to earn a pair of ties in their last three games. Freshman
defenseman Jeff Buvinow is tied for fourth in scoring among both
freshman and defenders in league games netting two goals and adding
five assists in nine games for Brown. Bears' senior forward
Matt Vokes (3G-5A) is tied for second in conference games
registering eight power play points this season.
No. 18 Dartmouth vs. No. 13/13 New
Hampshire: Winners of six of their last eight games,
the Big Green will travel to Manchester, N.H. to face intra-state
rival New Hampshire at the Verizon Wireless Arena Saturday.
Dartmouth is scoring 3.00 goals-per-game, while allowing just 2.25
this season. Freshman goaltender Jody O'Neil has been firm in
net for Dartmouth posting a 10-5-0 personal record and a 2.13
goals-against average and .939 save percentage. On the
offensive end, sophomore forward Adam Estoclet (5G-13A-18PTS)
and freshman forward Doug Jones (4G-12A-16PTS) lead a team of
balanced scorers. This weekend's match-up will mark the first
neutral site game of the season for both teams.
Quinnipiac at Niagara: Quinnipiac will make
tracks this weekend heading to Upstate New York to take on Niagara
in a two-game non-conference set. The high-scoring Bobcats
(3.20 G/GM) are led by the nation's leading scorer senior forward
Bryan Leitch (9G-23A-32PTS). The Bobcats have dropped nine of
ten meetings versus Niagara. With ten goals and 14 assists
through 20 games senior forward David Marshall became the first
ECAC Hockey player to reach double figures in both scoring
categories. The Bobcats will look to gain early leads in
their games this weekend, as they are 10-0-0 in games when leading
after the second period.
(click
here to view release in PDF format)
