Weekend Update: Defenses Shine On Opening Night
ALBANY, N.Y. -- On the first night of ECAC Hockey play in the
2008-09 campaign, eight teams were held to two goals or less in the
scoring column. Two teams, Colgate and Cornell posted
impressive shutouts, while five out of the six contests were
decided by two goals or less.
At Rensselaer 3, No. 18 Harvard 2: The
Engineers scored three special-teams goals, one shorthanded and two
power play, by three different players and withstood heavy Crimson
pressure in the third period to give No. 18 Harvard its first loss
of the year, 3-2 Friday night at Houston Field House and improve
its all-time record on Black Friday to 5-0-1. Senior forwards
Steve Rolecek and Nick Coskren had Harvard's goals, with junior
defenseman Alex Biega assisting on each. Harvard held a 28-26
edge in shots in the contest. Engineers' senior goaltender
Mathias Lange earned the win, stopping 26 shots. Freshman
goaltender Matt Hoyle stopped 23 shots on the opposite end for
Harvard.
Dartmouth 5 at Union 2: Dartmouth netted
three goals in the first and two in the second enroute to a 5-2
victory over Union Friday night. The victory is Dartmouth's first
of the season. Sophomore forward Scott Fleming broke through
with two goals to lead the Big Green in scoring. Goals by the
Dutchmen's sophomore forward Adam Presizniuk and senior defenseman
Lane Caffaro helped the home team get back into the contest,
cutting into Dartmouth's lead in the second period. The
Dutchmen outshot the Big Green, 39-23 on the evening.
No. 17 Cornell 1 at No. 9/9 Princeton 0: The
Big Red and Tigers opened their ECAC Hockey season in a special
matinee affair televised on ESPNU with Cornell edging the reigning
league tournament champions 1-0 at Hobey Baker Rink in Princeton,
N.J. Cornell senior forward Tyler Mugford scored the game's
only goal early in the third period. Junior netminder Ben
Scrivens made 43 saves for the Big Red for the shutout victory,
including 20 stops in the third period alone. Princeton's
junior goaltender Zane Kalemba made 18 saves on 19 shots, but the
one that got past him in the third period would cost the Tigers the
victory.
At No. 15/15 Clarkson 3, Brown 1: Rookie
goaltender Paul Karpowich was strong again in goal with a 24-save
effort, including 11 in the final frame, as Clarkson defeated Brown
3-1 in the ECAC Hockey opener for both teams before 2,845 fans at
Cheel Arena Friday night. Freshmen forwards Louke Oakley and
Nick Tremblay connected for their first collegiate goals, and
sophomore Sophomore forward Brandon DeFazio added an
empty-net tally with 3.9 seconds remaining as the 15th-ranked
Golden Knights extended their regular-season unbeaten streak
against ECAC Hockey foes at Cheel Arena to 21-straight games
(16-0-5).
At St. Lawrence 3, Yale 2 (ot): Freshman
forward Brandon Bollig reached out and poked the puck over the goal
line in a scramble around the net with 1:14 gone in overtime to
lift St. Lawrence to a 3-2 win over Yale in the ECAC Hockey opener
for both teams at Appleton Arena Friday night. Junior
goaltender Alex Petizian was spectacular in net for the Saints,
particularly in the second period when he made 17 of his 36
saves. Petizian won his fourth straight start for the Saints
as the Saints won their league home opener for the third time in
the last four seasons. The Bulldogs, who swept St. Lawrence last
season, got regulation-time goals from sophomore forward Broc
Little and senior captain Matt Nelson, the first of the year for
both players.
Colgate 1 at Quinnipiac 0: Sophomore forward
Francois Brisebois scored the game's lone goal and junior
goaltender Charles Long stopped all 19 shots as visiting Colgate
blanked Quinnipiac 1-0 in the ECAC Hockey opener for both teams,
Friday evening at TD Banknorth Center. The contest saw 27
penalties called between the two teams. Once again, the
Raiders' penalty kill came up big in killing off seven Bobcats' man
advantages and stretched their streak to killing off 22 consecutive
opponent power plays. After five contests, teams are 1 of 29
against the Colgate penalty kill thus far. The Raiders went
one of nine on the power play on the evening. Freshman
netminder Nick Pisellini turned aside 25 of 26 shots in the loss
for Quinnipiac.
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