Weekly Release: Goals Become More Precious

ALBANY, NY -- It is no secret that solid goaltending and defense become pivotal and tighter in the second-half of the college hockey season.  With that being said, ECAC Hockey teams begin to understand the importance of ‘making every goal count.'

Yale cracked the national-ranking for the first time this season (No. 19), as it completed a weekend sweep of then ranked No. 15 Dartmouth, 2-1 and Harvard, 6-2.  Bulldogs' senior netminder Alec Richards outdueled Dartmouth's freshmen goalie Jody O'Neil between the pipes, stopping 29 shots for the win, 2-1.  Despite the minimal goals allowed both teams had plenty of chances on net with the Bulldogs registering a season-high 55 shots, including 26 in the first period alone, and the Big Green putting 30 on net.  Forwards Broc Little and Brian O'Neill were the only visitors to solve the hot rookie netminder.  The Bulldogs completed the weekend sweep in league-play by downing rival Harvard Saturday.  There was no letdown Saturday as sophomore goaltender Billy Blase stopped 32 of 34 shots and freshman forward Brian O'Neill scored twice to guide the Bulldogs, 6-2, at Bright Hockey Center.  Crimson captain senior forward Jimmy Fraser netted both of Harvard's goals in the loss.

No. 18 Dartmouth would rebound the following evening getting a four-goal outburst in the second period to take a 5-1 victory over Brown in league action.  Junior forward Joe Gaudet was the top scorer for Dartmouth as he potted two goals and an assist in the win.  Junior netminder Dan Rosen finished the night with 42 saves, while freshman counterpart Jody O'Neill made 21 for the Big Green.

The Bears picked-up one league point in a 1-1 overtime tie with Harvard Friday, as junior goaltender Dan Rosen made a career-high 50 saves for the Bears.  Freshman defenseman Jeff Buvinow scored on a Bears' power-play goal with just over five minutes left in regulation to even the score.  Senior forward Steve Rolecek scored a second-period goal for the Crimson, while freshman Matt Hoyle made 28 saves for the Crimson.  Harvard held a 51-29 edge in shots, the second time this season the Crimson has outshot Brown by a wide margin only to see the Bears tie the game with a third-period man-advantage tally.

Junior Ben Scrivens recorded 30 saves and made an early second period goal hold up until getting two late scores in No. 5 Cornell's 3-0 victory over Niagara Friday evening at Lynah Rink.  The Bid Red would complete the sweep the following evening as Michael and Patrick Kennedy both had a goal and an assist in a 2-1 victory over Niagara.  Ben Scrivens stopped 25 shots as Cornell improved to 11-1-3 on the year

St. Lawrence senior center Casey Parenteau scored two goals, linemate Mike McKenzie had three assists each and St. Lawrence sailed to a 5-1 win over arch-rival Clarkson in a non-league game at Appleton Arena in Canton Saturday night.  The Saints' sophomore forward Jared Keller snapped a 1-1 tie with his second goal of a back-to-back weekend series between St. Lawrence and Clarkson at the seven minute mark of the second period and junior goalie Alex Petizian and the Saints' penalty kill made it stand up for a 2-1 win Sunday and a sweep.

Colgate earned a split last week as freshman forward Austin Smith scored his second goal of the game with 2:11 left in overtime to lead the Raiders to a come-from-behind 5-4 victory over visiting Lake Superior State Thursday.  Rick Schofield and Chad Nehring each scored twice and Brian Mahoney-Wilson stopped 34 shots as visiting Lake Superior State defeated Colgate 6-1 in a non-conference hockey clash, Friday evening at Starr Rink.

Rensselaer senior goaltender Mathias Lange stopped 33 shots, including six in overtime, to preserve a 2-2 tie with Quinnipiac in ECAC Hockey action.  The Engineers would continue the solid defensive play as junior defenseman Erik Burgdoerfer recorded two goals and an assist in leading the Engineers to a 5-1 victory over seventh-ranked Princeton, at Hobey Baker Rink the following evening. 

Union would pick-up four league points with a weekend sweep on the road.  Senior forward Matt Cook scored the game-winner at 10:29 of the third period to lift the Dutchmen ice hockey team to a thrilling 3-2 victory at Princeton Friday.  The line of junior Jason Walters and sophomores Adam Presizniuk and Stéphane Boileau highlighted the Dutchmen's 4-2 victory at Quinnipiac Saturday.  The trio combined for seven of Union's 11 points.  Walters led the way with a pair of goals and an assist, while Presizniuk tallied a goal and two helpers. 

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