Weekend Preview: Breakaway Weekend In League Play
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ALBANY, NY -- Nine of the 12 ECAC
Hockey teams are in action this weekend, including nationally
ranked Harvard and St. Lawrence. League play is somewhat
limited this weekend with Princeton and Quinnipiac traveling to the
Capital Region and Brown heading to Yale.
Yale at Providence/Brown at Yale: In
mid-week action, the Yale Bulldogs travel to Rhode Island this
evening to take on Hockey East adversary Providence in non-league
play. The Bulldogs have been getting durable performances
between the pipes this season led by senior goaltender Shivon
Zillis, who is fourth in the nation with a .941 save
percentage. Yale's combined special teams play has been sound
all season totalling 52/100 opportunities, which ranks fourth among
ECAC Hockey teams in overall play. The Bulldogs will also be
in action on Sunday when they host the Brown Bears. Junior
netminder Nicole Stock has been reliable in net all season for the
Bears ranking in the top 15 in the country in save percentage at
.920 and unyielding, giving up under three goals per game in each
jaunt. After Sunday's match-up the Bears will be off the ice
until January 5 when they host No. 1 New Hampshire.
Princeton/Quinnipiac at Rensselaer/Union: In
the only circumstances with traveling partners playing in ECAC
Hockey action, Princeton and Quinnipiac make their annual visit to
the Capital District to face-off against Rensselaer and
Union. The first set of games Friday will feature Princeton
heading into Messa Rink to take on the Dutchwomen. In
league-play, the Tigers have a supportive balance on offense this
season from both veterans and underclassmen, and at both ends of
the ice, with senior forward Marykate Oakley (4-7-11) and freshman
defenseman Sasha Sherry (1-9-10). Also on Friday, Houston
Field House will play host to the Quinnipiac and Rensselaer
match-up, as both teams seek their second conference wins of the
young season. The Bobcats have paraded a secure special team
play in league action ranking fourth with a total of 57/109
opportunities. On Saturday, the teams will change opponents
with the Engineers hosting Princeton and Union playing host to the
Bobcats.
At No. 4 St. Lawrence, Maine: Ranked No. 4
in the country and standing tall in second place in the ECAC Hockey
standings, the Saints (7-1-0, 11-3-0) will play host to a two-game
series this weekend versus Hockey East foe Maine. St.
Lawrence exhibits the most prolific offense in the nation averaging
4.14 G/GM and scoring on 21 of 77 power-play opportunities
(27.3%). Leading the surge on offense outpouring are senior
forwards Sabrina Harbec (1.71 P/GM) and Chelsea Grills (1.64 P/GM),
both ranking in the top 10 in the nation in points per
game.
At No. 2 Harvard, Connecticut & Harvard at
Providence: No. 2-ranked Harvard, the nation's only
unbeaten team looks to continue its dominance at both ends of the
ice when it hosts Connecticut Friday and travels to Providence
Saturday to face the upset-minded Friars. The Crimson, off to
their second 9-0-0 start in school history, have outscored
opponents 34-8 this season. The Crimson are near or at the
top of the charts in most statistical categories on a national
level including: first in goals allowed per game (0.89), first in
scoring margin (+2.89), fourth in scoring offense (3.78), and
eighth in penalty killing (.878). Harvard will be looking to
avenge a 3-2 defeat that it suffered last season at the hands of
Connecticut. Watch for the Crimson to continue to spread the
wealth on offense, which has seen only two players register
multi-goal goals despite the team's significant offensive
success.
At Colgate, Niagara: The Raiders will host
Niagara this weekend in a two-game series in non-conference
play. Colgate has been unbending on killing penalties this
season, stopping 79 of 88 chances (89.5%) and registering five
short-handed goals. Junior forward Sam Hunt has two of those
short-handed goals, as well as two game-winning goals this season
for Colgate.
