Weekend Preview: Non-League Contests Highlight Schedule
ALBANY, N.Y. -- The emphasis in the
beginning of the season for all hockey teams is typically to work
out the kinks on the ice playing non-league games. For
members of ECAC Hockey women's teams, this is no exception.
For the second consecutive week, teams will tangle with
non-conference foes before the heart of the regular season play
begins in just a few short weeks. Some of the features
of the week include the first official game for St. Lawrence's
first-year head coach Chris Wells, as he leads the No. 6-ranked
Saints into Providence and Connecticut, and Rensselaer hosting No.
10-ranked Boston College at Houston Field House Saturday at 4
p.m. In all, four ECAC Hockey teams will play in seven
non-league contests over the weekend.
Colgate at Connecticut/Providence: The
Raiders take to the road for their first road trip of the 2008-09
campaign tavelling to Connecticut, Friday (10/10) at 7 p.m.,
and Providence, Saturday (10/11) at 4 p.m. Coming off a
4-3 comeback win versus Syracuse, the Raiders will look to control
the game's tempo and capitalize on power play opportunities, where
they converted 2 of 5 chances verus Syracuse. The Raiders and
Huskies have met twice before, with Connecticut holding a 2-0
advantage in the series. Colgate's last victory against
Providence came when the two teams met October 17, 2004. The
Friars hold a 3-1-2 advantage over the Raiders. Behind the
return of its top three scorers from last season senior captains
Sam Hunt, Elin Brown, and Kiira Dosdall, Colgate looks to improve
on its October winning percentage of 41.4 over a span of 39
contests.
At Union, Vermont: The Dutchwomen continue
an ambitious non-league schedule as they are at home this weekend
for a two-game set versus Vermont Friday (10/10) at 7 p.m. and
Saturday in a matinee affair at 3 p.m. After two contests,
Union is led in scoring by senior forward Suzy Pocock and sophomore
forward Marissa Gentile, who each have two points. Pocock is
the Dutchwomen's active career scoring leader netting 20 goals and
13 assists for 33 points. Look for senior goaltender Lundy
Day to be between the pipes for Union. Amassing 1,157 saves
Day is currently on pace to break the career saves record at Union,
which is held by Amana Hanson (2003-07) with 1,896 stops.
No. 6 St. Lawrence at
Providence/Connecticut: Currently ranked No. 6 in
the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Women's College Hockey Poll, the
Scarlet and Brown take to the ice for the first time in regular
season action under new head coach Chris Wells, travelling to
Providence Friday (10/10) at 7 p.m. and Connecticut, Saturday
(10/11) at 4 p.m. Welcoming back five of their top eight
scorers from a team that went 28-10-1 overall last season, Coach
Wells has his expectations set high, as the Saints have made the
NCAA Tournament for five consecutive years and advanced to the ECAC
Hockey tournament championship game last season. In net St.
Lawrence will rely on junior Brittony Chartier a transfer from
Minnesota, where she posted a 2.13GAA and a .913 save percentage in
18 contests.
At Rensselaer, No. 10 Boston College: After
coming off a weekend split last weekend where they lost a close
contest to Northeastern 3-2, but bounced back the following day to
blank Boston University, 2-0, the Engineers welcome another New
England foe to Troy as they host No. 10 Boston College.
Rensselaer received solid play in goal from sophomore Sonja van der
Bliek who stopped all 23 shots she faced in the 2-0 shutout of
Boston University. For her efforts van der Bliek was named
the ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Week. On the young
season the Engineers are getting firepower from freshman Sierra
Vadner (1G 1A 2PTS) on the defensive end and senior forward
Jamie-Lynn Stewart (0G 2A 2PTS).
