Weekend Preview: Powers Clash This Weekend
ALBANY, NY -- League supremacy will begin to take shape
after this weekend, as teams begin to separate from the pack in the
standings. This week's league contests include
national/league powers battling in early season
showdowns.
No. 3/3 Dartmouth/No. 4/4 Harvard at No. 8/9 St.
Lawrence/Clarkson: The Big Green enters the weekend
with a 5-0-0 record overall and a 4-0-0 league mark. No. 3/3
Dartmouth will clash with No. 8/9 St. Lawrence Friday. Senior
netminder Carli Clemis is a perfect 4-0 with three shutouts on the
young season. She is second in the nation in both
goals-against average and save percentage. Dartmouth is
ranked third in the country in scoring offense, averaging 4.2 goals
per contests. The Saints are led on the offensive end by
junior forward Tara Akstull who has 11 points this season,
including seven assists and two goals on the power play. In
net junior Brittony Chartier has started all eight games for the
Saints, earning a 5-1-2 record. Dartmouth will make its other
stop in the North Country the following day taking on Clarkson in
the 13th meeting between the two schools. The Big Green have
the advantage with a 8-3-1 mark against the Golden Knights.
Clarkson will host No. 4/4 Harvard Friday evening. The
Crimson are off to another strong start with a 3-0-1 overall
record. The Golden Knights will look to maintain their
trademark discipline hockey, as they are the least penalized team
in college hockey, averaging only 10.2 penalty minutes per
game. Harvard holds a 12-2-0 record in the all-time series
with Clarkson and has won the last five meetings. Harvard's
defense, which has only allowed 1.50 goals per game, will be tested
the following day as well, squaring-off against St. Lawrence, who
has a potent offense that scores 3.75 goals per game.
Brown/Yale at Cornell/Colgate: Yale and
Brown will head to the Empire State this weekend to take on a pair
league foes. Bears' senior goaltender Nicole Stock will look
to extend her stellar play in net, bringing a .925 save percentage
and a 3.29 goals-against average into the weekend.
Offensively, freshman defensemen Paige Pyett and Skyelar
Siwak lead the Bears with five points each. The
Bulldogs will lean heavily on its top scorer senior forward Crysti
Howser to pace the Bulldogs offense once again, as she has 10
points, split evenly between five goals and five assists. Her
offensive output is good for fifth in the country in
points-per-game. Colgate, meanwhile enters play with a 6-5-0
record, with a 1-1-0 record in ECAC Hockey action. Colgate
currently has a 7-4-3 record all-time against Colgate and has not
dropped a game to them since 2004. The Raiders are led offensively
by senior defenseman Kiira Dodsall, who has 13 points
overall. Cornell, who is 2-2-1 on the season, will look to
Sophomore forward Rebecca Johnston if they need a goal late in the
game. Johnston has two game-winning goals this season, which
is seventh in the nation.
At Quinnipiac/Princeton, Vermont/No. 7/7 Boston
University: Travel partners Quinnipiac and Princeton
will host a pair of non-conference foes, Vermont and No. 7/7 Boston
University this weekend. Coming off their best weekend of the
season, earning three points, the Bobcats are led on offense by
senior forward Elyse Cole who recently set the program's record for
career goals with 38. Sophomore goaltender Tia Wishart has
been a workhorse in net playing every minute between the pipes for
Quinnipiac. Princeton's senior goaltender Kristen Young has
started every game in goal for the Tigers, sporting a 3.30
goals-against average and .906 save percentage. Sophomore
defenseman Sasha Sherry (3-5-8) leads the Tigers in scoring.
Union at Rensselaer & Rensselaer at
Union: Saturday's contest versus the Dutchwomen
marks the final home game of 2008 for the Engineers, who play their
next seven games on the road. RPI is unbeaten in
league-play boasting a 2-0-1 record this season. The
Engineers are 13th in the nation on the penalty kill with a success
rate of 86.2%. The second game of the home and home series
will be a Sunday matinee affair at Messa Rink. Union has been
led by junior defenseman Jackie Koetteritz, who has netted three
goals and three assists this season.
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