Weekend Preview: Take Two...
ALBANY, NY -- With at least three ECAC Hockey
teams appearing in the national polls on a weekly basis, the first
half of the season could be seen as a success by some. The 12
ECAC Hockey teams playing this weekend view the seasonal trek as
only ‘half-done.' All 12 ECAC Hockey teams will begin
to make their mark as the second part of the season begins this
weekend.
No. 8/8 Dartmouth/Harvard at Yale/Brown:
The top two teams in the ECAC Hockey standings, Dartmouth and
Harvard travel to Yale and Brown this weekend in
league-action. The Big Green have scored 3.00 goals per game
this season, but are still looking for answers on the power play,
as they have tallied only 13 goals on 100 chances. However,
their penalty kill has been a mighty force this season giving up
only eight goals on 83 chances, which ranks fifth in the
nation. Winners of five of its last seven games, Yale begins
a stretch of 15 straight conference games this weekend.
Bulldogs' senior forward Crysti Howser is eighth in country in
goals per goal (12 goals in 14 games). Harvard holds a
32-30-5 advantage all-time in games versus Brown in a series that
dates back to the 1970-71 season. The Crimson senior class
has displayed leadership on the offensive-end tallying 20 of the
team's 37 goals this season. The Bears look to build momentum
from the thrilling 2-1 win over Northeastern last weekend.
Brown junior forward Andrea Hunter (3-3-6) ranks third in power
play points in league-play.
No. 10 Princeton/Quinnipiac at
Rensselaer/Union: Travel partners Princeton and
Quinnipiac make their annual visit to the Capital District to take
on the Engineers and Dutchwomen. Breaking into the top ten in
the national polls for the first time this season, the Tigers have
posted a record of 7-3-1 in their last 11 games with three wins
over ranked teams. Princeton will be looking to avenge a home
loss earlier in the season to the Rensselaer (3-2), who is playing
at home for the first time since mid-November. Entering the
weekend the Engineers are tied for third in the ECAC Hockey
standings with a 6-1-1 record. Rensselaer boasts the eighth
best penalty kill in the nation at 87.9 %. After nearly a
two-month break on their home ice the Dutchwomen will host
Quinnipiac Friday at Messa Rink. The Bobcats lead the
all-time series with Union by a count of 12-0-2, which dates back
to their first meeting in 2001. Senior forward Elyse Cole is
directing the Bobcats' offense netting a team-high seven goals,
while junior defender Jackie Koetteritz leads Union with four
goals.
At No. 5/5 St. Lawrence, No. 7/7 Boston
College: The Saints who have put themselves in a
solid position in league-play will start the new year with one more
true test tune-up, as it hosts non-league foe No. 7/7 Boston
College in a two-game set at Appleton Arena this weekend. St.
Lawrence, who has been led on offensive in the first half of the
season by senior assistant captains forwards Carson Duggan
(14-6-20) and Alison Domenico (9-10-19) and junior forward Tara
Akstull (7-12-19), will be challenged over the weekend by an elite
Eagles' defense that has only surrendered 1.63 goals per
game. The Saints, ranked eighth in the nation in scoring
offense (3.33 G/GM), receive output from a multitude of players
with eight roster members reaching the double-digit mark in scoring
through the first 18 contests.
At Clarkson, Maine: The Golden Knights take
to the ice after a 33-day layoff hosting Maine in a weekend series
at Cheel Arena closing out their non-conference portion of this
season's schedule. Clarkson's freshman forward Juana Baribeau
(13-9-22) is seventh in the nation among rookies in scoring
averageing at 1.22 points per game. Her 13 goals are a
team-high as well. Sophomore goaltender Lauren Dahm has been
solid between the pipes for the Golden Knights registering a 1.44
goals-against average, along with a .939 save percentage, which
place her fourth and sixth respectively in the nation among her
counterparts. The Golden Knights, who sport a strong power
play unit have capitalized on 20 of 110 opportunities with the
extra attacker, will look to take advantage of the Black Bears'
penalty kill unit that has a success rate of 75.4% on the
season.
Colgate/Cornell at Cornell/Colgate: Travel
partners Colgate and Cornell will play a home-and-home series this
weekend beginning Saturday. After splitting last season's
series the Raiders hold an all-time advantage of 9-3-2 versus the
Big Red. Sophomore forward Rebecca Johnston has been dynamic
on offense netting 12 goals and adding 11 assists in only ten games
for Cornell. Cornell freshman forward Catherine White also
has been prolific on the offensive end averaging 1.40
points-per-game, which places her fourth in the nation among
rookies. Colgate has found answers on the power play for much
of the first part of the season capitalizing on 33 of 120 chances
(27.5%), which is second-best in the nation. Senior defender
Kiira Dosdall (4-14-18) has been an important part of the unit's
success, as she is third in the nation among her counterparts
averaging 0.95 points per game.
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