MJ’s No. 1 Player
Jimmy Vesey F Harvard (20 games played, 16 goals, 16 assists)
Another weekend of hockey and Jimmy Vesey finds the score sheet once again. Two goals in the Crimson’s lone game against Princeton keep Vesey atop the rankings.
Kyle’s No. 1 Player
Jimmy Vesey F Harvard (20 games played, 16 goals, 16 assists)
Six goals in his last five games, a Hobey Baker candidate, and tied for the ECAC lead in points. Vesey continues to dominate, and will remain the best player in my rankings.
Kyle’s No. 2 Player
Sam Anas F Quinnipiac (26 games, 17 goals, 15 assists)
C-L-U-T-C-H. Not only does Anas lead the league in goals, and is tied for the lead in points, the junior scores at the most crucial times for the Bobcats. Scoring with nine seconds left to tie the game against RPI, and scoring twice in an incredible comeback against Dartmouth shows his worth. He definitely has the possibility of dethroning Vesey in my rankings, if he continues to come up big.
MJ’s No. 2 Player
Sam Anas F Quinnipiac (26 games, 17 goals, 15 assists)
Ok Kyle I’ll give it to you this time, I ranked Anas too low. Quinnipiac may only have had one game this weekend, but Anas came to play. After Rand Pecknold’s Bobcats found themselves chasing a three goal deficit in the third period at Thompson Arena, Anas was not going to let the Bobcats suffer only their second loss on the season. Scoring back-to-back goals in the final frame, Anas tied the game for Quinnipiac, who went on to win the game with an empty net goal at the end. Both tallies put Anas as the leader in goals and co-leader in points in the league
MJ’s No. 3 Player
Michael Garteig G Quinnipiac (26 games played, .933 save percentage, 1.62 goals against average)
Quinnipiac’s only responsibility this weekend was a trip north to Hanover, NH but Dartmouth got the best of Garteig this week. 5 goals against could have been enough for the Big Green to take down the Bobcats, but the offense in the third from the Bobcats rose to the challenge once again. Garteig falls one spot this week, but don’t expect him to fall much further considering Quinnipiac’s play all season. After all, second in the nation in shutouts is what makes him a Hobey Baker and Richter Award candidate.
Kyle’s No. 3 Player
Michael Garteig G Quinnipiac (26 games played, .933 save percentage, 1.62 goals against average)
While he’s struggled lately, I completely agree with you MJ. Garteig has been too dominant this season to drop more than one spot in the rankings. The Quinnipiac goaltender allowed five goals against Dartmouth in the last outing, dropping his SV% and GAA considerably. His next big games are against ranked Cornell, Rensselaer, and Yale.
Kyle’s No. 4 Player
Kyle Criscuolo F Harvard (20 games played, 15 goals, 7 assists)
Criscuolo continues to impress me, scoring three goals in his last four games, two of which were game winners. Third in the conference in goals, and averaging just under one point per game. A lethal weapon for the Crimson’s dangerous offense.
MJ’s No. 4 Player
Riley Bourbonnais F Rensselaer (23 games played, 13 goals, 7 assists)
As I said two weeks ago Kyle, Bourbonnais is missing time due to injury. That being said, I can’t justify dropping Bourbonnais more than one spot for a game he did not even have a chance to play in. RPI, a top team in the ECAC, beat Brown, the last place team in the ECAC on Friday by a score of 4-3. On Saturday, the Engineers fell to the Bulldogs of Yale, another top ECAC team, being blanked 3-0. Perhaps this weekend was just another example of just how valuable Bourbonnais is to the RPI offense. I rest my case.
MJ’s No. 5 Player
Travis St. Denis F Quinnipiac (26 games played, 13 goals, 17 assists)
A goal and an assist credited to St. Denis this weekend at Dartmouth brings his total points to 30 on the year, good enough for third in the ECAC. Not to mention, St. Denis leads the league in power-play goals, probably a result of the Bobcat’s working their power-play through St. Denis shooting from the weak-side given his left handed shot. Those 7 PPG register at number four nationally across division one men’s hockey.
Kyle’s No. 5 Player
Travis St. Denis F Quinnipiac (26 games played, 13 goals, 17 assists)
St. Denis drops one spot this week, but he is still one of the best players in the league. There was one crucial moment in overtime when Quinnipiac faced RPI, and St. Denis squandered a breakaway opportunity that would have won the game. It’s moments like these that can elevate a player to another level. Still, there’s no arguing with the number, as he’s third in points and tied for fourth in goals.
Kyle’s No. 6 Player
Alex Lyon G Yale (20 games played, .948 save percentage, 1.31 GAA)
Lyon is starting to get hot, which is a great sign for the Bulldogs as the regular season is nearing it’s end. The Yale netminder had a shutout against RPI, and has allowed only seven goals in his last five games. He now holds the best SV% and GAA in the ECAC.
MJ’s No. 6 Player
Kyle Criscuolo F Harvard (20 games played, 15 goals, 7 assists)
I guess I was wrong again. Either that or I just missed something. I had doubts about other players stepping up for a Harvard offense behind Jimmy Vesey, but Kyle Criscuolo is exactly that. His 14 goals place him at third in the league in that category, behind who but his teammate Vesey an Quinnipiac standout Sam Anas. Criscuolo worked his way into my top 10, deservedly so.
MJ’s No. 7 Player
Tim Clifton F Quinnipiac (22 games played, 13 goals, 15 assists)
A three assist showing for Clifton on Friday night is just another example of his importance to the Bobcats roster. Clifton raises his plus/minus rating to +20, putting him atop the league. He continues to display his offensive value for Quinnipiac, earning him the #7 spot this week.
Kyle’s No. 7 Player
Tim Clifton F Quinnipiac (22 games played, 13 goals, 15 assists)
Clifton moves up one spot this week, as he continues to prove his worth to the Bobcats high scoring offense. Although he hasn’t had a goal in his last four games, Clifton had three important assists against Dartmouth, and two against RPI.
Kyle’s No. 8 Player
Riley Bourbonnais F Rensselaer (23 games played, 13 goals, 7 assists)
MJ, you bring up a valid point that RPI is a much better team with Bourbonnais on the ice, but there’s no way I can put him in the top five of my list. To be rewarded on my rankings you have to perform, and he’s not doing that by not playing. He still has the ability to be one of the best in the conference, but he needs to be on the ice.
MJ’s No. 8 Player
Gavin Bayruether D St. Lawrence (26 games played, 9 goals, 8 assists)
It is my prerogative to share the wealth of the top 10 to all that deserve it, regardless of position. That being said, Bayruether is perhaps one of the best ECAC defenseman, leading all in the position in goals and tied for the lead in points.
Kyle’s No. 9 Player
Gavin Bayreuther D St. Lawrence (26 games played, 9 goals, 8 assists)
I completely agree, defenseman need love too, and Bayreuther is currently the best there is. He leads all defenseman in goals and points, and had a big game against No. 14 Cornell, scoring a goal and adding an assist.
MJ’s No. 9 Player
Alex Lyon G Yale (20 games played, .948 save percentage, 1.31 GAA)
Lyon should not be turned down a top 10 spot, considering he just took over best league save percentage from Quinnipiac’s Michael Garteig (.941%). A tough loss to Union on Friday was leveled out with a win over RPI on Saturday. Watch out for Yale as we come down the stretch of ECAC Hockey and in-conference hockey.
MJ’s No. 10 Player
Spencer Foo F Union (26 games played, 12 goals, 13 assists)
I couldn’t decide who would wrap up the last spot this week, but I went with Spencer Foo because of his goal that helped lead Union to a big win over Yale. Foo scored unassisted in the second period to tie the game, and the Dutchmen went on score in the third to beat the Bulldogs. Foo earns number ten honors for the second straight week.
Kyle’s No. 10 Player
Nick Lappin F Brown (21 games, 12 goals, 15 assists)
Like you MJ, I had a tough time choosing who to wrap up the list. I went back and forth between Spencer Foo, Tyson Spink, and a few others, but Lappin will get the spot this week. 27 points in 21 games played is impressive and deserves a spot in my Top 10.
