By: Q30 Sports women’s hockey beat team
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This season in ECAC hockey on the women’s side, many teams are tightly packed in the standings. The top seven teams are separated by only seven points, while the bottom part of the standings finds some teams struggling with mere single digits in terms of league points.
Three of Q30’s women’s ice hockey beat reporters have each come up with their own lists for team power rankings so far this season. In an attempt to find consensus rankings, we implemented a point system.
To make matters simple, the point system will go as follows: a team earns a number of points based precisely on where they are in a beat reporters rankings. For example, if Quinnipiac was ranked ninth in a beat reporters rankings, it would receive nine points. Total the points from all the beat reporters lists, and you get the team’s total points.
The lower the teams total points, the higher that team in the consensus rankings.
(The best possible ranking would be if each beat reporter had a certain team first, and that team would receive three points. The worst possible ranking would be if each beat reporter had a certain team twelfth, and that team would receive 36 points.)
Q30 CONSENSUS RANKINGS:
1.Clarkson (3 points)
The Golden Knights are unanimously in the top spot, thanks in part to an incredible 93-29 goal differential. They’ve finished first in ECAC hockey three of the past four years, and still the most complete team in the conference. The defending national champions are averaging a little over four goals-per-game, and sport a miniscule 1.25 goals against average. If that stat isn’t convincing enough, the top three players in goals, assists and points all play for Clarkson. The Golden Knights have two losses this season, both at home. But don’t let that completely fool you as both games were settled in overtime.
2.Colgate (6 points)
The first team to 20 wins in the conference, the Raiders are a major contender. They haven’t lost since December 1, and have beaten Clarkson once already this season. The Red Raiders have the best goalie tandem in ECAC Hockey with Julia Vandyk and Liz Auby who have combined for only three losses. Colgate starts a four game home stand this weekend, and welcomes Clarkson to town to cap it off on January 27th. This game could be the deciding factor in who gets the conference top seed.
3.Saint Lawrence (10 points)
Aside from a brutal January weekend against Cornell and Colgate, Saint Lawrence has an easy scheduleto end the year. The Saints are currently ranked fourth in the conference, however their remaining games include Harvard and Dartmouth twice, along with Yale and Brown. All of these games are winnable. Add in the fact that their record is deceiving, as two of the Saints’ three losses came at the hands of Clarkson. Watch out for St. Lawrence to make some noise down the stretch.
4.Cornell (12 points)
Cornell has 16 league points, currently slotting them with the fifth seed in the standings if the 
season were to end today. Luckily for the Big Red, it doesn’t. They are a perennial powerhouse, and have stoodtall against some of the best in the NCAA. Because Cornell was able to make it to the ECAC Hockey finals last year, a good portion of it’s roster knows what it takes to get deep into the playoffs. The Big Red have 10 conference games remaining, including eight of which are against teams ranked below them. If Cornell can improve its dismal 13.8% power play efficiency number, it will score more goals and win more games.
5.Quinnipiac (14 points)
The Bobcats are third in the conference at the moment, but that’s in large part because they have more 
games played than anyone in the conference (besides their travel partner Princeton). The Bobcats did beat Clarkson and Cornell earlier this year, but they’ve also been shut out twice by Yale, which only has five wins this season. Quinnipiac is the only team out of the top seven that has a negative goal differential. The Bobcats have talent and play hard, but are too inconsistent to take down the top dogs yet. Add in the fact that senior forward (and former All-American) T.T. Cianfarano hasn’t played in a game since September, the questions surrounding Quinnipiac women’s hockey right now make them a middle of the pack team.
6.Harvard (19 points)
After only winning five games in 2016-17, the Crimson have had a bounce back year with eight winsunder their belt. However it can be deceiving if you don’t look at the trends. A recent four-game losing streak has punctuated a tailspin for this Crimson team that started 5-2-0 and is now 8-8-1. A middle of the pack team in most statistical categories, Harvard needs goaltender Beth Larcom to find her old self here in 2018, and begin to clean things up as a team in the defensive zone first.
7.Princeton (20 points)
Along with Quinnipiac, Princeton is the only other team in ECAC Hockey to play 16 games so far. That means that every other team has 3-4 games in hand to make up points on the Tigers. They have bounced back, going 5-2-1 in their last eight games after having just two wins in their first two months. However its likely too little too late, as Princeton cannot afford to lose many more games down the stretch. But watch out, the Tigers are a sneaky spoiler team. With a 7-8-1 record and six conference games to play, Princeton should be happy with an above .500 ECAC season.
8.Union (26 Points)
Union has one of the tougher schedules to close out the season. The Dutchwomen will be battling for that eight and final spot in the ECAC Hockey playoffs. Union and RPI have a home-and-home series coming up on Jan. 26-27 which could decide the fate of either teams season. The Dutchwomen have gone just 1-9-1 on the road this year, which could come back to haunt them when the end of February comes around. Considering Union women’s hockey has never made the postseason, this might be the season to squeak in as the eight seed.
8.RPI (26 points)
RPI is on the rise, but not all the way there yet. They have played many close games, but have almost as many ties as wins (7-12-5). The Engineers still have to play Colgate and Cornell twice, not an easy task. Plus, they haven’t won a game since they beat Yale on Dec.2, going 0-5-1 since then. The recent skid could cost RPI a playoff spot. The Engineers need to get back to their winning ways, and fast.
10.Yale (29 points)
Yale hasn’t been great this season, but unfortunately for any Bobcats’ fans reading this, Yale has had Quinnipiac’s number this year. The Bulldogs have been able to put up pretty good fights against good teams, but they’ve struggled to finish. Offensively, the Bulldogs have only scored 35 goals this year, which is the second worst in the conference. Their defense is good and have gotten good goaltending play, but when they need that last minute goal, they can’t seem to find the back of the net. A lack of offensive threat wont cut it in a competitive conference.
11.Dartmouth (33 points)
Offensively, it’s been a very lackluster season for the Big Green who have only found the back of the net 28 times. This 1.65 goals per game mark is the worst in the ECAC and in the bottom five in all of division I women’s hockey. Even on the power play, the Big Green can’t seem to get the production they need, scoring on just 14.5% with an extra player on the ice. Like Yale, lackluster offense won’t allow you to compete in the ECAC.
12. Brown (36 points)
It’s just been that kind of year for the Bears. Actually, its just another trying year. The Bears have 
won only eight games over the past three seasons. Their only two wins this year came on the road against Dartmouth and Sacred Heart, which means they haven’t won a single home game this year. The Bears are currently on a six-game losing streak, and haven’t won a conference game since November. Given the competition the rest of the way, Brown’s best chance at another win will be its next two games against Yale and Dartmouth.
