By Kyle Levasseur and MJ Baird
Kyle’s No. 1 Player
1. Sam Anas F Quinnipiac (30 Games Played, 21 Goals, 18 Assists)
There’s a new sheriff in town MJ, and his name is Sam Anas. Where would the Bobcats be without him this year? Currently on a 12-game point streak, Anas is the hottest player in the ECAC. He continues to deliver for Quinnipiac in clutch moments, such as in the third period vs Dartmouth, and with only nine seconds left against Rensselaer.
Also, Anas is only eight goals away from tying David Marshall’s Division I program record of 73 goals. Anas is certainly, one of the best players to ever come through Quinnipiac.
MJ’s No. 1 Player
1. Sam Anas F Quinnipiac (30 Games Played, 21 Goals, 18 Assists)
That’s right Kyle, no doubt about it. Recording a point in 12 straight, Anashas taken over the throne. Anas leads the league in goals and points, a feat deserving of the number one spot on my list. Plus, Jimmy Vesey was out of the lineup for Harvard this weekend due to a lower body injury. Taking over the number one spot as a junior, Anas could be here to stay.
MJ’s No. 2 Player
2. Jimmy Vesey F Harvard (24 Games Played, 18 Goals, 17 Assists)
We will see if Vesey misses significant time or not, but his drop to number two overall was not because of this absence. Instead, it is Anas’ heroics of late have bumped Vesey down. Second in the league in every category that Anas leads, Vesey finds himself second in yet another category. MJ’s player rankings.
Kyle’s No. 2 Player
2. Jimmy Vesey F Harvard (24 Games Played, 18 Goals, 17 Assists)
While he did miss his last game against Union, due to an injury, Vesey is still a Hobey Baker nominee, and he continues to dominate the competition. The ECAC player of the month for January, drops down to No. 2, solely because of Anas’s domination.
Kyle’s No. 3 Player
3. Travis St. Denis F Quinnipiac (30 Games Played, 15 Goals, 19 Assists)
While one Quinnipiac Assistant Captain sits at the top of my rankings, the other moves up two spots to number three. St. Denis had a commendable weekend, scoring a goal against St. Lawrence, and a goal against Clarkson. The senior has recorded a point in 23 of 30 games this season, yet when he doesn’t have a point, the Bobcats tend to struggle, as their 3-1-3 record shows.
MJ’s No. 3 Player
3. Travis St. Denis F Quinnipiac (30 Games Played, 15 Goals, 19 Assists)
I’ve said it before when St. Denis was atop my rankings and I will say it again, he is the core leadership of the Bobcat offense. St. Denis found the score sheet again this weekend, as he scored in both contests. Tied for second in the nation in power play goals, I find it hard to dispute St. Denis as a top three player in the conference.
MJ’s No. 4 Player
4. Alex Lyon G Yale ( 24 Games Played, .944 SV%, 1.47 GAA)
Kyle when you are right, you are right. Yale has been surging, and Lyon has been a crucial part of that. My only concern with the Bulldogs, which is keeping them just outside the top spot in the ECAC, is their offense. But the offense is not what we are here to discuss, so justifiably, Lyon jumps multiple spots to the top five in the conference for me.
Kyle’s No. 4 Player
4. Tim Clifton F Quinnipiac (26 Games Played, 14 Goals, 16 Assists)
Leading the ECAC in plus/minus rating with a whopping plus-21, Tim Clifton moves up considerably in my rankings. The forward had the game winning goal against Colgate, as well as an assist against Cornell. Clifton also adds depth to the highest scoring offense in the conference, by being the best screener on the team, and tallying seven power play goals.
Kyle’s No. 5 Player
5. Alex Lyon G Yale ( 24 Games Played, .944 SV%, 1.47 GAA)
At the beginning of the season, Lyon was my number one goalie in the conference. Well MJ, he’s back on top. The Yale netminder had an impressive 36 save shutout against Colgate, as well as a 4-2 win against Cornell. Lyon has the best save percentage and goals against average in the league, and has been the reason Yale is making a strong late-season push.
MJ’s No. 5 Player
5. Gavin Bayreuther D St. Lawrence (29 Games Played, 9 Goals, 14 Assists)
Bayreuther still retains the best defenseman in the conference title in my mind, hence why he lands in the top five this week. To add to that, Bayreuther has combined for two goals and five assists since our last rankings were released. This is seven points in four games. Case closed.
MJ’s No. 6 Player
6. Tyson Spink F Colgate (30 Games Played, 12 Goals, 18 Assists)
Spink had a goal and an assist in Colgate’s come-from-behind win over Princeton two weekends ago, but since then has not found the score sheet for two straight games. That being said, Tyson (and his brother Tylor) have been standouts for the Raiders this season. In my mind, Spink is deserving of a top ten spot.
Kyle’s No. 6 Player
6. Kyle Criscuolo F Harvard (26 Games Played, 16 Goals, 10 Assists)
With two assists in his last game against Union, Criscuolo is now averaging one point per game. The Crimson senior has the third most goals in the ECAC with 16. Six of those goals have been game winners, which leads the league, while seven have been power play goals, which is tied for second most. Certainly, an integral part to the second highest scoring offense in the ECAC.
Kyle’s No. 7 Player
7. Gavin Bayreuther D St. Lawrence (29 Games Played, 9 Goals, 14 Assists)
After a stellar three-point performance by the St. Lawrence defenseman, Bayreuther moves up two spots in my rankings. Not only did he net a huge goal against Quinnipiac in his team’s 4-3 win against them, he also had a goal and an assist against Princeton.
MJ’s No. 7 Player
7. Tim Clifton F Quinnipiac (26 Games Played, 14 Goals, 16 Assists)
Clifton has not fallen off the face of the earth since his torrid start, but he definitely has not kept up the early season production. That being said, Clifton is still far beyond the most points in a season for his career, and he is an integral part of Rand Pecknold’s offense. Fourth in the league in points, fifth in goals, and number one in plus/minus ranking is no small feat. I find it hard to leave Clifton off of this list.
MJ’s No. 8 Player
8. Michael Garteig G Quinnipiac (30 Games Played, 1.76 GAA, .929 SV%)
Garteig, as well as the Bobcats, have been on a slow decline of late. The team lost it’s first game this past weekend against Saint Lawrence, and Garteig’s stats have suffered too. It is hard to forget how Garteig has bailed out the top seeded Bobcats on multiple occasions throughout the season, and it is for that reason that Garteig is still in my top ten. Oh, and he also is second in the nation in shutouts.
Kyle’s No. 8 Player
8. Michael Garteig G Quinnipiac (30 Games Played, 1.76 GAA, .929 SV%)
With his stats suffering considerably, Garteig drops five spots in my standings to eighth. With his last shutout being on Jan. 7, it’s clear Garteig has slowed down. His goals against average before the Jan. 7 game was, 1.27, compared to 3.13 after that game. It’s because of his unbelievable first half that Garteig stays in my top 10.
Kyle’s No. 9 Player
9. Alex Kerfoot F Harvard (24 Games Played, 4 Goals, 25 Assists)
Kerfoot leads all ECAC players in assists with 25, six more than anyone else in the league. A mediocre weekend for the forward, tallying one assist against Union. Still, you can’t argue with 1.21 points per game.
MJ’s No. 9 Player
9. Devon Toews D Quinnipiac (27 Games Played, 6 Goals, 18 Assists)
I would like to introduce a new name to our lists this week Kyle, and that is Devon Toews. Toews is on a tear of late, now leading all ECAC defensemen in points and plus/minus. Toews added a goal and three assists to his line this weekend, and if he keeps up that kind of production as a defensemen, Gavin Bayreuther could be in trouble in losing his best defensemen title in my mind.
MJ’s No. 10 Player
10. Kyle Criscuolo F Harvard (25 Games Played, 16 Goals, 10 Assists)
Another weapon in the Harvard offense, Criscuolo is having a great season for the Crimson. Two weeks ago Criscuolo was third in the league in goals, and for two weeks now he has kept his standing. And once again, his 16 goals fall only behind Sam Anas and Jimmy Vesey. That stat alone keeps Criscuolo in my top ten.
Kyle’s No. 10 Player
10. Devon Toews D Quinnipiac (27 Games, 6 Goals, 18 Assists)
Like you MJ, I think the battle for best defenseman in the league is heating up. While I give a slight edge to Bayreuther, Toews isn’t far behind him. With 10 points in his last five games, the Islanders draft pick is playing superbly. His plus/minus rating of plus-20, as well as his great hockey intellect, score him the tenth spot on my list.
