Andrew:
1. Quinnipiac Bobcats: (19-1-5, 10-0-3)
Previous three: 1/21 vs. RPI T 2-2, 1/19 at Maine T 3-3, 1/9 vs. Harvard W 5-4.
Two miraculous last second game-tying goals earned Quinnipiac two ties this week. The Bobcats are showing resilience reminiscent of the 2013 National Championship team.
Next three: 1/29 @ Dartmouth, 2/5 vs. Cornell, 2/6 vs. Colgate.
Gabbi:
1. Quinnipiac Bobcats: (19-1-5, 10-0-3)
Previous three: 1/21 vs. RPI T 2-2, 1/19 at Maine T 3-3, 1/9 vs. Harvard W 5-4.
The Bobcats hold a 10-0-3 conference record to top the ECAC so far. The Bobcats 102 shot opportunities (which includes shots on goal, posts, and blocked shots) against RPI is staggering. I’m excited to see what they’ll do this Friday as they travel up to New Hampshire to take on a rising Dartmouth.
Next three: 1/29 @ Dartmouth, 2/5 vs. Cornell, 2/6 vs. Colgate.
Gabbi:
2. Harvard Crimson: (11-4-3, 7-3-3 ECAC)
Previous three: 1/23 @ Cornell W 6-2, 1/22 @ Colgate W 4-2, 1/16 vs. Clarkson L 5-1.
The Crimson took the last weekend against Cornell and Colgate and put up 10 goals between those two games. This now lets them capture second in the ECAC. They’re also the only other conference team ranked in the top 10 in the USCHO.com poll and fifth in the PairWise rankings.
Next three: 1/29 vs. Princeton, 2/1 vs. Boston College, 2/5 @ Brown.
Andrew:
2. Yale Bulldogs: (12-4-4, 6-3-3 ECAC)
Previous three: 1/23 @ St. Lawrence W 3-2, 1/22 @ Clarkson T 2-2, 1/16 @ Brown W 2-1.
Another solid weekend for the Bulldogs as they extended their unbeaten streak to eight games (6-0-2). We all know what Alex Lyon and the defense are capable of, but it’s Yale’s shaky offense that will take it to the next level.
Next three: 1/29 vs. Union, 1/30 vs. Rensselaer, 2/5 vs. Dartmouth.
Andrew:
3. RPI Engineers: (13-7-6, 5-1-6 ECAC)
Previous three: 1/23 vs. Union W 5-2, 1/21 @ Quinnipiac T 2-2, 1/16 vs. Colgate T 2-2.
Another solid weekend for RPI as they tied Quinnipiac 2-2 and defeated Union 5-2 in the Mayor’s Cup. However, Riley Bourbonnais’ injury remains a concern for RPI. The Engineers’ leading point scorer has missed the team’s last three games.
Next three: 1/29 @ Brown, 1/30 @ Yale, 2/5 vs. St. Lawrence.
Gabbi:
3. RPI Engineers: (13-7-6, 5-1-6 ECAC)
Previous three: 1/23 vs. Union W 5-2, 1/21 @ Quinnipiac T 2-2, 1/16 vs. Colgate T 2-2.
I loved what I saw out of Seth Alpert’s Engineers when they came to Hamden last Thursday. They’re a team that even with finesse players isn’t afraid to play an all-round demanding game; they’ll block shots, throw punishing hits and generate chaos in the neutral zone all in one shift. My biggest concern down the stretch is their power play having a few games where they couldn’t convert.
Next three: 1/29 @ Brown, 1/30 @ Yale, 2/5 vs. St. Lawrence.
Gabbi:
4. Yale Bulldogs: (12-4-4, 6-3-3 ECAC)
Previous three: 1/23 @ St. Lawrence W 3-2, 1/22 @ Clarkson T 2-2, 1/16 @ Brown W 2-1.
This fourth spot in the conference has had more rotation then some MLB bullpens. The Bulldogs sit at 10 in the PairWise and Lyon is the fourth-best goaltender statistically in the nation. It’s the stretch run through February that will be very telling for ECAC seeding, but as in the past two years the Bulldogs have made it to the NCAA Tournament without an ECAC run.
Next three: 1/29 vs. Union, 1/30 vs. Rensselaer, 2/5 vs. Dartmouth.
Andrew:
4. Dartmouth Big Green: (8-8-1, 5-5 ECAC)
Previous three: 1/23 @ Colgate W 3-0, 1/22 @ Cornell W 3-0, 1/1 6 vs. St. Lawrence W 4-2.
The Big Green are no doubt the hottest team in the ECAC right now. Dartmouth has won five a row thanks to the re-emergence of goalie Charles Grant and steady contributions on offense from Jack Barre. Its biggest test of the season comes Friday when it hosts No. 1 Quinnipiac.
Next three: 1/29 vs. Quinnipiac, 1/30 vs. Princeton, 2/5 @ Yale.
Andrew:
5. Harvard Crimson: (11-4-3, 7-3-3 ECAC)
Previous three: 1/23 @ Cornell W 6-2, 1/22 @ Colgate W 4-2, 1/16 vs. Clarkson L 5-1
Two convincing victories over Colgate and Cornell this past weekend forces me to move Harvard up one spot this week. The Crimson are playing well heading into the Beanpot Feb. 1 against Boston College.
Next three: 1/29 vs. Princeton, 2/1 vs. Boston College, 2/5 @ Brown.
Gabbi:
5. Cornell Big Red: (11-5-3, 6-4-2 ECAC)
Previous three: 1/23 vs. Harvard L 6-2, 1/22 vs. Dartmouth L 3-0, 1/16 @ Union T 3-3.
The Big Red have dropped from my number two into the fracas in the middle of the conference. The last four have seen Cornell go 0-3-1, including a home shutout by Dartmouth. In conference they’re a paltry 4-3-0 at home, which is a bit of the surprise knowing how much the Lynah fans love their Big Red.
Next three: 1/29 @ Clarkson, 1/30 @ St. Lawrence, 2/5 @ Quinnipiac.
Gabbi:
6. Dartmouth Big Green: (8-8-1, 5-5 ECAC)
Previous three: 1/23 @ Colgate W 3-0, 1/22 @ Cornell W 3-0, 1/1 6 vs. St. Lawrence W 4-2.
This team has come out rearing its fangs in 2016. They’ve gone 7-1-0 through eight this year, with the one loss being to an inspired Vermont on the night of Marty St. Louis’ jersey retirement. Goaltender Charles Grant has allowed 10 goals in that stretch, giving his team the reassurance and confidence to play the rest of the ice.
Next three: 1/29 vs. Quinnipiac, 1/30 vs. Princeton, 2/5 @ Yale.
Andrew:
6. Cornell Big Red: (11-5-3, 6-4-2 ECAC)
Previous three: 1/23 vs. Harvard L 6-2, 1/22 vs. Dartmouth L 3-0, 1/16 @ Union T 3-3.
Keeping the puck out of the net has been the issue for the Big Red lately. Mike Schafer’s squad has lost three out of four and has dropped two straight. In that span Cornell has allowed 3.25 goals per game.
Next three: 1/29 @ Clarkson, 1/30 @ St. Lawrence, 2/5 @ Quinnipiac.
Andrew:
7. Clarkson Golden Knights: (11-10-3, 3-6-3 ECAC)
Previous three: 1/23 vs. Brown W 5-0, 1/22 vs. Yale T 2-2, 1/16 @ Harvard W 5-1.
Clarkson is hitting its stride after tying a hot Yale team and owning Brown 5-0 this past weekend. The Golden Knights are 8-1-2 at home this season and six of their last 10 games are home. The green and gold are poised to make a late push for a top-four spot in the conference standings.
Next three: 1/29 vs. Cornell, 1/30 vs. Colgate, 2/5 @ Union.
Gabbi:
7. St. Lawrence Saints: (11-11-2, 5-6-1 ECAC)
Previous three: 1/23 vs. Yale L 3-2, 1/22 vs. Brown W 6-2, 1/16 @ Dartmouth L 4-2.
This North Country squad has lost a lot of momentum, going 1-4-0 in their last five. While three of those games were on the road, the Saints home ECAC record of 3-2-0 isn’t much improved from the 2-4-1 road mark. The St. Lawrence defense is still ranked at 16 in the nation with a team 2.33 goals against average, but with a 1-8-1 record when the opposition scores first, it looks like once this team is down, they’ve been counted out.
Next three: 1/29 vs. Colgate, 1/30 vs. Cornell, 2/5 @ Rensselaer.
Gabbi:
8. Princeton Tigers: (4-12-2, 3-7-2 ECAC)
Previous three: 1/26 vs. AIC W 1-0, 1/8 vs. Union T 4-4, 1/7 vs. RPI T 3-3.
No, this isn’t the NCAA Tournament team of 2008-09, but there’s an intrigue to this team. Players like Max Veronneau and Josh Teves have been two impactful freshmen on this underclassmen heavy team, and I’m interested in where they’ll take this team going forward.
Next three: 1/29 @ Harvard, 1/30 @ Dartmouth, 2/5 vs. Colgate.
Andrew:
8. Union Dutchmen: (9-9-6, 2-7-3 ECAC)
Previous three: 1/23 vs. RPI 5-2, 1/16 vs. Cornell T 3-3, 1/15 vs. Colgate L 4-2.
Union lost its only game of the weekend to RPI in the Mayors Cup 5-2. The Dutchmen have lost so many key pieces the last two years (Daniel Carr, Daniel Ciampini and Shayne Gostisbehere) and it has been hard for them to fill those gaps.
Next three: 1/29 @ Yale, 1/30 @ Brown, 2/5 vs. Clarkson.
Andrew:
9. St. Lawrence Saints: (11-11-2, 5-6-1 ECAC)
Previous three: 1/23 vs. Yale L 3-2, 1/22 vs. Brown W 6-2, 1/16 @ Dartmouth L 4-2
It’s panic time for the Saints as they fell two more spots in the PairWise to No. 26 after splitting its series with Brown and Yale this past weekend. Greg Carvel’s teams usually go through rough stretches in January (1-6 this year), but seem to end strong. Will the Saints be able to tap into that late season magic again?
Next three: 1/29 vs. Colgate, 1/30 vs. Cornell, 2/5 @ Rensselaer.
Gabbi:
9. Clarkson Golden Knights: (11-10-3, 3-6-3 ECAC)
Previous three: 1/23 vs. Brown W 5-0, 1/22 vs. Yale T 2-2, 1/16 @ Harvard W 5-1.
Clarkson has slowly creeped up from last place in the ECAC after wins against Harvard and Brown. They also hold three big ties against Quinnipiac, Yale and Rensselaer. I don’t think there’s enough for a playoff run, but I do expect them to play spoiler a few more times before the end of February.
Next three: 1/29 vs. Cornell, 1/30 vs. Colgate, 2/5 @ Union.
Gabbi:
10. Union Dutchmen: (9-9-6, 2-7-3 ECAC)
Previous three: 1/23 vs. RPI 5-2, 1/16 vs. Cornell T 3-3, 1/15 vs. Colgate L 4-2.
It’s been a hard way down, as the team has alternated ties and losses since falling to Quinnipiac early in January. Their out of conference buoyed them to a .500 record, but the ECAC has been an issue this year.
Next three: 1/29 @ Yale, 1/30 @ Brown, 2/5 vs. Clarkson.
Andrew:
10. Colgate Raiders: (7-16-2, 3-8-2 ECAC)
Previous three: 1/23 vs. Dartmouth L 3-2, 1/22 vs. Harvard L 4-2, 1/16 @ RPI T 2-2.
The Raiders finally had some momentum heading into the weekend as they were on a three-game unbeaten streak, but they ran into the teeth of Harvard and Dartmouth this weekend losing both.
Next three: 1/29 @ St. Lawrence, 1/30 @ Clarkson, 2/5 @ Princeton.
Andrew:
11. Princeton Tigers: (4-12-2, 3-7-2 ECAC)
Previous three: 1/26 vs. AIC W 1-0, 1/8 vs. Union T 4-4, 1/7 vs. RPI T 3-3.
The Tigers returned to action after an 18-day hiatus on Tuesday and defeated AIC 1-0.
Next three: 1/29 @ Harvard, 1/30 @ Dartmouth, 2/5 vs. Colgate.
Gabbi
11. Colgate Raiders: (7-16-2, 3-8-2 ECAC)
Previous three: 1/23 vs. Dartmouth L 3-2, 1/22 vs. Harvard L 4-2, 1/16 @ RPI T 2-2.
Colgate had three players at the core on the team; the Spink brothers and Charlie Finn. On the offensive end, the brothers have combined for 48 points, but Finn’s goals against average is a bloated 3.43, a facet of being both outshot and outscored by opponents this year.
Next three: 1/29 @ St. Lawrence, 1/30 @ Clarkson, 2/5 @ Princeton.
Gabbi:
12. Brown Bears: (4-12-3, 2-9-2 ECAC)
Previous three: 1/23 @ Clarkson L 5-0, 1/22 @ St. Lawrence L 6-2, 1/16 vs. Yale L 2-1.
Still hibernating this winter, the Bears are stuck at two wins in conference play.
Next three: 1/29 vs. RPI, 1/30 vs. Union, 2/2 @ Uconn.
Andrew:
12. Brown Bears: (4-12-3, 2-9-2 ECAC)
Previous three: 1/23 @ Clarkson L 5-0, 1/22 @ St. Lawrence L 6-2, 1/16 vs. Yale L 2-1.
Nick Lappin and Tommy Marchin have been the lone bright spots to an otherwise dark season for the Bears.
Next three: 1/29 vs. RPI, 1/30 vs. Union, 2/2 @ Uconn.
