The fourth week of the ECAC is off to an early start with some non-conference games, so before those happen, let's turn to last week in the ECAC. Same format- power rankings, recaps, upcoming schedule, key player, 3 Stars of the Week, and then the 3 Games to Watch.
Power Rankings
1. Quinnipiac (8-1, 4-0) Last Week: 2nd
Last Week- Quinnipiac started off the week strong with a 5-1 rout of the Harvard Crimson off an Eric Lampe hat trick, and then followed that up with a 4-2 win over Dartmouth.
Up Next- Quinnipiac faces a tough road trip as they take on Colgate Friday night before heading to Ithaca to take on Cornell on Saturday.
Key Player- Eric Lampe had a hat trick and an assist against Harvard on Friday night, giving him four points on the weekend.
2. Colgate (5-2-4, 3-0-1) Last Week: 4th
Last Week- The Raiders knocked off the Brown Bears on the road on Friday night by a score of 5-3, before tying the Yale Bulldogs 3-3 on Saturday.
Up Next- The Raiders are back at Starr Rink this week to face fellow undefeated team Quinnipiac, before taking on Princeton on Saturday.
Key Player- Robbie Bourdon scored a goal in each game for Colgate last weekend.
3. Union (5-3-2, 2-0-2) Last Week: 6th
Last Week- Union had a convincing four point weekend in the North Country, defeating St. Lawrence 4-3 on Friday night before knocking off Clarkson 5-1 to remain undefeated in ECAC play.
Up Next- Union has no games this week.
Key Player- Kelly Zajac had two goals and an assist this weekend for the Dutchmen.
4. Cornell (4-1-0, 3-1-0) Last Week: 1st
Last Week- Cornell saw their winless streak against Ancient Eight rival Yale move to five games, as the Big Red again fell to the Elis, this time by a score of 4-2 at Ingalls Rink. Cornell bounced back in a big way by beating up hapless Brown to the tune of 6-0.
Up Next- Cornell begins a three game home stand this weekend, facing the Princeton Tigers on Friday night and then Quinnipiac on Saturday.
Key Player- Blake Gallagher netted two goals for the Big Red in their win over Brown.
5. Yale (2-1-2, 1-1-2) Last Week: 7th
Last Week- It was a three point weekend for the Bulldogs as they defeated Cornell on Friday night 4-2, before tying Colgate 3-3 on Saturday.
Up Next- Yale faces non-conference opponent UMASS on Wednesday night, before taking on their travel partner, the Bears from Brown, on Saturday in Providence.
Key Player- Brian O'Neill had two goals and an assist on the weekend.
6. RPI (7-4-1, 3-1-0) Last Week: 3rd
Last Week- RPI opened up with a convincing 5-2 road win at Cheel Arena against Clarkson, before faltering the next night in a close 2-1 game against St. Lawrence.
Up Next- RPI is off from conference play for the rest of the month. There only game this week is against winless Niagara on Nov. 18th.
Key Player- Chase Polacek continues to rack up RPI's key player award, this time for his two goal weekend, scoring an EN shorthander on Friday and then tallying a PP goal on Saturday.
After the jump, teams 7-12, our three stars, and the three games to watch.
7. St. Lawrence (6-4-1, 2-2) Last Week: 5th
Last Week- Split home weekend for the Saints as they fell to the Union Dutchmen 4-3 before getting a win against RPI 2-1.
Up Next- The Saints take on Harvard at the Bright Hockey Center on Friday night, before traveling to Hanover to face Dartmouth on Saturday.
Key Player- Mike McKenzie had the GWG against RPI, and added an assist in the RPI game as well.
8. Princeton (2-1-1, 3-1-1) Last Week: 8th
Last Week- Princeton played some extra hockey this weekend, with both games going into OT. On Friday night, they were level at one apiece with Dartmouth until 34 seconds into the extra frame, when Cam MacIntyre scored to give Princeton the win. Princeton had to play the full five minute OT on Saturday afternoon against Harvard after giving up a goal with less than a minute left in regulation, and neither team could score, giving that game a final of 3-3.
Up Next- Princeton begins a trip away from Hobey Baker rink that includes seven true road games and two neutral games at their holiday tournament with a trip to upstate New York to face Cornell on Friday night and Colgate on Saturday.
Key Player- Mike Kramer had two goals and an assist on the weekend for the Tigers.
9. Harvard (1-3-1, 1-3-1) Last Week: 10th
Last Week- Harvard came out flat against the Quinnipiac Bobcats, and never lead in a game which saw them lose 5-1. They rebounded well by Saturday afternoon, responding to a 2-0 deficit against Princeton by tying the game up at 3-3.
Up Next- Harvard finally gets to play some home games, seven of them in fact, including this weekend's ECAC contests against St. Lawrence and Clarkson.
Key Player- Michael Biega scored in each game last weekend, including the GTG with less than a minute left against Princeton. Biega also added an assist in the Princeton game.
10. Brown (0-4-1, 0-3-1) Last Week: 9th
Last Week- Brown earned no points at home last weekend as they fell 5-3 to Colgate before being routed 6-0 by Ivy League foe Cornell.
Up Next- Brown looks to rebound on Tuesday night with a win against Mayor's Cup rivals Providence in non-conference play. They then host travel partner Yale on Saturday.
Key Player- Jordan Pietrus scored two consolation goals for Brown, helping them reduce a 5-0 deficit against Colgate to a 5-3 final.
11. Dartmouth (0-5, 0-5) Last Week: 12th
Last Week- Dartmouth moves up slightly in the power rankings, mostly because of Clarkson's poor play, but also because the Big Green, while losing, certainly have been in every game so far. It took 60:34 on Friday night for the Tigers to beat them 2-1. On Saturday, Quinnipiac chased starter Jody O'Neill after a 3-0 first, but Dartmouth responded by making it 3-2 in the second before Quinnipiac scored a put-away goal that made the final 4-2.
Up Next- Dartmouth will be looking for their first win against fellow ECAC bottom-dweller Clarkson on Friday night, before taking on St. Lawrence on Saturday.
Key Player- Scott Fleming had a goal in each game last weekend.
12. Clarkson (3-8, 0-4) Last Week: 11th
Last Week- The Golden Knights are no longer golden at home, giving up 10 goals in two games at Cheel Arena to move up to a six game losing streak. On Friday, it was a 5-1 loss to RPI, and they followed that with a 5-2 loss to Union.
Up Next- Clarkson will look to be getting their first win of the season, facing the only other team without a win in ECAC play, Dartmouth, on the road on Friday, before skating into the Bright Center to take on Harvard on Saturday.
Key Player- Brandon DeFazio had a goal in each game last weekend.
3 Stars of the Week
1. Eric Lampe, Quinnipiac
2. Kelly Zajac, Union
3. Brian O'Neill, Yale
3 Games to Watch
1. Quinnipiac @ Colgate - Both of these teams skate into the Friday night game at Starr Rink undefeated in league play and at the top of the standings. Which team will jump away with the big win and control the league early?
2. Yale @ UMASS - Our non-conference game of the week (beating out honorable mention Brown at Providence in the Mayor's Cup on Tuesday) features the ECAC favorite heading to Amherst to face the team at the top of the Hockey East standings on Thursday.
3. Princeton @ Cornell - This game doesn't have the sizzle that Harvard - Cornell might have, but both of these Ancient Eight rivals are both favorites to win the ECAC this year, and should provide plenty of fireworks on the ice at Lynah.
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