By: Anton Khodakov
What better time for our first power rankings of the year
than the day of the season’s first conference match-up? Harvard visits RPI
tonight to open up ECAC play. Here are our rankings with non-conference records
on the season so far.
1. #10 RPI (4-1-0)
The Engineers almost went undefeated in the second half of
last season and came very close to making the NCAA tournament. They’re good
bets to reach that goal this year. Jason Kasdorf is back in net after his
award-winning rookie season, as are Brock Higgs, Ryan Haggerty, Curtis Leonard,
and a host of last year’s breakout players.
2. Union (1-2-2)
The big loss comes in net. Troy Grosenick has left after his
junior season to join the AHL’s Worscester Sharks. Freshman Ale Sakellaropoulos
has started four of the games so far. He benefits from the ECAC’s best group of
blue liners, led by Mat Bodie and Shayne Gostisbehere.
3. Dartmouth (0-2-0)
A surprise pick to earn a first-round bye, the Big Green
return several talented offensive players, none more so than Tyler Sikura. Eric
Robinson and others will have to step up to fill the whole left by Matt
Lindblad. Both halves of last year’s goalie plateau, Cab Morris and Charles
Grant, are back.
4. St. Lawrence (4-2-0)
The offense begins with Greg Carey, one of the best players
in college hockey and a Hobey Baker favorite. But the Saints may boast the best
freshman class in the conference outside of Harvard’s. Watch for Gavin
Bayreuther to make a big difference on the blue line.
5. #14 Cornell (2-0-0)
Last year’s late run proved too little to turn a
disappointing season around. This year the Big Red are back in the conversation
for the conference title. Netminder Andy Iles and all-conference defenseman
Joakim Ryan are back, but a healthy Cole Bardreau might prove the difference.
6. #11 Yale (1-1-0)
The reigning national champions lose Andrew Miller, Antoine
Laganiere, and goaltender Jeff Malcolm to graduation. Malcolm will prove the
hardest to replace. The Bulldogs have great depth across its forward and blue
line groups, but Keith Allain will want to find stability in the crease early.
7. Brown (2-0-0)
The Bears made a surprising run at the conference
championship last year behind the insane play of goaltender Anthony Borelli. He
has graduated, but Brown returns almost everyone from last year and should be a
tough, gritty matchup for anyone on the ice. Can Matt Lorito lead the
conference in goals scored after his second place finish to Carey last year?
8. #7 Quinnipiac (6-1-0)
The best team in the ECAC last year loses nine lineup
regulars to graduation. Can Rand Pecknold reorganize his team fast enough to
repeat last year’s success? A lot will depend on the Jones twins and the
performance of sophomore Michael Garteig in net. Freshman Sam Anas already has
six goals through seven games.
9. #17 Clarkson (6-1-1)
The Golden Knights have shot out of the gate in 2013. We’ll
see if the success holds up against tougher conference competition. A young
group of defensemen will need to mature quickly in front of a freshman and
sophomore goaltender in Steve Perry and Matt Lewis. So far Clarkson is only
allowing 1.47 goals per game.
10. Colgate (2-4-1)
An emotional 2012-2013 for the Raiders centered on the
departure and return of top defenseman and team leader Spiro Goulakos. He is
back and healthy, as is most of last year’s otherwise mediocre squad. The Spink
twins will need to shoulder the offensive load even more considerably now that
Robbie Bourdon is gone.
11. Harvard (1-0-0)
Once again, the Crimson bring in a number of talented,
goal-hungry freshman in Alexander Kerfoot, Sean Malone, Luke Esposito and
others. They will fight for top-line and power-play time with last year’s
breakouts. The giant question mark will be the defense, worst in the conference
last year. With Danny Biega gone, can Dan Ford and company improve rapidly
enough to bring the Crimson out of the ECAC cellar?
12. Princeton (1-1-0)
Andrew Calof is back, but otherwise, the Tigers should
struggle to find the back of the net this year. To make matters worse, Eric
Meland and Michael Sdao, quietly one of the conference’s best defensive
pairings last year, have graduated. Princeton will be counting on a lot of
unexperienced fresh faces to step up.
