After a disappointing one-point weekend at Michigan State, the No. 9 men’s hockey team (4-1-1, 2-0-0 ECAC) continues its away trip when it meets conference rivals Vermont (5-4-2, 3-0-1) and Dartmouth (3-3-0, 2-2-0) this weekend. Formerly undefeated, the Red struggled to put scores up on the board last weekend, picking up only a single goal in its two game set against the Spartans.
Cornell struggled this past weekend, finding itself unable to get any kind of offense going. Despite this, the Red is still second in the conference in goals per game (4.00) and tops on defense, allowing only 1.17 goals per game. Most of the latter statistic comes from the incredible play of sophomore goaltender David McKee, who has a .947 save percentage, making him the No. 4 goaltender in save percentage in all of NCAA Division I hockey. McKee also has a not-too-shabby 1.19 GAA, good for first overall in the NCAA by 0.17 goals.
The Red meets UVM tonight in Burlington. The Catamounts have had a strong season thus far, and remain one of only four undefeated teams in the conference. Their 3-0-1 record places them in second place in the ECAC, hot on the heels of Union’s (4-0-0). The Catamounts have been riding high on the wings of three-year veteran and alternate captain Scott Mifsud, who already has eight goals, which is two-thirds of his entire 2003-2004 goal total of 12. Mifsud is a sniper on the power play, with six of his eight tallies coming with the extra man.
However, the Catamounts have had contributions from all over. Mifsud’s classmate, forward Brady Leisenring, has nine points on the season despite playing in only six games. The younger players have also found roles on this surging squad. Freshman Torrey Mitchell has also gotten into the act, picking up eight points (2 goals, 6 assists) in his 11 games this season, while sophomore Chris Myers is second on the team in goals with six. Freshman goalie Joe Fallon has also had a tremendous season thus far, picking up two shutouts already.
When the Red meets Dartmouth tomorrow, the Green will appear to be a shadow of the team it could have been this season. Most recently, it was determined that Dartmouth forward and first-round draft pick of the New York Rangers, Hugh Jessiman, would most likely be gone until at least March and probably for the rest of the season. The Green struggled in its first weekend without Jessiman, losing to Clarkson, 4-1, and then relying on fantastic goaltending from Dan Yacey, who had 43 stops, to take down St. Lawrence, 4-1.
The Green will look to its other experienced leaders to step up in Jessiman’s place.
Junior Mike Oulette leads the team with six points in six games this season, while junior defenseman Garrett Overlock has provided some offense from the point this season with two goals and two assists in his campaign thus far. Among Dartmouth’s newest recruiting class, 220-pound forward David Jones has made his presence known, and is third on the squad with four points, and first in the goals category with three.
Archived article by Mike Pandolfini
Sun Staff Writer