With ECACHL teams jockeying for playoff spots and home-ice for the tournament, which starts a week from Friday, Cornell (17-6-4, 12-5-3 ECACHL) remained at the top of the league after a weekend which saw it beat Dartmouth, but lose to Harvard. The Red is the only team that has clinched a first-round bye in the playoffs, as it remains one-point ahead of Dartmouth and Colgate. The Red will face Rensselaer and Union on the road this weekend, hoping to clinch another ECACHL regular season championship.
Colgate 4, Harvard 1
Raider Kyle Wilson had a hand in three of the four Colgate (16-10-6, 12-6-2) goals on Friday night, as it defeated Harvard (15-10-2, 11-8-1) at Starr Rink. After Tyler Burton and Kevin Du exchanged power play goals in the first period, Marc Fulton put the Raiders up for good at the 19:21 mark. In the third period, Zac Tataryn extended the host’s lead to two with a goal, before Jesse Winchester put the finishing touches on the win over nine minutes later.
Clarkson 3, Yale 2
Clarkson (16-13-3, 9-9-2) continued its dominant form at home in Cheel Arena, as it handed the Bulldogs (8-16-3, 6-12-2) the loss. Jeff Genovy got the scoring going in the first period at the 5:56 mark, before Matthew Thomey scored for Yale less than six minutes later. Thomey would add his second tally in the second period, but Genovy and Shea Guthrie found the back of the net later in the frame. Golden Knights goaltender David Leggio made 29 saves in the win.
Rensselaer 4, Princeton 4
A high-scoring affair ended up all square at Hobey Baker Rink on Friday. The Engineers (13-14-6, 7-7-6) took an early 2-0 lead after Oren Eizenman and Chris Hussey put their team ahead with goals in the first period.
But Princeton (9-16-2, 6-12-2) would score four-straight goals, as Patrick Neundorfer, Kevin Westgarth, Darroll Powe and Sebastian Borza handed the Tigers a 4-2 lead with less than 18 minutes to play.
Kevin McWilliams scored at the 8:48 mark on the power play, and less than six minutes later Kevin Croxton knotted it up at four all.
Quinnipiac 3, Union 1
Quinnipiac (16-15-1, 7-12-1) continued its attempt to gain momentum going into the ECACHL playoffs with a win over the visiting Dutchmen (16-12-6, 9-7-4).
Matt Sorteberg put the hosts on the board just 17 seconds into the game, but Union’s Augie DiMarzo tied the game up later in the period. However, with strong goaltending by Bud Fisher, who made 19 saves, Quinnipiac took the lead when Chris Walsh scored the eventual game-winner at the 14:51 mark in the first period. Joe Dumais added an empty netter in the third to seal the deal.
St. Lawrence 4, Brown 1
The Saints (18-12-2, 12-7-1) reestablished their reputation as one of the league’s most dangerous teams on the offensive side with a convincing win over the Bears (3-18-6, 2-14-4). After John Zeiler opened up the Saints’ account in the first, Jared Ross scored the eventual game-winner in the second on the power play. Chase Trull and Brock McBride added to St. Lawrence’s lead before Jeff Prough scored a consolation goal with five minutes left in the game. Brown’s Adam D’Alba had 37 saves in the loss.
Dartmouth 3, Colgate 0
Coming off a stinging, 3-1, loss to Cornell a night before, Dartmouth dominated the Raiders, lifting it into a tie for second going into the final weekend of play. Nick Johnson put the visitors out in front during the first period before J.T. Wyman scored in the second with both teams having only four players on the ice. Kevin Swallow added a third for the Green at the 5:49 mark in the final period, as Mike Devine stopped 21 shots in his first shutout this season. Colgate is tied with Dartmouth in second place, one point behind Cornell.
Union 5, Princeton 4, O.T.
Sean Streich’s game-winner goal at the 4:13 mark in overtime lifted the Engineers past Princeton and insured that the Dutchmen would get home-ice in the ECACHL playoffs. Union had a 3-1 lead with less than four minutes left in the second period, but three Princeton power-play goals put it ahead, 4-3, with 8:57 left in the game. With its goaltender pulled, Union tied up the game at the 18:38 mark when Jonathan Poirier scored, as the Dutchmen outshot the Tigers, 24-9, in the frame. Sixth-placed Union still has a chance to clinch a first-round bye, as it sits three points behind St. Lawrence for the final spot. Princeton is tied for tenth with Yale.
Rensselaer 4, Quinnipiac 4
Quinnipiac rode its power play to come back and salvage a point against the visiting Engineers. After Rensselaer took a 3-1 lead going into the third, Jamie Bates and Matt Sorteberg notched power play goals almost within two minutes of each other to tied the game. Oren Eizenmen put Rensselaer up, 4-3, on the man-advantage, but just 1:15 later, Bates scored his second power play goal of the night. Rensselaer is tied for seventh place with Clarkson, while Quinnipiac is in ninth and will travel for its first playoff series.
Clarkson 8, Brown 2
A bad season got worse for Brown, as Clarkson put on a scoring display at Cheel Arena. After Jeff Prough and Steve Zalewski exchanged power play goals in the first period, Eric Slais put the visitors in front at the 3:03 mark in the first period. However, that would be the end of the Bears’ scoring.
Matt Isbister, Chris Brekelmans and Chris D’Alvise scored for Clarkson later in the frame before four Golden Knights goals in the third period completed the rout.
Clarkson, which is 12-2-2 at home, but a miserly 3-11-0 on the road, travels to Dartmouth and Harvard next weekend. Brown is in dead last in the ECACHL.
St. Lawrence 3, Yale 0
Goaltender Justin Pesony recorded 20 saves in his second career shutout, as the Saints earned a four-point weekend. With the teams tied going into the third, Adam Hogg scored the eventual game-winner at the 1:16 mark in the final frame.
John Zeiler and Hogg destroyed the visitors’ chances for a comeback at the end of the game, as both Saints scored empty-netters within the game’s final minute. St. Lawrence currently is in fourth place and holds the final first-round bye spot.
The Saints are two points ahead of fifth-place Harvard. Yale, tied for tenth, will be on the road for its first playoff series.
Archived article by Brian Tsao
Sun Assistant Sports Editor