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November 7, 2006
The Hobey Baker Memorial Award is presented
to a deserving recipient on the day before the last
college hockey game of the season. But that doesn’t
mean that college hockey fans, players and media members
don’t think about it all season. In yet another
new coverage item presented by Inside College Hockey
for the 2006-07 season, we introduce Hobey Tracker with
a look at the top three candidates, those whose stock
is rising, and other players worthy of consideration.
| THE
BIG BOARD |
| 
1. Michel
Léveillé
Maine
Senior | Forward
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Last
Week: One assist in a win at Merrimack
and tie at Boston University.
The Buzz: The 2-2 tie at Agganis
Arena Saturday marked the first time in eight games
this season he failed to work his way onto the score
sheet. Léveillé
doesn't have to pull down multiple points every
night to keep his name in the Hobey mix. As long
as he maintains a steady burn and the Black Bears
keep winning, he'll be in good shape. |
2. Nathan Davis
Miami
Junior | Forward |
Last
Week: Four goals, three assists in a split
with visiting Northern Michigan
The Buzz: Numbers can be twisted
to prove just about anything, but here's a couple
of figures that indicate the high level of Davis'
play. First, his short-handed goal in a 4-2 loss
to Northern Michigan was the ninth of his career,
a Miami record. Second, he comes into this weekend's
series at Lake Superior State having had a hand
in the RedHawks' last nine goals (five goals, four
assists). |
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3. Cory
Schneider
Boston College
Junior | Goalie
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Last
Week: 37 saves in a 5-3 loss at Providence;
33 saves in a shutout win vs. Vermont.
The Buzz: Schneider's slip from
second to third is less an indictment of his play
and more an affirmation of Davis' excellence. Despite
the loss to the Friars, he's still outplayed almost
every goaltender in the nation while being forced
to keep the Eagles in games until the team's offense
kicks into gear. |
| Dropped
Out: None |
| |
| BULL
MARKET |
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David Brown
Notre Dame
Senior
Goaltender |
Now
that everyone has taken notice of Notre Dame's outstanding
start, it's time to focus the spotlight on the team's
best player through the first quarter of the season.
Brown was very good as a freshman in 2003-04, helping
the Fighting Irish to their first NCAA Tournament
berth, but fell on hard times the following season
before regaining his form as a junior. As a senior,
the Stoney Creek, Ontario native has allowed a total
of nine goals in seven starts and boasts a 5-1-1
record, a 1.26 goals against average and a .950
save percentage. He's also given up one goal or
less in five of his seven appearances this season. |
| BEAR
MARKET |
Mark Dekanich
Colgate
Junior
Goaltender |
After a
shaky start to the season – nine goals against
in two losses at the Ice Breaker Tournament –
Dekanich appeared to find the game that made him
the winner of the ECAC Hockey League's 2006 Dryden
Award as the circuit's best goaltender. He allowed
two or fewer goals in six straight games, but only
had a 3-2-1 record to show for it because of the
Raiders' inability to score timely goals. When 'gate
finally found its offense against Brown last Saturday,
Dekanich fizzled, giving up six goals in a tie.
His First Team All-ECACHL credentials match those
of Dave McKee and Dov Grument-Morris, but his stats
haven't. |
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HIDDEN
HOBEY |
Pierre Luc O'Brien
Sacred Heart
Senior
Forward
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Given his
role in the Pioneers' two wins against Mercyhurst
in a pivotal Atlantic Hockey series last weekend,
O'Brien is hardly hidden. Still, he's a legitimate
threat to be one of the 10 Hobey finalists when
the list is announced in mid-March. There's no question
he can score in bunches – witness the 11 points
he's piled up over the course of his last three
games. He'd help his cause, however, with a strong
efforts against a team from one of the "established"
leagues. In games against Massachusetts and Michigan
State, O'Brien has tallied but one assist. He'll
get that chance, as ECACHL heavyweights Cornell
and Dartmouth loom on the schedule. |
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