SURPRISE TEAM
Brandon Wong
Based on preseason expectations, very few people expected to see the Quinnipiac Bobcats among the top half of teams in ECAC Hockey. Instead, they ended up getting a spot among the top half of teams in the national rankings. They announced their presence with a sweep at Ohio State on the season’s opening weekend and went on to win their first five games. After a loss at Robert Morris, the Bobcats then won eight in a row including their first seven in ECAC Hockey play.
The questions existed because of a lack of an established goaltender and the graduation of Bryan Leitch and David Marshall, who combined for 105 points last year. A balanced offensive attack – including a big year from Brandon Wong (12-12-24) – has provided the Bobcats with plenty of scoring and …
SURPRISE INDIVIDUAL
Sophomore Dan Clarke has earned the number one role in net for the Bobcats and has had a very good first half. In 12 games, Clarke has compiled a 8-2-1 record. He is second overall among ECACH goalies in save percentage (.923) and goals-against average (2.43). Clarke played in 13 games as a freshman with a 5-6-1 record.
At the pro level, we’ll give a mention to two former ECACH standouts. Former Cornell sniper Matt Moulson is playing a prominent role with the New York Islanders, where he shares the team lead in goals (15) and ranks second on the team in points (26). Former St. Lawrence Saints forward Rich Peverley is having a huge season in Atlanta with 12 goals and 33 points in 33 games. He’s been almost a point-a-game player for the Thrashers since moving there from Nashville last year – Peverley had 35 points in 39 games for Atlanta last year.
WHAT HAPPENED TO? …
Speaking of goaltenders, what’s happened to two of the league’s best this year? Princeton’s Zane Kalemba, last year’s ECAC Hockey and Ivy League player of the year, has a 2-5-1 record and 3.36 goals-against average. He’s coming off of his best game of the year, a 45-save performance in a win at nationally-ranked UMass Lowell. Harvard’s Kyle Richter ranks dead last overall among qualifiers in goals-against average (3.89) and 12th in save percentage (.890). Richter was the league’s Ken Dryden Award winner following the 2007-08 season.
BEST NEW FACE
Jerry D’Amigo of Rensselaer was the leading scorer for Team USA at last spring’s under-18 World Championship and was projected as a high pick in last summer’s NHL Entry Draft. While his draft status slipped to the later rounds, the Toronto Maple Leafs are probably ecstatic about how D’Amigo’s season has started. He ranks third on the Engineers in scoring with 14 points in 18 games and is a candidate to make the United States’ entry in the World Junior Championships.
BIGGEST UPSET
Mike Clemente
When Brown hosted Quinnipiac on Dec. 5, it was actually the Bears that came in on a winning streak – they had recently defeated Connecticut, Harvard and Princeton – and Quinnipiac suffered just its first league loss the previous night against Yale. But the upstarts from Providence were facing their toughest test of the year and went on to a 2-1 win over first-place Quinnipiac. Jeff Buvinow and Sean Connauton scored third-period goals and Mike Clemente stopped 22 of 23 shots he faced, as Brown outshot Quinnipiac 31-23 in the game.
TOUGHEST ROAD OUT
Clarkson played only six of its first 16 games at home in Cheel Arena and played two road series against nationally-ranked Michigan State and Minnesota Duluth, and a single game against Boston College. They’ll be spending more time in Potsdam in the second half, and the road trips aren’t of significant distance. After playing in Minnesota’s holiday tournament Jan. 2-3, the Golden Knights won’t play a game outside of New York with the exception of the weekend at Brown and Yale, Feb. 19-20. Did Jim Boeheim make that schedule?
TOUGHEST ROAD IN
Cornell‘s got league road games at Clarkson/St. Lawrence and Quinnipiac/Princeton, plus the road portion of the matchup with travel partner Colgate among its second half tests, but that’s only half the story. Also included are non-league matches with Colorado College , New Hampshire and two at Lynah against North Dakota. Winning a couple of those will prove Cornell as a top team and Frozen Four contender, or significantly impact its NCAA Tournament chances and seeding.
MUST-SEE GAMES
North Dakota’s trip to Cornell on Jan. 22-23 should make for great games in Lynah’s raucous environment. Both teams like to skate and have good size. It’s a great cross-regional matchup and it’s great to see at least one of the West’s elite teams willing to make trips to ECAC Hockey schools.
BIGGEST QUESTION ANSWERED
Was Yale’s 2008-09 season a one-year wonder or the sign of something bigger? Yale has proven itself this season and shown that last year wasn’t a fluke. Despite searching for some consistency in goal, the Bulldogs have won with a high-powered offense. Yale is the nation’s highest-scoring team at 4.33 goals per game and six players are averaging more than a point per game, led by sophomore Brian O’Neill with 16 points and Broc Little’s 10 goals.
BIGGEST QUESTION REMAINING
Jason Walters has 17 points and ranks second on Union in scoring.
Can Union make a run at its first ECAC Hockey championship? The Dutchmen have been no fun to play against for opponents for a couple of years but are poised to achieve bigger things this season. They’re unbeaten in 10 (6-0-4) and have some of the best offensive talent and depth in the league. Freshman goalie Keith Kinkaid has given Union strong goaltending and has been getting the majority of work in recent games ahead of junior Corey Milan. A top-four finish in the league and advancing to the championship weekend in Albany are certainly within the realm of possibility for Union.
INCH’s FIRST HALF ALL-ECAC HOCKEY TEAM
G-Ben Scrivens, Cornell: The league’s leader in goals-against average and save percentage will continue to be cursed by “it’s a product of the system” stereotyping, but his play has gradually improved all season.
D-Tom Dignard, Yale: The standout from the defending league champs missed the end of last season due to injury, but has been right back in the mix this year after missing the first couple games. He has 11 points in nine games.
D-Mike Schreiber, Union: The Dutchmen don’t get much offensive punch from the blue line, but they don’t need it. The senior has contributed four goals and eight assists in 16 games.
F-Brandon Wong, Quinnipiac: A dozen goals and a dozen assists for Wong leads the way for one of the nation’s most pleasantly surprising teams this year. Wong has four game-winning goals.
F-David McIntyre, Colgate: A premier player previously known for his goal-scoring proficiency has been more of a setup man this year, with a league-leading 14 assists.
F-Colin Greening, Cornell: He is second on the Big Red in scoring with 16 points and sets the physical and emotional tone for Cornell.
