Here’s some info on the 26th Ledyard Classic:
The details
Where: Thompson Arena, Hanover, N.H.
Friday’s schedule: Brown (3-8) vs. No. 15 Boston College (9-7-1), 4 p.m. EST; No. 11 Denver (10-5) vs. Dartmouth (6-4-1), 7 p.m.
Saturday’s schedule: Brown vs. Denver, 4 p.m. EST; Boston College vs. Dartmouth, 7 p.m.
Notes to know
Brown has been a disappointment to many this season, not least of whom inhabit the Meehan Auditorium locker room. Expected to rise to at least the middle of the ECAC Hockey pack on the strength of a lethal top line and an impressive incoming class, the Bears have instead staggered through the last two months with just two wins to show for 10 contests (2-8). There are reasons to believe that better days are nigh, however: Senior Matt Lorito and juniors Mark Naclerio and Nick Lappin have combined for just seven goals this season, but with 85 career goals between them it should only be a matter of time before someone breaks out.
Boston College closed out its first half with a 5-1 win over Michigan on Dec. 13. The showdown featured 10 players on the 2015 U.S. National Junior Team preliminary roster. For Boston College, Thatcher Demko, Noah Hanifin, Ian McCoshen, Steve Santini and Alex Tuch were named to the team. Michigan’s representatives consisted of JT Compher, Michael Downing, Dylan Larkin, Tyler Motte and Zach Werenski.
Denver has had a solid 10-5 start to the season, but the Pioneers are only just hovering above .500 in league play. They have won five of their last seven games, though, and tournament wins over Dartmouth or Brown or both could serve as a springboard going into the second half of the campaign.
Dartmouth hosts its annual tournament having won four of five (4-1) and brings the most experienced roster in ECAC Hockey to the table for another round. Eight seniors embark on their final semesters of college and nine juniors fall in line behind them. The most impressive of the group has arguably been third-year goalie James Kruger, who has mustered a .932 save percentage, well above his career average of .914. It’s not all sunshine and lollipops in Hanover however, as the Dartmouth power play has been abysmal all season long: The Big Green scored a single goal in their last 24 advantages and are bumbling along at 5-41 (.122) on the season.
Social snippet
26th Annual Ledyard Classic brings @DU_Hockey, @BrownMensHockey and @BCHockeyNews to Hanover. http://t.co/gvAqc0ufwV pic.twitter.com/VqEEp1i8vR
— Dartmouth Hockey (@Dartmouth_MIH) December 31, 2014
