Yale and Rensselaer just came out of the same tournament, Yale finishing third and Rensselaer second in the Rensselaer Marine Midland Holiday Hockey Tournament. "It’ll definitely give us a chance to get a real close look at each other," joked Yale head coach Tim Taylor. "But we each have to get by our teams first, … Read more
(Note: This is the second part of an interview with ECAC ice hockey commissioner Jeff Fanter. The first installment was entitled “Man On A Mission.”) Five months into Jeff Fanter’s tenure as ECAC ice hockey commissioner, he has started to put into motion some of the ideas he presented to the selection committee during his … Read more
The standings are frozen in time for the next 23 days as the ECAC takes its annual holiday/finals break, and at that break there are two surprising leaders atop the standings — Yale and Colgate. The Bulldogs are 6-1-0 in the league and the Red Raiders 6-2-0. During the preseason, few thought that these teams … Read more
When you start the list of nice guys in hockey, Tim Taylor’s name is invariably near the top. But after years of doubt, Taylor is on his way to proving nice guys don’t have to finish last. In fact, the way things look, they can even earn home ice for the playoffs. Led by one … Read more
You know the story well. You’ve seen it a hundred times before. Rocky Balboa defeats Apollo Creed.The 1969 Mets win the World Series.Rudy sacks the Georgia Tech quarterback.Team USA claims hockey gold at the 1980 Winter Olympics.Jeff Fanter becomes ECAC ice hockey commissioner. Jeff Fanter becomes ECAC ice hockey commissioner? “I was a darkhorse when … Read more
After only one league game last week, this week there are 10 league contests on tap which could very well set the tone for what happens when 1998 rolls around. Last week’s predictions: 8-7 Year to date: 51-34, .600, 3rd place Colgate (7-3-0, 4-2-0 ECAC, 3rd) and Cornell (6-1-1, 4-1-1 ECAC, 2nd) at Rensselaer (6-4-0, … Read more
Clarkson gained three points this past weekend, with a tie against Union and a shellacking of Rensselaer. Rensselaer and Princeton were the big losers on the weekend, both getting swept on the road. Union, Vermont, and Dartmouth each gained one point on the weekend. Most teams will take Thanksgiving and play outside the ECAC, but … Read more
Roger Grillo won his first game on Friday night when Brent Hoiness scored in overtime to give the Brown Bears a victory over Yale. The next evening, overtime bit Grillo and the Bears as Princeton took the sudden-death victory. Harvard tied Princeton and lost to Yale, while Princeton took three points on the weekend with … Read more
Joe Bertagna believes it when he says he works for all of college hockey. He believed that when the ECAC was signing his paychecks, and he believes it now that he is the commissioner of Hockey East. People who believe that ECAC hockey is a glorious conglomerate of 12 teams — worthy of praise over … Read more
League action kicked off this past weekend, and three teams came out perfect. Rensselaer, Yale and Cornell all swept their weekend series, while Princeton won one and tied one. The Engineers disposed of Dartmouth and Vermont, 7-1 and 7-2; Yale dispatched Clarkson and St. Lawrence, 2-1 and 3-0; Cornell took care of Harvard and Brown, … Read more
Who says the hockey offseason is boring? It certainly wasn’t that way in the ECAC, where upheaval has been the buzzword and a complicated labyrinth of movement had the wheels spinning and everybody talking. But with the season finally in full swing, it’s time to reflect upon those changes. It wasn’t just the usual array … Read more
As the clock ticked down in last March’s season-ending setback at the hands of eventual national champion North Dakota in the NCAA Tournament, the seniors on the Cornell hockey team savored their last moments wearing the Red uniform. The underclassmen watched the third period come to an end and started to think about next season. … Read more
Jason Dailey has seen it all. Three years ago, he came into a program mired in mediocrity as the only freshman defenseman. Now, he is co-captain of the two-time defending ECAC champions. How times have changed. Along the way, the senior has become a key to the Red defensive unit. Dailey has a reputation as … Read more
So far this young season — not counting exhibitions, games against independents and games against non-Division I opponents — the ECAC is 7-13-1. Of those seven wins, Clarkson has two of them over Bowling Green; Rensselaer defeated UMass-Lowell; Vermont beat Lake Superior State; Colgate and Cornell both upended Northeastern; and Colgate has the upset of … Read more
Last weekend, heavy interconference action was the name of the game. The two teams just beginning their seasons — Union and St. Lawrence — also suffered their first defeats of the season. Union lost in overtime, 5-4 to Providence, while St. Lawrence was walloped by Colorado College 12-3. St. Lawrence came back the next day … Read more
In Boston, ECAC preseason conference favorite RPI was shellacked by the Hockey East preseason number-one, Boston University, by a score of 6-0. This week, more teams get into the swing of things, including the first "real" games for St. Lawrence and Union. J.C. Penney Classic St. Lawrence (0-0-0) vs. Colorado College (0-0-0) Friday, 5 pm, … Read more
The Red Raiders of Colgate travel to Ann Arbor to face the Wolverines of Michigan, the Catamounts of Vermont travel to take on the Wildcats of New Hampshire, and in the matchup of the week, two top-ten teams face off against each other in Boston. The highlight of the young season will be the tenth-ranked … Read more
This weekend sees the debut of college hockey’s new season-opening tourney, the Ice Breaker Invitational, at the Dane County Coliseum in Madison, Wis. The tourney, originally announced at the NCAA championships last March, brings together one team each from the CCHA, WCHA, ECAC and Hockey East for a two-day event. This year, the invitees are … Read more
The 1997-98 ECAC Men’s Division I Ice Hockey Poll was released today, and the Rensselaer Engineers were voted the top school this season. “We’ve gotten a lot of respect from the coaches,” said RPI head coach Dan Fridgen. “And it’s reflected in this preseason poll.” RPI received nine of 12 first-place votes, as it did … Read more
Though an official announcement has yet to be made, it appears that the ECAC will change the format of its Division I ice hockey playoffs. Under the new arrangement, 10 of 12 teams still qualify for the playoffs, but the ECAC will go to five quarterfinal series, with the winner of the five-six series advancing … Read more