The first weekend of conference action is in the books and if we didn’t know already Quinnipiac is really good. It didn’t take long for it to end up right at the top, as only it and Union closed the weekend with a max four points. It seemed only fitting that those two teams would end up at the top after a tough non-conference stretch as they were the regular season and tournament champions, respectively, last season.

I have been saying this for a few weeks now, but the ECAC is going to be a blast this season. Nearly every game was close over the weekend, minus the debacle that occurred for Dartmouth at home, as it lost by an aggregate 14-3 in two games. If one thing is for certain fans will see tons of up and down hockey in conference action this season.  There was tons of offense generated over the weekend and one should expect that to continue. Nonetheless there were some major trends over the weekend and here is what I think. (more…)

Durham, NH – New Hampshire came out with a lot of fire and heavily outplayed its opponent, UMass-Lowell, for much of the first period.  In the first period UNH outshot the River Hawks 10-3 and the latter had an impressive 13 blocks in the first period. The second period, however, was a diferent story as UML came out and took it to UNH at times, especially late in the period.

UNH opened the scoring at ten minutes, 28 seconds of the second when Brett Pesce took a wrist shot from the point and it ended up behind Doug Carr. It was surprisingly Pesce’s first goal and point of the season. Lowell then took control of the period and found the back of the net twice within a minute and 45 seconds, as Joseph Pendenza scored his fourth of the season and Christian Folin backed it up to give Lowell the 2-1 second intermission lead.

Lowell stifled UNH in the final period but UNH would score a late power-play goal with 1:13 remaining in the game off the stick of Grayson Downing. It was the first of the season for the struggling forward. Derek Arnold would score an overtime goal at 3:17 of the period on the power-play to give Lowell the 3-2 win over UNH. The win was UML’s fourth consecutive victory improving its record to 5-3-0, 2-0-0 in Hockey East. UNH is winless in five games and drops its record to 1-5-1 on the season and 0-2-0 in Hockey East. (more…)

New Haven, CT. –  It was a night of much pomp and circumstance, as Yale raised its National Championship banner based on last year’s accomplishments but tonight was a new night and the banner did little more than signify just that. Early in the first, the play was controlled territoriality and speed wise by St. Lawrence. The Saints took an early 1-0 lead at five minutes, 30 seconds of the first period when Woody Hudson brought it down the left wall, shot a puck toward the net and it chromed into the net off a defender. The Saints doubled its lead late in the first, as Greg Carey took a turnover into the slot, all alone, and wristed it past the Yale goaltender. Yale brought it to within one late in the first when Kenny Agostino took a shot from the high slot that Jesse Root tipped past Saints goaltender, Matt Weninger to send the teams into the first intermission 2-1.

The second period belonged to Yale, as it outscored its opponent 2-1 in the period. St. Lawrence would make it 3-1 early in the second, as Justin Baker scored a power-play goal. But Yale dominated the rest of the period sending 16 shots at the SLU net. Anthony Day would score at 8:37 of the second period to make it 3-2 and in the waning moments of the period, Rob O’Gara put one past Matt Weninger to tie it at three going into the third period.

The third period was an entertaining battle as Yale and SLU traded chances throughout the period but neither team was able to solve the other’s goaltender. The overtime was much of the same, as Yale and St. Lawrence would skate to the 3-3 tie at Ingalls rink. Yale goes to 1-1-1, 0-0-1 ECAC on the young season and SLU goes to 4-2-1, 0-0-1. (more…)