Final six are underway
Harvard may be the last remaining Division I team to allow a goal (5-0 victors over Bentley on Saturday), but Cornell made the biggest statement this weekend with a twin-killing of Colorado College in Ithaca.
The Big Red held the Tigers to two goals on 42 shots in 2-0 and 3-2 victories. CC couldn’t break the hosts’ penalty kill in eight chances, and were held well below their (admittedly early-) season average of more than four goals per game.
Dartmouth, Harvard, and Yale also escaped the weekend unscathed: the Big Green tied Yale and blanked Brown at the Ivy Shootout in Providence; Yale also edged Princeton; while Harvard – as aforementioned – took out the Bentley Falcons at the Bright Hockey Center to open an ambitious campaign.
Golden Knights fail to shine
Despite a promising start in the Rockies – dropping a pair of tight games to Colorado College – Clarkson has been unable to build momentum at home. ‘Tech has surrendered almost four goals a game (3.80) while scoring only two and a half (2.60). The Knights are earning more power plays than their opposition, but are only converting on 16 percent of their advantages… foes are scoring on a full quarter of their PP opportunities.
Last weekend saw CCT fall and draw against Niagara at Cheel. The Golden Knights are putting themselves in position to win games – they are out-shooting opponents as well as taking fewer trips to the box – but finishing has been an early thorn in Clarkson’s side.
Colgate back on track
Back on the morning of October 20, prior to a Saturday home game against Bowling Green, the Raiders appeared to be floundering in rising water. The team had lost three straight following an opening-night romp over Niagara, and were sitting at 1-3-0 with no gimmes in sight. The squad that had lit up the Purple Eagles for 10 goals on October 9 had only mustered two more tallies (while surrendering 11) in the three games since.
Enter the Spink twins.
Tyson and Tylor Spink – the rookie twins out of Williamstown, Ontario – each lit the lamp in the first period to pace Colgate to a rejuvenating 4-2 win. Since then, the Raiders have looked a lot more aggressive, scoring a combined 11 goals in last weekend’s wins over RIT (6-3) and Quinnipiac (5-1). The ‘Gate has allowed six goals in its last three outings, scoring three power-play goals and shutting foes down on nine of 10 shorthanded situations. Junior goalie Eric Mihalik is bringing his numbers back in to focus, stopping 78 of 84 shots during the win streak.
