Here we go…the last weekend of January is here. There’s ten games on tap for Friday and Saturday, including a pair of televised matchups tonight.
Last week: 3-6
Overall: 37-37
Friday, Jan. 27
Brown at Dartmouth
These are two teams that are maddeningly frustrating to figure out. Brown gets shut out by last place RPI (albeit, an Engineers team that showed a lot last weekend), before beating Union while the Big Green lost to UNH before tying Cornell and beating Colgate over the same stretch. I’m taking a flyer on Brown here, but this one could go either way. Brown, 4-3
Colgate at Cornell
The bad news? The Raiders have yet to win a game in 2012. The worse news? Cornell is 8-0-3 against Colgate dating to 2007 and are currently one of the nation’s hottest teams. Note the 7:36 start time, as this one will be broadcast on CBS College Sports Network. Cornell 4-2
Clarkson at Union
I saw Union’s victory at Yale Friday and was stuck by their balance. They’re gritty, yet skilled, good on special teams, and protect their own end. And goalie Troy Grosenick is in a groove. Yet there’s been some lapses, as they blew an early 2-0 lead to Brown the next night en route to a loss. They should stay focused here. Union 3-2 (OT)
St. Lawrence at Rensselaer
An RPI win would move them out of last place and into a tie with the Saints. The Engineers were the only team to get four points last weekend, while St. Lawrence is mired in an 0-4-1 rut. What the heck…make it three in a row for RPI. RPI 3-1
Yale at Harvard
These are two teams desperately looking to snap out of their respective slumps; Yale has but one conference win over the last month, while the Crimson are 0-3-5 over their last eight. As a side note, slick passing Yale center Andrew Miller surpassed 100 points last weekend, and now has a 21-80 line in 88 career games. This one is set to air on NBC Sports Network; Washington Caps radio play-by-play man John Walton will be on the call along with Mike Millbury. Yale 5-4
Saturday, Jan. 28
Brown at Harvard
This is one of those games I really don’t feel too solid leaning towards any team…in this case, I’ll the take the Crimson, giving both teams a weekend split. Harvard 4, Brown 2
Clarkson at Rensselaer
Don’t look now, but another RPI four-point weekend couple with another winless Yale weekend would make the two teams dead even. Of course, that’s looking too far ahead, as the Engineers still have to get by the Golden Knights, who emerged from a holiday slump to go 2-0-1 over their last three. Clarkson 2-1
Cornell at Colgate
The numbers are stacked against Colgate but weekend sweeps are extremely rare, almost as rare as home-and-home-series in the ECAC. In that light, let’s call a deadlock here between these travel partners. Cornell 3, Colgate 3 (OT)
St. Lawrence at Union
The Saints are only killing penalties at a 79.2 percent clip in league play. That’s bad news against a potent Dutchmen power play. Union 4-2
Yale at Dartmouth
The Bulldogs face their second Ivy League opponent of the weekend in Darmouth. Expect plenty of scoring here. Yale 6-4
Tuesday, Jan. 31
UConn at Princeton
A rare non-conference Tuesday game between two teams that are pretty familiar with one another, as this marks the third year in a row they’ve seen each other. The Huskies are much-improved from recent years, but the Tigers should take this. Princeton 4-3
Dartmouth at Harvard
What’s rarer then a Tuesday non-conference game? How about a Tuesday conference matchup? Dartmouth 5-3
