There are a number of notable games this weekend in the ECAC, highlighted by No. 9 St. Cloud State traveling to No. 14 Quinnipiac, and No. 11 Michigan heading to New York’s Capital Region to face No. 18 Union and Rensselaer. And finally, Harvard, Cornell, and Dartmouth begin their season with exhibition games this weekend. All games are 7 p.m. unless noted.
No. 9 St. Cloud State at No. 9 Quinnipiac
It’s been a good start for the Huskies and Bobcats, as the team are a combined 8-0 with five shutouts. Quinnipiac has a plus-97 shot differential, but the Bobcats will have a formidable opponent in St. Cloud goalie Charlie Lindgren, who hasn’t allowed a goal in three games thus far. The teams split a series in Minnesota last year, and there shouldn’t be a lot separating them this weekend either.
Friday: Quinnipiac wins
Saturday: St. Cloud wins
Western Michigan at Clarkson
Aside from a 7-1 shellacking at Merrimack last Friday, the Golden Knights have been solid en route to a 3-1 start. Clarkson has scored 15 goals in four games this season after scoring 81 all of last season. It’s the first meeting in 20 years between the Golden Knights and the Broncos, who enter the weekend 2-0-1. Western Michigan should present a good test for Clarkson’s offense, as the Broncos have allowed two goals in three games, and are eighteen-for-nineteen on the penalty kill.
Friday: Western Michigan wins
Saturday: Clarkson wins
No. 15 Miami at No. 17 St. Lawrence
This looks like another series this weekend that should be incredibly close. I’m going out on a limb and predicting a Saints sweep, as Kyle Hayton has shown few signs of a sophomore slump and the St. Lawrence offense has averaged nearly three-and-half goals per game thus far.
Friday: St. Lawrence wins
Saturday: St. Lawrence wins
RIT at Colgate (Friday, 7:05 p.m.); Colgate at RIT (Saturday, 7:05 p.m.)
The Raiders return to action after having last weekend off. It’s been a bit of a rough start for Colgate, but an even rougher start for RIT, as the Tigers are 0-2-1 and have been outscored 13-3.
Friday: Colgate wins
Saturday: Colgate wins
No. 11 Michigan at No. 18 Union (Friday, 7:30 p.m.)
It’s only the second time these teams have ever met, with Union beating the Wolverines 6-3 in the first matchup in 2011. The game also marks a homecoming for former Union sports information director Jeff Weinstein, who now works in the same capacity for Michigan. I could see this one going either way, but I’ll give a slight edge to the home team. Union wins
New Hampshire at No. 18 Union (Saturday, 7:30 p.m.)
The Wildcats have scored plenty of goals, but have also given them up at a high clip as well. This should be a good test for a Union defense that has been rock solid through the first two weeks of the season. Union wins
No. 11 Michigan at Rensselaer (Saturday, 7:07 p.m.)
RPI had a rough time at the Brice Alaska Goal Rush, losing third-period leads in each of its two games in Alaska. The Engineers can’t afford any slipups against a Wolverines team that has nine goals in two games this season. Michigan wins
