![\"BARKER\"](\"http:\/\/www.uscho.com\/images\/colorscans\/archives\/bn_j_barker.jpg\")
<\/p>\nBrown will surely be a good test for Harvard. While the Bears do not possess the speed, skill and offensive depth of the Crimson, they do have something that the team from Cambridge doesn’t at this point — a big, strong defense (anchored by veteran Josh Barker) and a seasoned goaltender in Eklund. Now no one expects Brown to contain the high-flying Harvard offense, but if they could sneak in a few early goals to rattle the young Crimson defenders and goalie, Grillo believes that anything could happen — especially when this is Harvard’s first game of the year.<\/p>\n
“I think that there is certainly a good deal of talent on that team,” said Grillo about his travel partner. “Where they were rated in early season was certainly justified based on the performance of the young guys last year. It’s a team that needs to be respected, and we need to come out and play our games. In the early part of the season, you can’t worry about the other team. We need to worry about playing our game.<\/p>\n
“I think that certainly if you look on paper, we lost some of our key scorers last year. Realistically, the young guys that played as much as they did have developed and come long way. I think that we are going to be a well-rounded team and will surprise some people.”<\/p>\n
And then the Big Green heads into town. Dartmouth has had the luxury of one exhibition contest against McGill and one versus Moncton. In both contests, the Big Green was able to pepper the opposition with a boatload of shots (a total of 105 in two games) … not all of them found the back of the net, however. More importantly, Gaudet used the McGill game to get a good look at his younger players as all his senior forwards took on the role of spectators that evening. <\/p>\n
“I think that we are getting there, but we need to be sharper,” said Gaudet. “It’s been a good preseason for us. Everything happened so quickly. We need to be prepared against an outstanding and highly touted Harvard team. Our preseason has helped us in our preparation, but we will go into Cambridge with a lot of respect for their team.”<\/p>\n
Youth won’t be as much of a factor for Dartmouth this year as their core of talent are upperclassmen. In fact, the Big Green is hoping that the experience up and down the roster will help them avoid another slow start like they experienced last year, when they began the regular season with a 1-4 ECAC record.<\/p>\n
Harvard, on the other hand, will be rusty. A very young team across the board, the Crimson coaches have been trying to prepare their guys on a number of levels.<\/p>\n
“We’ve really put an emphasis on teaching,” said Mazzoleni, who had both of his assistants delay recruiting trips until after the first three weeks of the season so that the team would have a full complement of coaches on hand at practice. “[As a coaching staff] we want to focus our energies on our team. We have a lot of youth in our team — 17 out of the 26. So there are a lot of basic things that we need to get through and not take for granted.”<\/p>\n
![\"CAPOUCH\"](\"http:\/\/www.uscho.com\/images\/colorscans\/20012002\/hu_p_capouch.jpg\")
<\/p>\nThe health of captain Peter Capouch is still a question mark as well. Capouch, who will need to shoulder much of the defensive burden left from the retirement of fellow senior Graham Morrell, sat out of the Brown scrimmage last week. And there is the matter of all the hype. After finishing fourth in the league last year and without even stepping onto the ice this year, the Harvard players have been inundated with media requests and national rankings. On paper, their nationally-ranked team is facing the worst team in the league on Saturday night. What is a coaching staff to do?<\/p>\n
“I think that’s something that I knew would be a challenge,” said Mazzoleni about the hype. “We are able to recruit kids with good press clippings coming in. A number-one challenge for our staff has been to develop humility with the team. We continue to preach that everything is team, first and foremost before any individual thought. Our team is a work in progress.<\/p>\n
“I think the kids are more excited than us. You can only play against yourself in practice so much. [Come Saturday] it will have been three weeks since we started playing.”<\/p>\n
And the answer to the question that everyone is asking — Will Crothers is scheduled to get the start in the Harvard net come Saturday night. <\/p>\n
The North Country Battle<\/h4>\n
One of the most storied rivalries in all of sport renews itself this weekend as St. Lawrence<\/b> travels to take on Clarkson<\/b> in the ECAC opener for both squads. This is the earliest that these two have battled and the intensity, as always, is high.<\/p>\n
The two teams have played four games each, each only winning one of the four. Clarkson has tied one, giving the Knights a 1-2-1 mark, while the Saints have dropped their other three, going 1-3-0 to start the season.<\/p>\n
Clarkson opened at home with a win over Miami, then dropped game two of the series.<\/p>\n
“We had a lot of fortunate bounces [Friday] night, and we made the most of them,” said Knight head coach Morris. “Momentum is a big determining factor in college hockey. Give Miami credit, they corrected a lot of mistakes, and they played with more heart than we did. A lack of discipline was the key to our downfall.<\/p>\n
“These next two weeks are very important for our team right now as we try and get healthy. We are expecting we can do some healing at this point. The rash of injuries that we have suffered in the first couple of weekends has been extraordinary. We are hoping to use this time to tighten up defensively to get ready for league play.”<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Saints won their first game of the season that same Friday against Lake Superior State before losing game two of the series. The first four games are a learning experience, according to head coach Joe Marsh.<\/p>\n
“We know what we have to work on, and we have some time to do it and refine parts of our game,” he said. “We used these first four to see a lot of guys in game action, and now we can start defining our lineup and getting ready for the league season. We’ll have kind of a mini-training camp to work on conditioning and try to work on some of the finer points that take a little more time to perfect. I think we got what we wanted out of the first four games…we tried a lot of different combinations and had the chance to see the new guys under game conditions against tough competition.” <\/p>\n
So the rivalry returns, and as always in the North Country, towns, and even families can be split apart by the intensity.<\/p>\n
The Big Red Start<\/h4>\n
Cornell<\/b> begins its season with a pair of nonconference games against Alabama-Huntsville, looking to reverse last year’s fortunes. The Big Red started last season with two losses, but from the looks of the 8-1 thrashing of Wilfrid Laurier in an exhibition last week, things are going to be different.<\/p>\n
“These guys came back in great shape,” said head coach Mike Schafer. “We’re a lot further ahead than we should be at this time of year. We’re off to a good start.” <\/p>\n
These two teams have never played each other and the Chargers are in for the Lynah experience.<\/p>\n
A Tiger of A Time<\/h4>\n![\"STATHOS\"](\"http:\/\/www.uscho.com\/images\/colorscans\/20002001\/pri_d_stathos.jpg\")
<\/p>\nSTATHOS<\/div>\n<\/div>\nPrinceton<\/b> was the second team to beat St. Francis Xavier this past weekend, by a score of 2-1. In such a low-scoring affair, you point to the net, where all three goalies — Dave Stathos, Nate Nomeland and Trevor Clay — played a period.<\/p>\n
“I was pleased with our goaltending,” said Tiger head coach Len Quesnelle. “I have confidence in all three of them. Certainly Dave Stathos leads the way, but Nate is hardworking and has played well when given the opportunity, while Trevor has a lot of potential.” <\/p>\n
It is likely that two of the three will see action when the Tigers take on Niagara on the road this weekend.<\/p>\n
If It’s So Easy, You Try It<\/h4>\n
Well, the Iron Columnists are back, ready to slice and dice through the ECAC competition this season.<\/p>\n
Now, the Iron Columnists are not immune to groveling, so we’ve decided that the groveling of Vic Brzozowski<\/b> was enough to have him back for his last shot.<\/p>\n
If memory serves us right, Vic was soundly<\/i> defeated in the very first Iron Columnist challenge last season. We see that he is back for another beating. So, Vic Brzozowski, bring your skills into USCHO Stadium and try to take down the Iron Columnists — something you could not do before. Whose picks will reign supreme?<\/p>\n
The Picks<\/b><\/p>\n
Fri.-Sat, Nov. 2-3<\/b>
\nAlabama-Huntsville<\/b> at Cornell<\/b>
\nVic’s Pick<\/i> — Only reason this is close is because Huntsville has played six times to Cornell’s one. Cornell, 3-2 and 4-2<\/b>
\nBecky and Jayson<\/i> — Cornell, 5-2 and 4-1<\/b>
\nBemidji State<\/b> at Union<\/b>
\nVic’s Pick<\/i> — After a long bus ride, the Beavers need one game to get the kinks out. Union, 3-2, then Bemidji State 4-3<\/b>
\nBecky and Jayson<\/i> — Union, 6-2 and 3-1<\/b>
\nPrinceton<\/b> at Niagara<\/b>
\nVic’s Pick<\/i> — It may be wishful thinking on my part that Princeton splits. Niagara, 4-2, then Princeton 3-2<\/b>
\nBecky and Jayson<\/i> — Niagara, 4-1 and 2-1<\/b> <\/p>\n
Saturday, Nov. 3<\/b>
\nSt. Lawrence<\/b> at Clarkson<\/b>
\nVic’s Pick<\/i> — I never pick against the Knights. Clarkson 4, St. Lawrence 2<\/b>
\nBecky and Jayson<\/i> — Clarkson 4, St. Lawrence 3<\/b>
\nBrown<\/b> at Harvard<\/b>
\nVic’s Pick<\/i> — Closer than most people think. Harvard 4, Brown 2<\/b>
\nBecky and Jayson<\/i> — Harvard 6, Brown 4<\/b>
\nIona<\/b> at Colgate<\/b>
\nVic’s Pick<\/i> — ‘Gate can’t be as bad as Minnesota made them look. Colgate 5, Iona 2<\/b>
\nBecky and Jayson<\/i> — Colgate 5, Iona 4<\/b><\/p>\n
Sunday, Nov. 4<\/b>
\nDartmouth<\/b> at Harvard<\/b>
\nVic’s Pick<\/i> — Could be a preview of the Lake Placid championship. Harvard 3, Dartmouth 2<\/b>
\nBecky and Jayson<\/i> — Dartmouth 4, Harvard 2<\/b><\/p>\n
<\/p>\nPrinceton<\/b> was the second team to beat St. Francis Xavier this past weekend, by a score of 2-1. In such a low-scoring affair, you point to the net, where all three goalies — Dave Stathos, Nate Nomeland and Trevor Clay — played a period.<\/p>\n
“I was pleased with our goaltending,” said Tiger head coach Len Quesnelle. “I have confidence in all three of them. Certainly Dave Stathos leads the way, but Nate is hardworking and has played well when given the opportunity, while Trevor has a lot of potential.” <\/p>\n
It is likely that two of the three will see action when the Tigers take on Niagara on the road this weekend.<\/p>\n
If It’s So Easy, You Try It<\/h4>\n
Well, the Iron Columnists are back, ready to slice and dice through the ECAC competition this season.<\/p>\n
Now, the Iron Columnists are not immune to groveling, so we’ve decided that the groveling of Vic Brzozowski<\/b> was enough to have him back for his last shot.<\/p>\n
If memory serves us right, Vic was soundly<\/i> defeated in the very first Iron Columnist challenge last season. We see that he is back for another beating. So, Vic Brzozowski, bring your skills into USCHO Stadium and try to take down the Iron Columnists — something you could not do before. Whose picks will reign supreme?<\/p>\n
The Picks<\/b><\/p>\n
Fri.-Sat, Nov. 2-3<\/b>
\nAlabama-Huntsville<\/b> at Cornell<\/b>
\nVic’s Pick<\/i> — Only reason this is close is because Huntsville has played six times to Cornell’s one. Cornell, 3-2 and 4-2<\/b>
\nBecky and Jayson<\/i> — Cornell, 5-2 and 4-1<\/b>
\nBemidji State<\/b> at Union<\/b>
\nVic’s Pick<\/i> — After a long bus ride, the Beavers need one game to get the kinks out. Union, 3-2, then Bemidji State 4-3<\/b>
\nBecky and Jayson<\/i> — Union, 6-2 and 3-1<\/b>
\nPrinceton<\/b> at Niagara<\/b>
\nVic’s Pick<\/i> — It may be wishful thinking on my part that Princeton splits. Niagara, 4-2, then Princeton 3-2<\/b>
\nBecky and Jayson<\/i> — Niagara, 4-1 and 2-1<\/b> <\/p>\n
Saturday, Nov. 3<\/b>
\nSt. Lawrence<\/b> at Clarkson<\/b>
\nVic’s Pick<\/i> — I never pick against the Knights. Clarkson 4, St. Lawrence 2<\/b>
\nBecky and Jayson<\/i> — Clarkson 4, St. Lawrence 3<\/b>
\nBrown<\/b> at Harvard<\/b>
\nVic’s Pick<\/i> — Closer than most people think. Harvard 4, Brown 2<\/b>
\nBecky and Jayson<\/i> — Harvard 6, Brown 4<\/b>
\nIona<\/b> at Colgate<\/b>
\nVic’s Pick<\/i> — ‘Gate can’t be as bad as Minnesota made them look. Colgate 5, Iona 2<\/b>
\nBecky and Jayson<\/i> — Colgate 5, Iona 4<\/b><\/p>\n
Sunday, Nov. 4<\/b>
\nDartmouth<\/b> at Harvard<\/b>
\nVic’s Pick<\/i> — Could be a preview of the Lake Placid championship. Harvard 3, Dartmouth 2<\/b>
\nBecky and Jayson<\/i> — Dartmouth 4, Harvard 2<\/b><\/p>\n