Last week: 4-6-2
Overall: 20-22-8
Cornell heads home this weekend looking to rebound after a sweep, while Dartmouth, Quinnipiac and Princeton take to the road looking to build on a four-point performance last time out. Yale and Union are off, while Brown and RPI each host non-conference opponents. All games are 7 p.m unless noted.
Friday, Nov. 16
Dartmouth at Colgate
The Big Green are drawing national attention thanks to their undefeated start and current position atop the PairWise rankings. These teams split last season, with each one taking a home game, but Dartmouth should continues its hottest start in over fifty years for at least one more night. Dartmouth 4-2
Mercyhurst at Rensselaer
The Engineers have seen a promising opening weekend dissolve into a mess. RPI has been outscored 19-5 in four league games and is on a five game losing streak overall. The good news? Leading scorer Jacob Laliberte is set to return this weekend, per Ken Schott of the Schenectady Daily Gazette. That should at least help the offense, although it might not matter if the Engineers continue to give up close to five goals a game, as they have since starting league play. Mercyhurst 4-1
Princeton at St. Lawrence
This is the first game of a seven-game road stretch for the Tigers, who are coming off an impressive home sweep of Cornell and Colgate. Princeton has eight wins and three ties in 42 games at Appleton Arena. St. Lawrence stumbled a bit last weekend, as both Kyle Flanagan and Greg Carey were held scoreless in a loss at Yale Saturday. That came on a the heels of a 3-3 tie at Brown, a game St. Lawrence led 3-1 in the third. They should rebound here. St. Lawrence 5-2
Quinnipiac at Clarkson
Don’t look now, but the Bobcats have found their scoring touch, scoring seven goals at home last weekend. That’s even more impressive considering Quinnipiac is still without forward Connor Jones, who has missed the last four games with an injury. Meanwhile, the Golden Knights picked up their first win of the season on freshman Greg Lewis’ first career shutout. Clarkson returned several players last weekend to help bolster their defense and penalty kill in the form of defender Andrew Himelson and forwards Adam Pawlick and Simon Bessette. Quinnipiac 4-3
Harvard at Cornell, 7:30 p.m.
This one will be under the bright lights of NBC Sports Network, with Mike Emrick and Pierre Maguire on the call. It’s the first matchup between these two since the Crimson rolled over the Big Red 6-1 in the ECAC semifinals in March. Cornell’s penalty kill was torched by Princeton and Quinnipiac last weekend. They’ll have to better against Harvard if they want the win. Cornell 3-2
Saturday, Nov. 17
Quinnipiac at St. Lawrence, 4 p.m.
The Bobcats wrap up their North Country trip against the Saints. St. Lawrence hasn’t lost to Quinnipiac since February 15, 2010, a 5-0 shutout in Canton. None of the Saints’ wins have been by more than two goals since that point, and I think that continues here. St. Lawrence, 4-2
Army at Brown
Brown joins RPI as the only league teams in non-conference action this weekend, hosting Atlantic Hockey member Army. The Knights have been scoring at a better clip this season, while the Bears are struggling to keep defenseman healthy. Despite that, I like the home team. Brown 5-3
Dartmouth at Cornell
If the Big Green are going to steal one in Ithaca, this seems like the perfect time. Cornell hit a rough patch last week, while Dartmouth is the hottest team in the country right now. But it’s Cornell at home, and I just don’t see the Big Red succumbing before a packed Lynah crowd. Cornell 3-1
Harvard at Colgate
Colgate has scored two goals or less in each of its last four games. Harvard hasn’t exactly lit it up over that time span either, but I think they are the more consistent team at this juncture. Colgate’s gotten plenty of contributions from its freshman class, but don’t forget about Massachusetts native Jimmy Vesey, who has five goals in five games for Harvard. Harvard 5-2
Mercyhurst at RPI
Four-point weekends are tough in college hockey. I think the Engineers prevent one here. RPI 2-1
Princeton at Clarkson
Clarkson’s defense and penalty kill will have their hands full with a Princeton power play that gutted Cornell for three goals last Friday and currently ranks fourth in the country. Don’t put it past freshman Greg Lewis to steal this one in net, but I think the Tigers’ simply have too much top-end talent to lose here. Princeton 4-1
