ECAC Hockey Quarterfinals Capsules

by Ryan Fay

In lieu of power rankings (four teams had byes over the weekend, four more are now done for the year), here are some quarterfinal series capsules.

9 CORNELL at 1 QUINNIPIAC
It wasn't too long ago that Cornell couldn't buy a win and Quinnipiac looked unbeatable.

The Big Red had a brutal 1-10 stretch from late December to mid February, but Cornell is rolling with a 6-1-1 mark in its last eight games, including an easy two game sweep at Princeton over the weekend.

Quinnipiac, which didn't suffer its first league loss until Feb. 15, has come back to earth with a 3-2-1 record in the past six contests.

Prediction: Neither team appears to be the same club they were the last time they met, a 4-1 Qunnipiac win on Feb. 8. I'll go out on a limb and take Cornell in three.

Cornell is paced by Sr. F Greg Miller (14 goals, 17 assists), So. F Joel Lowry (12 goals, 10 assists), So. F Brian Ferlin (8 goals, 13 assists), So. D Joakim Ryan (3 goals, 18 assists), and Jr. G Andy Iles (2.28 goals against average, .916 save percentage).

Quinnipiac is led by Sr. F Jeremy Langlois (12 goals, 16 assists), Jr. F J. Samuels-Thomas (13 goals, 9 assists), So. F Michael Peca (10 goals, 10 assists), Sr. F Clay Harvey (4 goals, 13 assists), and Sr. G Eric Hartzell (1.49 goals against average, .936 save percentage).

7 BROWN at 2 RENSSELAER
Brown and Rensselear have at least one thing in common. Both teams saw their fortunes turn for the better once a change was made in goal.

The Bears were 3-5-2 before senior Anthony Borelli stepped in during a Dec. 7 tie against Union. The senior was the goalie of record that game and every contest since while posting a 10-7-4 record, including a 4-1-1 mark over the past six.

Borelli's play was a major reason why Brown had home ice in the first round for the first time since 2005. Over the weekend, Brown protected its home ice and swept Clarkson.

The Engineers were struggling out of the gate as they sat 2-5-2 going into a Nov. 17 non-league game against Mercyhurst. Head coach Seth Appert made a change between the pipes and gave freshman Jason Kasdorf his first start. He responded by stopping 30 of 31 shots en route to a 4-1 win.

The team went 2-1-2 over the next five games, all contests started by the freshman. Kasdorf missed the next half dozen contests after that with a shoulder injury and RPI reverted to its losing ways (1-4-1).

But a healthy Kasdorf proved to be the trick down the stretch as he started the team's final 13 games and RPI won 11 of them.

Prediction: An RPI sweep. The Engineers are just too good.

Brown is paced by So. F Matt Lorito (17 goals, 14 assists), Jr. F Garnet Hathaway (5 goals, 13 assists), Fr. F Mark Naclerio (5 goals, 13 assists), Jr. D Dennis Robertson (2 goals, 14 assists), and Sr. G Anthony Borelli (1.74 goals against average, .945 save percentage).

Rensselaer is led by Sr. D Nick Bailen (12 goals, 19 assists), So. F Matt Neal (8 goals, 19 assists), So. F Jacob Laliberte (9 goals, 17 assists), So. F Ryan Haggerty (12 goals, 12 assists), and Fr. G Jason Kasdorf (1.51 goals against average, .940 save percentage).

6 ST. LAWRENCE at 3 YALE
One player doesn't make a team, but St. Lawrence and Yale have seen how much difference one player can make.

The Saints entered the final regular season weekend on a 4-1 streak, but senior forward Kyle Flanagan missed the weekend following an appendectomy and the Saints weren't the same without him. A 5-1 loss at Union preceded a 4-1 setback at RPI and the Saints blew their chance at a first round bye. Flanagan returned for the first round series, a sweep of Colgate, and made his presence felt with a goal and four assists in two games.

Yale saw how valuable senior goaltender Jeff Malcolm can be when he was injured in the first period of a 4-2 win vs Princeton on Feb 1. Malcolm would miss the next five games, all losses, and Yale received shaky goaltending from backups Nick Maricic and Conor Wilson. Malcolm returned for the final three regular season games and Yale won all three.

Prediction: I could see the series going either way, but I'll take Yale in three.

St. Lawrence is paced by Jr. F Greg Carey (28 goals, 23 assists), Sr. F Kyle Flanagan (15 goals, 31 assists), Sr. D George Hughes (5 goals, 30 assists), Jr. F Jeremy Wick (14 goals, 14 assists), and Jr. D Justin Baker (5 goals, 21 assists).

Yale is led by Jr. F Kenny Agostino (14 goals, 19 assists), Sr. F Andrew Miller (14 goals, 16 assists), Sr. F Antoine Laganiere (12 goals, 12 assists), So. D Tommy Fallen (6 goals, 13 assists), and Sr. D Jeff Malcolm (2.45 goals against average, .916 save percentage).

5 DARTMOUTH at 4 UNION
There's a first time for everything. The upcoming quarterfinal series between Dartmouth and Union will mark the first time the two schools have met in the playoffs. The Big Green made it possible after eliminating Harvard, 6-3, on Sunday.

Dartmouth holds a 1-0-1 edge over the Dutchmen on the year. The first meeting was Nov. 10 at Dartmouth and the Big Green raced out with three unanswered goals in the first two periods. Daniel Carr put Union on the board 39 seconds into the third period and Matt Hatch followed to make it a 3-2 game at the 2:10 mark. Union had all the momentum at that point, but the comeback wasn't to be. The Dutchmen fell, 3-2.

The two clubs met again on Feb. 1 at Messa Rink in a nationally televised affair (NBC Sports Network). With goals by Kevin Sullivan and Mat Bodie, Union held a 2-1 lead in the latter stages of  the third period, but an ill-advised tripping penalty on Daniel Ciampni at 14:41 of the third proved costly. Dartmouth's Rick Pinkston tied the game 24 seconds into the power play. The contest ended that way, a 2-2 draw.

Prediction: Union sweeps. The Dutchmen seemed to turn the corner in its last regular season weekend and appear set for another postseason run.

Dartmouth is paced by So. F Tyler Sikura (11 goals, 19 assists), Jr. F Matt Lindblad (10 goals, 16 assists), Jr. F Eric Robinson (11 goals, 8 assists), Sr. F Dustin Walsh (10 goals, 9 assists), and Sr. D Mike Keenan (5 goals, 12 assists).

Union is led by Sr. F Kyle Bodie (8 goals, 23 assists), Sr. F Wayne Simpson (15 goals, 16 assists), Jr. F Daniel Carr (12 goals, 13 assists), Sr. D Greg Coburn (8 goals, 15 assists), and Jr. G Troy Grosenick (2.22 goals against average, .920 save percentage).