Dutchmen picked 2nd in ECAC Hockey

by Ryan Fay

Defending NCAA-hockey champion Union was picked to finish second in the ECAC Hockey preseason coaches and media polls, it was announced Tuesday.

Union collected four first-place votes and earned 103 points in the coaches poll. In the media poll, Union piled up 11 first-place votes and 322 points.

Dutchmen head coach Rick Bennett didn't put much stock in the results.

"We don't get wrapped up in it," he said. "Second, twelfth, whatever. It doesn't have an effect on us." 

Audio: Rick Bennett conference call (9/23/14)

Dutchmen senior forward Daniel Ciampini, the top returning goalscorer in the league, was named to the preseason all-conference team by the coaches and the media. Dutchmen senior goaltender Colin Stevens, who won the Ken Dryden Award last season as the league's top goalie, was also selected to both teams.

Colgate, a second place team a year ago, was picked to finish first by the coaches and the media. The Raiders, who return all but two players from last season, recorded seven first-place votes and 117 points in the coaches poll. They received 18 first-place votes and 336 points in the media poll.

The remainder of the polls and preseason teams are below. The ballots I submitted for the media polls are also below.

2014-2015 ECAC Hockey preseason poll

(first-place votes in parentheses)

Coaches poll

1. Colgate (7) 117 points
2. Union (4) 103
3. Cornell (1) 90
4. Yale 87
5. Quinnipiac 82
6. Dartmouth 67
7. Brown 61
8. Clarkson 58
9. Harvard 50
10. RPI 42
11. St. Lawrence 24
12. Princeton 11

Media poll
1. Colgate (18) 336 points
2. Union (11) 322
3. Quinnipiac (1) 289
4. Cornell 263
5. Yale 211
6. Dartmouth 190
7. Brown 162
8. Clarkson 161
9. RPI 141
10. Harvard 129
11. St. Lawrence 101
12. Princeton 32

2014-2015 ECAC Hockey preseason all-conference teams

Coaches selections

G: Colin Stevens, Union

D: Joakim Ryan, Cornell

D: Gavin Bayreuther, St. Lawrence

F: Matthew Peca, Quinnipiac

F: Jimmy Vesey, Harvard

F: Daniel Ciampini, Union

Media selections

G: Colin Stevens, Union

D: Joakim Ryan, Cornell

D: Gavin Bayreuther, St. Lawrence
D: Spiro Goulakos, Colgate **

F: Sam Anas, Quinnipiac

F: Mark Naclerio, Brown

F: Daniel Ciampini, Union

** Goulakos and Ryan finished the vote tied.

My ballots

Poll

1. Colgate
2. Union
3. Dartmouth
4. Cornell
5. Quinnipiac
6. Yale
7. Brown
8. Harvard
9. Clarkson
10. RPI
11. St. Lawrence
12. Princeton

Preseason all-conference team

G: Colin Stevens, Union

D: Joakim Ryan, Cornell

D: Gavin Bayreuther, St. Lawrence

F: Sam Anas, Quinnipiac

F: Mark Naclerio, Brown

F: Daniel Ciampini, Union

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