2022-23 ECAC Hockey -- Contenders everywhere

[ARM]

I don't remember heading into a previous conference season with such a deep and balanced field, or at least once that seems to be balanced to the extent that there are so many teams who could win the league or host the first round. Maybe last year was a better example with Harvard winning the title and then not making it out of the first round, but I look at the teams that were the last teams into the playoff field, and they've look to have improved. If Princeton and/or Cornell can contend, SLU has more offensive pop to supplement goaltending, Colgate, Q, and Yale continue their momentum, then does either Harvard or Clarkson get pushed down the ranks? It should be a wild ride, so I thought we should have a place to discuss more than a single team.

 

[vicb]

As I have stated previously in other threads, Clarkson will be scoring challenged this year. Losing Frenette for this year due to an off season training injury and then Harvard Transfer Petrie for the year due to a leg injury in the World Championships really hurts. Totally dominated Sacred Heart and get 2 wins but only scoring 5 total goals was a disappointment. I was thrilled (shocked) to see them get 5 goals on Bemidji in game 1 but then come back and only get 2 in a game 2 tie was more of what I expected in this series. In game 2 they did hit a post and crossbar in the first period but really hurt themselves on the pp (1 for 7) including a failure to capitalize on a 1+ min 5 on 3. Bemidji's tying goal in game 2 was on a shot that hit 2 different skaters in the slot and got by the freshman goalie Minotti (who played well despite the tie).

The keys for Clarkson will be to get consistent scoring from David, Cherkowski, Lappan (Gate Xfer) and the McQuigge sisters and get some level of production from the freshman and sophomore classes. I think they are solid on d with Swiderski, Gosling and Winn also able to contribute scoring wise from the blueline. In goal they are really solid with Michelle Pasiechnyk who is as good as any goalie in the ECAC (IMHO).

I think the top 5 in the ECAC in no particular order will be Princeton (Fillier back really elevates them), Quinnipiac, Cornell, Colgate and Yale. Clarkson, SLU or Harvard could sneak into the top 5 (maybe 4th or 5th). If I had to predict today I would take Colgate to be a repeat champion in the ECAC.

 

[thirdtime's . . .]

It should be a wild ride, so I thought we should have a place to discuss more than a single team.

Have to applaud this. Maybe it will lead to more ECAC threads/posters. Yale and Princeton, esp., need some coverage.

 

[Rightnut]

I think the top 5 in the ECAC in no particular order will be Princeton (Fillier back really elevates them), Quinnipiac, Cornell, Colgate and Yale. Clarkson, SLU or Harvard could sneak into the top 5 (maybe 4th or 5th). If I had to predict today I would take Colgate to be a repeat champion in the ECAC.

I am not sure where Cornell fits in yet. Not sure they are in the top 5 but could be. Princeton with Fillier will be very interesting. QPAC, Colgate and Yale all look very strong and it will be a dogfight between them. Could come down to who stays healthiest.

 

[hab]

Seems to be a consensus that the playoff teams are settled, just not the order. Of the four teams that everyone is counting out (Dartmouth, RPI, Brown, Union), are any of them capable of being a surprise?

 

[ARM]

Seems to be a consensus that the playoff teams are settled, just not the order. Of the four teams that everyone is counting out (Dartmouth, RPI, Brown, Union), are any of them capable of being a surprise?

Was 2016-17 the season that Harvard crashed out of the playoffs altogether? I don't remember anyone predicting that in advance. There are likely teams whose fortunes could quickly erode if they suffer key injuries at positions without much depth. IIRC, RPI lost twice as many games as it won that season but was the beneficiary of the demise of the Crimson. Last year, although Princeton was the last team into the playoff field, the Tigers were just a game under .500. My thought is that the eight teams that advance could be different than expected due to someone surprising in a positive direction, one of last year's playoff teams faltering, or some combination of the two. I usually find myself in March explaining why what I thought the previous September was flawed.

 

[vicb]

Clarkson is getting more bad news. Cherkowski had to have her tonsils removed so she is out this weekend and possibly next. Brooke McQuigge will be out at least a couple of more weeks with an undisclosed injury. Will be interesting to see how the team responds against Mercyhurst this weekend. LGT

 

[hab]

I usually find myself in March explaining why what I thought the previous September was flawed.

[/QUOTE]

I ALWAYS find myself in that situattion

 

[BackyardIce]

Cherkowski apparently did not have tonsils removed, but had to deal with infection. Thankfully just out this weekend and will be back at it Monday. She’s been playing great, so the sooner she’s back in the lineup the better!

 

[thirdtime's . . .]

Have to applaud this. Maybe it will lead to more ECAC threads/posters.

Lol. Just for the record I’m retracting this fantasy (though not the applause). Most schools in all the women’s conferences have mute fans. While the WCHA continues to shoulder the forum, this heavy lifting came until recently from just two teams. The CHA has a single place holder, and Hockey East is a one man band. The ECAC is basically the North Country (and RPI). There used to be one colorful Dartmouth fan whose posts were ingenious gibberish, and I know someone is still watching Cornell, but the Ivy League really doesn’t exist here. The Crimson Club is minuscule, with a not very hockey literate guy as chief enthusiast. The Tigers and the Bulldogs don’t seem to have broadband, and Brown, despite its history, has no one to support its incremental progress. So here’s to the wonderful, mythical “seventeen," whoever they may be, and may they do their best to support ARM in his quixotic invitation. Maybe one day we'll be flooded with NEWHA handles, to our shame.

 

[Lindsay]

Despite the mute fans, this my fave hockey place online.

We made it to another weekend of hockey. SLU won last night (since this is the ECAC thread after all). Cuse is gonna need to find a way to get more shots this year…

Colgate Penn State will be a good series, and here’s hoping Hurst can take advantage of a beat up Clarkson. Scoring no goals last weekend vs Colgate can not have gone over well.

 

[ARM]

The CHA has a single place holder...

PSU had several fans last year, and Zed' endures. Mercyhurst has always had representation, and Lindsay is now making sure that the Lakers have quality if not quantity. Like most programs, RIT had fans while it was winning. I don't know that I can remember a single post from anyone claiming to be a Lindenwood fan. The problem in this league is that there is almost as much flux from teams as there is among the fans.

... and Hockey East is a one man band...

I see what you did there. Shout out to TovarishchLisa for singlehandedly keeping us informed re: UVM. UNH used to have a number of regular posters; I understand why their interest has waned. A lot of the other posters in this league did so while they were students or player parents, and then they drifted away from their team. One would think that Northeastern would have some following by now, but maybe 17 posters don't generate enough buzz to attract more.

That's one of the problems that we face as a forum. For example, CrazyDave is still an engaged UM fan, but he seldom posts here. You need to have sufficient critical mass such that people will stop by in the hope of finding information that they won't find elsewhere.

The larger problem is that the sport as a whole has trouble attracting and retaining fans. If they don't care about women's NCAA hockey, they aren't going to post on this site. The pandemic sure didn't help the sport.

 

[tedlasso]

I watch the ECAC pretty closely. I will do my best to keep things updated and current on this site.

 

[thirdtime's . . .]

I watch the ECAC pretty closely. I will do my best to keep things updated and current on this site.

Good news.

ARM, of course you’re right about the attention of individual posters, but I was primarily counting threads (like Martha Stewart). I do wonder if the obsessively social media generation behind us is even going to know what a forum itself is in a few years. Keep your archives secure!

By the way, the one man band I was referring to plays Trumpet, Tuba and Trombone.

 

[RightbackatU]

No question WCHA has the best teams 4 of them can win it all. But the ECAC is by far the best conference in terms of parity and entertainment Here is what my observation has been the last 5 years vs the difference.

1. WCHA has only had 4 teams make the NCAA Tournament in its history; ECAC has had 10
2. WCHA teams are geographically spread out so they have to play back-to-back, so if the opponent is in the bottom 4 in the WCHA top teams go through the motions and there might be an upset during the season but never in playoffs vs. ECAC where you face a different opponent the next night.
3. ECAC has 8 teams that will make the playoffs but there are 10 contenders it goes down to the very last weekend for seeding teams can move up 4 spots or down 4 spots on the last day of league play.
4. WCHA has a majority of the USA Olympic or international team on their rosters, ECAC has a majority of Canadians on their rosters, Difference is there maybe 1 to 3 Olympic players per team but spread out over 7-8 teams whereas the WCHA has them on 4 teams some are on 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] line because of depth, maybe that’s why USA has only 2 gold medals and we Canadians seem to win a majority of the Gold, because of playing time IDK?
5. In the end WCHA will be in the Final maybe with 2 teams since most of the talent is on 4 teams.

Women’s hockey is growing can’t wait to watch this weekend as we find out who are contenders and who are the pretenders.

 

[ARM]

WCHA has only had 4 teams make the NCAA Tournament in its history; ECAC has had 10

Great to get a new perspective; thanks for sharing yours! One minor edit -- North Dakota made two NCAA Tournaments before abandoning the sport.

 

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

I think the WCHA has had 5 teams make the NCAA tournament...

 

[Lindsay]

Niagara made the tourney as an ECAC team as well before abandoning the sport.

(sending bad juju to both Niagara and UND for not being real hockey schools).

enjoyed reading the perspective! I had not considered some of the comments.

 

[NMH]

I sincerely think folks are underestimating Cornell. Time will tell, but on paper that is a very good team. DD has not always been able to translate that on ice, so I'm cautiously optimistic, but I just think they have one of the most intriguing incoming classes.

Someone asked about upsets - I think teams have to watch out for Brown. They pulled out some big wins last year. They're the team most likely to play spoiler IMO.

 

[ARM]

I sincerely think folks are underestimating Cornell. Time will tell, but on paper that is a very good team. DD has not always been able to translate that on ice, so I'm cautiously optimistic, but I just think they have one of the most intriguing incoming classes.

Some Big Red teams have fallen sooner than expected in the postseason, but I don't remember them being particularly underachieving during the regular season. Are we underestimating Cornell, or are we just thinking that teams like Colgate, Q, Yale, and Princeton are going to be very good as well?