Re: ECAC D1 Women's Hockey 2014-15 Season
Reposting this detailed ECAC Pre-season Preview on AtEvenStrength.com blog which may be of interest. Divided into sections to meet posting constraints
1. Harvard
Key Departures: F Elizabeth Parker, F Gina McDonald
Key Returnees: F Miye D’Oench, F Hillary Crowe, D Melissa Gedman, D Sarah Edney, G Emerance Maschmeyer
Key Additions: D Michelle Picard, F Lyndsey Fry, F Karly Heffernan, F Dani Krzysczyk, F Lexie Laing
Harvard got off to a hot start last season despite losing some key players to the U.S. Women’s National Team, and stood atop the ECAC standings for much of the first half of the year. However, a short bench and a lack of experience caught up to them; their offense was inconsistent and their goaltending looked worn down by the end of the season. Despite holding the second-best record in the ECAC, they found themselves in a very close battle with Yale in the conference quarterfinals, and were pushed to three games by the Bulldogs before falling to Cornell in the ECAC semifinals. The Crimson went on to face Wisconsin in the NCAA quarterfinals, but were stymied by the Badgers’ defense and staunch goaltending of Alex Rigsby.
At the very least, Harvard should be able to find much more dependable scoring this year. Olympian Lyndsey Fry makes her return to the club for her senior season, while Miye D’Oench should also make some noise after a 39-point sophomore campaign and a solid showing for the U.S. in the U22 Series against Canada. Hillary Crowe, Samantha Reber, and Mary Parker all scored upwards of 25 points last season and make for decent top-six options. Kalley Armstrong, the 2013 ECAC Defensive Forward of the Year, makes her return to the roster after missing the 2013-14 season. Sydney Daniels is a high-upside player, and Dylanne Crugnale showed promise as well. The Crimson are also bringing in talent up front with the additions of rookies Karly Heffernan, Dani Krzyszczyk, and Lexie Laing, all of whom have competed at the U18 World Championships (the former two for Canada, and Laing for the United States).
On defense, the Crimson get back Olympian Michelle Picard, who competed with Fry for Team USA in Sochi. They also aren’t losing any players on the back-end, which is always a plus for any team, though they did lack depth. But Sarah Edney made significant strides last season, and Marissa Gedman is a dependable veteran. With the return of Picard, Harvard’s top-four should be in good shape, but there are still some question marks in regards to their depth D. Natasha Rachlin, Briana Mastel, and Robyn White stepped in as rookies last year, but they still have quite a bit to prove before they can be counted on consistently in high-pressure situations.
Emerance Maschmeyer should once again assume control of the starting goaltender position. Her first-half performance was a big reason why the Crimson had such a good start to the year; however, she wasn’t in top form at the end of the year, which was perhaps because of how heavily she was relied on. But Maschmeyer has proven that she can take over a game on almost any night, and she should have a more competitive team in front of her this year, lessening the strain on her. Back-up netminder Brianna Laing had some good showings last season, and she could be a go-to option if necessary as well.
Harvard’s forward depth should be much more sufficient with the return of Fry and Armstrong and the addition of Heffernan, Krzyszczyk, and Laing. Daniels should also improve production-wise this year, and the Crimson could boast the best forward group in the conference if all goes well. They’re still a bit short on blue line depth, but they’ll be able to get quality minutes out of their top-three defensemen. Maschmeyer is far and away the ECAC’s best goalie heading into the season, and she should be able to make up for Harvard’s defensive weaknesses on most nights.
2. Clarkson
Key Departures: F Jamie Lee Rattray, G Erica Howe, D Vanessa Plante, F Carly Mercer, F Brittany Styner, F Vanessa Gagnon
Key Returners: D Erin Ambrose, D Renata Fast, F Genevieve Bannon, F Shannon MacAulay
Key Additions: F Brielle Bellerive, F Katelyn Fournier, D Savannah Harmon, G Shea Tiley
Clarkson is coming off a successful 2013-14 campaign that ended in a spectacular run to the national championship. The Golden Knights had their doubters early on in the year after their scoring hit a bit of a dry spell. But Jamie Lee Rattray established herself as one of the country’s most dominant players, and with Erin Ambrose leading the defensive corps and Erica Howe providing quality minutes between the pipes, Clarkson had solidified itself as one of the country’s best teams by season’s end. Despite losing Ambrose and a host of others to injury, the Golden Knights rebounded from an ECAC Tournament championship loss by handling Boston College and Mercyhurst in the NCAA Tournament. They would go on to knock off powerhouse Minnesota in the title game, to the surprise of nearly everyone.
The credit for much of that national championship goes to Clarkson’s class of 2014, the members of whom are responsible for helping lift the program up to national prominence in just a few years. The Golden Knights earned a trip to the NCAA quarterfinals in 2013 after a very solid season, which also came as a surprise to many. They then captured their first NCAA title just a year later, thanks in large part to the contributions of Rattray, Howe, Carly Mercer, Vanessa Plante, and their classmates.
Replacing that core group of players is going to be a challenge for Clarkson. The team loses a Patty Kazmaier winner in Rattray and another go-to scorer in Mercer, but they’re also graduating scoring depth in Brittany Styner and Vanessa Gagnon. In all, the Golden Knights are graduating their four highest-scoring forwards. Replacing that kind of production will be a difficult task, especially at the start. Many of their forwards will have to settle into new, likely more demanding roles. But Genevieve Bannon is coming off a successful rookie campaign; she’s the team’s returning leading scorer at forward after a 27-point 2013-14 season. Shannon MacAulay, Cayley Mercer, and Olivia Howe all showed promise as well. As far as additions, the team is bringing in Canadian U18 player Brielle Bellerive and a potential top-six player in Katelyn Fournier.
Though Vanessa Plante will be sorely missed on the back-end, their defense is the Golden Knights’ highest-upside position heading into the season. Erin Ambrose has been a leader on the blue line since her very first game for Clarkson, and with two years and 86 points under her belt, she’ll look to make even more of an impact this year. Renata Fast has developed into a responsible D, and she should continue tracking upwards this year. Corie Jacobson has room to grow, and incoming freshman Savannah Harmon should have an immediate impact on the Golden Knights’ transition game.
Clarkson will have to make do between the pipes without Howe, who is largely irreplaceable. On a positive note, the team is bringing in Shea Tiley, who just won a gold medal with Canada at the 2014 U18 World Women’s Championships. She’ll be a bit raw to start, and the whole team will likely have to deal with some headaches as they cope without Howe. But Tiley, at the very least, offers potential, and the Golden Knights will hope she taps into it sooner rather than later.
Overall scoring is going to be down in Potsdam, at least at first, as the club looks to find a go-to, game-changing player with Rattray gone. But there are enough options up front for Clarkson’s forwards to remain competitive, even if their top lines are lacking some skill. On defense, they’ve got players who are ready to step into more prominent roles, and they should boast a dependable blue line again. Tiley is a promising goaltending recruit, but life without Erica Howe is going to be an adjustment for the entire club. That is a notable weakness heading into the new season for the defending national champions.
