Classification:
Prologue: Dan Olsen
IBM Global Services
Client Services Representative
East Fishkill, NY / Building 504 2J5-21
Ph: 8-532-5259 / (914) 892-5259
FAX: 8-532-7588 / (914 )892-7588
Mail: IBMUSM00(DOLSEN) or
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Epilogue: Regards,
Dan Olsen
 
Well we've finally struggled through all of those off weekends and
non-conference games.  Now it's all ECAC, as ESPN says "Every game counts".
The only non-ECAC games left are those inconsistencies caused by the Beanpot.
 
With five weekends left in the regular season, there seems to be an increasing
jam at the top of the division.  Princeton still leads the division by one
point, but the leagues other top teams have all gained all but one of their
games in hand and stand poised to challenge the Tigers for the lead.  Princeton
will be directly challenged for the lead when they visit Cornell on Friday.
 
Clarkson is the only other team to have 8 league wins (8-4-0).  The Knights are
riding high on a six game winning streak, but will meet Vermont in a pivotal
ECAC matchup on Friday night.  The Knights have scored 8 more goals than any
other team in the league and have given up less.  The Knights have a 4-0 record
vs. the top 5 teams in the conference.
 
Cornell is the second team in a 3 way tie for second place.  After splitting a
series with CCHA opponent and giant killer Ferris State, the Big Red will host
fellow Ivy Leaguers Princeton and Yale to determine the lead not only in the
ECAC, but also the Ivy League.
 
RPI is the quietest good team in the ECAC.  At the midpoint of the season, they
have managed to stay in a tie for second place.  The Engineers (or birds) hope
to have a successful weekend against last place Brown and a dangerous Harvard
team that has had it's ups and downs.
 
The Vermont Catamounts seemed to have their step back with a long winning
streak in early January, but a loss to Clarkson and a tie against Dartmouth has
left them in fifth place, although they are only two points behind Princeton.
The Cats will travel to Cheel and Appleton this weekend to attempt to avenge a
2-1 loss just two weeks ago.
 
Colgate, Harvard and Union are still in the hunt, but their records have been
hovering around .500 all season and seem to make up the middle eschelon of the
league.
 
Every team of course is working its hardest to win the league and the NCAA
tournament berth, but the home ice advantage in the playoffs may be just as
important.  With the top 5 teams only separated by two points, one faces the
scary scenario of playing its first round on the road.  Furthermore, that
fourth place spot would not be one of envy the Big Red of Cornell would get to
play Vermont at Lynah in the ECAC quarterfinals race to 3 points series.  RPI
would host Colgate, while Princeton and Clarkson would get to host the winners
of the #7-10 and #8-9 preliminaries.
 
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