M. Hockey Season Starts With Upsets

A question, for all those reporters who choose to partake in the frequent ECAC bashing during the college hockey season: Would you like some fries to go with those words?

Only one weekend into the nascent regular season, several ECAC teams are already making their case for membership in the elite of college hockey.

Harvard's loss to Brown Saturday night was the only league action.

Senior Tony Martino scored two goals, including the game-winner, to propel the Bears over Harvard. For his efforts, Martino received the USAir ECAC Player of the Week Award.

Did you ever think that there would come a day when Harvard would be the ECAC cellar-dweller? If not, then think again.

With the loss, Harvard drops from sixth to tenth nationally in The Troy Record's Top 10 NCAA Division I poll.

Fret not, die-hard Harvard hockey fans. The Crimson's two games at Yale and Princeton this weekend, will give it a chance to climb the ranks.

Speaking of other games, lowly Yale pulled off a stunner, trouncing then fifth-ranked Northeastern, 4-2. The Eli snatched the victory away with three unanswered goals in the third period. The loss sends the Huskies to seventh place in the national poll.

Dartmouth, continuing its total domination of Hockey East, edged past Boston College with a 5-4 victory. The Big Green somehow overcame a 4-1 deficit with one period left to play.

Vermont continues to impress. The Catamounts beat Boston College 4-2 earlier in the week. Vermont, many sports writers' pick to win the ECAC, jumps ahead of Harvard to ninth.

Army made an upstate New York-area swing with games against both RPI and Union.

The Black Knights fell to a speedy Union squad, 4-3, but shocked an overflowing crowd in Troy with a 5-2 romp over the Engineers.

In one of the few dark spots for the ECAC over the weekend, Clarkson hosted CCHA power Western Michigan but could only eke out one point in two games.

The Golden Knights were destroyed 8-4 Friday night, but managed to tie Western Michigan 4-4. on Saturday night.

Colgate paid a visit to the Division I rookie, Massachusetts, and showed the Minutemen the trials of college hockey in a 5-1 slaughter.

Massachusetts' education continued the next night. Union trounced the Minutemen 6-3.

Princeton squeezed by Division III Plattsburg Friday night 4-3.

The Tigers displayed their upcoming talent, however, as Casson Masters took home the prestgious USAir ECAC Rookie of the Week award. Masters scored the game-winning goal and added another--not bad for his first college hockey contest.

Around the rest of the country's top ten, Harvard fans will be glad to hear that Boston University has fallen out of the top spot in the rankings, dropping to third after tying Maine, 4-4.

BU's tie opened the door for Minnesota to take over the top spot. Although they have not yet been tested strenuously, the Golden Gophers are 6-0-0.

Michigan has returned to the ranks of the top five after a brief hiatus. The Wolverines (4-2-0) rocketed to fifth after two wins over the weekend.

Just when you thought it was safe to forget him, Buddy Powers pops into Harvard's life again.

Everyone's favorite former RPI coach is now leading Bowling Green to a slot in the national rankings. Powers has his team at sixth in the latest poll.

Maine is the only other newcomer in this week's poll. The Black Bears surface at eighth after typing BU. Coach Jeff Walsh's speedy team currently weighs in at 5-0-2.

In a move that will warm the hearts of Harvard fans, Lake Superior State and Clarkson dropped from the top ten after poor showings this week.