ECAC Hockey Season Begins

Saints Look To Play Good Competition As ECAC Teams Face Off

Clarkson University got its season underway last Friday, falling 3-1 at the hands of Canisius College. Walter Zacher put the Griffins ahead with a power-play goal in the first, and Hunter Andrew scored the eventual winner midway through the second to make it 2-0. Matthew Mayich got Clarkson within a goal with 6:27 remaining in regulation, but Grant Porter put the game on ice with an empty-netter in the final minute. It’s a disappointing start for 20th-ranked Clarkson, who would have certainly liked to pick up an early victory ahead of its two road games against the Penn State squad that a lot of people are looking at as a serious contender for a national title. 

A lot of national eyes were in Boston, M.A., on Friday night, where #13 Quinnipiac University took on #6 Boston College. The Eagles enter the year with some questions after two dominant seasons, most notably the losses of top goal scorers Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perrault (who signed professional contracts with the Washington Capitals and New York Rangers, respectively) and goaltender Jacob Fowler (who joined the Montreal Canadiens). Still laden with highly touted NHL prospects such as James Hagens and Teddy Stiga, a lot of BC fans probably looked at this game as an opportunity to show that they hadn’t missed a beat by beating a strong Bobcats squad. Indeed, fans packed the Conte Forum last Friday night and were thereby disappointed when Quinnipiac spoiled the party with a 4-3 victory, making a statement of their own. The Bobcats dictated play in the first period, going up 1-0 on a goal by Jeremy Wilmer. However, BC was able to equalize with just 15 seconds left in the period when Teddy Stiga found a loose puck around the left-wing circle and fired a laser inside the upper left corner to tie the game at one. It felt like it could be an early stab at the hearts of the Bobcats, who, despite controlling play for most of the period, headed back to the dressing room with nothing to show for it. Instead, the Bobcats kicked it up a notch in the second, scoring three goals to rock the Eagles back on their heels and take a 4-2 lead into the third. They were able to weather a comeback attempt by the Eagles in the third and hang on for a 4-3 win. It was an inspired effort by the Bobcats, and a statement victory for a team that seems to be continually overlooked nationally despite winning a national championship just three years ago. 

The Union Garnet Chargers also played their home opener against the Army Black Knights, skating to a 1-1 tie at the M&T Bank Center in Schenectady, N.Y. 

2025-26 marks the start of a new era in NCAA Hockey, as rule changes have allowed players from the CHL (Canada’s top junior league) to transfer to the NCAA, allowing for an unprecedented influx of players joining the collegiate ranks. It’s an exciting time to be a fan of college hockey, as the influx of talent should only raise the competitive standard of the NCAA and make games even more electric. Teams took full advantage of the rule change this offseason, and many rosters are almost unrecognizable from the personnel changes that have resulted. But most notably, at least from a scope of national interest and implications not only for college hockey but the NHL, is the Penn State signing of Gavin McKenna from the Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL. McKenna, who is widely expected to be the first overall pick in next year’s NHL draft, joins a Penn State group that already made the Frozen Four this past season, immediately making the Nittany Lions one of the most exciting teams to watch this season. This set up a very intriguing opening matchup in the desert this past weekend, when #5 Penn State traveled to face #14 Arizona State for a two-game series on Friday and Saturday nights. Both games were back-and-forth affairs: Penn State came out hot on Friday and went up 2-0 after the first period, but the Sun Devils rallied in the second to take a 3-2 lead. Penn State turned the game back on its head in the third, scoring four goals to take a 6-3 victory. It was a similar story Saturday; Arizona State had a strong second period and took a 2-0 lead into the third, when Penn State kicked it into gear, tying the game at two within the first 10 minutes of the period. The game remained knotted until late in regulation. However, an elbowing penalty on Anthony Dowd with 2:47 left to play proved costly for Arizona State. With just 1:53 remaining, Aiden Fink fed McKenna a cross-ice pass to the top of the right-wing circle. McKenna launched a one-timer into the top right corner of the net to score his first collegiate goal and give the Nittany Lions a 3-2 lead. Dane Dowiak added an empty netter to seal a 4-2 victory for Penn State. It seemed like Penn State sent a message to the rest of college hockey – after a summer of hype around the squad they made it clear this weekend that they are the real deal. 

This coming weekend sees opening nights for many teams that were idle in week one, so there will be a full slate of games to watch spanning from Thursday to Sunday. One interesting matchup is #6 Boston College against #8 Minnesota, as the Eagles look to rebound against another very tough opponent. Another is #12 Michigan against #9 Providence. This will be a matchup featuring some of the brightest future NHL talent, namely Canadiens prospect Michael Hage of Michigan and Roger McQueen of Providence, who was drafted 10th overall by the Anaheim Ducks this June.