This Week In The ECAC Northeast

By Paul Altmeyer Jr., USCHO.com

One team that has had a rough start overall, but is at the top of the Northeast-10 standings with a 2-0 record, is Stonehill College. "Obviously the first half of the season has been a frustrating start," coach Scott Harlow said, "We have five losses by one goal, and one by two goals." Three of Stonehill's losses also occurred in overtime, giving one the impression that they have stayed close in many of their games.

"We've made a lot of young mistakes. We have a lot of freshman and sophomores. We've haven't learned how to win yet. Only one team really outplayed us, and that was Curry. We just haven't done the right things at the right time," Harlow said. That Curry loss came before a stretch in which Stonehill has gone 2-2-0, with both losses close affairs, even out-shooting one of their opponents.

In looking ahead to the remainder of the season, which will resume on January 19, 2007, at Worcester State, Harlow seemed optimistic. "Moving on, we won nine in a row last year. We'll come back refreshed, and with a better mindset than we had. The win over Franklin Pierce will help us, we'll come back with a good attitude."

Despite heading into the break at 3-8 overall, and with a 2-6 ECAC Northeast record, Harlow is happy with his record with the Northeast 10. "We're 2-0 in the conference, for us that's big. We win one more, maybe get home ice. Win a couple more, maybe get a bye in the first-round."

Harlow has eleven players who are in their first year of collegiate hockey, and besides senior goalies Matt Gorman and Josh Green, there is only one other senior, defenseman Evan Spencer. "I think it's going to come with maturity. We're going to have a lot better second half of the season. The goal is to get home ice," said Harlow, now into his seventh year behind the Skyhawks bench.

Three players who have earned the praise of their coach are Brendan O'Brien, who as a freshman last year led the team in scoring, and is currently the leader with 3G-12A-15PTS. in seven games. "By far our best player," Harlow said, "and he was hurt for a couple of games." Sophomore defensemen James Florentino, and Billy Ninteau, who transferred from Clarkson, have also played steady hockey. "Ninteau's just been playing great, and he's getting thirty minutes a game, he and Florentino," Harlow said.