The 2009-10 Men’s Ice Hockey team finished another
successful season which included an at-large bid in the NCAA
Division III Tournament for the third year in a row. Under first
year and ECAC West coach of the year,
Aaron Saul ’98, this
year’s Soaring Eagles culminated a 19-9-1 overall
record and an 11-4-0 ECAC West conference record.
On their way to 19 wins, EC went on a 9 game win streak which
included wins over defending NCAA Division III Champions Neumann
University and ECAC West rivals such as Manhattanville College and
Hobart College. In the NCAA Tournament Elmira defeated Curry
College 4-1 in the first round of play before falling to who would
eventually become NCAA Champs, Norwich University 2-1.
EC’s 19 wins was the second most in the past 10 years.
Statistically Elmira ranked among the best in the ECAC West
Conference in several categories. EC ranked first in the conference
in scoring defense with 2.31 goals per game and first in penalty
kills with 88.1%. Elmira’s efforts this season landed
them the top spot in the ECAC West Tournament, giving them home ice
throughout the playoffs.
Defensively Elmira was solid, holding their opponents to one goal
or less in 8 games which resulted in 7 wins and 1 tie. In games
where the outcome was decided by 1 goal EC struggled as they went
5-5 in these contests.
Elmira’s season finished with a heartbreaking 2-1 OT
loss to who would eventually go on to win the NCAA Division III
Tournament, Norwich University. When everything was said and done,
Elmira earned several post-season awards. Forwards
Rusty Masters ’10 (Grafton, ONT -- Port Hope
Predators, OPJHL),
Darcy Vaillancourt ’12 (Bonfield, ONT --
Innisfil Lakers, GMJHL), and goalie
Casey Tuttle ’10 (Chelsea, ME -- Portland Jr.
Pirates, AJHL) all earned First Team All-ECAC West honors
while defenseman
Greg Moore ’10 (Chateauguay, QC -- Vaudreuil
Mustangs, LHJAAAQ), earned Second Team All-ECAC West
honors.
Serving as the team’s captain,
Masters finished the season second on the team
with 37 points on 16 goals and a team leading 21 assists. He scored
7 power play goals, 2 game winners, and 1 short handed goal. In the
ECAC West
Masters was third in points per game with 1.28,
fourth in goal scoring with .55 goals per game, third in assist
scoring with .72 assists per game, and fifth in power-play points
per game with .59. On November 21st
Masters scored a goal in the second half which
placed him in the Elmira College history books as his goal recorded
his 100th career point. His 123 career points places him the EC
100-point club, an exclusive club with the best scorers to ever
wear the Purple and Gold.
Second year forward
Vaillancourt had a breakout season this year
totaling career highs in goals (20), points (20), and assists (40).
He was the team leader in points, goals, and power play goals (12).
Vaillancourt was a statistical leader in the ECAC
West, finishing first in points scoring with 1.48 points per game,
second in goal scoring with .74 goals per game, tied for fourth in
assists scoring with .74 assists per game, first in power play
points with .78 points per game, and first in power play goals with
.44 power play goals per game.
Vaillancourt’s .44 power play goals
per game were not only best in the ECAC West but best in NCAA
Division III Hockey.
Fourth year goalie
Tuttle had another successful season between the
pipes for the Purple and Gold.
Tuttle started in 22 games this season logging
1324:03 minutes while making 577 saves giving him a save percentage
of .914% and a GAA of 2.40. In the ECAC West Conference,
Tuttle ranked at the top of three major
statistical categories. He was second in GAA, save percentage, and
winning percentage.
Tuttle will surely go down in EC history as one
of, if not the best goaltenders to dawn the Purple and Gold. On the
EC All-Time Records list
Tuttle finished 4th for single season save
percentage, 6th for single season GAA, and 9th for single season
win percentage. For career stats he ranks at the top of several
categories: 1st for most minutes (5673:10), 2nd in wins (58), 2nd
in shots faced (2,454), 1st in GAA (2.34), 2nd in saves (2,233),
tied for 1st in save percentage (.910), and tied for 3rd in
shutouts (5).
Fourth year defenseman
Moore played a huge role in EC’s
success this season.
Moore recorded his highest point total and assist
total this season as he totaled 17 points on 15 assists and 2
goals. He proved to be an “ironman” for EC
as he participated in over 100 games throughout his career with the
Soaring Eagles. Fellow fourth year defenseman
Scott Gamble ’10 (Toronto, ONT -- North York
Rangers, OPJHL) showed he was a resilient player as well
as he also played in over 100 games for the Purple and Gold.
Gamble finished the season with 4 points on 4
assists. Statistics do not tell the true story of either of these
two players’ contributions to this year’s
team. Both held down the defensive side of the puck with their
physical play.
The Class of 2012 was well represented by this year’s
team as there were several players who made key contributions to
this year’s success. There were five players from this
class who had explosive offensive seasons for the Soaring Eagles.
Kevin Willer ’12 (Toronto, ONT -- North York
Rangers, OPJHL) finished the season with 34 points, which
was third most on the team, on 15 goals and 19 assists.
Willer was an efficient scorer on power play
opportunities as he scored 8 power play goals.
Brendan Sanders ’12 (Mississauga, ONT --
Vaughan Vipers, OPJHL) finished the season with 5 goals
and 18 assists. His 23 points were fourth best on this Soaring
Eagles team.
Sanders best performance came against the Dutchmen
of Lebanon Valley College on January 11th, where he earned 3 points
on 3 assists.
John Clewlow ’12 (Brampton, ONT -- Dixie Bee
Hives, OPJHL),
Rick Acorn ’12 (Barrie ONT -- Couchiching
Terriers, OPJHL), and
Andrew Wilcox ’12 (Rochester, MN -- Walpole
Express) all had solid offensive seasons as well.
Clewlow earned 20 points on 12 goals and 8
assists. 4 of his 12 goals were scored on power play chances and he
scored the game winning goal against ECAC West rival Hobart
Statesmen on November 21st.
Acorn also had a good year for the Soaring Eagles
by scoring 18 points on 9 goals and 9 assists.
Acorn scored 4 power play goals in addition to a
team leading 5 game winners which included 3 straight game winners
on November 7th, 13th, and 14th.
Wilcox came on strong during the middle of the
season for EC as he scored the majority of his points during that
time. He finished the year with 15 points on 10 goals and 5
assists. He also recorded game winners on January 16th and 30th
against SUNY Cortland and Utica College.
Second year defensemen
Marty Lee ’12 (Toronto, ONT -- Vaughan Vipers,
OPJHL),
Brock Sawyer ’12 (Toronto, ONT -- Powell River
Kings, BCHL), and
Michael Kirby ’12 (Delta, BC -- Melford
Mustangs, SJHL) all had solid seasons for the Soaring
Eagles. The trio combined for 18 points on 2 goals and 16 assists.
Defensively the trio provided EC with a much needed physical
approach in the highly physical ECAC West Conference.
Third year players
Karl Linden ’11 (Stockholm, Sweden -- Bradford
Rattlers, GMJHL),
Larry Willard ’11 (Ottawa Lake, MI -- Baystate
Breakers, EJHL), and
Kevin Bolin ’11 (Islip Terrace, NY -- Green
Mountain Glades, EJHL) all were great contributions to
this year’s team.
Linden appeared in 24 games for the Soaring Eagles
and ended the year with 13 points, which was second most for
defenseman scoring on this year’s team.
Willard appeared in 21 games for the Purple and
Gold, earning 11 points on 5 goals and 6 assists. He recorded game
winning goals against Morrisville on October 31st, Manhattanville
on December 4th, and Potsdam on January 15th. Third year goalie
Bolin was in net 5 time this season. He finished
the year with a 3-1-0 record while making 96 saves, owning a 1.91
GAA, and a .923 save percentage.
Returning players
Ryan Jarrell ’12 (Corbyville, ONT -- Niagara
Fall Canucks, GHJHL) and
Rob Thompson ’10 (Hellertown, PA --
Yarmouth) saw valuable time on the ice this season.
Jarrell appeared in 19 games, scoring 1 goal and
earning 3 assists. His only goal was also a game winner and came
against Lebanon Valley College on January 23rd.
Thompson saw action in 4 games this season and
earned an assist.
Newcomers
Jack Day ’11 (Grosse Pointe, MI -- Grosse
Pointe South),
Brian Davidson ’13 (Sparks, NV -- Innisfil
Lakers, GMHL),
Colin Hoey ’13 (Doylestown, PA -- New England
Huskies),
Tyler Campbell ’13 (Mississauga, ONT --
Mississauga Chargers, OPJHL),
Eamon Lynch ’13 (Rocky River, OH -- Cleveland
Jr. Jacks, CSHL),
Mark Morikawa ’13 (Redondo Beach, CA -- Alberni
Valley Bulldogs, BCHL),
Darren McDonald ’13 (Stittsville, ONT -- Nepean
Raiders, CJHL), and
Brice Crook ’13 (Reno, NV -- Capital District
Thunder, WSHL) were all great additions to the Soaring
Eagles.
Day, a transfer from Army, played in 20 games for
the Soaring Eagles and registered a goal in a 4-2 win in the first
round of the Oswego Pathfinder Classic over the Milwaukee School of
Engineering.
Morikawa had an exceptional rookie campaign,
leading all EC rookies with 11 points on 7 goals and 4 assists.
Morikawa was also one of five players to play in
all 29 games this season. His play did not go unnoticed as he was
named ECAC West Rookie of the Week in back to back weeks on January
18th and 25th. First year forwards
Davidson and
Hoey had solid first years for the Soaring Eagles.
The duo combined for 9 points on 2 goals on 7 assists.
Campbell,
Lynch, and
Crook combined for 3 points on 1 goal and 2
assists.
McDonald appeared in 3 games for EC, recording a
2-1-0 record in net. He made 56 saves in the three games giving him
a.918 save percentage and a 1.67 GAA. For his play he was named
ECAC West Goalie of the Week for the week ending January 18th.
Elmira will lose
Masters,
Moore,
Gamble,
Thompson, and
Tuttle to graduation.