ECAC Monthly Recap: October 2025

What a first full month for ECAC Hockey! The Ivy League teams (and Colgate) started their seasons, conference play kicked off, and just as everyone predicted Dartmouth has two wins over ranked teams. There is a lot to discuss, so let’s jump right in.

Game(s) of the Month

Maybe I’m just forgetting what a normal month of hockey in this conference looks like, but it felt like October had more crazy games than usual. Not just close games, but big upsets and statement wins. I’m guessing this is going to be a trend throughout the winter based on the parity shown so far, which should make for an exciting season. Anyways, instead of just a single Game of the Month (because I couldn’t pick just one) here is an incredibly subjective ranking of the top three.

No. 3: Harvard upsets St. Lawrence in Appleton Arena 1-0, Nov. 1*

Oftentimes, the classic underdog strategy of ‘score an early goal then defend for 50+ minutes’ doesn’t work. However, after scoring four minutes into the contest, Harvard and freshman goaltender Izzy Whynot (making her second collegiate appearance) denied the Saints on all 34 of their shot attempts to give the Crimson its first conference win of the season. The final minutes of play were thrilling, with St. Lawrence desperately trying to find a way by Whynot who made 17 saves in the final period to keep the clean sheet.

For Harvard, who finished last season 1-20-1 in ECAC play, the win is a huge step forward. It’s the first time the Crimson have won on the road against an ECAC team since early 2024, and the first time the team has shut out a conference opponent since December of 2023 (also against St. Lawrence). That 2023-2024 season was head coach Laura Bellamy’s first at Harvard, and equaling (or exceeding) that campaign’s three wins in conference play would be a great sign for the program.  

*I know this game was played in November, but I’m going to count it since that weekend started in October. 

No. 2: Yale comes back from a three-goal deficit to beat Colgate 5-4 in OT, Nov. 1

It’s been two very different starts to the season for Yale and Colgate. The Bulldogs were not ranked in the first USCHO poll of the season and were picked to finish seventh in the preseason ECAC coaches poll. Meanwhile, the Raiders entered the season ranked fifth in the nation and second in the coaches poll, earning two first place votes. 

However, by the time these two teams faced off it was clear that the two squads (then-ranked No. 13 and No. 10) matched up more closely than the preseason polls predicted.

The scene was set. Two nationally ranked teams battling it out in an early-season matchup with major ramifications for the conference standings. And wow did this game deliver! Colgate’s Alexia Aubin got the scoring started before Elyssa Biederman and Alexis Petford lit the lamp as well to give the Raiders a 3-0 lead at the first intermission. Petford's goal came on a misplay from Yale netminder Naomi Baechler, who was replaced by Anna Phillips to start the second period.   Apparently the goaltending mistake was contagious, because a risky Farah Walker poke-check well outside of her crease turned into a shorthanded goal for Yale. Both teams scored again in the period, and with 20 minutes left to play Colgate led 4-2.

After a Cami Bell score brought the Bulldogs within a goal five minutes into the third frame, a beautiful Molly Boyle wrist shot tied the game at four with 11 minutes to go in regulation. Each team would have chances to find a game winning goal, but the score remained tied at four after 60 minutes. Less than a minute into overtime, it was over. Boyle sauced a pass to a streaking Naomi Boucher who knocked it by Walker to earn the win.

Sorry for the long write-up, but this game was so much fun! Goaltending mistakes, seven penalties (including five on Yale), a shorthanded goal, and a three-goal comeback. Not only did the Bulldogs pull off the comeback, but they also earned Yale's first win in Hamilton since 2022. No way a better game happened last month, right?

No. 1: Carina DiAntonio’s four goal game lifts Yale over Princeton 4-3 in OT, Oct. 25

The Whale has seen some incredible games and individual efforts in its 67-year history. This game ranks highly in both those categories. Initially, Princeton jumped out to a two goal lead before DiAntonio caught fire. The senior captain, who was playing in her 100th game as a Bulldog, scored three unanswered goals — each one more impressive than the last — to put Yale in front (another multi-goal comeback for Yale? I’m beginning to see a trend).  

With time winding down in the third period, Princeton pulled its goaltender for an extra skater and Katherine Khramtsov found the back of the net with just 13.2 seconds remaining in regulation. The goal was Khramtsov’s first of the season and seemed destined to ruin DiAntonio’s hat trick. 

With the momentum, the Tigers appeared poised to take the road win in overtime. Instead, DiAntonio scored a filthy goal — deking around the Princeton goaltender after picking up a rebound off her own blocked shot — to give the Bulldogs their first conference win of the season. So to recap, this game had: a hat trick to comeback from a multi-goal deficit, a goal with under 15 seconds left to force overtime, and an overtime game-winner that should earn an honorable mention for Goal of the Month. Crazy!

Goal of the Month: St. Lawrence’s Abby Hehl vs. Vermont, Oct. 10

Usually I wouldn’t count a shootout goal as a Goal of the Month (especially because shootouts are literally pointless in ECAC Hockey), but since this is probably the goal of the year I think its inclusion is warranted.

Monthly Awards

Note, all stats used in this article are from before Nov. 2.

Forward: Kahlen Lamarche, Junior, Quinnipiac

A 14 goal scorer a season ago, Lamarche’s breakout start to the 2025-2026 campaign has her atop the early ECAC Player of the Year Award rankings. The forward’s 20 point October led the nation and included three hat tricks, eight multi-point games, and ECAC Forward of the Week honors. Lamarche has been a key driver of Quinnipiac’s phenomenal start to the season, and with how consistent both she and her team have looked, I wouldn’t be surprised to see her rack up more accolades as the season goes on.   

Honorable mentions: Carina DiAntonio (Yale), Emma Pais (Colgate)

Defender: Zoe Uens, Senior, Quinnipiac

An assistant captain in her fourth year as a dependable blue-line presence for coach Cassandra Turner, Uens seems poised to finish her Bobcat career with another solid season. In October, Uens tallied nine points and 13 blocks, including a six-point weekend at home against Union and RPI. Last season, Quinnipiac’s defense ranked second in the nation. Now, Uens’ leadership and experience is helping keep the Bobcats defense ranked in the top-five.

Honorable mentions: Makayla Watson (Quinnipiac), Kate Manness (Clarkson)

Goaltender: Annelies Bergmann, Junior, Cornell 

When one of the best goaltenders in the nation goes on a hot streak, things get scary for opponents. That’s exactly what’s happening in Ithaca to start this season. In seven games, Bergmann has allowed only five goals and already has four shutouts after leading the nation in clean sheets last year. At one point this month, the Detroit native didn’t allow a goal for 250 minutes, shutting out three opponents before a late Brown goal ended the streak. Bergmann’s best game of the season so far came against Yale, where she stopped 39 shots to earn the shutout and a 3-0 Red win. 

Honorable mentions: Felicia Frank (Quinnipiac), Anna Phillips (Yale)

Lake Placid Power Rankings:

Last Month: Cornell, Colgate, Clarkson, St. Lawrence

Last month I deferred to the coaches poll since Cornell and Colgate had yet to play and Clarkson and St. Lawrence seemed to be shakier than expected. Big mistake! This month, I am overcorrecting from September and will overreact to the first two weekends of conference play.

1. Cornell (7-0, 4-0 ECAC): Simply put, this team looks scary. Cornell has outscored its opponents 30-5 en route to the Red’s best start in program history. As one of just two undefeated teams in the country (alongside Penn State, who the Red will play in December and January), Cornell has looked nearly untouchable including in ranked wins over Yale and Brown squads. 
2. Quinnipiac: (11-1, 3-1 ECAC): After starting the season with 10 straight wins, the Bobcats suffered their first setback in a 1-0 loss to Brown. Still, Quinnipiac has picked up impressive wins over Yale and Northeastern, all while maintaining a nationally ranked offense (sixth) and defense (fourth). Quinnipiac certainly has not been as dominant as Cornell, but the Hamden squad clearly is the best non-Cornell team in the conference thus far.
3. Yale: (4-2, 2-2 ECAC): This is where things get interesting. While both of Yale's ECAC wins so far this season have come in overtime, it’s hard to argue against wins over Princeton and Colgate. The Bulldogs also have looked solid in their two losses, putting up 39 shots against Cornell and nearly mounting another multi-goal comeback against Quinnipiac.
4. Dartmouth: (2-2, 2-4): Is it a little crazy to pick Dartmouth this high? Probably! But looking solely at the Big Green’s four conference games so far, it’s hard not to get excited about head coach Maura Crowell's second season. A win over Colgate to open conference play, an overtime road loss to St. Lawrence, and the programs first win at Cheel Arena since before the pandemic is an impressive resume for any team. Add in the fact that Dartmouth hasn’t captured five conference wins since 2016-2017, and the magnitude of this season’s good start becomes clear. 

November's Matchup of the Month: Yale at Dartmouth, Nov. 15 (ESPN+)

If you’ve read this far (thank you!), you’ve probably realized that this year’s Dartmouth team is one of my favorite stories so far. The Big Green were picked to finish 11th by the coaches and have already surpassed expectations. Ivy League rival Yale also has had a solid start to the year, and seems destined to make a push for Lake Placid. 

If both these teams stay on their current trajectories, this matchup could have serious implications for earning either a first round bye or first round home-ice advantage in the playoffs. Plus, each team only plays 10 games against other Ivy League foes, so a single win or loss has big impacts in the Ivy standings. 

Hope you enjoyed the recap and stay on the lookout for an upcoming article on some of the second and third-year coaches in the conference. Thanks for reading and as always, all ECAC home games can be streamed live on ESPN+.