Final games leave Bulldogs shooting for a playoff berth

For the men's hockey team, it all comes down to this: the aspirations of an entire season rest upon the Elis' final four games. Sitting seventh in the ECAC Conference and right on the playoff bubble, the Bulldogs understand the difficult task that awaits them over the next two weekends. While factors outside of their control may determine the Bulldogs' ultimate fate, the players hope to wield the same control over their destiny with a string of victories. "[Our playoff fortunes] depend on what the other teams do," Jason Noe, CC '02, said.

JULIA TIERNAN/YH No more splits: men's hockey looks for a full sweep.

After losing badly to Union College, the Elis came back strong, notching a 6-3 victory over Rensselaer. This weekend, they plan to bring the same intensity and hard work visible last Sat., Feb. 17 to the table in their two-game set against Vermont and Dartmoth. "We stuck it to RPI," forward Bryan Freeman, CC '03, said. "Hopefully it will continue into this weekend." With Vermont tied with Yale for seventh in the conference, and Dart-mouth five points ahead in fourth, these are critical games for the Elis.

The task of winning four games in a row—or, for that matter, three of four—should prove difficult for the Bulldogs, considering their inability to play consistent hockey all season. Recently, it seems, the club can not buy a winning streak, unable even to piece together two consecutive games of solid hockey. "We are playing inconsistently," Noe remarked. "We can't split every weekend. The key is all being on the same page both nights."

If the team is to string together a few victories down the stretch, it will have to work hard to cut down on mistakes. Players must avoid the mental lapses, especially those on defense, which have plagued them all season long. Indeed, their success in that area may very well decide their playoff fortunes: not only if they make it, but also how far they go.

Over the next two weekends, the squad will gear up for the playoffs. Freeman explained, "Once we make the playoffs, we hope to be the last team anyone wants to face." Of course, first things first, the team needs to take care of business in its final four games if it is even to have the opportunity to play in March. —James Fagan

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