3. PROVIDENCE--Everybody's talking about the one that got away, Bobby Carpenter, but even without the St. John's Prep star, who signed with the NHL's Washington Capitals after a summer of deliberation, the Friars had the East's best recruiting year. At the top of the list are Rich Costello and Timmy Army, a pair of forwards that will team points) and Kurt Kleinendorst up front Scot Kleinendorst and Jon Hogberg on the blueline to form the nucleus of this year's defending champions. In net, goalies Mario Proulx and Scott Fiske return to anchor a squad that traditionally starts slow but picks up speed around playoff time.
4. NEW HAMPSHIRE--"We need more than a line and hopefully we have more than a line," says UNH coach Charlie Holt. The Andy Brickley-Dan Forget-Chris Pryor connection may be the best in the East, and Holt hopes his young squad can produce another scorer or two to compliment the trio up front. The other question is a replacement for stalwart netminder Greg Moffett, who graduated after a sterling four years in the Wildcat nets. Todd Pearsob, the back-up-for three seasons, should be the man.
5. CORNELL--This is a team that may mature quickly and go all the way. "It takes some time to adjust from high school to college hockey," says coach Dick Bertrand, who is dressing nine freshmen. "I don't really see us getting going until the middle of January." But Darren Eliot and Bryan Hayward are back in goal, Roy Kerling, Jeff Baikie and others return up front, and Bertrand could be pleasantly surprised if his timetable is moved up and the Big Red catches fire early.
6. COLGATE--Colgate? Believe it or not, the Red Raiders are a genuine ECAC power after last year's 12-7-1 league mark. Seniors Denis Lapensee and Dan Fridgen will lead the club up front, if the former can stay healthy all year, while Guy Lemonde (one of the finer names in ECAC hockey now that RPI's Jacques de St. Phalle is gone) returns to mind the net.
7. NORTHEASTERN--The optimism is guarded around Boston (oops, sorry, Northeastern) Arena these days, but the Huskies have the talent to crack the league's top four. The only question is, will they be shellshocked from last season's monumental collapse? If so, look for a sub-500 record and a nasty year from Boston's newest hockey power.
8. Maine--It is tempting to put Harvard or Princeton in this last slot, but Jack Semler's Black Bears just have too much talent not to sneak into the playoffs somewhere. The main man is senior defenseman Andre Aubut, a second-team all-league selection who might be the ECAC's finest all-around defenseman. Look for diminutive senior Robert Lafleur to light the red lamp with regularity.