LAKE PLACID, N.Y. --- With just two weeks remaining in the ECAC Men’s Ice Hockey regular season, Quinnipiac (22-2-6, 13-1-4) has clinched a first round bye in the upcoming conference playoffs, while second seeded Yale (16-5-4, 11-4-3) has inched closer to joining the bobcats in the top four.

The top ranked Bobcats earned the first round bye despite going 1-1 over the weekend road trip to St. Lawrence and Clarkson. Quinnipiac lost its first conference game of the season to the fourth seeded and 18^th ranked Saints (16-11-3, 10-6-2), 2-1, and topped seventh seeded and 20^th ranked Clarkson (16-11-3, 8-7-3), 3-2, in overtime, Saturday night.

What was once a seven point Quinnipiac lead atop the conference standings is now down to five (30-25), as eighth ranked Yale extended its winning streak to six games. The Bulldogs blanked 10^th seeded Colgate (8-20-2, 4-12-2), 3-0, Friday night, and then doubled up 16^th ranked and eighth seeded Cornell (12-8-5, 7-7-4), 4-2, Saturday night.

Harvard also kept pace for a possible top four post season seed. The fourth seeded and 13^th ranked Crimson (14-8-3, 10-5-3) fell 2-1 to fifth seeded and 17^th ranked RPI (15-11-6, 7-5-6), Friday, but rebounded the next night, skating past ninth seeded Union (11-11-8, 4-9-5), 4-1.

Nothing changed within the top four of this week’s USCHO.Com’s Division III poll. St. Norbert (19-2-2) remains the nation’s top team, followed by Plattsburgh State (19-3-1) and Adrian (19-3-1). The Green Knights took 18 first place votes from the 50 member voting panel of coaches, beat writers and professionals, while the Cardinals and Bulldogs each earned one apiece.

In March, Lake Placid, N.Y. plays host to both the ECAC Men’s Hockey Championship Tournament, March 18-19, and the NCAA Division III Men’s Ice Hockey Championship, March 25-26, 2016. The two tournaments will be played in Lake Placid’s famed Herb Brooks Arena 1980 Rink.

-- ORDA --

Established in 1982, the New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) was created by the State of New York to manage the facilities used during the 1980 Olympic Winter Games at Lake Placid. ORDA operates Whiteface, Belleayre and Gore Mountain ski areas; the Olympic Sports Complex at Mt. Van Hoevenberg; the Olympic speed skating oval, Olympic jumping complex and Olympic arena. As host to international and national championships, the Authority has brought millions of athletes, spectator and participants to the region, resulting in significant economic development.