ALBANY, N.Y. --- For the first time this season, three ECAC Hockey teams are ranked in the top 10 of the weekly USCHO.Com NCAA division I men’s ice hockey poll.  Quinnipiac (12-2-1, 6-1-1) remains the conference’s front running school, though the Bobcats slipped one spot this week to number-five. 

Yale (5-2-2, 3-1-2), the reigning national champions, held onto the ninth place spot, while the ECAC Hockey conference’s biggest surprise Clarkson, jumped one spot to number-10.  The Golden Knights are 10-3-1 overall and have already surpassed last year’s win total of nine games.  Their 4-2-0 mark also has them sitting in fourth place in the conference standings, with eight points, trailing front running Quinnipiac, who lead the conference with 13.

Three more ECAC Hockey teams also made the weekly top-25.  Cornell (6-3-1, 4-3-1), who sits third in the conference with nine points, climbed four spots to number-14 this week, while Union (6-3-2, 5-1-0), just three points behind Quinnipiac in the conference standings, moved up two places to 15^th.

After splitting their two games with Mercyhurst, falling 5-2 on Friday, Nov. 23, and winning 5-2, on Saturday, Nov. 24, RPI (7-5-2, 2-3-2) continued its slide in the poll, falling four spots to 18^th.

For a complete listing of this week’s USCH.Com top-15 poll, click HERE.

On March 21-22, the conference’s top four teams will face off in Lake Placid when the Olympic Center plays host to the 2014 ECAC Hockey men’s championships.  Lake Placid last played host to the tournament from 1993-2002 and the event marks the 53^rd overall conference championship.

The four top teams coming from the league’s quarterfinal tournament round will battle it out on the ice looking to capture the Whitelaw Cup and an automatic bid to the 67^th annual NCAA Division I men’s hockey tournament. The two semifinal games will take place Friday, March 21, at 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and the championship game will be played Saturday, March 22, at 7:30 p.m.

All-session tickets can be purchased by calling the Lake Placid Olympic Center box office at 518-523-3330, or by visiting www.tickets.com. Tickets are priced at $50 for adults (ages 13-64), and $40 for juniors (12 & under) and seniors (65 & older), along with a special student ticket of $20 available, student identification card required, at the campuses of the four participating teams and a special designated ticket window at the 1980 Rink - Herb Brooks Arena box office.

-- 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.