Center stage - Ivy League rules force those six teams to start the season later than the rest of college hockey, and they make up for lost time with a terrific event in Hanover, N.H., this weekend. The Ivy Shootout features four of those teams - Brown, Dartmouth, Princeton and Yale - playing four games that won't count in ECAC Hockey standings, but should provide a strong early season test and an outstanding welcome to the teams' 33 freshmen. Also making a debut is Princeton head coach Bob Prier, who joined the Tigers this offseason after serving as an assistant coach at St. Lawrence. Yale, an elite team a year ago, figures to be the best of the group but keep an eye on the home club - Dartmouth won 19 games last season and narrowly missed the NCAA Tournament. The Big Green return top goaltender James Mello.
On TV - Friday: Boston University at Massachusetts (7 p.m. ET, NESN); Nebraska Omaha at Wisconsin (7 p.m. CT, Fox Sports North); St. Cloud State at North Dakota (7:30 p.m. CT, Fox College Sports). Saturday: St. Cloud State at North Dakota (7 p.m. CT, Fox College Sports).
Site survey - Rensselaer has embraced challenges in the early season, already having visited Notre Dame and Ferris State. Now the No. 3 Colorado College Tigers visit the Engineers for two games, RPI's final tune-ups before ECAC Hockey play begins next week. Jaden Schwartz is an elite offensive talent who leads CC with four points in its first two games. Rensselaer has battled injuries up front but has received solid goaltending from Bryce Merriam, taking over for Allen York, who made his NHL debut this week.
Future watch - The Montreal Canadiens have to be thrilled with the development of North Dakota's Danny Kristo, who will lead the Fighting Sioux against St. Cloud State in two televised games this weekend. “He’s scored timely goals, but I go further than that,” UND coach Dave Hakstol told the Grand Forks Herald in a Friday story. “I think he’s played pretty complete hockey. He’s competed every shift. There haven’t been any major holes in his game. I think he’s worked fairly hard to fill in some of those holes over the last couple of years. He seems to be taking pride in playing complete shifts. That usually leads to success on the offensive side of the puck." Kristo is the most heralded of eight Canadiens draft picks in the college ranks.
In the show - Former Hobey Baker finalist Brian Elliott out of Wisconsin is on his third NHL team since February, but won't be moving again any time soon. His recent play for the St. Louis Blues has created a bit of a goaltending dilemma for the Blues, whose other netminder is the heralded Jaroslav Halak. Elliott is almost assured to draw a start in Alberta this weekend, either at Calgary Friday or at Edmonton Sunday. The former Badger has won three in a row, including a shutout of Vancouver on Wednesday.