The third team sitting atop the ECAC, Yale, was one of six conference schools that enjoyed a bye this weekend. Victorious in its last three decisions, the Bulldogs (6-4-2, 4-2-2) do not lace up the skates again until its tangle with the Crimson on Jan. 7.

Yale will definitely need the break to rededicate itself after learning on Dec. 3 that it will be without its captain, senior forward Jeff Hamilton, for the rest of the season.

A finalist for the Hobey Baker award one year ago, Hamilton has been nursing an abdominal muscle injury since the beginning of the season, and after playing in only his second game on Nov. 19 against Princeton, he decided to take a medical hardship waiver. He will retain a year of eligibility and thus will be able to play next season.

In the short term, however, Bulldogs' coach Tim Taylor '63 will need continued goal production from junior forward Ben Stafford, whose 13 points in ECAC play have placed him second among the league's top scorers. The Bulldogs will also rely heavily on its spectacular goaltending platoon of senior Trevor Hanger and sophomore Dan Lombard.

Hanger is second in the conference with a 1.65 goals against average and Lombard is right behind him at 1.82. At least one of them will have to continue their strong play if the Bulldogs will remain contenders.

No. 6 Rensselaer (11-3-0, 4-2-0) was one of the six teams with the weekend off. Currently tied for sixth place in the conference, it possesses perhaps the most explosive offense in the league led by forward Brad Tapper, who stands atop the offensive leaderboard with 23 points.

In other conference action this weekend, fourth-place Princeton suffered two one-point losses to Bemidji State. On Friday night, the Tigers went down 3-2, surrendering three power play goals while capitalizing on only two of ten man-advantages of their own.