6:55pm: The ECAC Quarterfinal matchup between No. 1 seed Yale and No. 11 seed Brown is about to start. These two teams meet in the quarterfinals last year, and Yale swept the series, en route to their first ECAC Tournament championship. The winner of this best-of-3 series will be heading to Albany next weekend.

6:56pm: It’s going to be interesting to see how the team responds after a two-week layoff and after losing star forward Sean Backman for the rest of the season.

6:57pm: Senior Billy Blase will be in goal for the Bulldogs. He is 6-0-0 this year.

7:01pm: RW Antoine Laganiere has taken Sean Backman’s place on the O’Neill-Miller line.

7:05pm: There haven’t been any shots in the first three minutes this game has already gotten pretty physical.

7:06pm: Yale’s Limbert tried to go top-shelf but the Brown goalie made a nice save.

7:11pm: Seven minutes into the game, this contest has been pretty uneventful thus far.

7:11pm: Another good look from Limbert.

7:13pm: Blase saved a hard shot from the slot.

7:14pm: Arcobello’s shot was loose, but no one was there to put it in.

7:16pm: Ten minutes into the game, each team has six shots on goal.

7:16pm: Limbert was tripped by Brown, giving the Elis the game’s first power play. The Bulldogs’ power play unit is second in the country with a 24.1% conversion rate. Brown is 8th in the ECAC in the penalty kill.

7:19pm: Martin’s one-timer was stopped right at the power play ended.

7:20pm: Now it’s Brown’s turn. Yale’s Andrew Miller was called for slashing. 7:30 remains in the first period, still 0-0.

7:21pm: Brown had a great opportunity with a loose puck in front of the net but the Bulldogs were able to clear it.

7:22pm: The power play is over.

7:22pm: Seconds later, the Bears have been called for tripping again.

7:25pm: Yale is now 0-for-2 on the pp tonight. Three minutes left in the first period.

7:30pm: The first period has come to a close, 0-0. The game has been pretty even, with both teams recording 10 shots on goal. We’ll see if the eleventh place Bears can continue to keep pace with the Bulldogs in the next two periods.

7:46pm: Seven seconds into the second period, Brown has taken the 1-0 lead. The shot came right off of the center-ice face-off and somehow got past Blase.

7:47pm: One minute later, Brown has scored another goal. The Bears easily tapped in the puck after it rebounded off of the boards behind the net. It is now 2-0, one minute into the second period.

7:48pm: Last year in the quarterfinals Brown led Yale 2-0, late into the second period of the first game. Yale went onto win that game 4-2, though.

7:53pm: Miller had a nice shot in the crease, but Brown’s goalie made a great save.

7:53pm: Brown was called for holding on the play.

7:55pm: Dignard had two good shots, but both went wide.

7:56pm: Right after Yale’s pp ended Brown has gotten one of their own after Jimmy Martin was called for roughing. 14 minutes remain in the second period. Brown leads 2-0.

7:59pm: The Bulldogs were able to kill the penalty.

8:04pm: Kevin Peel and Brown’s Bobby Farnham got tangled and fell to the ice, fighting. Neither was penalized, though.

8:05pm: Broc Little’s diving shot hit the left pipe and bounced out! Seven minutes remain in the second frame…still 2-0 Brown.

8:07pm: The Elis are starting to unleash a flurry of shots.

8:08pm: Yale is going to get another power play. This should be a great chance, especially since their offense is starting to click.

8:10pm: Little’s feed to Kearney was intercepted in the slot.

8:12pm: The power play ended a minute ago, but still Yale has kept it in their zone, taking non-stop shots. They lead in shots on goal now 23-19, but still trail 2-0.

8:13pm: Yale was called for six men on the ice, ending the team’s momentum.

8:16pm: Yale had a great penalty kill.

8:18pm: The Bulldogs have their fifth pp of the night after Brown was called for cross-checking. 35 seconds remain. Can they get a quick one before heading back into the locker room?

8:21pm: After two periods, it’s Brown 2-0. The Yale offense has started to come alive during the past 10 minutes—Little had a shot hit the inside pipe—but so far the nation’s highest scoring offense has been shut out. Yale leads in shots on goal, 25-22 after out-shooting the Bears 15-12 this period.

8:37pm: The third period is about to start. Yale still has 1:25 remaining on a power play.

8:39pm: We’re back to five-on-five hockey.

8:40pm: Yale’s coach, Keith Allain, has gone back with a Kearney-Little-Arcobello line. This was the normal line that Yale had used before Backman’s injury.

8:41pm: Dignard’s shot was deflected wide.

8:43pm: Brown has been called for interference. 16 mins remain in the game.

8:45pm: Tom Dignard has given the Elis their first goal of the night. O’Neill had a nice pass to a crashing Dignard who scored the power play goal. It’s now 2-1, Brown, with 15 minutes left.

8:46pm; Difnard just shot had two more hard shots, but both were stopped.

8:47pm: Brown has responded with a goal of their own. The Bears hit in a rebound. 13:30 remains. Brown leads 3-1.

8:51pm: Big save by Blase

8:53pm: Kearney’s shot was stopped

8:53pm: Broc Little was hit and went head first into the boards. He’s was down for about 10 seconds before skating off the ice.

8:54pm: The refs have ruled it a major misconduct foul, giving the Elis a 5 minute power play.

8:56pm: Brown had a huge 2-on-nothing shorthanded breakaway, but Blase made a crucial save.

8:57pm: Mark Arcobello was called for holding. It will be 4-on-4 for 2 minutes, followed by the final 2 minutes of Yale’s pp. Nine minutes remain in the game. Brown leads 3-1.

8:59pm: Arcobello is back on the ice. 6:30 left.

9:02pm: Back to even strength. You can’t help but wonder how much Backman’s absence has hurt the Yale power play unit. Just over 4 minutes left.

9:04pm: 2 minutes left. When will Allain decide to pull Blase?

9:06pm: Yale has taken a timeout with 1:12 left.

9:08pm: Blase is on the bench, as play is about to resume

9:09pm: Yale has scored with 37.7 seconds left! It’s now 3-2 Brown.

9:09pm: Dignard shot it from the point and Kearney put in the rebound.

9:10pm: Brown’s goalie Clemente covered up a loose puck just before Yale players dove all over him with their sticks. 19.1 seconds left. Ingalls is buzzing.

9:11pm: Brown clears it with 10 seconds left! Game over.

9:12pm: Brown has upset Yale 3-2 in the first game of this best of three series. It was too little too late for the Bulldogs. Yale is now in must-win territory the next two nights if it is to keep its ECAC Championship hopes alive. Another loss to Brown would also put Yale’s at-large NCAA Tournament bid in serious jeopardy. Tomorrow’s game starts at 7pm.