March 20, 2008

Sean Backman, the leading scorer on the Yale men's hockey team the last two seasons, has been named third-team All-ECAC after finishing 2007-08 with 18 goals and 27 points.

Backman, last year's co-ECAC Rookie of the Year (18-13-31), has been listed all season by the Hobey Baker Memorial website as a candidate for this year's award.

Backman is 14th in the nation and second in the conference with a .56 goals-per-game average, and his 18 goals are third in the ECAC despite playing eight fewer games than conference leader Tyler Burton (22) of Colgate.

He had points in 18 of his last 27 games and goals in 13 of 25. His biggest goal of the year was the overtime game-winner on March 8 that ended the ECAC Hockey first-round series in a sweep against Rensselaer at New Haven.

The Cos Cob, Conn., native has 36 goals and 58 points in 61 career games and helped the Bulldogs (16-14-4 overall) to a school-record three playoff wins this season.

Go to ecachockey.com to see the complete 2007-08 All-ECAC squad.