This Week in Union Hockey
THIS WEEK IN UNION COLLEGE HOCKEY
Weekly Storyline
Two Points For Home Ice – Union travels to Thompson Arena this weekend seeking its first regular season series sweep of Dartmouth since the 1996-97 season. With a win on Friday night, the Dutchmen would also clinch home ice in the first round of the ECAC Hockey playoffs for the third straight season. Union (16-6-7, 10-3-4 ECAC Hockey) currently sits atop the ECAC Hockey standings with 23 points, holding a three point lead over Cornell heading into the final three weeks of the regular season. Union’s magic number to clinch a first round bye in the conference playoffs is five.
Must Read/See/Hear Material
USCHO.com: TMQ: BU back up to No. 1, but plenty of teams could be there
USCHO.com: Feb. 6 - Division I Men’s Poll
Inside College Hockey: INCH Power Rankings
USA Hockey Magazine: USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Poll – Week 18
The Daily Gazette: College Hockey Slap Schotts – Week 17
NOTE OF THE WEEK
Road Warriors - Union has established itself as one of college hockey’s toughest road teams over the past two seasons. The Dutchmen are 9-4-3 on the road this season.
Union is 27-14-6 in road contests over the past two-plus years, including a 13-game stretch in ECAC Hockey road contests (10-1-2) that dates back to the end of the 2010-11 season. Union’s eight-game stretch away from Messa Rink earlier this season which ended at Colorado College on Dec. 31, marked the longest stretch of games away from Schenectady for Union since the 2004-05 season, when the Dutchmen played nine consecutive contests at road/neutral sites from Nov. 19, 2004-Jan. 2, 2005.
FIVE MORE NOTES NO MEDIA PERSON SHOULD BE WITHOUT
Starting Off Strong - Union has scored in the first period of 24 of its first 29 games this season and has a 15-3-6 record in those contests. The Dutchmen have scored their opposition 46-18 in the opening frame. Union has scored a goal in the first 10:00 of the first period in 13 contests this season (9-1-3) and scored in the first minute of games three times this season (10/22 vs. RIT, 11/11 vs. Brown, and 1/21 at Brown).
Bennett’s Impact – Since stepping foot on the Union College campus, Rick Bennett has helped mold the Dutchmen into one of the top defensive teams in ECAC Hockey. The 2011-12 team continues to show evidence of Bennett’s impact on the program. Through 29 games, Union leads in the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 1.83 goals/game. The Dutchmen have allowed just 53 goals in 29 games played, one year after setting a school record by allowing just 82 goals in 40 games played.
That’s Always a Plus – Union has three players among the top 10 in ECAC Hockey plus-minus leaders. Sophomore forward Matt Hatch leads the team and is fourth in the league with a plus-14 rating. Junior forward Wayne Simpson is tied for fifth with a plus-13 rating, as is senior forward Kelly Zajac, who also has a plus-13 rating.
Simpson and Gostisbehere earn ECAC Hockey Awards – Junior forward Wayne Simpson earned ECAC Hockey Player of the Week and freshman defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere earned ECAC Hockey Rookie of the week, the league announced Tuesday. Simpson had two multiple-point games this past weekend, scoring twice in a 3-1 win over No. 20 Colgate, and recording a goal and an assist in a 4-4 tie against No. 14 Cornell. Gostisbehere had a standout weekend for the Dutchmen, with assists on five of Union’s eight goals. On Saturday night against Cornell, Gostisbehere matched a school record for assists in a conference game with four on the night, as Union rallied from a two-goal deficit to earn the tie against the Big Red.
Vote Troy, Jeremy or Kelly for the Hobey Baker Award - Union men’s ice hockey has three candidates for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, the highest honor for a student-athlete in Division I men’s ice hockey. Sophomore goaltender Troy Grosenick, junior forward Jeremy Welsh, and senior forward Kelly Zajac are all on the Vote for Hobey fan ballot as well as the Division I coaches ballot. Union fans can vote for Troy, Jeremy or Kelly up until March 1 by visiting hobeybakeraward.com. Every head hockey coach at an accredited Division I NCAA school receives one ballot. Coaches are asked to pick the top three players in their league and the top three players in the nation (two separate rankings, three players each; a player may be listed in both places, and a coach can vote for his own player). Those ballots, along with Vote for Hobey’s Preliminary Voting results, are tabulated by an accounting firm to determine the 10 finalists.
