January 16, 2009

Team Notes: Dartmouth Set to Battle UNH

The following article appeared January 16 on the Dartmouth Web site.

 

HANOVER, N.H -- The #18 Dartmouth men's hockey team is set to take on cross-state rival, the #15 New Hampshire Wildcats on Saturday evening at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, N.H. The two teams will be battling for the RiverStone Cup, which the Big Green won last season, 5-3.

SCOUTING UNH
UNH comes into the contest on a six-game unbeaten as the Wildcats have won or tied seven of their last eight. UNH began the season winning its first three before tying UMass. November had the Wildcats on a bit of a slide as they lost four-straight. The team seems to have righted itself as New Hampshire is currently second in Hockey East with a 7-4-3 record. The Wildcats are currently being led by James van Riemsdyk with 26 points. The sophomore is also tops on the team with 17 assists. Mike Sislo and Peter LeBlanc are next in scoring with 17 points apiece while junior Bobby Butler has 15. Rounding out the double-figure scorers are Kevin Kapstad (14 pts.), Danny Dries (12 pts.) and Phil DeSimone (10 pts.). Sophomore Sislo leads the team with 14 goals, four of them on the power play. In the net Brian Foster has carrried the bulk of the load, playing in 17 games. Matt DiGirolamo has seen action in four games. Foster currently has a 9-4-3 record, a .921 save percentage an a 2.44 GAA. DiGirolamo has won one game, with two losses and one tie. He sports an .832 save percentage and a 4.86 GAA. Against Dartmouth, UNH head coach Dick Umilie has gone 13-5-1 in his 18 years behind the bench.

VERSUS UNH
Dartmouth and UNH began meeting in 1936 as the Big Green took the first win, 4-1. Since that time Dartmouth has garnered 16 more victories with some very exciting wins coming at the Verizon Wireless Arena. Since moving the game to Manchester the Big Green has gone 2-4-1, taking wins in 2005 and 2008. The Wildcats hold a 30-17-2 advantage in the series. Since Bob Gaudet took over the coaching reins of his alma mater the Big Green is 4-8-1.

Complete article can be accessed via the Dartmouth Web site by clicking here.