Team Notes: No. 7/7 Union Carries Record Winning Streak into North Country
SCHENECTADY, NY - No. 7/7 Union (22-7-3, 14-3-1 ECAC Hockey) carries the longest winning streak in the nation (seven) into the North Country this weekend, where it will have the opportunity to further cement its place in the school record book. With another victory, the Dutchmen will have their longest win streak since moving up to Division I in 1991, and set a new single-season wins record. On Friday night, Union will take on Clarkson (14-14-2, 8-9-1 ECAC Hockey) in a series that Union has controlled of late (6-0-0 in last six meetings). The Golden Knights are 5-8-2 at Cheel Arena, but have won two of their last three games overall, including a 2-1 win at rival St. Lawrence (9-16-5, 5-12-1 ECAC Hockey) on Tuesday night. The Dutchmen will take on the Saints on Saturday night, a team that has a couple of impressive wins over Top-5 teams on its resume, including a 3-2 win against Yale at Appleton Arena last Friday, and a 2-1 win at New Hampshire on Jan. 2.
Union's Magic Number is 1 For First Round Bye
The Dutchmen have clinched a top eight ECAC Hockey finish, solidifying a series at Messa Rink when they take the ice for the ECAC Playoffs. Union can clinch a first round bye for the second straight year, and for the second time in program history tonight with one point gained by the Dutchmen against Clarkson, or lost by Rennselaer, which takes on St. Lawrence. The ECAC-leading Dutchmen have a one point advantage over second place Yale in the race for the Cleary Cup with four games remaining for both teams.
Finding the Back of the Net
The Dutchmen, who are fourth in the nation in scoring, have registered three or more goals in 21 games this season, resulting in an 18-1-2 record. Union has amassed 119 goals so far this season – the second most through 32 games in program history.
Mat BodieClosing In on Schreiber's School Records
Freshman defenseman Mat Bodie (five goals, 20 assists) needs one assist to tie the single-season assists mark for a defenseman (21), set by Mike Schreiber last season. Bodie is four points away from Schreiber's single-season points record (29) for a defenseman, also set in 2010.
John SimpsonEarns ECAC Player of the Week Honors
Senior forward John Simpson was named MLX Skates ECAC Player of the Week, the conference announced Tuesday. This marks the first time that Simpson has received ECAC weekly honors in his career. Last Saturday against Colgate, Simpson tied the game in the second period with an impressive individual effort, jamming his own rebound across the goal line for his sixth goal of the season. Simpson would add an assist late in the third period on younger brother Wayne Simpson's empty net goal at 18:48, helping the Dutchmen seal a 6-3 win. On Friday night in a 4-0 win against Cornell, Simpson recorded two assists on the night, both in the third period. Simpson set up freshman forward Kevin Sullivan's goal at 1:36 of the third period, and added an assist on freshman forward Matt Hatch's empty net goal at 14:11. Simpson has six goals and 14 assists on the season, matching his best scoring season at Union (four goals, 16 assists in 2009-10) with four games remaining in the regular season.
Scouting Clarkson
After starting the season 10-5-2, the Golden Knights are 4-9-0 in their last 13 games, including a 4-7-0 mark in ECAC contests. Clarkson is still in the hunt for a top eight league finish, and has won two of their last three contests, including a 2-1 win over rival St. Lawrence on Tuesday.
The Golden Knights have a balanced attack - with 23 different scorers on the roster. Senior forward Brandon DeFazio leads the way with 11 goals and nine assists. Clarkson is tied for 12th in the ECAC, allowing 3.44 goals per game in league contests. Clarkson entered the weekend 53rd in the nation on the power play at 12.1% (16-for-132), but 11th on the penalty kill at 85.4% (146-for-171). Clarkson is the third-most penalized team in the nation at 18.7 pim/g.
The Series
In a series that dates back to Jan. 23, 1923, the Golden Knights own a 27-16-5 advantage, including a 26-15-5 DI mark, over the Dutchmen. In the last five outings, Union has posted a 5-0-0 record and outscored Clarkson 36-9. Its last loss against Clarkson came on Jan. 23, 2009 in overtime. Union rebounded for a must-win regular season game (2-1) on Feb. 28, 2009. The Dutchmen then hosted the Golden Knights for the first round of the ECAC Hockey playoffs, sweeping the series (5-3 and 7-2) on Mar. 6-7. The win was the first playoff series victory for the Dutchmen's Division I history. The Dutchmen are 4-15-1 all-time at Clarkson.
Last Meeting
On Jan. 8, sophomore forward Kyle Bodie scored twice, and younger brother Mat, a freshman defenseman added another in a five-goal second period that helped Union earn an 8-1 win against Clarkson. Daniel Carr, Jeremy Welsh, Josh Jooris, Justin Pallos and Kevin Sullivan all scored for the Dutchmen on a night when seven different Union student-athletes had multiple-point games. The Dutchmen held a 52-19 shot advantage for the contest, including a 22-3 shot margin in the first period. Union held Clarkson without a shot for over 16 minutes in the opening frame, and had their highest shot total (22) in a period this season. Yet the game remained scoreless after one period.
Union would quickly jump on the scoreboard in the second period, with three goals in a span of 2:45. Carr got things started for the Dutchmen, scoring on the backhand on a rebound. Kyle Bodie scored his first goal of the night from the slot at 6:13, and brother Mat added Union's third goal of the night at 7:57. The elder Bodie would put the Dutchmen up 4-0 at 12:40 on a goal from the circle. Clarkson would score its lone goal of the night at 18:15 of the second period when Louke Oakley scored from the point. Union would maintain its four goal margin heading into the break with another score just 19 seconds later from Welsh. The Dutchmen carried the play in the third period, as Jooris poked in a rebound at 1:10, and Pallos added his second goal in as many nights at 5:10.
Sullivan would score his first career goal at 11:45, Union's only power play goal of the night, as the Dutchmen converted on a 5-on-3 man advantage to take an 8-1 lead.
Scouting St. Lawrence
Last Friday the Saints knocked off No. 2 Yale 3-2 at Appleton Arena, but have lost two straight to Brown and Clarkson since that contest. St. Lawrence is led on offense by freshman forward Greg Carey, who has 30 points (15 goals, 15 assists) in 30 games this season.
Though 4-12-3 on the season, freshman goaltender Mat Weninger (2.50 GAA, .912 save pct.) has been impressive. Sophomore forward Kyle Flanagan has been a force for the Saints in conference play, with 19 points (eight goals, 11 assists) in 18 games. The Saints have steadily improved this season on special teams. St. Lawrence is 24th in the nation on the power play at 18.5% (24-for-130), and fifth in the nation on the penalty kill at 87.5% (133-for-152).
The Series
Since Feb. 22, 1929, the Saints have posted a 33-20-2 record against the Dutchmen with a 29-16-0 Division I mark.
Friday's game will be the 54th meeting all-time between the two teams. Union is 4-1-0 against St. Lawrence in the last five, including wins in all three meetings last season.
Union is 9-18-0 all-time at St. Lawrence, but has won two of the last three meetings at Appleton Arena
Last Meeting
On Jan. 7, Junior forward Kelly Zajac scored early in the third period on a partial breakaway to help Union earn a 3-1 win against St. Lawrence in front of 1,627 fans at Messa Rink.
With the game knotted at 1-1, freshman forward Matt Hatch hit Zajac in stride as he cut down the middle of the ice. With just St. Lawrence goaltender Matt Weninger to beat, Zajac fired the puck into the top right corner at 3:51 of the final frame to give Union the lead.
Senior forward Adam Presizniuk picked up an assist on the play to set a school record for points (116) and assists (75), passing Jason Walters ('10) on Union's all-time Division-I points list, and Joel Beal ('05) on the school's all-time Division-I assists list.
Sophomore forward Kyle Bodie would add an empty net goal at 19:06 to seal the victory for the Dutchmen. Sophomore goaltender Keith Kinkaid made 26 stops to earn his 11th win of the season, just one shy of his win total from the 2009-10 campaign. For the game, St. Lawrence outshot Union 27-26.
Senior forward Justin Pallos scored at 5:06 of the first period to give Union an early lead that it maintained until St. Lawrence forward Greg Carey scored at 19:26 of the second period to even the score at 1-1.
