Team Notes: No. 5/5 Union Hosts Quinnipiac, Princeton to Conclude Regular Season
SCHENECTADY, NY - No. 5/5 Union (24-7-3, 16-3-1 ECAC Hockey) has a chance to make school history in the final weekend of the regular season when it hosts Quinnipiac (13-13-6, 6-9-5 ECAC Hockey) and Princeton (15-10-2, 10-8-2 ECAC Hockey) at Messa Rink. The Dutchmen have a one point advantage over second place Yale in the race for the Cleary Cup, with two games remaining for both teams. Union enters the weekend with the nation's longest winning streak at nine games, and is 13-1-0 in its last 14 games, all ECAC Hockey contests. During its recent 14 game stretch in conference play, Union has outscored opponents by a combined score of 52-25.
Union Earns First Top 5 Ranking In Both National Polls
Coming off a weekend sweep at Clarkson and St. Lawrence to stretch
its program record win streak to nine games, the Union men's ice
hockey team earned a No. 5 ranking in both the USCHO.com and USA
Today/USA Hockey Magazine polls released Monday. The Dutchmen
earned 749 points in the USCHO.com poll and 354 points in the USA
Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll, both season highs. The No. 5
ranking in both polls is the highest ranking that Union has earned
since moving up to Division I before the 1991-92 season. This marks
the 32nd consecutive week the Dutchmen have been ranked in the
USCHO.com poll, extending a school record. Union has been ranked
for 17 consecutive weeks in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine
Poll.
Home Is Where The Heart Is
Dating back to last season, the Dutchmen have an impressive record
(18-1-1) in their last 20 regular season home games at Messa Rink.
Not including exhibition contests, the Dutchmen are 138-133-41
all-time at home and 78-46-19 with Nate
Leaman behind the bench.
That's a Whole Lot of Ws
Union's 5-2 win at St. Lawrence last Saturday was the team's 24th
victory of the season, giving the Dutchmen the most wins of any
team in the nation. The Dutchmen have reached the 20-win mark for
the second consecutive year, and the fourth time in the history of
the program. Union's .750 winning percentage is tied for third in
the country.
Near the Top
The Dutchmen rank in the top ten in the country in seven
statistical categories through 34 games this season. Union has the
nation's best power play (29.5%), as well as the nation's best
scoring defense (2.09 goals allowed per game). The Dutchmen are
third in scoring offense (3.76 goals per game), tied for third in
winning percentage (.750), fourth in scoring margin (1.68), sixth
in combined special teams (55.2%), and seventh in penalty minutes
per game (11.0)
High Powered Offense
With 13 student-athletes with double-digit points, the Dutchmen
are putting together one of the best offensive seasons in program
history. Junior forward Kelly
Zajac leads the team with 37 points (12g-25a). Sophomore
Jeremy
Welsh (15g-20a) is second with 34 points. Freshman Daniel
Carr (18g-14a) and freshman Josh
Jooris (9g-21a) have also reached 30 points. Freshman Mat
Bodie (5g-21a), sophomore Wayne Simpson (13g-14a),
senior Adam
Presizniuk (11g-17a) and senior John
Simpson (7g-15a) have reached the 20-point plateau.
Senior Justin
Pallos (8g-4a), sophomore Greg
Coburn (5g-8a), freshmen Matt
Hatch (5g-13a) and Kevin
Sullivan (3g-8a) and senior Brock
Matheson (3g-7a) round out the group of double-digit
scorers.
The Defense Holds Strong
Union's defense has held its opponents to two or fewer goals 20
times this season, placing the team fi rst in the country with a
2.09 goals-against average. The Dutchmen, who have outscored
opponents 128-71, have held the competition to less than 30 shots
28 times, including nine games with less than 20 shots.
Scouting Quinnipiac
The Bobcats have hit a rough patch in their last six games (0-3-3)
to fall to .500 (13-13-6) for the first time since Nov. 11, 2010,
when they were 4-4-1. Junior forward Scott Zurevinski has had the
hot hand of late, with points in five of Quinnipiac's last six
games. Zurevinski leads the team with 21 points on the season (12
goals, nine assists). The Bobcats have had trouble scoring in
league play (11th in ECAC at 2.25 goals per game) and have had
difficulty on special teams (11th in ECAC in combined special teams
at 45.3%).
Scouting Princeton
Starting win Union's 7-4 win at Hobey Baker Rink on Feb. 4, the
Tigers have lost four of six (1-4-1) to fall out of the national
rankings. Princeton has allowed 28 goals in the last six games,
including a 5-4 loss on Sunday to No. 3 Yale which saw the Tigers
lose leads of 3-0 and 4-3. Sophomore forward Rob Kleebaum, who did
not play against Union three weeks ago, has seven points (six
goals, one assist) in Princeton's last five games. Senior forward
Mike Kramer (11 goals, 11 assists) and freshman forward Mike Calof
(six goals, 16 assists) are both among the top five in the ECAC in
conference scoring.
Last Meeting vs. Quinnipiac
Senior forward Justin
Pallos scored the game-winning goal at 2:44 of overtime
to lead No. 11 Union to a 3-2 win over Quinnipiac in front of 2,473
fans at TD Bank Sports Center. Senior forward Andrew
Buote set up the goal by pressuring Mike Dalhuisen off
the puck. Pallos skated in all alone on goaltender Eric Hartzell,
switched to his backhand and fired the puck into the top corner for
his eighth goal of the season, a career high. Senior defenseman Brock
Matheson tied the game at 2-2 early in the third period,
as sophomore defenseman Ryan
Forgaard, fired a cross ice pass to a streaking Matheson
for a one-timer at 1:39. Sophomore forward Wayne
Simpson also scored for Union, and sophomore goaltender
Keith
Kinkaid made 23 saves.
Last Meeting vs. Princeton
Junior forward Kelly
Zajac had a goal and three assists, including the last
of four unanswered goals in the second period to help lead No. 11
Union to a 7-4 win against No. 19 Princeton in front of 1,691 fans
at Hobey Baker Rink. The Dutchmen scored six unanswered total after
falling behind 4-1 in the second period. Sophomore goaltender
Keith
Kinkaid made 28 saves, stopping all 11 shots in the
third period to earn his 18th win of the season.
