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SCHENECTADY, NY – The Dutchmen begin their quest for the ECAC Hockey title this weekend with its first conference contest of the season when the Big Green of Dartmouth come to Messa Rink for a 7 p.m. contest on Friday, Nov. 7. The No. 18 Harvard Crimson follows at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 8. Union carries a 3-1-1 overall record into the weekend, while Dartmouth brings a 0-2-0 record, including a 0-1-0 conference mark. Harvard stands at 2-0-0 overall and in the conference.
Union fans can follow the game through online with
live stats,
live video,
live audio. They can also catch the action by tuning into WRUC FM 89.7 or by turning to Time Warner Sports (channel 3).
The weekend games are just one part of the Union College Athletics Hall of Fame induction celebration. Union is recognizing the outstanding efforts of six individuals and two teams. The Class of 2008 consists of Ted Bick '58, Dick Cole '58, Gill Egan '85, Holly Howard '83, Kevin Makarowski '97 and Brett Russ '92. The inductees for the Team of Distinction category are the 1929 Men's Lacrosse Team and the 1983 Football Team. These new inductees bring the total number of individual members in the Hall of Fame, which was first instituted in 2002, to 44. The Teams of Distinction now feature three squads, as the category was instituted in 2007. The Class of 2008 will be formally inducted Saturday at 4 p.m. at College Park.
The Dutchmen are off to one of their best starts in recent history. The last time Union had three wins after the first five games was in 2003-04 when it started 4-0-1. This season's beginning marks the fifth time since becoming a Division I program that Union has registered three wins at this point. After splitting two games in a runner-up finish at the 2008 Mutual of Omaha, Union registered a 1-1 tie against RPI and a 3-2 victory against Colgate in the championship game of the 2008 Governor's Cup. Last weekend the Connecticut Huskies skated into Messa Rink and the Dutchmen handed them a 3-2 loss.
Fifteen of Union's 37 registered points have come from three sophomores:
Stéphane Boileau,
Adam Presizniuk and
John Simpson. Each players has registered three goals and two assists. Boileau has been the man in the clutch with two game-winning tallies, while Presizniuk has a team-high shooting percentage of .300. Simpson scored three goals during two games in Nebraska and added assists against Colgate.
Boileau was recently named to the ECAC Hockey Weekly Honor for his performance against Connecticut. Sophomore goaltender
Corey Milan and freshman forward
Kelly Zajac also received the accolade. Milan has posted a 2.31 goals-against average with a .914 save percentage, starting all five games. Zajac leads all freshmen with three points, including two goals.
The Big Green began its season with a pair of losses last weekend. It fell to Harvard, 4-1, in the season-opener and lost to Vermont in overtime, 3-2, in its home-opener.
Dartmouth's three goals this season have all been scored by different players. Scott Fleming notched the goal against Harvard, while Adam Estoclet and Joe Stejskal each had one against Vermont.A
Stejskal recorded the tying goal against UVM Sunday, it was the sophomore defenseman's second career goal -- he ended last season with five points.
The Big Green has used two different goalies to start the season. Freshman Jody O'Neill was in net against Harvard Friday and senior Dan Goulding got the nod against Vermont.
Harvard, which is ranked 18th, is coming off a pair of ECAC Hockey wins, including a 3-1 victory Tuesday night against Union's big rival, RPI. The Crimson opened the season with a 4-1 win against Dartmouth last Friday.
Pier-Olivier Michaud leads the team with five points, including two goals and three assists, while Michael Biega, Alex Killorn and Doug Rogers are tied for second with two points.
Matt Hoyle is the reigning ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Week by making 30 saves in his collegiate debut against Dartmouth. He followed that performance with 27 saves against RPI.
Harvard was selected to finish second in both the ECAC Hockey Preseason Coaches' and Media Polls.
