Complete Game Notes
Union Opens ECAC Play at Harvard, Dartmouth
When Union opens up league play this weekend at Harvard, the team will look to have some better luck in the league opener than recent history suggests. Union has not won the opening game of ECAC play since the opening league play with a 6-5 win against St. Lawrence on Nov. 5, 2004, a span of five games (0-3-2).
Last season, the Dutchmen got off to a blistering start in league play, compiling a record of 8-0-3 in its first 11 league contests on the way to a program-best third place finish and an opening round bye in the ECAC Tournament. While the Dutchmen have played eight games this season, Harvard will be making its season debut on Friday night. The Crimson are 4-6-0 in home openers in the last ten seasons.
Coach Nearing Milestones, School Wins Record
After taking over a program that finished 14-18-4 in 2002-03, head coach Nate Leaman is just one win away from evening his record through eight seasons. Leaman has produced a 117-118- 33 record, which ranks tops among Union Division I coaches. In his last three seasons (including this year), Leaman has posted a 60-44-17 record.
Leaman is five wins shy of the school wins mark held by Charlie Morrison (1978-88) who posted a career record of 122-146-9. Leaman is first in winning percentage with a .498 mark.
Union Power-Play Goal Streak at Eight Games
Union has power play goals in eight consecutive games, marking the longest streak of games with a power play goal since the 2004-05 season, when the Dutchmen scored a power play goal in a stretch of nine consecutive games from Oct. 29, 2004 to Nov. 27, 2004. The Dutchmen have also scored the first goal in evey game they have played this season.
Near the Top
The Dutchmen rank in the top five in the country in five statistical categories, and in the top 10 in two others. Union has the nation's best power play (43.3%), and combined special teams (64.8%). The Dutchmen are second in scoring margin (2.88), scoring offense (5.00), and tied for seventh in scoring defense (2.12). They have the seventh-best winning percentage (0.750) and are 10th on the penalty kill (88.2%).
Union in the Rankings
The Union College men's ice hockey team was ranked for a school-record 18th consecutive week in the top-20 in the USCHO.com poll, moving up one spot to No. 15 in the rankings that were released on Nov 1. The Dutchmen received 286 points coming off 3-3 ties against Connecticut and No. 20 RPI.
About Harvard
Harvard will be making its season debut on Friday night when they host the Dutchmen at the Bright Hockey Center.
The Crimson returns 21 letterwinners from last season's squad. That number includes five of the team's top six scorers, three everyday defensemen and two senior goaltenders. The key departure for Harvard will be forward Louis Leblanc, a Montreal Canadians prospect, who led the team and all ECAC rookies with 11 goals and 23 points. Leblanc was named to the ECAC All-Rookie team.
Senior forward Michael Biega is the team's top returning scorer. Biega pitched in 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists) last season. Senior forward Alex Killorn, who scored twice in Harvard's 4-3 win against Union on Feb. 13, had 20 points (nine goals, 11 assists) for the Crimson last season. In goal, senior Kyle Richter, an assistant captain, is the most experienced returner in net Richter finished last season at 5-15-2 with a 3.30 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage.
Union-Harvard Series
Union head coach Nate Leaman was an assistant at Harvard before arriving at Union eight years ago. Last season, the Dutchmen were swept by Harvard for the seventh time in the last nine seasons. The Crimson has controlled the series, posting a 30-5-3 record, including a 7-2-1 record in the last 10 meetings. Union is 2-16-1 all-time at Harvard with its last win (2-1) coming on Jan. 28, 2006.
About Dartmouth
Dartmouth will feature nine seniors on its roster this year while welcoming six newcomers into the fold. Given that, the hopes are high for the Dartmouth men's hockey program with the 2010-11 team as ten juniors will be among its 23 returnees.
Leading the way for the Big Green at the forward position will be a tandem of senior forwards, Scott Fleming and Adam Estoclet. Both scored more than 30 points last season with career-highs of 39 and 36 points, respectively. The Big Green returns seven lettermen defensemen. Senior assistant captains Evan Stephens and Joe Stejskal lead an experienced group. In net, juniors Jody O'Neill and James Mello saw action last year. O'Neill has made the first two starts for the Big Green this year and has 53 career starts on his resume, posting a record of 21-28-4 with a 3.09 goals-against average and .909 save percentage. Dartmouth went 1-1 last weekend in the Ivy Shootout, defeating Princeton, 2-1, before falling 7-3 to No. 5 Yale.
Union-Dartmouth Series
In a series that dates back to 1977, the Big Green own a 22-15-5 advantage over the Dutchmen and an 19-14-5 record in the Division I era. Union is 2-5-3 against Dartmouth in its last 10 games, with one of its wins coming last season at Dartmouth, a 5-4 win on Feb. 12. Union rallied back from a four-goal deficit, as Kyle Bodie capped off the comeback with a goal at 17:15 of the third period. Union is 8-13-1 all-time at Dartmouth with a 1-3-1 record in its last five trips to Thompson Arena.
