Union is 8-10-4 against CCHA competition in the Division I era. Union is the only current ECAC Hockey team that Michigan has not faced. Against all other current ECAC Hockey members, the Wolverines have compiled a record of 57-23-5, including a 10-3 win over St. Lawrence this season at Yost Arena on Oct. 13.
If any team can testify to how dangerous Michigan can be, it would be St. Lawrence, which fell 10-3 to the Wolverines on Oct. 13. All 10 of Michigan's goals came at even strength. In Michigan's previous meeting against ECAC competition, on Dec. 29, 2009 against RPI, the Wolverines outshot the Engineers 46- 13, but fell 4-3 on a game-winning goal by Marty O'Grady in the third period.
SCOUTING MICHIGAN
Michigan, the national runner-up last season, has 10 NHL Draft Picks on its roster, but argu- ably its most important player is not one of them, senior goaltender Shawn Hunwick.
Hunwick was sensational down the stretch for Michigan in 2010-2011, allowing two goals or less in eight of the Wolverines final 10 games of the season, including two shutouts. Though the Wolverines lost four of their top five scor- ers to graduation last season, they have filled the scoring void quite well so far this season, with nine players who have double-digit points entering the weekend. Michigan is fourth in the nation in scoring offense with an average of 4.00 goals per game.
Junior forwards A.J. Treais (six goals, seven assists) and Lindsay Sparks (five goals, eight as- sists) lead the way with 13 points each. Senior forward David Wohlberg, who was named to the CCHA Preseason Second Team, has three goals and seven assists, including a four point night against St. Lawrence last month.
Sophomore defenseman Jon Merrill, a CCHA Preseason First Team pick, has been suspended indefinitely for a violation of team rules, but the Wolverines have remained a strong defensive club, allowing just 2.36 goals per game, after finishing sixth in the nation in scoring defense last year.
HAT TRICK HAPPY
After recording four hat tricks in five seasons (187 games) from 2005-06 to 2009-10, the Dutchmen have recorded seven hat tricks over the past two seasons (53 games), including three this season. Most recently, sophomore for- ward Daniel Carr recorded his second career hat trick in a 5-1 win at RPI on Nov. 15. On Oct. 8 at Army, junior forward Wayne Simpson recorded his first career hat trick in an 8-1 win. On Oct. 15 against No. 12 Western Michigan, junior forward Jeremy Welsh recorded his second career hat trick, scoring all three Union goals in a 3-3 tie.
A KNACK FOR GAME-WINNERS
Senior forward Kelly Zajac and junior forward Wayne Simpson have shown a knack for scor- ing game-winning goals over the course of their careers. Zajac is currently tied for fifth on the career game-winning goals list with eight, while Simpson, who has game winning goals this season against RIT and St. Lawrence, is tied for eighth on the list with seven career game- winning goals.
CANADIAN CONNECTION
In recent years, the Dutchman have featured a lineup littered with student-athletes from Canada, and 2011-12 is no different. Union features 13 players from five provinces. In fact, through 12 games this season, five of Union's top six scorers are from Canada, a list that includes Kelly Zajac (three goals, 13 assists), Mat Bodie (two goals, 10 assists), Daniel Carr (five goals, five assists) Jeremy Welsh (seven goals, two assists) and Kyle Bodie (two goals, seven assists)
WELSH IS UNION'S EXTRA MAN
Junior forward Jeremy Welsh has gotten off to a strong start on Union's fifth-ranked power play unit. Welsh is tied for third in the nation wih five power play goals. He ranks fourh in the Division I era at Union with 17 career power play goals, trailing Jordan Webb '05 for the program record by five power play goals.
