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HAMILTON, NY - With one game remaining in the regular season, No. 8/8 Union (19-7-7, 13-4-4 ECAC Hockey) is tied atop the ECAC Hockey standings with No. 11/9 Cornell, after last night's 3-2 loss to the Big Red at Lynah Rink. Tonight the Dutchmen will take on No. 20 Colgate (17-13-3, 11-9-1 ECAC Hockey) assured of either a first or second in conference play. With a win, Union would clinch a share of its second consecutive Cleary Cup. If Union and Cornell end the season even in points, the Big Red would earn the No. 1 seed in the ECAC Hockey Tournament. Tonight, Union returns to Colgate after snapping a 12-game winless streak at Starr Rink last season with a 2-1 win over the Raiders on Jan. 14, 2011.

»The Union-Colgate Series
Saturday's meeting will be the 59th all-time between the two schools and Colgate leads 35-18-2 and 26-13-2 in the Division I era. The programs first squared off on Feb. 15, 1929 and Union claimed a 3-1 win. Union is 7-2-1 in the last 10 regular season meetings against the Raiders. Union broke a 12-game winless streak at Starr Rink dating back to Feb. 27, 1998 with a 2-1 win at Colgate on Jan. 14, 2011.
 
»Scouting Colgate
Two losses in the North Country last weekend derailed No. 20 Colgate's (17-12-3, 11-8-1 ECAC Hockey) Cleary Cup hopes, but the Raiders can still wrap up a first round bye in the ECAC Hockey Tournament this weekend. In the last meeting between the two teams, Union held Hobey Baker candidate Austin Smith (33 goals, 16 assists) off the scoresheet in a 3-1 win on Feb. 3. Since then, Smith has points in five straight games (seven goals, one assist).

Sophomore forward Chris Wagner, the center on Smith's line, is also in the midst of a career season with 41 points (12 goals, 29 assists). Senior defenseman Kevin McNamara leads an experienced defensive corps with five upperclassmen among the six regular starters.
 
Sophomore goaltender Eric Mihalik (12-9-2, 2.82 GAA, .898 save pct.) has seen most of the action in net, although senior goaltender Alex Evin (5-3-1, 2.36 GAA, .917 save pct.) was between the pipes last Saturday in a 2-1 loss at Clarkson. Colgate is 12th in the nation in scoring offense at 3.25 goals/game, and 30th in scoring defense at 2.78 goals allowed/ game. The Raiders are 19.1% (28th NCAA) on the power play and 78.6% (47nd NCAA) on the penalty kill.