Zajac, Welsh, Grosenick Press Conference
Coach Bennett Press Conference
BRIDGEPORT, CT - On the heels of the program's first ECAC Hockey Championship, No. 3/3 Union (24-7-7, 14-4-4 ECAC Hockey) earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and will take on No. 15/15 Michigan State (19-15-4, 14-11-3 CCHA), the No. 4 seed in the East Regional. Union heads to Bridgeport, CT for the second straight season in NCAA Tournament play. The Dutchmen earned their first NCAA Tournament berth in 2010-11 as a No. 2 seed in Bridgeport, falling 2-0 to No. 3 seed Minnesota-Duluth. The Bulldogs went on to win the national championship.
Friday's meeting will mark the first time in Union's 21-year Division I history that Union and Michigan State will meet. The Spartans earned an at-large berth after finishing fifth in the CCHA. Michigan State fell in the CCHA Quarterfinals to Miami (OH) 2-0 in a best-of-three series, dropping a 4-1 decision on March 10 in its most recent contest. The Spartans are making their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2008, and their 27th all-time NCAA Tournament appearance. Michigan State has won three NCAA titles (1966, 1996, and 2007).
»Union Earns First Ever Whitelaw Cup
Sophomore forward Daniel Carr scored at 10:26 of the third period to break a 1-1 tie lead Union to a 3-1 win over Harvard for the school's first-ever ECAC Hockey Championship at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ on Saturday. The Dutchmen, two time Cleary Cup Champions for the regular season title, won the tournament title in its second appearance in the Championship Game in three seasons, and fiirst since 2010. Sophomore goaltender Troy Grosenick stopped 16 of 17 shots, and junior forward Jeremy Welsh helped Union rally from a 1-0 deficit in the third period with the game-tying goal at 5:29- of the third period. Sophomore forward Josh Jooris added an empty net goal at 19:38 to seal the win. The All-Tournament Team featured Welsh, Carr, Shayne Gostisbehere and Grosenick. Welsh was named the Tournament's Most Outstanding Player.
»Grosenick One of Ten Finalists for the Hobey Baker Award
Union College sophomore goaltender Troy Grosenick was named one of 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, presented annually to the top men's college hockey player, the Hobey Baker Selection Committee announced. Grosenick is the first student-athlete in program history to be named a finalist for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award. Grosenick, who entered the season with just one career start, is in the midst of a stellar campaign for the Dutchmen. In his first year as a starter. Grosenick ranked first in conference action in goals-against average (1.60); save percentage (.940); and win percentage (.767).
»Welsh Sets New Single Season Goals Record with 24th Tally
Senior forward Kelly Zajac leads the Dutchmen in scoring with eight goals and 33 assists. With an assist on Feb. 17 against Princeton, Zajac set the school single-season assists record in the Division I era, previously held by current volunteer assistant coach Joel Beal ('05) in 2001-02.
With 127 points (37 goals, 90 assists), Zajac is currently in sole possession of second place on the Union scoring list in the Division I era and passed Adam Presizniuk '11 for the career assists record in the DI era with an assist against Cornell on Feb. 4. Zajac trails Presizniuk by four points for the school scoring record in the DI era.
»Scouting Michigan State
The Spartans earned an at-large berth after finishing fifth in the CCHA. The Spartans earned a spot in the tournament in part due a strong strength of schedule. The Spartans had the second-toughest schedule in the nation, per- formed well against other tournament teams (2-0 against Western Michigan, 1-0-1 against Minnesota) and played other NCAA qualifiers Boston College and Air Force. Michigan State is 4-2-1 all-time against ECAC Hockey opponents in the NCAA Tournament. The Spartans are making their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2008, and their 27th all-time NCAA Tournament appearance, the fourth most in college hockey. Michigan State has won three NCAA titles (1966, 1996, and 2007).
After starting the season 10-5-1, Michigan State finished the year 9-10-3, dropping three of its last four games. Michigan State fell in the CCHA Quarterfinals to Miami (OH) 2-0 in a best-of-three series, dropping a 4-1 decision on March 10 in its most recent contest.
Any conversation about the Spartans starts with junior defenseman Torey Krug. The CCHA Player of the Year and Best Offensive Defnese- man is one of 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award, and leads the team with 33 points (12 goals, 21 assists), including seven power play goals. Krug is fifth in the nation in points per game among defensemen.
Three other players on Michigan State have over 20 points, including two of the players
on the team's top line. Sophomore center Lee Reimer (nine goals, 21 assists) and sophomore winger Greg Wolfe (10 goals, 16 assists) play along side Mike Merrifield (11 goals, six assists) on the top scoring line for the Spartans. Another potent line includes senior forward Brett Perlini (nine goals, 21 assists), a draft pick of the Anaheim Ducks, who plays alongside freshman forward Matt Berry (10 goals, eight assists) and junior forward Kevin Walrod (nine goals, nine assists). Michigan State is 24th in the nation in scoring offense, with 2.89 goals per game.
Krug leads an experienced defensive corps that includes four seniors (Matt Crandell, Brock Shelgren, Tim Buttery, and A.J. Surges). Sopho- more defenseman Jake Chelios is also a regular on the back line, along with junior defenseman Matt Grassi. The Spartans are 20th in the na- tion in scoring defense, allowing just 2.63 goals per contest.
Michigan State's penalty kill is among the na- tion's best, fourth in the NCAA at 87.3%. The Spartans are also among the nation's least penalized teams (8th fewest PIM). Michigan State's power play is 41st in the country at 16.3% and is 1-for-17 over the past four games.
»The Union-Michigan State Series
Friday's meeting will mark the first time in Union's 21-year Division I history that Union and Michigan State will meet. Union is 9-10-5 all-time against CCHA opponents. Against common opponents Michigan and Western Michigan this season, Union has a 1-0-2 record, while Michigan State compiled a record of 3-3-1.
»Welsh Sets Goals Record
Junior forward Jeremy Welsh, who scored his 25th goal of the season in a 3-1 win over Harvard in the the ECAC title game, broke the school single-season record of 23 goals set by former linemate Mario Valery- Trabucco '10 in 2009-10. Welsh is just the fourth Union player in the Division I era to reach the 20-goal mark. He has well surpassed the 16 goals he scored in 2010- 11 and 10 tallies his freshman year in 2009-10.
»Bennett, Zajac, Grosenick Earn Awards At ECAC Banquet
Head coach Rick Bennett, sophomore goaltender Troy Grosenick and senior forward Kelly Zajac each earned individual awards at the ECAC Hockey Awards Banquet at the Atlantic City Convention Center. Bennett earned the Tim Taylor Coach of the Year Award, while Grosenick earned the Ken Dryden Goaltender of the Year of the Award, and Zajac earned Best Defensive Forward honors. Sophomore defenseman Mat Bodie and Grosenick earned ECAC Hockey First Team honors, junior forward Jeremy Welsh earned second team honors, and Zajac earned third team honors. Union also earned the SKOR Sports Trophy for team sportsmanship.
Under Bennett, Union earned its second consecutive Cleary Cup, capturing the ECAC Hockey regular-season title. Union posted a 12-2-4 record in its last 18 ECAC Hockey contests, while earning the top seed and first- round bye in the league's tournament. Bennett has recorded the most wins by a Union head coach in his first season, and is the only Union coach to record 20 wins in his debut year. Bennett also became the first Union coach to beat a non-conference top-five team in the USCHO.com poll when the Dutchmen earned a 3-1 at No. 5 Merrimack on Dec. 17. On Nov. 27, Bennett also led Union to a 6-3 win over No. 11 Michigan in the team's first ever trip to Yost Arena.
Grosenick, who entered the season with just one career start, is in the midst of a stellar campaign for the Dutch- men. In his first year as a starter. Grosenick ranked first in conference action in goals-against average (1.60); save percentage (.940); and win percentage (.767). Grosenick is on pace to shatter school single-season goals- against average and save percentage records established by Keith Kinkaid (2010-11) and Trevor Koenig (1996-1997), respectively. Kinkaid won the Ken Dryden Award last season, and Koenig took home Goaltender of the Year honors in 1997.
Zajac, a top faceoff man and a leader on Union's penalty killing unit, was a finalist for the award in 2011. He leads the team in faceoffs won at 505-384 (.568) on the season and has taken 38% of the team's faceoffs this season. Zajac has helped the Dutchmen move into the top-15 in penalty killing at 84.1% on the season, the best penalty killing mark that Union has achieved in in Zajac's four seasons at Union.
»Stingy on D
Since the calendar has turned to 2012, Union's already stingy defense has clamped down even further. Union has allowed one goal or less in nine of 19 games this year. The Dutchmen lead the nation in scoring defense, allowing 1.82 goals per game. Union is the only team in Division I that allows under two goals per contest.
