HAMDEN, CT - No. 16/RV Union (10-6-4, 4-2-3 ECAC Hockey) concludes a season-high eight game stretch away from Messa Rink on Saturday night at No. 5/5 Quinnipiac (16-3-3, 10-0-1 ECAC Hockey) in a matchup of the league's top two teams. Quinnipiac enters the night with a nation-best 15 game unbeaten streak (14-0-1) and has taken command of the ECAC Hockey standings with an unblem- ished league record. Last night, the Bobcats earned a 1-1 tie against Rensselaer, snapping an eight-game winning streak for Quinnipiac. Jeremy Langlois scored his team-leading 11th goal for the Bobcats and Eric Hartzell made 24 saves in net, as Quinnipiac allowed two goals or less for the 15th time in the last 16 contests.
»The Last Time Out...
Senior forward Kyle Bodie, sophomore forward Max Novak and junior forward Daniel Carr each scored first period goals to help lift Union to a 3-2 win over Princeton in front of 2,376 fans at Hobey Baker Rink. The Dutchmen outshot Princeton 45-19 for the night, but had to kill off 4:00 of Princeton power play time as junior forward Josh Jooris was called for two penalties on the same shift with 5:02 remaining in the third period. Princeton recorded just one shot on the ensuing man advantage. Junior goaltender Troy Grosenick made 17 saves to improve to 6-4-4 on the season, while Princeton goaltender Sean Bonar stopped 42 shots.
»Wayne Simpson One Point From Union College Century Club
Union has two players nearing 100 career points. Senior forward Wayne Simpson (99 points) and junior forward Daniel Carr (92 points) could become the ninth and tenth players to join the Union College Century Club in the Division I era this season. On Friday against Princeton, Simpson recorded an assist on Kyle Bodie's first period goal to pull within one of rhe Century Club.
»Shayne Gostisbehere Wins Gold At World Junior Championships
Sophomore defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere helped Team USA earn its third gold medal in a 3-1 win over Sweden at the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championships in Ufa, Russia. Gostisbehere saw significant ice time in the deciding game, and was on the ice for both of Team USA's even strength goals, finishing the night with a +1 rating. It is the third gold medal for Team USA, which also won in 2004 and 2010. Gostisbehere recorded a goal and an assist in six tournament games for Team USA. A native of Margate, Florida, Gostisbehere is sixth on the team in scoring with 13 points (five goals, eight assists), has emerged as one of Union's top offensive playmakers this season.
»Union At Its Best Against Ranked Competition
Over the past two seasons, Union is 13-11-5 against ranked competition. This season, the Dutchmen are 1-1-1 against ranked competition including a 6-2 win at No. 13 Harvard on Nov. 9. Dating back to last season, Union is 6-2-1 in its last nine games against teams ranked in either the USCHO. com poll or the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll.
»The Union-Quinnipiac Series
Union and Quinnipiac will meet for the 24th time on Saturday night and the series is even at 10-10-3. The Dutchmen are 6-2-2 in the last 10 meetings, and are 2-1-2 in the last five regular season contests. On March 12, 2010 and into March 13, 2010, Union and Quinnipiac played the longest game in NCAA history, timing in at 150:22. The Bobcats' Greg Holt netted the game-winner at 1:03 a.m. in the fifth overtime, giving his team a 3-2 victory in the opening game of the ECAC Hockey quarterfinals, a series that the Dutchmen would go onto win in three games.
Scouting Quinnipiac
Top Players (2012-13 stats): Sr. F Jeremy Langlois (10 goals, 10 assists), Sr. F Clay Harvey (3 goals, 11 assists), Sr. F Jordan Samuels-Thomas (6 goals, 5 assists), Sr. D Loren Barron (3 goals, 8 assists), So. F Matthew Peca (6 goals, 4 assists), Jr. F Kellen Jones (2 goals, 8 assists), Sr. G Eric Hartzell (20 GP, 16-2-2, 1.48 GAA, .934 Save %)
Synopsis: After a 2-1 loss at home to AIC on Nov. 6, Quinnipiac has been the most dominant team in college hockey. The Bobcats are unbeaten in their last 14 games (13-0-1), and have won seven in a row, including a 4-0 win at Union on Nov. 30. A senior-laden team, the Bobcats have featured a balanced scoring attack to go along with superb defending (No. 2 NCAA, 1.63 goals allowed/game). They have benefitted from an outstanding first half by senior goaltender Eric Hartzell (16-2-2), who is third in the nation with a 1.48 goals against average, and has four shutouts already this season.
»Union in ECAC Hockey Play
Union, the defending Cleary Cup and Whitelaw Cup champions, has won three of its first four games in ECAC Hockey play this season to continue an outstanding run of success in conference play. Union has picked up 37 of a possible 51 points in its last 24 league games (15-4-7) dating back to Nov. 12, 2011, when the Dutchmen fell 4-0 at home against Yale last season.
»That's a Plus
Union has three players among the top-15 in ECAC Hockey for plus/minus. Senior forward
Kyle Bodie is third in ECAC Hockey at +13, while senior forward
Wayne Simpson is tied for sixth at +11. Sophomore defenseman
Shayne Gostisbehere is tied for 11th at +9.
