SCHENECTADY, NY - Tomorrow night, No. 19 Union (12-8-4, 6-4-3 ECAC Hockey) and RPI (8-10-5, 3-6-3 ECAC Hockey) will square off in the inaugural Mayor's Cup at the Times Union Center in Albany, NY. The schools currently compete for the "Dutchman Shoes Trophy," which has been presented since 1950 to the winner of the annual football contest. The hockey rivalry dates back to 1904, while the schools have met on the gridiron since 1886.

»Union at the Times Union Center
Union is 3-5-2 all-time in 10 contests at the Times Union Center. The Dutchmen have played RPI five times at the TUC, and are 1-2-2 against the Engineers, including a 1-1 tie (shootout win) in the opening round of the Governer's Cup on Oct. 24, 2008 in the last meeting a the TUC.

»The Last Time Out...
Senior forward Wayne Simpson and junior forward Daniel Carr each had a goal and an assist and junior defenseman Mat Bodie added three assists to lead Union to a 4-1 win over Harvard on Tuesday at Messa Rink. Junior goaltender Troy Grosenick (8-6-4) made 22 saves to earn the win in net.

»Wayne Simpson on a Roll
Senior forward Wayne Simpson is playing some of his best hockey of the season over the past seven contests. Simpson is in the midst of a five game point streak, and has recorded 10 points (four goals, six assists) in his last eight games. Simpson leads the team with 26 points (12 goals, 14 assists) on the season.

»Union's Stellar Special Teams
The Dutchmen are off to a solid start in special teams play, bettering impressive numbers from a a season ago. Through 24 games, Union is 88-for-97 (90.7%, 4th NCAA) on the penalty kill and 29-for-114 (25.4%, 1st NCAA) on the power play. Union is the only team in the nation to have top-4 power play and penalty kill units.

»Seven Straight Wins
Union has won straight games in the series with RPI, it's longest winning streak in a rivalry that dates back to 1904. The longest win streak for either team in the history of the rivalry is eight games (RPI, from 1981-1986).

»Notes on the Streak
During Union's seven game winning streak against RPI (dating back to the beginning of the 2011-12 season), the Dutchmen have outscored the Engineers 33-13, recording three or more goals in each contest. They've held RPI to two or fewer goals in all but one game. Union has scored 13 power play goals during the stretch.

»The Union-RPI Series
Union's biggest rival owns a 45-30-10 overall record against the Dutchmen, including a 29-27-9 Division I mark. However, Union has gone 8-1-1 in the last 10 outings, including a 5-0 showing last year and wins in the first two meetings this season. With two consecutive wins, Union would pull even in Division I games against RPI for the first time in the history of the rivalry.

»Scouting RPI
Top Players (2012-13 stats): So. F Ryan Haggerty (9 goals, 8 assists) So. F Jacob Laliberte (7 goals, 10 assists), So. F Matt Neal (4 goals, 12 assists), Sr. D Nick Bailen (5 goals, 10 assists), Sr. F C.J. Lee (3 goals, 4 assists), Fr. F Milos Bubela (7 goals, 6 assists), Fr. G Jason Kasdorf (4-1-2, 1.60 GAA, .943 Save%) Sr. G Bryce Merriam (2-5-2, 2.80 GAA, .900 save %).

Top Departed Players: Sr. F Patrick Cullen (6 goals, 8 assists), Sr. D Mike Bergin (2 goals, 8 assists), Sr. F Joel Malchuk (7 goals, 1 assist), Sr. F Alex Anders-Goulet (2 goals, 3 assists)

Synopsis: The Dutchmen won their two league meetings against the Engineers this season for a program-best seven straight wins over RPI.

RPI is a different team than the one Union faced in early November, playing some of its best hockey of the season. RPI is 7-5-3 in its last 15 games, including a home sweep of No. 16 Cornell and No. 20 Colgate last weekend.
The Engineers have played one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the country, including 14 games against ranked teams.

After a disappointing 2011-12 campaign in which RPI finished 12-24-3 overall, the Engineers are scoring at higher rate this season, and have been excellent on special teams. Kasdorf, who has never started against Union, has emerged as an excellent option in net for RPI.

»In Non-Conference Play
Union is 10-27-4 all-time in non-league games against RPI, but is 2-0-1 in the last three non-conference games against the Engineers.

»Since 2004-2005
Union and RPI have played 28 times since the start of the 2004-05 season with the Dutchmen holding a 20-4-4 advantage, including five wins in five games last season and two this year. Two of Union's losses to RPI were in regulation (both by one goal), and two were in overtime. Union has 30 all time wins against RPI, and 20 have come in a nine-season span in a rivalry that stretches across 38 seasons dating back to 1904.

»The Last Meeting
On Nov. 3, 2012 sophomore forward Daniel Ciampini had two goals and an assist and senior defenseman Greg Coburn had a goal and two assists to lead No. 9/10 Union to a 7-3 win over RPI in front of 2,313 fans at Messa Rink. With the win, Union retains the Capital Skates Trophy for the ninth straight season, having clinched the most points in the season series against RPI. Junior goaltender Troy Grosenick made 21 saves in net for the Dutchmen to earn the win, while Colin Stevens and Dillon Pieri (one save) also saw action in goal for Union. Sophomore defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere had three assists, two after recovering from a cut to the nose on a hit from RPI's Luke Curadi.

Union went 4-for-8 on the man advantage, scoring three power play goals on a major penalty to Curadi for the hit on Gostisbehere midway through the second period to take a commanding lead midway through the contest. In total, Union scored six goals in the second period, matching a school record for goals in a frame set on Nov. 1, 1991 against Merrimack.

Ciampini scored his first goal of the night at 4:22 of the second period to break a 1-1 tie, deflecting a Greg Coburn shot past RPI goaltender Bryce Merriam (21 saves).

Just minutes later, Curadi leveled Gostisbehere, giving the Dutchmen a lengthy power play. Sophomore forward Max Novak wheeled around the net and scored at 10:25 to put Union up 3-1. Moments later, Ciampini scored his second of the night off another deflection, this time on a shot from Gostisbehere at 11:22.

At 12:29, Union made it 5-1, as Coburn scored on a backdoor rebound to give the Dutchmen their third goal on the same power play. RPI cut the Union lead to 5-2 on Bo Dolan's shorthanded goal at 13:19 shortly before Union's major power play expired.

But Union would respond with a shorthanded goal of their own at 14:30 of the second period. Senior forward Kyle Bodie chipped a backhand pass up to senior forward Wayne Simpson, sending him alone on a breakaway. Simpson's initial shot was stopped, but he followed it up with a backhander, beating Merriam to put Union up 6-2. Junior forward Josh Jooris scored from the slot at 17:57 on a tic-tac-toe passing play from freshman forward Nick Cruice and junior forward Daniel Carr to give Union its sixth goal of the period.

RPI's Milos Bubela scored at 7:34 of the third period, but the Engineers would get no closer. RPI's Jason Kasdorf relieved Merriam in net and made eight saves. Union took an early lead in the contest, as Carr notched his 23rd career power play goal at 1:59 of the first period, breaking Jordan Webb's '05 school record.