This Weekend
After nearly a month away from home, the Dutchmen return to Messa Rink this weekend, Feb. 9-10, to host Harvard and Dartmouth in an ECAC Hockey series. Both games this weekend will begin at 7 p.m. (ET).
Media Coverage
Matt Dubrey and Brian Unger will have the call this weekend and fans can listen for free at TeamLine.cc. Both games will be streamed live on UnionAthletics.tv, while live stats feeds will be available through UnionAthletics.com.
Social Media
Receive real-time updates during all Union men's hockey games by following the team's official Twitter account @UnionMHockey. Additional in-game updates and commentary will be provided by assistant sports information director
Ross LaDue via his Twitter account @RLaDue.
Current Streaks
Three Union skaters enters the weekend having recorded a point in at least the previous two games:
Sebastian Vidmar (3 games - 3g, 2a);
Greg Campbell (2 games - 0g, 3a); and
Brett Supinski (2 games - 0g, 2a).
Cole Maier recently had a career-best 12-game streak in which he recorded 13 points (5g, 8a) between Nov. 20-Jan. 6.
Last Time Out
Union at #1 Cornell - Feb. 2 - Lynah Rink
Union Goals:
Sebastian Vidmar,
Ryan Scarfo (PP),
Ryan Walker (PP)
Cornell Goalie: Matthew Galajda (W) - 24 saves, 3 goals against
Union Goalie:
Darion Hanson (L) - 32 saves, 4 goals against
Power Play: Union 2-3, Cornell 2-5
Noteworthy: The Dutchmen battled with No. 1-ranked Cornell last Friday, maintaining a 3-3 tie late into the third period until the Big Red scored the eventual game-winner on the power play with less than three minutes remaining in the game.
Darion Hanson made a season-high 34 saves in the contest, while
Brett Supinski recorded an assist in his return to the lineup after being side-lined for a month due to injury.
Union at Colgate - Feb. 3 - Class of 1965 Arena
Union Goals:
Anthony Rinaldi,
Sebastian Vidmar (PP),
Cole Maier (EN)
Colgate Goalie: Colton Point (L) - 27 saves, 2 goals against
Union Goalie:
Jake Kupsky (W) - 24 saves, 1 goal against
Power Play: Union 1-7, Colgate 0-4
Noteworthy: The Raiders scored the first goal of the contest midway through the first period to hold a 1-0 lead to start the second period.
Anthony Rinaldi got the Dutchmen on the board with a breakaway goal in the waning minutes of the second period to tie the game up at 1-1 to start the third.
Sebastian Vidmar then scored on the power play in the third period for the eventual game-winner, before assisting on
Cole Maier's empty-netter to secure the win.
vs Harvard
Union enters Friday's contest trailing in the all-time series against Harvard 15-33-6. However, in recent years the Dutchmen have fared better as they have posted a 6-3-2 record against the Crimson in the last 11 meetings. Earlier this season, Harvard defeated Union, 3-4, with six seconds left in overtime on Jan. 6 in Cambridge.
Scouting the Crimson
Harvard enters the weekend with a 10-9-4 overall record and a 9-5-3 mark in ECAC Hockey play. The Crimson sit in fourth place in league standings, just one point behind Union, however, Harvard has played one more league game than Union. Friday's contest will be the only game of the weekend for Harvard, as they play Boston University this upcoming Monday in the Beanpot tournament.
Harvard will be without leading scorer Ryan Donato this weekend, as he is with Team USA competing at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games. Junior forward Lewis Zerter-Gossage is second on the team in scoring with seven goals and 14 assists. In net, Merrick Madsen holds a 7-7-3 record with a .922 save percentage and a 2.20 goals-against average.
vs Dartmouth
Union holds a 27-23-7 advantage in the all-time series against Dartmouth, including a 15-10-5 mark in games played at Messa Rink. Additionally, Union has not lost to the Big Green since Jan. 31, 2015, and holds a 8-2-0 record in the past 10 meetings. Earlier this season, Union defeated Dartmouth in Hanover, 4-1, on Jan. 5.
Scouting the Big Green
Dartmouth enters the weekend with a 9-12-2 overall record and a 7-8-1 record in league competition, sitting tied for sixth place with Princeton in ECAC Hockey. Last weekend the Big Green lost 4-1 to Harvard in their sole game of the weekend. However, Dartmouth has won five of its last eight contests.
Senior forward Corey Kalk leads Dartmouth this season with 15 points, stemming from five goals and 10 assists. The Big Green have eight skaters with 10 or more points. In net, senior Devin Buffalo has played the majority of minutes and holds an 8-8-1 record with a .906 save percentage and a 2.91 goals-against average.
Playoff Picture
Union currently sits in third place in ECAC Hockey standings with 22 points. The Dutchmen are only one game behind Clarkson in second place and two and a half games behind Cornell in first. Harvard sits one point behind Union in fourth place, but has one more game played than Union.
Killin' It
Since the new year, Union has posted an .871 efficiency on the penalty kill, which ranks fourth in the ECAC. In the nine games played since Jan. 1, Union has only conceded four power-play goals in 31 chances.
Junior Leadership
Union is fourth in the country for junior class scoring, having produced 39 goals and 72 assists this season. Six junior skaters have recored at least eight points this season.
Sebastian Vidmar leads the class with 10 goals and 17 assists.
If You Ain't First, You're Last
The Dutchmen hold a 12-4-0 record this season when scoring the first goal. On the flip side, Union has only won four games when the opponents have scored first (4-9-1).
Spreading the Wealth
A total of 22 skaters have recorded at least one point for Union this season, including 20 who have more than one, and 20 who have scored goals.
Magic Number
Three seems to be the magic number for Union this season, as the Dutchmen have only won a single game yet this season when scoring two or fewer goals. When scoring at least three goals, Union is 15-6-0 and almost perfect, 11-1-0, when scoring four or more goals.
Fashionably Late
Of the Dutchmen's 91 goals scored this season, the majority of them (37) have come in the third period, and Union is currently tied for fifth in the nation in final-period goal production.
Best of the Week
Junior netminder
Jake Kupsky earned his second Goaltender of the Week honor from ECAC Hockey on Feb. 6. He led the league's goaltenders over the Feb. 2-3 weekend with a .960 save percentage and a 1.00 goals-against average, helping Union earn its fifth win in six games with a 3-1 victory at Colgate on Feb. 3. Kupsky stopped 24-of-25 shots in the contest to help Union move into third place in the league standings.
Senior
Ryan Scarfo picked up his second, and the team's third, weekly honor of the season, being named Player of the Week on Jan. 9 for his efforts at Dartmouth and Harvard. Scarfo had a four-point outing, scoring a goal and tallying an assist in both games.
Posting an undefeated weekend at No. 3 North Dakota, junior netminder
Jake Kupsky was named ECAC Hockey's Goaltender of the Week on Nov. 28. Kupsky made a total of 64 saves over the weekend to help Union earn a 4-1 win and a 2-2 tie at Ralph Engelstad Arena. On the weekend, he posted a .955 save percentage and a 1.44 goals-against average.
With five-point weekend over Oct. 20-21,
Ryan Scarfo led all ECAC Hockey skaters in scoring, and earned Player of the Week honors for his efforts. In the first outing of the weekend, Scarfo put up two assists against RIT in a 6-1 win. Against Niagara, Scarfo scored twice, including the game-winner, and added an assist for a career-tying best three-point night. The weekly honor was the first for the Dutchmen this season.
Extra Goals
Forward
Brett Supinski is tied for the nation's lead in extra-attacker goals. The junior from Collegeville, PA scored with an empty Union net in back-to-back games, Oct. 13-15. Both of his extra-attacker goals were scored within the final 15 seconds of regulation.
Apple-trick
Junior captain
Cole Maier set a personal best on Oct. 21 at Niagara, recording three assists against the Purple Eagles. He registered an assist on the game-winner, and had an assist in each of the three periods.
Brett Supinski recorded Union's second 'apple-trick' of the season, tallying three assists in the 4-1 against No. 16 Quinnipiac on Nov. 11. It was also the second three-assist game in the junior's career.
What a Debut
First-year goaltender
Darion Hanson made his collegiate debut on Oct. 20 against RIT. Hanson made 24 saves in the 6-1 win, including 14 in the third period, seven of which were made while shorthanded. He followed up his debut with second win, helping Union defeat Niagara 5-1, with the only goal conceded coming on a Purple Eagles' power play.
Winning
With a 5-1 win over Niagara on Oct. 20, 2017, head coach
Rick Bennett became the winningest hockey coach in Union hockey's Division I history. Bennett owns a career record of 142-75-30, surpassing Nate Leaman's record of 138-127-35.
Already Spoken For
The Union College hockey team features three student-athletes who have been drafted by NHL teams.
Welcome to Union College
The Dutchmen welcome nine new student-athletes to their ranks this season, including five forwards, three defensemen and one goaltender.
Newest Pros
Over the summer Union College had six members of its 2016-17 team sign professional contracts with North American organizations.
| Name |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Team |
League |
Date |
| Nick DeSimone |
Jr |
D |
San Jose |
NHL |
March 30 (FA) |
| Spencer Foo |
Jr. |
F |
Calgary |
NHL |
June 27 (FA) |
| Michael Pontarelli |
Sr. |
D |
Quad City |
ECHL |
July 27 |
| Alex Sakellaropoulos |
Sr. |
G |
Fort Wayne |
ECHL |
July 20 |
| Jeff Taylor |
Sr. |
D |
Pittsburgh |
NHL |
March 26 |
| Mike Vecchione |
Sr. |
F |
Philadelphia |
NHL |
March 31 (FA) |
