This Weekend
The Dutchmen return to the confines of Messa Rink to host Harvard and Dartmouth for a pair of games this weekend, Jan 31-Feb. 1. This weekend marks the first times this season that Union will face-off against the Crimson and Big Green. Both games are set for 7 p.m. (ET) starts.
Media Coverage
Matt Dubrey and Brian Unger will have the call for the games this weekend. Fans can watch the games as part of the ESPN Plus package, and fans outside of the United States can access the streams through StretchInternet.com. Live stats and a free audio stream of the games will be available at 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 behind-the-scenes looks are also available through the team's official Instagram account, UnionMHockey.
Career Firsts
Nine of the 10 first-year skaters have recorded their first collegiate points, with six of them doing so in the first weekend of competition.
Gabriel Seger leads the freshman class in scoring, with 12 points, stemming from three goals and nine assists.
vs Harvard
Union trails in the all-time series against Harvard, 17-34-6. However, recently the series has been more evenly matched, as the two teams have gone 4-4-2 against each other in the past 10 meetings. The Dutchmen have won the last three games held at Messa Rink, and Union has not lost to Harvard at Messa Rink since Jan. 22, 2010.
Scouting the Crimson
Harvard comes to Messa Rink as the No. 16 team in the USCHO.com poll, as the Crimson hold a record of 9-6-4 and a conference record of 7-4-3. The Crimson are coming of a pair of ties last weekend against Colgate, 3-3, and Cornell, 1-1. Harvard also boasts the nation's fifth-best offense, averaging 3.68 goals per game, and the nation's top power play, running at 28.6 percent.
Sophomore forward Casey Dornbach currently leads Harvard in scoring, having totaled 25 points from 10 goals and 15 assists. Freshman Nick Abruzzese and sophomore Jack Drury have also eclipsed the 20-point mark this season for the Crimson.
In net, freshman Mitchell Gibson has seen the majority of time between the pipes. The Washington Capitals draft pick holds a 6-4-2 record with a .929 save percentage and a 2.31 goals-against average.
vs Dartmouth
The Dutchmen hold a 30-23-7 record in the all-time series against the Big Green and Union enters Saturday's contest having won the last eight meetings. The last time Union lost to Dartmouth was on Jan. 31, 2015, and the last loss at Messa Rink was on Nov. 7, 2014.
Scouting the Big Green
Dartmouth enters the weekend with an overall record of 10-6-4 and sits in fourth place in the ECAC Hockey standings with a conference record of 7-4-2. The Big Green was ranked No. 20 in the USCHO.com poll last week, but dropped out of the rankings after a loss to Cornell and a tie to Colgate this past weekend. Dartmouth has been averaging 3.05 goals per game, 21st in the nation, but have also been allowing 3.05 goals per game this season.
Sophomore Drew O'Connor leads the Big Green in scoring this season, totaling 22 points from 12 goals and 10 assists. In net for Dartmouth, senior Adrian Clark has posted a 10-5-4 record with a 2.79 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage.
Doing it the Hard Way
Freshman forward
Christian Sanda was one of five players to score a shorthanded goal during the opening weekend of play, Oct. 5-6. His shorthanded goal came during the second period at Army West Point on Oct. 6.
Last Time Out
The Dutchmen played in the eighth annual Capital District Mayor's Cup last Saturday at the Times Union Center in Albany. For the second straight year, Union and Rensselaer skated to a tie, this time to a 1-1 score. Unfortunately, the Engineers won the resulting shootout to take the Mayor's Cup back to Troy.
Union vs Rensselaer - T, 1-1 (SoL, 2-0) - Jan. 25 - Times Union Center
Union Goals:
Taylor Brierley
Rensselaer Goalie:Â Owen Savory (T) - 26 saves, 1 goal against
Union Goalie:
Darion Hanson (T) - 30 saves, 1 goal against
Power Play: Union 0-2, Rensselaer 1-4
Summary:
Taylor Brierley scored his first goal of the season at the 16:08 mark of the second period to open the scoring. RPI scored one minute and 11 seconds later to tie the game back up. Union was unable to convert on the man advantage, going 0-for-2 on the power play, while RPI went 1-for-4 on the PP. The shootout loss breaks a three-year streak in which the Mayor's Cup had remained in Schenectady.
