Union vs RPI (exhibition)

Saturday, October 7, 2023 • Troy, N.Y. • Houston Field House • 3:00 p.m.

Video Stream

Union at Army West Point

Sunday, October 8, 2023 • West Point, N.Y. • Tate Rink • 2:00 p.m.

Live Stats • Video Stream

Game Preview

Union Game Notes

This Weekend
Union opens the 2023-24 campaign this weekend with a scrimmage at RPI before turning their attention to Army West Point on Sunday for the season opener.

New Year, New Name
Union's teams will be playing under a new name this season, as the College rebranded as the Garnet Chargers over the summer. Garnet has been Union's official school color for more than 150 years, while Chargers harkens to Schenectady's legacy as a hub of electrical innovation and invention. With the rebrand comes an additional Union "U" logo, which will be used alongside the traditional "Block U" logo that has been in place for many years.

Nice to Meet You
Union welcomes eight newcomers to the program for the 2023-24 season, including two transfers and six first-years. They hail from six states and two Canadian provinces and consist of four forwards, three defenders, and one goaltender.

Scouting the Black Knights
The Black Knights boast one of the largest first-year classes in the nation with 11 newcomers. The core of the team is young with 20 members of the team made up of first-years and sophomores. Only four members of the
team are seniors.

Sophomore Max Itagaki is the reigning Atlantic Hockey Rookie of the Year. Itagaki led Atlantic Hockey with 29 helpers last season and was named to the AHA Preseason All-League Team.

Goaltender Gavin Abric ranks among the top in the NCAA with active saves (1,609) and shutouts (6).

The Black Knights were picked to finish in seventh in the Atlantic Hockey preseason poll after finishing the season with a 14-9-4 record and a 12-12-2 AHA record.

Transfer Commits
Union added two out of the transfer portal in the offseason. Junior Cole Kodsi joins the team from Bentley University (AHA) and sophomore Brandon Buhr comes from ECAC Hockey foe Clarkson University. Kodsi, a former
captain with the Falcons, skated in 83 career games and scored 41 points (18-23-41). Buhr left Clarkson last December to return to the Alberni Valley Bulldogs (BCHL) where he registered 18 points (12-6-18) before leading
the team in playoff scoring with 24 points (8-16-24) in 19 playoff games.

Looking to Surprise
Union was picked to finish eighth in the ECAC Hockey preseason coaches poll, earning 45 points.

Defense First
Sophomore defender John Prokop earned a spot on the ECAC All-Rookie team last season after a stellar first-year campaign. Prokop is the first rookie defenseman in Union's Division I history to lead the team in scoring. The last defenseman to lead the team in scoring was Brandon Estes in the 2021-22 season and the last rookie to lead in points was Adam Presizniuk in the 2007-08 season.