Union vs. Army Game Notes

SCHENECTADY, NY -  The Union College men's ice hockey team opens the 2011-12 season on the road at West Point, NY where they will take on the Army Black Knights at Tate Rink on Saturday, Oct. 8 at 7:05 p.m. This marks the first time since the 2006-07 season (2-0, W, at Ferris State, 10/6/06) that the Dutchmen have opened up a season with a true road contest. With a familiar face at the helm in head coach Rick Bennett, the Dutchmen return to the ice after a record setting season. Union set school records for overall wins (26) and conference wins (17), finishing 14-1-1 in their final 16 regular season games to clinch their first ECAC Hockey regular season title and earn their first selection to the NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament. The run included a win over No. 1 Yale in front of a standing room-only crowd at Messa Rink on January 28, 2011, and saw the Dutchman rise to No. 4 in both national polls. Union fell 2-0 to eventual national champion Minnesota-Duluth in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

»Opening Night Success
Since the 2000 season, Union is 8-3-0 in season-openers, with a 3-3 mark in road contests. All-time in the school's Division I history, the team is 10-10-0 in season opening contests, with a 4-7-0 mark in road contests. Union has opened the season with Army three times in the Division I era, earning a 4-1 win on Oct. 21, 2000 at Messa Rink and a 7-3 win on Nov. 6, 1993 at Tate Rink. Army earned a 6-5 win over the Dutchmen on Nov. 2, 1992 in Union's second season-opener at the Division I level.

»Road Warriors
Union has established itself as one of college hockey's toughest road teams over the past two seasons. The Dutchmen are 18-10-3 in road contests over the past two years, including a seven-game road winning streak to end the 2010-11 season.

»Julseth-White Named Captain at Media Day
Union College men's ice hockey senior defenseman Nolan Julseth-White will serve as captain for the 2011-12 season, head coach Rick Bennett announced on Monday during the team's annual media day. Bennett also announced that senior Kelly Zajac and junior Jeremy Welsh will serve as assistant captains, wearing the "A" throughout the season. Julseth-White, a four-year member of the team, has played in 59 games for Union, posting 14 points. In 2010-11, Julseth-White appeared in 32 games, recording four assists.

Zajac enters his fourth season at Union at No. 30 on the school's all-time scoring list with 29 goals and 57 assists in 118 games played. Welsh is in his third season at Union and returns as one of the Dutchmen's top power play forwards. In 2010-11, Welsh recorded 16 goals and 21 assists for 37 points, including eight power play goals.

»Scouting Army
The Black Knights are coming off of a 11-20-4 season and will look to 20 returning players in their quest for their second Atlantic Hockey Association regular season title. With the official start of practice just last week, Army had seven days to prepare for the Dutchmen.

Army has 12 returning forwards, seven experienced defenseman and one goalie that played in 15 games last season and will look to those veterans to lead the way.

Danny Colvin, one of 11 seniors on the squad, shared the team scoring lead after totaling nine goals and 22 assists last season. Classmate Mike Hull posted eight goals and 21 assists while senior Mark Dube is the leading returning goal scorer with 13. Senior Bryant Skardanetted seven goals and nine assists.

Senior Marcel Alvarez leads a veteran defensemen group. He scored four goals and handed out 19 assists last season. Junior Cheyne Rochaposted two goals and six assists.

Junior Ryan Leetswas 4-8-3 last season with a 2.91 goals against average and .916 save percentage.

»The Union-Army Series
Saturday's meeting will be the 32nd all-time between the two schools and Union leads 15-14-2 overall as well as 12-1-1 in Division I action. The programs first squared off in 1924 with Army claiming a 6-2 victory. Union earned a 6-2 victory the last time these two teams met on Dec. 11, 2010.
 
»The City of Brotherly Love
Saturday night will mark the second time that sophomore forward Cole Ikkala and his brother Cody, a junior defenseman at Army, suit up against each other. The Ikkalas, who hail from Romansville, Pennsylvania, a western suburb of Philadelphila, were teammatees together for the Vernon Vipers of the BCHL