Game Notes

SCHENECTADY, NY - No. 5/5 Union (24-7-3, 16-3-1 ECAC Hockey) has a chance to make school history in the final weekend of the regular season when it hosts Quinnipiac (13-13-6, 6-9-5 ECAC Hockey) and Princeton (15-10-2, 10-8-2 ECAC Hockey) at Messa Rink. The Dutchmen have a one point advantage over second place Yale in the race for the Cleary Cup, with two games remaining for both teams. Union enters the weekend with the nation's longest winning streak at nine games, and is 13-1-0 in its last 14 games, all ECAC Hockey contests. During its recent 14 game stretch in conference play, Union has outscored opponents by a combined score of 52-25.

 

Coming off a weekend sweep at Clarkson and St. Lawrence to stretch its program record win streak to nine games, the Union men's ice hockey team earned a No. 5 ranking in both the USCHO.com and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine polls released Monday. The Dutchmen earned 749 points in the USCHO.com poll and 354 points in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll, both season highs. The No. 5 ranking in both polls is the highest ranking that Union has earned since moving up to Division I before the 1991-92 season. This marks the 32nd consecutive week the Dutchmen have been ranked in the USCHO.com poll, extending a school record. Union has been ranked for 17 consecutive weeks in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Poll.

 

Dating back to last season, the Dutchmen have an impressive record (18-1-1) in their last 20 regular season home games at Messa Rink. Not including exhibition contests, the Dutchmen are 138-133-41 all-time at home and 78-46-19 with Nate Leaman behind the bench.

 

Union's 5-2 win at St. Lawrence last Saturday was the team's 24th victory of the season, giving the Dutchmen the most wins of any team in the nation. The Dutchmen have reached the 20-win mark for the second consecutive year, and the fourth time in the history of the program. Union's .750 winning percentage is tied for third in the country.

 

The Dutchmen rank in the top ten in the country in seven statistical categories through 34 games this season. Union has the nation's best power play (29.5%), as well as the nation's best scoring defense (2.09 goals allowed per game). The Dutchmen are third in scoring offense (3.76 goals per game), tied for third in winning percentage (.750), fourth in scoring margin (1.68), sixth in combined special teams(55.2%), and seventh in penalty minutes per game (11.0)

 

With 13 student-athletes with double-digit points, the Dutchmen are putting together one of the best offensive seasons in program history. Junior forward Kelly Zajac leads the team with 37 points (12g-25a). Sophomore Jeremy Welsh (15g-20a) is second with 34 points. Freshman Daniel Carr (18g-14a) and freshman Josh Jooris (9g-21a) have also reached 30 points. Freshman Mat Bodie (5g-21a),
sophomore Wayne Simpson (13g-14a), senior Adam Presizniuk (11g-17a) and senior John Simpson

(7g-15a) have reached the 20-point plateau. Senior Justin Pallos (8g-4a), sophomore Greg Coburn (5g-8a), freshmen Matt Hatch (5g-13a) and Kevin Sullivan (3g-8a) and senior Brock Matheson (3g-7a) round out the group of double-digit scorers.

 

Union's defense has held its opponents to two or fewer goals 20 times this season, placing the team first in the country with a 2.09 goals-against average. The Dutchmen, who have outscored opponents 128-71, have held the competition to less than 30 shots 28 times, including nine games with less than 20 shots.

 

The Bobcats have hit a rough patch in their last six games (0-3-3) to fall to .500 (13-13-6) for the first time since Nov. 11, 2010, when they were 4-4-1. Junior forward Scott Zurevinski has had the hot hand of late, with points in five of Quinnipiac's last six games. Zurevinski leads the team with 21 points on the season (12 goals, nine assists). The Bobcats have had trouble scoring in league play (11th in ECAC at 2.25 goals per game) and have had difficulty on special teams (11th in ECAC in combined special teams at 45.3%).

 

Starting win Union's 7-4 win at Hobey Baker Rink on Feb. 4, the Tigers have lost four of six (1-4-1) to fall out of the national rankings. Princeton has allowed 28 goals in the last six games, including a 5-4 loss on Sunday to No. 3 Yale which saw the Tigers lose leads of 3-0 and 4-3. Sophomore forward Rob Kleebaum, who did not play against Union three weeks ago, has seven points (six goals, one assist) in Princeton's last five games. Senior forward Mike Kramer (11 goals, 11 assists) and freshman forward Mike Calof (six goals, 16 assists) are both among the top five in the ECAC in conference scoring.

 

Senior forward Justin Pallos scored the game-winning goal at 2:44 of overtime to lead No. 11 Union to a 3-2 win over Quinnipiac in front of 2,473 fans at TD Bank Sports Center. Senior forward Andrew Buote set up the goal by pressuring Mike Dalhuisen off the puck. Pallos skated in all alone on goaltender Eric Hartzell, switched to his backhand and fired the puck into the top corner for his eighth goal of the season, a career high. Senior defenseman Brock Matheson tied the game at 2-2 early in the

third period, as sophomore defenseman Ryan Forgaard, fired a cross ice pass to a streaking Matheson for a one-timer at 1:39. Sophomore forward Wayne Simpson also scored for Union, and sophomore goaltender Keith Kinkaid made 23 saves.

 

Junior forward Kelly Zajac had a goal and three assists, including the last of four unanswered goals in the second period to help lead No. 11 Union to a 7-4 win against No. 19 Princeton in front of 1,691 fans at Hobey Baker Rink. The Dutchmen scored six unanswered total after falling behind 4-1 in the second period. Sophomore goaltender Keith Kinkaid made 28 saves, stopping all 11 shots in the third period to earn his 18th win of the season.