Halfway through the 2002-03 ECAC regular season schedule, the Dutchmen
are in a tie for sixth place with 10 points. Traditionally the conference race is a tight
one just as it is this season, with four points in either direction landing the Dutchmen
as high as fourth or as low as 11th. Needless to say, this weekend's matchups
with Dartmouth (also in sixth place) and Vermont (two points behind in eighth) are
crucial in the hunt for home ice advantage in the playoffs. Teams 1-4 get the first
week bye, teams 5-8 get home ice for the first round.
Dartmouth should come into Friday's game hungry after losing to travel partner
Vermont over the weekend by a score of 6-4. They are winless in their last four,
have lost three of those games, and have collectively allowed 20 goals in those losses.
League losses have come against Harvard, Brown, Clarkson, St. Lawrence, and Vermont,
but the Big Green have enjoyed a league wins as well including a four game
sweep of Colgate, nationally-ranked Cornell, Yale, and Princeton. Their final league
win came against Vermont on January 4.
Eight players on the Dartmouth roster have at least 10 points, with Lee Stempniak
leading the team with 26 points (17 GP, 12-14-26, 1.53 pts/gm). Hugh Jessiman is
three points behind with 10 goals and 13 assists. Defenseman Pete Summerfelt
leads the blueliners in points with 2-17-19.
Nick Boucher has been in goal for 11 games this season and holds a .880 sv%
and 3.91 GAA. He is 7-3-0 overall and 3-2-0 in the ECAC.
The Vermont Catamounts started the 2002-03 season very slowly, but have
picked up some crucial games coming into the heart of the conference schedule.
Their most recent win came against Dartmouth, and they have also taken games
from St. Lawrence, Princeton, and Colgate. Three of their league losses have come
by a one-goal margin.
Jeff Miles leads Vermont offensively with his 12 goals and six assists (.947 pts/
gm). Thoman Hajek and Jamie Sifers lead the defense offensively with 13 and 11
points respectively.
Shawn Conshafter has been in net for 14 games, holding a .896 sv% and 3.25
GAA. His record is at .500 in the conference and overall.
Dartmouth took three of four points from the Dutchmen last season with a 3-
3 tie at Achilles and a 3-2 win in New Hampshire. Scoring for Union in that series
was Jordan Webb (1-0-1), Joel Beal (0-1-1), Randy Dagenais (0-1-1), Marc Neron
(0-1-1), and Max Seel (0-1-1).
On the flipside, Union had a more successful series vs. the Catamounts, taking
both games and winning at Gutteron Fieldhouse for the first time in their Division
I history. The wins were by a score of 5-2 at Achilles and 4-0 in Vermont. Earning
points in the series for Union were Jordan Webb (2-1-3), Randy Dagenais (1-2-3),
Kris Goodjohn (0-3-3), Nathan Gillies (2-0-2), Marc Neron (1-1-2), Chris DiStefano
(1-0-1), and Max Seel (0-1-1).