After last Friday's loss to Brown and no game scheduled for Saturday, the Union
Dutchmen sit in fourth place in the ECAC. In typical ECAC fashion, there are two
teams running away with the lead and a large group separated by a mere few points.
Looking at the standings, Union's 18 points is both two points out of third and two
points out of seventh.
The game vs. Yale will be crucial for a few reasons: a win brings them back up into
third for Saturday's game vs. Princeton while keeping Union ahead of Brown and Clarkson
(both 1 point behind) and Dartmouth (two points behind). Brown faces Colgate and
Cornell this weekend, Clarkson has Vermont and Dartmouth, and Dartmouth takes on
St. Lawrence on Friday.
Making the game vs. the Bulldogs even more interesting is the loss of two Union
captains and a leading freshman. Winger Nathan Gillies (C), defenseman Jason Kean
(A), and center Scott Seney will all miss Friday's game after game disqualifications were
handed out after the game vs. the Bears. The three will be eligible to play in Saturday's
game vs. Princeton.
Union struggled vs. Yale back in November, giving up seven goals to the Bulldogs
in the 7-3 loss. Kris Goodjohn, Kean, and Marc Neron tallied the goals for the Dutchmen.
Christian Jensen took home a hat trick in the game while Denis Nam had two
goals for Yale.
The Dutchmen had a better game vs. Princeton, beating the Tigers 4-1. Matt
Vagvolgyi, Gillies, Max Seel, and Jordan Webb each scored goals in the game, their first
win at Hobey Baker rink since January of 2000.
Yale has won three of their last four ECAC games, with wins vs. Vermont, St.
Lawrence, and Clarkson. Their loss came to Dartmouth, 5-4. Princeton has lost their
last four (vs. Dartmouth, Vermont, Clarkson, and St. Lawrence), with their last win
coming in January vs. the Harvard Crimson.
Union is looking to start another winning streak after taking five of their last six
league games.