The Hobart College hockey team will host UMass Boston in an NCAA Division III Men’s Ice Hockey Championship quarterfinal on Saturday, March 19, at 7:30 p.m. in The Cooler.
Tickets are $6 for adults, $4 for students, $3 for children ages 3-12. Children 2 and under are free. The Statesmen Athletic Association will cover the cost of all HWS students, faculty and staff with a valid ID. The price of SAA members’ tickets will also be covered. Doors open at 6 p.m.
The Statesmen are ranked No. 4 in the nation in both the USCHO.com and D3hockey.com polls and are making their sixth NCAA tournament appearance. Hobart has posted a 21-4-2 overall record, tying the program record for wins in a season. The Statesmen are third in the nation in team winning percentage (.815), second on the penalty kill (90.5%), fifth in scoring defense (1.85 ga/gm) and tied for sixth in scoring offense (4.11 g/gm).
Senior forward Brad Robbins leads the team with 32 points and 19 goals. He’s tied for eighth in Division III with 0.70 goals per game. Senior Mac Olson (Grosse Pointe, Mich.) is right behind him with 27 points on 13 goals and 14 assists. Senior forward Ben Gamache (Longlac, Ontario) has dished out a team-high 19 assists. He’s tied for 12th in the nation averaging 0.86 assists per game.
Senior Lino Chimienti (Montreal, Quebec) and sophomore Frank Oplinger (Sewickley, Pa.) have split time in goal. Chimienti is sporting a 1.68 goals against average, a .947 save percentage and an 11-2-2 record. Oplinger has registered a 1.81 goals against average and a .936 save percentage. He’s 10-2-0 this season. Chimienti’s save percentage is second in the nation, while Oplinger is 10th. Chimienti ranks eighth in goals against average and ninth in win percentage, and Oplinger is 11th in goals against average and ninth in win percentage.
The Beacons are making their first tournament appearance, and downed defending national champion Trinity (Conn.) 4-0 in the first round to earn their spot in the quarterfinals. UMass Boston is ranked No. 7 in the nation by USHCO.com and No. 6 by D3hockey.com. The Beacons are 22-4-3 overall and are riding a five-game win streak. The Beacons are fourth in Division III in scoring offense (4.31 g/gm) and team winning percentage (.810), ninth in scoring defense (2.10 ga/gm), seventh on the power play (24.5%), and eighth on the penalty kill (88.2%).
Matt Lemire leads the team with 43 points and 29 assists. He ranks fifth in the nation in assists per game (1.04). Frankie DeAugustine has posted a team-high 15 goals. Billy Faust has played the majority of minutes in goal. He’s sporting a 2.04 goals against average, a .929 save percentage and a 15-3-3 record. Zach Andrews is 7-0-0 in goal. He has registered a 2.18 goals against average and a .913 save percentage this season.
Fans unable to make it to The Cooler can follow the action online with Live Stats and All-Access Video. The game will also be broadcast live on WHWS-FM (105.7 in Geneva).
