Five members of the Hobart College hockey team earned All-New England Hockey Conference honors as announced by the league office today. First-year defenseman Mike Faulkner was voted the Co-Rookie of the Year and earned a spot on the All-Rookie team, while junior forward Jonas Toupal and junior defenseman Tanner Shaw were named to the all-conference first team.
In addition, senior goaltender Frank Oplinger and junior defenseman Jack Macnee garnered third team all-conference accolades.
Faulkner ranks third in the NEHC in defenseman scoring with 15 points on four goals and 11 assists. He’s sixth in the league in first-year scoring and tied for 13th in assists. Fourteen of his points have come in NEHC games. Faulkner plays a key role in the Hobart defensive unit that leads the NEHC and is tied for eighth in the nation in scoring defense (1.96 ga/gm). Faulkner registered a season-high four points on a goal and three assists in an 8-1 win over Southern Maine.
Toupal is one of four Statesmen to play in all 25 games this winter. He has produced career-highs in goals (14), assists (14) and points (28) this year. Toupal leads the league and is tied for third in the nation with five game-winning goals. He tallied the game-winner against two nationally-ranked opponents (then No. 7 Oswego and then No. 11/13 Norwich). Toupal ranks in the top 8 in the conference in six statistical categories.
He is tied for third in the NEHC in goals, ranks fifth in points and eighth with 14 assists. In addition, he has notched 10 power-play points which puts him fifth in the league, while his five power-play goals are tied for third most in the conference. He has logged two or more points in nine games this winter.
Toupal has played in 80 career games at Hobart. He has recorded 28 goals and 30 assists for 58 career points.
Shaw has also played in all 25 games this year. He ranks second in the league in defenseman scoring with 17 points on six goals and 11 assists. Shaw is third in the NEHC with five power-play goals and ranks sixth with nine power-play points. Shaw plays an integral role in Hobart’s stingy defense that has allowed 49 goals all season and a league-low 34 in conference action. He also is a key member of Hobart’s penalty kill unit that ranks second in the conference (84.7 %).
Shaw has played in 79 career games. He has registered 13 goals and 36 assists for 49 career points. After his rookie season, Shaw earned ECAC West and USCHO.com All-Rookie team honors.
Oplinger played in 11 games in goal this year. He posted a 6-2-3 record, including a 5-0 shutout of UMass Boston. He is sporting a .911 save percentage and a 2.25 goals against average. Oplinger is tied for second in the NEHC with a .682 win percentage and is fourth in goals against average. He is second in goals against average in NEHC action (2.03). Oplinger made a season-high 37 saves in a 3-3 tie at then No. 3 Trinity.
Oplinger has played in 60 career games. He currently ranks second on the Hobart career list with a 2.17 goals against average. Oplinger is third in career shutouts with five and third with a .926 career save percentage. He has a 41-12-5 career record, which puts him third on the Statesmen list for wins. His 1628 career saves are fourth in Hobart history. Oplinger was named to the All-ECAC West first team and earned ECAC West All-Rookie team honors in 2015.
Macnee has played in 21 games this season. Offensively, he has chipped in a career-high six assists. Defensively, Macnee is a guiding force for the Statesmen who have notched three shutouts this winter. Hobart posted back-to-back shutouts of New England College (2-0) and Southern Maine (4-0) and then blanked then No. 12/14 UMass Boston 5-0 just two games later. Macnee has helped the Statesmen limit their opponents to one goal or less nine times this year.
Macnee has played in 71 games in his three years at Hobart. He has produced three goals and 14 assists for 17 career points.
The Statesmen (15-5-5) host Southern Maine (3-18-4) for an NEHC quarterfinal game on Saturday, Feb. 17, in The Cooler at 7 p.m. Fans unable to make it to the game can follow all the action online with Live Stats and All-Access Video.
