The Hobart College hockey team was ranked No. 7 in the nation in the final USCHO.com and D3hockey.com polls.
Hobart finished the year with an 18-6-5 overall record. It was the Statesmen’s 16th consecutive winning season. Hobart advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight year. The Statesmen won their fourth straight conference tournament title, taking down top-seeded Norwich 3-0 in Northfield, Vt., to capture the NEHC tournament crown in their inaugural year in the conference.
Hobart finished the year ranked sixth in Division III in scoring defense (1.90 g/gm) and eighth in scoring margin (1.86). The Statesmen were 13th in the nation in scoring offense (3.76 g/gm), on the power play (23.2%), and in team winning percentage (.707). Hobart’s 1.90 goals against average this winter ranked third on the program’s single season list.
Senior goaltender Frank Oplinger finished his Hobart hockey career second in program history in career goals against average (2.13), and third in wins (44), save percentage (.927), and shutouts (7). He also ranked fourth in career saves (1,717).
Oplinger and the entire Hobart hockey class of 2018 – Jordan Haskell, Andrew Silard, Vincent Russo, Tyler Wolf and Ben Greiner – finished their careers with an 80-23-11 four-year record, a program record for wins by a graduating class.
