The Hobart College hockey team will host Endicott in an NCAA tournament first round game on Saturday, March 11, at 7 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 USCHO.com poll and No. 5 in the D3hockey.com poll. Hobart has posted a 20-4-4 overall record and is making its third straight and seventh overall NCAA tournament appearance. The Statesmen have won their last five games in a row. Hobart ranks sixth in the nation on the penalty kill (87.6%) and in team winning percentage (.786). The Statesmen are also 12th in scoring offense (4.00 goals per game), and 14th in scoring defense (2.32 goals allowed per game).
Senior Nick Bingaman leads the Statesmen with 28 points on 18 goals and 10 assists. Sophomore Jonas Toupal is close behind with 22 points on 12 goals and 10 assists. Sophomore Tanner Shaw has dished out a team-high 18 assists. Junior goaltender Frank Oplinger is sporting a 2.34 goals against average, a .924 save percentage and an 11-4-2 record.
Endicott is ranked No. 7 in both national polls. The Gulls are making their first appearance in the NCAA tournament and bring a 23-3-2 overall record to Geneva. Saturday’s meeting will be the first between the two teams. Endicott is riding an 11-game winning streak. The Gulls are first in Division III in scoring offense (5.00 g/gm), sixth in scoring defense (1.93 ga/gm) and second on the power play (29.1%). In addition, Endicott ranks second in team win percentage (.857) and 11th on the penalty kill (86.2%).
Tommy Besinger leads the team with 48 points on 17 goals and 31 assists. Cam Bleck is next with 38 points on 21 goals and 17 assists. Kevin Aldridge has played the most minutes in goal. He has recorded a 1.99 goals against average, a .936 save percentage and a 20-3-2 record.
Hobart Head Coach Mark Taylor is in his 17th season with the Statesmen. He sports a 270-146-42 career record.
Endicott is led by the Head Coach R.J. Tolan. He’s in his 10th season as a head coach, sporting an overall record of 167-86-20 record. Tolan is in his second year with the Gulls, notching a 39-12-4 record. Tolan played at UMass-Lowell, including two seasons with Taylor serving as an assistant coach for the River Hawks.
Fans unable to make it to The Cooler can follow all of the action online with Live Stats and All-Access Video. The game will also be broadcast live on WHWS.FM (105.7 in Geneva).
