Game Time: Union at RPI

#9/#10 Union (3-1-1) begins its annual battle for the Capital Skates Trophy tonight in Troy at the Houston Field House at 7:00 against RPI (1-1-2). The home-and-home battle concludes tomorrow at Messa Rink. Tonight will be both team's first ECAC conference game.

Speaking of Troy, Union's Lines will be backstopped by Hobey Baker finalist and Wisconsin native...

17 Daniel Ciampini - 12 Kyle Bodie (A) - 21 Wayne Simpson
9 Daniel Carr - 7 Josh Jooris - 8 Nick Cruice

Josh Jooris: Progeny of an RPI-er

19 Matt Wilkins - 18 Max Novak - 15 Matt Hatch
23 Cole Ikkala - 26 David Roy - 11 Sam Coatta

22 Mat Bodie (C) - 28 Shawn Stuart
14 Shayne Gostisbehere - 20 Greg Coburn
24 Sebastien Gingras - 3 Ryan Forgaard 

... 1 Troy Grosenick!
30 Colin Stevens

RPI's Lines:
22 CJ Lee - 21 Mark McGowan - 7 Zach Schroeder
19 Mike Zalewski - 23 Brock Higgs - 28 Matt Tinordi
9 Matt Neal - 15 Jacob Laliberte - 39 Ryan Haggerty
17 Milos Bubela - 26 Mark Miller - 14 Greg Burgdoerfer

3 Guy Leboeuf - 29 Nick Bailen
5 Luke Curadi - 10 Curtis Leonard
24 Chris Bradley - 11 Bo Dolan

34 Scott Diebold
32 Bryce Merriam
33 Jason Kasdorf

Notes:

BFBS-Miami Heat Style

• RPI dresses in black tonight for its annual "black Friday" game. What Paul Lukas of Uni Watch calls BFBS (black for black's sake), the Engineers will roll out a new incarnation of their BFBSweaters. (Like that?) A fun compendium of their jerseys here, even for the most vehement Engineer haters. They are surprisingly successful in their black digs: 6-0-1, including this infuriating thrilling 4-3 OT win against the Dutchmen. Long story short, the Dutchmen will be uncharacteristically clad in white on the road.
• My favorite BFBS RPI sweater? The 2009-2010 version. But don't despair, Union fans: these threads were the far-and-away favorite of last year's iteration of Union sweaters as voted on by fans on this site. /end aesthetic obsession.
• Kyle Bodie, ECAC player of the week, looks to keep pace with his previous success. So far on the young season, the assistant captain leads the team with 8 points in 5 games (3G, 5A). Wayne Simpson, his linemate, isn't far behind, with 3 goals and 4 assists. 
• This will be Nick Cruice's 4th game, Matt Wilkins's 6th game, Sebastien Gingras's 6th, and David Roy's 4th. Coach Bennett's mixing-and-matching will continue, but he may have found some flow: Gingras has looked outstanding from the blue line, while Cruice and Wilkins may be poised to play an even bigger role. 
• The biggest, and most encouraging news from the Union front: Gostisbehere is back in the lineup. Good for Shayne, and good for the Dutchmen. 

And most importantly, for those affected by Hurricane Sandy, all of us here at UHB hope you are safe, sound, and warm. If you can, give blood, volunteer, or give.