Updates on Future and Former Dutchmen - Feb 2013

by Ryan Fay

It's time for the monthly look at how some former and future Dutchmen are doing for their current teams. This list will be updated once per month through the end of the season. 

With the first of the month falling on Friday, a Union gameday, I'm putting this up here a little early.

You can always find this list via the "future/former Dutchmen updates" link at the top of the page.

FORMER DUTCHMEN UPDATE - FEBRUARY 2013:

D Nolan Julseth-White (Las Vegas, ECHL) - 2 G / 14 A / 16 PTS / 37 GM

>>> Spent 1/19-1/27 with San Antonio (AHL) - 0 G / 0 A / 4 GM
>>> Captain of program's 2012 Frozen Four team.

G Keith Kinkaid (Albany, AHL) - 2.36 GAA / .917 SAVE % / 26 GM
>>> His 37 wins rank second in Union's D1 era (Kris Mayotte - 46)

Welsh (nhl.com)

F Trevor Mingoia (Tri-City, USHL) - 2 G / 19 A / 21 PTS / 28 GM
>>> Left Union in sophomore year on 10/24/12

F Mario Valery-Trabucco (Augsburg, DEL) - 4 G / 9 A / 13 PTS / 31 GM
>>> Ended Union career as program's D1 era leader in goals (59)

F Jeremy Welsh (Charlotte, AHL) - 6 G / 7 A / 13 PTS / 40 GM
>>> Also spent one game (1/22) with Carolina (NHL) - 0 points
>>> One of 9 members of Union's D1 era 100 point club (100 points)

F Kelly Zajac (Albany, AHL) - 2 G / 1 A / 3 PTS / 6 GM
>>> Also spent time this season with Trenton (ECHL) - 4 G / 5 A / 12 GM
>>> Finished Union career second in points (128) in program's D1 era (Adam Presizniuk - 131)
>>> Missed first chunk of season with lower-body injury

FUTURE DUTCHMEN UPDATE - FEBRUARY 2013:

D Noah Henry (Powell River, BCHL) - 1 G / 7 A / 8 PTS / 22 GM
>>> Height: 6'0" / Weight: 190
>>> DOB: 3/4/94
>>> Committed for 2014-2015
>>> Opened season with Penticton (BCHL) - 0 G / 4 A / 20 GM

>>> Acquired from Penticton on 11/14/12

>>> Current Dutchmen Daniel Carr, Kyle Bodie, and Mat Bodie are former Powell River players

D Matt Krug (Indiana, USHL) - 1 G / 6 A / 7 PTS / 34 GM
>>> 6'2" / 200
>>> DOB: 7/9/92
>>> Committed for 2013-2014

D Jeff Taylor (Dubuque, USHL) - 3 G / 11 A / 14 PTS /  34 GM
>>> 6'0 / 170
>>> DOB: 1/25/94
>>> Committed for 2013-2014
>>> Native of Clifton Park, NY
>>> Played at Albany Academy
>>> Set USHL tier I era single game record with a +7 rating on 1/5/13.

G Joe Young (Boston Junior Bruins, EJHL): 2.19 GAA / .920 SAVE % / 19 GM
>>> 6'2 / 170
>>> DOB: 4/16/94
>>> Committed for 2014-2015
>>> Opened season with Vernon (BCHL) - 4.35 GAA / .828 SAVE % / 2 GM
>>> Current Dutchmen goalie Colin Stevens previously played for the Junior Bruins

F Tyler Hynes (Omaha, USHL) - 2 G / 5 A / 7 PTS / 28 GM
>>> 5'10" / 183
>>> DOB: 11/23/93
>>> Committed for 2013-2014
>>> From Slingerlands, NY
>>> Played at Albany Academy

F Eli Lichtenwald (Nipawin, SJHL) - 3 G / 6 A / 9 PTS / 7 GM
>>> 6'6" / 211
>>> DOB: 6/9/92
>>> Committed for 2013-2014
>>> Also spent time this season with Omaha (USHL) - 3 G / 7 A / 10 PTS / 28 GM
>>> Acquired from Omaha on 12/31/12

>>> Previously played with Nipawin in 2010-2011, earning SJHL rookie of the year honors

F Michael Pontarelli (Cornwall, CCHL) - 38 G / 40 A / 78 PTS / 42 GM
>>> 5'9" / 178
>>> DOB: 12/22/93
>>> Committed for 2014-2015
>>> Leads CCHL in goals (38), 6th in assists (40), 2nd in points (78), 2nd in powerplay goals (14)

F Michael Vecchione (Tri-City, USHL) - 13 G / 21 A /  34 PTS / 39 GM
>>> 5'11 / 190
>>> DOB: 2/25/93
>>> Committed for 2013-2014
>>> Decommitted from New Hampshire (Hockey East) in late 2011
>>> Current Union player Ryan Forgaard formerly played with Tri-City

Other reported commits and last known team (stats not available):

D Griff Martin (Avon Old Farms)
>>> 6'1" / 175
>>> DOB: 3/19/94
>>> Committed for 2013-2014
>>> Decommitted from Yale prior to Union committment

F Mark Dufour (Kents Hill Prep)
>>> 6'2" / 178
>>> DOB: 6/26/95
>>> Committed for 2014-2015 or 2015-2016
>>> Taken in 13th round of 2012 QMJHL draft by Drummondville Voltigeurs (did not sign - would have voided NCAA eligibility as QMJHL is a "major junior" league and considered a "pro" league by NCAA)

F Alex Gonye (Deerfield Academy)
>>> 6'1 / 165
>>> DOB: 2/10/94
>>> Committed for 2013-2014
>>> Deerfield Academy is the alma mater of Dutchwomen goalie Shenae Lundberg

F Ryan Scarfo (Governors Academy)
>>> 5'11 / 176
>>> DOB: 3/3/94
>>> Committed for 2014-2015
>>> Out for the season following a shoulder injury

Stats as of 1/29/13.

July 2011 News

Kelly Zajac at the New Jersey Devils Prospect Camp

Hello Union Hockey fans! We're still here! It's been a very busy summer for the UHB team, but we have not forgotten about our beloved Dutchmen. We've been updating on Facebook and Twitter over the past month about all the latest exciting news about Union College Hockey and the College hockey world. 


This off-season has been the most exciting in the history of college hockey with the official announcement of the "super conference," the possibility of Minnesota-Moorhead creating a DI team, all the coaching changes, and many players leaving the NCAA for juniors. Here is a summary of some of the biggest Union and college hockey news in July (from earliest to most recent):


- Four current Dutchmen and one former Dutchman participated in NHL Prospect Camps this month. Mat Bodie and Jeremy Welsh attended the Chicago Blackhawks camp, Kelly Zajac and Keith Kinkaid attended the New Jersey Devils camp, and Josh Jooris attended the Boston Bruins camp. All did a very good job, especially Josh Jooris, who was highly praised, and Kelly Zajac who scored a bunch of goals. You can read all the links, and view pictures and videos of these guys at the camps on the UHB Twitter. [UHB Twitter]


- Former Union star Mario Valery-Trabucco signed with Augsburger Panther in Germany. [ECAC Hockey]


- Western Michigan Coach Jeff Blashill left for a job with the Detroit Red Wings. [USCHO]


- Flin Flon Bombers forward Andrew Johnston committed to Union for 12-13 season. [Flin Flon Bombers]


- Devils blog ranked Keith Kinkaid the 14th best prospect in NJ Devils system. [In Lou We Trust]

Keith Kinkaid at the New Jersey Devils Prospect Camp

- Keith Kinkaid talked about being with the Devils. [Fire & Ice]


- The face of college hockey has changed with the creation of the Big 10 conference, and the announcement this summer of the creation of the six team "super conference" called the National Collegiate Hockey Conference. The WCHA and CCHA has had some major scrambling to do, and may change the situation in the east, especially with Atlantic Hockey. There have also been rumors of Notre Dame joining with Hockey East or the ECAC. [USCHO] [New York Times]


- Union goaltender recruit Julien LaPlante is ineligible after admitting to playing 20 minutes for the WHL's Portland Winter Hawks, a Canadian major junior hockey team. He could still have come to Union after sitting out one season, but Coach Bennett didn't want that. [Ken Schott]


- Kevin Sullivan took part in the "Big Assist III" in Stamford, Connecticut. It was a charity game to benefit the Obie Harrington-Howes foundation. Sullivan got the chance to play with NHL stars like Martin St. Louis and Matt Moulson. [Darien Patch]


- The Zajac brothers were featured at the Devils camp. [Fire & Ice]


- Reports said that Minnesota State - Moorhead is trying to add DI ice hockey. [MSUM Athletics]


- Union announced their incoming recruiting class (Class of 2015): forwards Mark Bennett, Sam Coatta, Daniel Ciampini, Tyson Fulton, Trevor Mingoia, and Max Novak, defensemen Shayne Gostisbehere and Charlie Vasaturo, and goaltenders Dillion Pieri and Colin Stevens. This was pretty much what we expected. [Union Athletics]

Josh Jooris at the Boston Bruins Prospect Camp

- Goaltender Colin Stevens, a Niskayuna native, is coming to Union one year early after the problems with Julien LaPlante. He's supposed to be an excellent goaltender. [Ken Schott]


- Sam Bowles '08 has resigned with the Columbus Cottonmouths of the SPHL. [ECAC Hockey]


- Julien LaPlante has followed former Union coach Nate Leaman to Providence, but will have to sit out the upcoming season. [Ken Schott]


- Jooris, Welsh, Bodie, and Zajac all shared their thoughts on attending the NHL prospect camps. [Official Blog of Union Hockey]


- The College Hockey Blog named Jeremy Welsh as a sleeper for the 2012 Hobey Baker Award. [The College Hockey Blog]


- Keith Kinkaid has his own Wikipedia page. Sweet. I bet the best pickup line ever is, "Hey have you seen my Wikipedia page?" I wish I had one. [Wikipedia]


- Versus is looking into a college hockey TV package. [Ken Schott]


- Instant replay has been installed at Messa Rink. [Twitpic courtesy of @UnionHockey]


- Inside College Hockey ranked Union 6th in their preseason Top 10 poll. [INCH]

Jeremy Welsh at the Chicago Blackhawks Prospect Camp

- Union has released their 2011-12 roster. Notes: Only numbers not used are 5, 13, and 24... Jean-Sebastian Bergeron is not on the roster... Cole Ikkala has changed his number from 18 to 23...  the Freshmen have received their numbers: #6 Vasaturo, #10 Bennett, #11 Coatta, #14 Gostisbehere, #17 Ciampini, #18 Novak, #25 Fulton, #29 Mingoia, #30 Stevens, #31 Pieri. [Union Athletics]


- Former Union captain Mike Wakita '10 has resigned with the Missouri Mavericks of the CHL. [ECAC Hockey]


To follow the latest college hockey news go to USCHO, INCH, or CHN.

Videos From The Nate Leaman - Rick Bennett Press Conference

Here are two videos from today's press conference where Rick Bennett was named the new head coach and Nate Leaman announced he is leaving Union for Providence.

Union's Press Conference From Bridgeport

The Dutchmen had a press conference after their practice on Thursday afternoon. This was definitely the biggest press conference I've ever been a part of.





The thing Coach is laughing about in the beginning of the video is that Ken Schott asked him what he's most scared about with Duluth, and Coach said "the weather."

Six Dutchmen Honored On All-ECAC Teams

Sorry about posting this so late. I just got home for Spring Break.

Anyways, six Union players have been named to All-ECAC teams. Congrats to Keith Kinkaid, Kelly Zajac, Brock Matheson, Jeremy Welsh, Daniel Carr, and Mat Bodie.

FIRST TEAM
Forward - Chase Polacek, RPI
Forward - Brian O'Neill, Yale
Forward - Andrew Miller, Yale
Defense - Nick Bailen, RPI
Defense - Taylor Fedun, Princeton
Goaltender - Keith Kinkaid, Union

SECOND TEAM
Forward - Jack Maclellan, Brown
Forward - Joe Devin, Cornell
Forward - Kelly Zajac, Union
Defense - Brock Matheson, Union
Defense - Danny Biega, Harvard
Goaltender - James Mello, Dartmouth

THIRD TEAM
Forward - Andrew Calof, Princeton
Forward  - Chris Cahill, Yale
Forward - Jeremy Welsh, Union
Defense - Mike Devin, Cornell
Defense - Joel Stejskal, Dartmouth
Goaltender - Allen York, Rensselaer  

ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
Forward - Andrew Calof, Princeton
Forward - Greg Carey, St. Lawrence
Forward - Daniel Carr, Union
Defense - Mat Bodie, Union
Defense - Dennis Robertson, Brown
Goaltender - Andy Iles, Cornell

For the official release click here.

I think the selection committee (or whoever picks these teams) did a really good job. I really have no complaints. I guess the only person I thought would be on a team but isn't is (I hate to say it but) Harry Zolnierczyk from Brown. All of the Dutchmen that were honored are well deserving. These guys are the best six players on the team (not including Adam Presizniuk, who was hurt for a good a few games this season which is probably why he wasn't named to any team). Also, congrats to the other student-athletes who were honored.

Rock The Vote, Plus Other News

Four Union players are up for major awards this year:

Senior Stephane Boileau is up for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award. 33% of the vote belongs to the fans, so make sure to vote for the Professor by clicking here. As of this moment he has 4.3% of the vote, while Canisius forward Cory Conacher leads the way with 24.2% of the vote.

Senior Adam Presizniuk and sophomores Jeremy Welsh and Keith Kinkaid are up for the Hobey Baker Award. You can vote for them by clicking here. Last year Mario Valery-Trabucco won the the fan vote. As Union fans we really have to pick up here as Kinkaid has received 1% of the vote while the other two have received none. Also, RPI's Chase Polacek and Allen York have received 19% and 18%, respectively. The current leader is North Dakota's Matt Frattin with 27%.

Tonight was "Coach's Corner LIVE at Bombers." Coach Leaman was unable to make it tonight, so captain Brock Matheson and Coach Ben Barr filled in for him. The last raffle of the night was an autographed puck from Brock. The luck winner was Connor Meigher, the son of Garnet Blades president Tim Meigher '75. Brock talked with the Meigher's for a bit and took this picture (below) with Connor. The senior captain did a great job on the radio and talking with fans after the show.

In other news, the repercussions of the Klump-Stewart confrontation were handed out today. Stewart was fined, while Klump was let go by CHN.

Tomorrow night (Wednesday) at 7pm the Union College Club Hockey team will travel to Binghamton to take on Broome CC. You can watch the game online by clicking here.

Learn How To Speak French With Professor Boileau (Episode 6)

Here is the last episode for the term. Today, Stephane teaches us some of his faceoff techniques.

The show will return in the first week of January.

If you have any requests on what you would like "The Professor" to teach next term please leave a comment.

P.S. Look out for Jeremy Welsh during the second technique.

Good Luck On Your Finals!

Classes for the Fall term ended yesterday afternoon, so all the Union students are now diligently studying for the finals which begin on Wednesday.

A special good luck goes out to our Dutchmen who just came off an exhausting weekend. But, I doubt they need the extra good luck as 12 current Union players made the ECAC All-Academic team last season:

Jean-Sebastian Bergeron, Stephane Boileau, Andrew Buote, Luke Cain, Nolan Julseth-White, Brock Matheson, Justin Pallos, Taylor Reid, John Simpson, Wayne Simpson, Shawn Stuart and Jeremy Welsh.

I'm pretty confident that "The Professor" will have no problems with his finals considering he was a finalist forthe ECAC Hockey Student-Athlete of the Year award, was given the Thomas Vanarden Dukehard award for the highest GPA on the men's ice hockey team, and was named Union College's junior student-athlete of the year last season.

The Dutchmen will return to the ice in two weekends to play at Brown and Yale

Union tops RPI in another thrilling rivalry game

Jeremy Welsh scored the game-winner

I'm not even surprised about how the game ended up last night. Every game in recent memory between Union and RPI has ended in dramatic fashion, and last night's was no different as it ended in a controversial call. This game is one people will talk about for a long time. The atmosphere was electric and very intense. I don't think I've seen the student section that packed in a very long time. Hopefully the students keep it up when they return in the winter term. 

Oh, and guess who predicted a 2-1 Union win? This guy! Hopefully I go two-for-two this weekend.

For more on the game check out:

- My recap on USCHO

- Ken Schott's Blog (along with full video of the exciting/weird post-game press conference)

- Sean Martin's article on Times Union.com
- Union Athletics.com

Here are some videos from the Union-RPI game on Friday night at Messa Rink.

I caught some really cool footage including Jeremy Welsh's game-winner, RPI Head Coach Seth Appert flipping out after the disallowed goal, and Appert showing the media the video of the disallowed goal. Unfortunately, the press box isn't the ideal place to film these things (because of the angle and netting) so the quality isn't that great. But, it's still pretty cool.

Union tops Niagara 6-1

Wayne Simpson '13

So, I was pretty close on my prediction as the Dutchmen beat the Purple Eagles 6-1 (I predicted a 5-1 win). The usual suspects (Prez, Welsh, and Carr) scored for Union, along with the Simpson brothers and Justin Pallos.Keith Kinkaid made 20 saves for his fourth win of the season.

Also, congratulations to freshman goaltender Troy Grosenick on making his first collegiate appearance. He made three saves in 5:29 of play.

Jeremy Welsh has scored a goal in each of Union's five games this season. I've said all pre-season and I've continued to say it... Jeremy Welsh is going to have a big year! So far, my prediction is looking good.

For more on the game go to:

USCHO

Union Athletics.com

Ken Schott's Blog
Times Union.com

Tonight the Dutchmen will face the RIT Tigers. Last night, the Tigers lost RPI in Troy 4-1.

Thoughts on the weekend in Alaska

Even though Union fans would've liked to see their team win both games this weekend, taking one of two games in Alaska is pretty good because the trip to Alaska is a physical and mental test for the players. The trip is by far the farthest road trip any Union team has ever made. Let's just hope the loss to #14 Alaska-Fairbanks doesn't come back to bite the Dutchmen in the PairWise Rankings (PWR) later in the season.

Friday's (well, technically Saturday) game was an evenly matched game, but the Nanooks were able to pull out the victory with a late goal. It must have been very different for Union playing a nationally ranked team just a week after destroying a weak Atlantic Hockey team. It sounds like UAF goalie and tourney MVP Scott Greenham was a brick wall in net, but Keith Kinkaid was strong in net as well. Greenham is a very well respected and highly regarded goaltender. Don't be surprised to see him on one of the All-American teams at the end of the year.

For more details on the game go to Union Athletics.com. You can also go to the Alaska Nanooks Hockey Blog for a different perspective of the game.

The second game of the weekend was a very interesting game as the Dutchmen jumped out to a three goal lead, gave it back, and then was able to shut out the Alaska-Anchorage offense in the third period while being out shot 18-2. It sounds like Kinkaid had a great third period and weekend overall. The usual suspects (Prez, Welsh, Carr, Zajac) scored Union's four goals. While it wasn't the prettiest game for the Dutchmen, a win is a win.

Go to Union Athletics.com and the UAA Hockey Fan Blog for more on the game.

Also, Welsh and Kinkaid were named to the all-tournament team.

While it was interesting to see how the Dutchmen would respond to the long trip to Alaska, it might be even more interesting to see how they react this upcoming weekend against Niagara and RIT. When the team returns to campus they come back to the "real world" where they have to deal with school stuff. It might be hard to adjust again, but hey the Alaska kids have to do it basically every weekend. They better adjust because Saturday's game against RIT is very important for the PWR. Remember, RIT was in the Frozen Four last year.

Also, isn't it amazing that we're talking about the PWR on a Union Hockey blog? It was just a few years ago that Union was the joke of the ECAC.

Videos from Opening Night 2010

What a way to start the 2010-11 campaign! It was a blowout from the beginning, but it was still fun especially since Sacred Heart beat Union last season. It just seemed that every scoring chance Union had they put in, and every chance Sacred Heart had Keith Kinkaid stepped up.

Oh, and who is Mario Valery-Trabucco and Jason Walters again? I only know of Josh Jooris and Daniel Carr... haha I'm just kidding. But seriously, way to make your mark in your first collegiate game! At first I doubted the Jooris-Welsh-Carr line since I felt Welsh would be better suited to play with Zajac and/or Presizniuk, but right now I'm definitely wrong. Let's all hope that these guys can keep it up. We all have to remember how John Simpson and Brian Yanovitch got off to very hot starts last season, but after that they both produced very little.

And on a personal funny side note, let's hope Jooris doesn't suffer from "Dan Greene Syndrome." What is DGS you ask? Well, in my first travel hockey game as a Mite I scored a hat trick in a 9-2 romp over the Montclair Blues... and after that game I never scored hat trick ever again. EVER AGAIN! After Mites I moved to defense and the rest is history (plus I never was and aren't much of a scorer haha).

Now, back to real hockey. Everybody from top to bottom looked good last night and all the lines looked like they had good chemistry. I know it's only the first game, but hey it's better than not playing well.

On another note, the student section looked to be pretty packed! Even Will Friedman (aka UnionHockeyManiac) made the trek from NYC to watch the game. But, the local fans did not show as their side of the rink was pretty empty. Maybe it was because of high school football? Whatever the case though they missed out on a fun game.

For more on last night's game check out my article on USCHO, Ken Schott's Blog, Union Athletics.com, and Times Union.com.

By the way, I will not be attending tonight's game because I'll be working the Albany Devils home opener with our old friend Kevin Zalaznik. So make sure you follow Ken Schott's blog or the Extra Frame Blog for twitter updates.

Here are some videos from Opening Night 2010:

Interview with Team Manager Phil Cohn

This is the first interview on UHB where I do not personally know the person, so I'm equally excited as you are to hear these answers from Union Hockey Team Manager Phil Cohn.

Phil is heading into his sophomore year at Union and was the team manager last season as he took over for my very, very good friend Jeremy Apple after he graduated in 2009. As I said, I really don't know Phil but I've played intramural roller hockey against him and he is a very good player. He sniped at least one goal on me in the intramural semifinals, but my team prevailed despite Phil's great effort (but mainly because of my stellar goaltending... haha just kidding!).

From what Jeremy Apple has told me about his job as team manager, it sounds like it is a very tough arduous job. And from what I can tell with his interactions with the Dutchmen players the team manager is treated like any other player on the team.

So without further ado, let's get to the interview with Phil Cohn.

DG: Where are you from and where did you go to high school?

PC: I grew up in Westfield, New Jersey where I attended Westfield Senior High School.

DG: Do you play hockey? If so, how long have you played and what position?

PC: I've been playing hockey since I was eight years old. However, I didn't start playing ice hockey until around 7th grade. The time and travel commitments that came with youth ice hockey did not fit into my schedule, so I consistently played organized roller hockey until transitioning to the ice game where I played center.

DG: What hockey teams have you played for?

PC: I played four years of ice hockey for my high school team, the Westfield Blue Devils, in addition to a year of travel hockey as a member of the Cranford Hockey Club and the Woodbridge Wolfpack, each minor club hockey organizations in central New Jersey

DG: What is your major?

PC: My major at Union is Computer Science. I am really interested in programming and studying the interaction between the computer and the use.

DG: What is your favorite thing about going to Union?

PC: My favorite aspect of attending Union other than the Union Hockey program is the trimester system. I really enjoy having the ability to focus on only three classes at a time rather than the traditional semester system, which requires students to take between four and six classes each term.

DG: How did you get the job as team manager?

PC: To get the job as team manager I contacted Coach Leaman in March of my senior year in high school inquiring about the position. At a Union Parents gathering in New Jersey two years ago my Dad found out that the current manager (Jeremy Apple) would be graduating in the coming spring, so I decided to take the initiative quickly. After exchanging emails and phone calls with the hockey staff throughout the summer I met with the coaching staff during my freshman orientation on campus and got to work right away.

DG: Tell us about your job as team manager. What do you do?

PC: My job as Team Manager has many different aspects and responsibilities. I am in charge of coding the game video during each game. During the game, my post is upstairs in the sideline press box where I code the game action on the computer using the program called Sportscode Gamebreaker. It allows me to organize the game video into several labeled timelines of clips for the coaches to analyze in between periods and after the game. I am also the assistant to the equipment manager. This includes repairing sticks, keeping the locker room clean, preparing the benches for practices and games, packing the bus for road trips, and getting the rink ready on game day. Another aspect of the position that I really enjoy is creating highlight videos of the players to watch in the days leading up to the game to get them emotionally ready to play.

DG: Do you travel for away games? Do you have a set roommate?

PC: I travel with the team on every road trip, but I don't have a set roommate.

DG: What was your favorite road trip last season?

PC: My favorite road trip last year was the trip to Clarkson and St. Lawrence in mid-November. It was my first road trip as a member of the team and it was also my birthday weekend. It was my first opportunity to visit other rinks around the league, places that I would never have the opportunity to watch hockey without my connection to Union Hockey. The Dutchmen swept that weekend beating SLU on Friday night and Clarkson on Saturday night, making the weekend even sweeter.

DG: Are there any perks to being team manager?

PC: There are certain perks that come with my job but I think that the biggest one is just having the opportunity to be at the rink everyday. Hockey has always been a huge part of my life and having the opportunity to watch hockey as a job is more than I could ever ask for.

DG: What is your relationship like with the players and coaching staff?

PC: I have an interesting position in the Union program. For one, I am a member of the staff so I hear a lot of what is said behind closed doors. On the other hand, the players have really taken me in as a member of the team so I feel like I am one of them. It is an odd position to be in sometimes, but I try to balance both sides as best as possible.

DG: What do you think will be the key for success next season?

PC: I think that the key for next season will be a balanced scoring attack. I think that we have a solid defensive corps and goaltending tandem to keep the puck out of our net, but it will be important to find a way to fill the scoring gap left by the graduated seniors.

DG: Who do you think will have a breakout season in 2010-11?

PC: I think that Jeremy Welsh will have a breakout season this year. He certainly contributed last year, but i think that a year of experience and an opening for new offense will allow him an opportunity to contribute more offensively.

DG: What do you like to do in your free time?

PC: In my free time I like to play ping-pong and video games, draw, and surf the net. I'm always up for a pickup game in virtually any sport and I'm always watching sports on TV.

DG: Who is your favorite pro sports team?

PC: My favorite sports team is the New York Rangers. My family has had season tickets for the Rangers at Madison Square Garden since 1971 and I have been going to games since I was born. In spite of their lack of success I continue to follow the Rangers religiously with hope that our luck will change soon enough.

16 Dutchmen named to ECAC All-Academic Team

The ECAC announced today that 181 student-athletes have been named to the ECAC All-Academic team. 16 of the 181 players are from Union. These Dutchmen are: freshman Jean Sebastian Bergeron, junior Stephane Boileau, junior Andrew Buote, sophomore (technically a junior since he red-shirted) Luke Cain, senior Jeff Christiansen, sophomore Nolan Julseth-White, senior Jon Lareau, junior captain Brock Matheson, junior Justin Pallos, sophomore Taylor Reid, senior Jason Shaffer, junior John Simpson, freshman Wayne Simpson, freshman Shawn Stuart, senior captain Mike Wakita, and freshman Jeremy Welsh.

Over half of these guys are Economics majors, which is pretty impressive to me. I took Economics 101 freshman year... and let's just say it wasn't my best class.

To be eligible for the All-Academic team one must obtain a 3.0 GPA.

Congratulations to the 16 Dutchmen and the other 165 ECAC players. The ECAC is by far the most challenging league academically in college hockey. Each team in the ECAC had at least 13 All-Academic selections, except for Clarkson who only had four (weird?).

For more check out ECAC Hockey.com and Union Athletics.com.

Union advances to ECAC Final Four for first time in program history

Finally! Finally! Finally! Union is finally going to Albany for the ECAC Final Four for the first time in program history! The Dutchmen will face St. Lawrence next Friday at the Times Union Center.

The great thing about tonight's victory was that it was a complete team effort. The forwards fore-checked hard, the defense stepped up to the Quinnipiac forwards, beat them badly along the boards and in front of the net, and Corey Milan made all the stops he needed to. It was also great to see the freshman step up for the team as Wayne Simpson and Jeremy Welsh scored both of Union's goals tonight.

It was such an emotional battle between both teams. Bobcat goaltender Dan Clarke was throwing punches, Jason Walters and Eric Lampe were getting at each other for the fourth game in a row, and both teams worked extremely hard. I give the Bobcats a lot of credit for playing the way they did. They worked extremely hard, but just couldn't get past the tough Union defense. I also think the home-ice advantage was HUGE difference in the game. The student section was loud the entire game and the team really fed off of it, which was seen at the end of the game when Milan and the rest of the team jumped into the glass at Section Q.... I honestly thought the glass was going to shatter.

The emotions at the end of the game were incredible to see. Will Friedman and the rest of the student section were jumping up and down and hugging each other while popcorn was thrown into the air and the players could not wipe the smiles off their faces. Union Athletic Director Jim McLaughlin also looked extremely happy, and I even caught the Daily Gazette's Ken Schott with tears in his eyes.

For more on the game check out USCHO.com, Union Athletics.com, Ken Schott's Blog, and Times Union.com.

I was shocked to hear that Brown beat Yale 1-0, which makes all the difference in the world for the Dutchmen. I was even more shocked to see that the only goal was shorthanded and came midway through the first period. Cornell is an incredible team and Union won't have to see them until the ECAC finals. Brown deserves a ton of praise after beating a very good RPI team and then beating the top seed and defending champs on the road in back-to-back weekends. Bears goaltender Mike Clemente has now pulled off three upsets in the past two years. Their hard hitting defensive style has really worked for them. If I were Yale's Sean Backman I would be apologizing to my team for letting them down.

Let's just hope enough students stick around next weekend to see if their team can make more history. Also, good luck to the players and their fans on their upcoming finals.

Dutchmen finish regular season at Cornell and Colgate

As everyone expected, the seeding for the top spot in the ECAC playoffs has come down to this weekend. Tonight's game at Cornell is a huge one as both the Big Red and Dutchmen are tied for second place. Colgate is also looking to get a first round bye so expect them to come out flying on Saturday night. Here are some players to keep a tab on this weekend:

Mario Valery-Trabucco (Union): he's only one goal for breaking Union's all-time goals record. Mario is also currently leading the online voting for the Hobey Baker Award.

Jeremy Welsh (Union): the big freshman has scored four goals in his past six games. Cornell has very big defensemen so maybe Welsh will be able to neutralize them.

Riley Nash (Cornell): the junior has registered a point in his past five games, four of which have been multi-point games. In these five games he has tallied three goals and eight assists for 11 points.

Blake Gallagher (Cornell): the senior forward leads the team with 17 goals and 32 points. He has also registered a goal in his past five weekends, including one on a Tuesday night game against Colgate.

Colin Greening (Cornell): this other senior forward has been carrying a hot stick of late as he has scored a goal in five of his past six games. Over this six game span he has totalled six goals and three assists.

Ben Scrivens (Cornell): the senior goaltender is the top goaltender in the ECAC and is one of the top five, statistically in the nation. He sports a 2.07 GAA and a .928 save percentage.

David McIntyre (Colgate): the senior captain is second on the team with 34 points and is tied for first with 24 assists (second in ECAC). McIntyre has registered a point in eight out of his last 10 games, including a point in each of his last five games. Last season he was one of the top players in the ECAC with 21 goals and 22 assists.

Brian Day (Colgate): leads the team with 20 goals (third in ECAC) and is currently riding a four game goal scoring streak. He has also picked up three assists in that span.

It should be a fun and exciting weekend. For more on the games check out: Concordy.com, Union Athletics.com, Daily Gazette.com, and INCH.com.

Union stages epic comeback against Dartmouth

Going down four goals on the road 7:20 into a game is not the way you want to start out, but scoring five unanswered goals... that's character, and last night's game proves that this team has a ton of character. This is the type of game that the Dutchmen will look back on in the playoffs, and say that they can do anything. Granted they were playing an 11th placed team, but a four goal deficit at any level of hockey, no matter who you are playing, is a difficult one to make up.

The really great thing about last night's victory is how the freshmen skaters stepped up when their team needed them. Each Jeremy Welsh, Shawn Stuart, and Kyle Bodie scored a goal, and Wayne Simpson had two assists. It's also important that Union's big players showed up when they need them. The Mario-Wally-Prez line connected for a huge power-play goal in the second period, and Prez and Mike Schreiber picked up assists in the third period. You also can't forget Andrew Buote, who picked up two assists on the night. He is one of the hardest working players on the ice for the Dutchmen every game. And last, but definitely not least, Luke Cain scored the game-tying goal late in the third as he tipped a shot past the Dartmouth goaltender. He has scored a goal in five of Union's last six weekends. Cain is another hard-working player, and it was nice to see him make a huge impact in his return to Thomspon Arena after his horrific injury two years ago. The offense has been clicking lately as they have scored 20 goals in the past three games.

Keith Kinkaid had a very rough night last night, but luckily Corey Milan was able to come in and hold down the fort. Maybe Keith is suffering from some fatigue, so don't be surprised to see Milan in the net tonight against Harvard.

The Dutchmen need to take advantage of the Cornell- Yale matchup tonight as one of these teams has to lose, or they can tie so neither team could pick up two points. There is a very good chance that after tonight there will no longer be a three way tie for first place.

For more on last night's game check out Union Athletics.com, Dartmouth Sports.com, Daily Gazette.com, Times Union.com, and Ken Schott's Blog.

Union 3, Colgate 1

With a shorthanded first period goal from Mario Valery-Trabucco, a power-play second period goal from Stephane Boileau, and a even strength third period goal from Jeremy Welsh along with solid goaltending from Keith Kinkaid the Dutchmen were able to top the Raiders 3-1. Kinkaid made 31 saves in the game giving him a 4-0-1 record on the year. Jason Walters also kept up his point streak with two assists.

The win extends Union's unbeaten streak to seven games and leaves them as the only undefeated team in the conference. Heading into Saturday's game with Cornell (who beat RPI 2-1 Friday) the Dutchmen sit tied in fourth place in the ECAC with Yale. They trail Quinnipiac (who lost their first ECAC game Friday 7-4 to Yale), Cornell, and Colgate, but each of these teams have games in hand.

It's great to see the team pull out a win against Colgate because no matter what happens against Cornell this will be a successful weekend considering heading into the weekend each Colgate and Cornell were ahead of the Dutchmen in the standings. Maybe this will put less pressure on Union for Saturday's game. And personally I am happy to see Presizniuk back with Wally and Mario, and Yanovitch back with the Simpson brothers. I feel that this combination will give the Dutchmen their best chance to win. Maybe Coach Leaman reads my blog and took my advice... but I highly doubt it haha.

The Cornell matchup will be a tough test for the Dutchmen as Cornell is one of the hottest teams in college hockey and have one of the best offenses in the nation. This offense is led by Blake Gallagher and Colin Greening who each scored in their team's 2-1 victory over RPI on Friday.

Check out the game recap from UnionAthletics.com: http://www.unionathletics.com/news/2009/12/4/MICE_1204094112.aspx