The Hobart College hockey team is back on the ice and ready to make a run for the ECAC West title in the 2010-11 season. Head Coach Mark Taylor enters his 11th season at the helm, and will return 19 players including four of the top five scorers from the last season.

The 2009-10 season started off with some challenges for the Statesmen. They lost key players to injuries early on, but united as a team in the later part of the season. Hobart closed out the regular season with a 6-1-1 record going into the ECAC West playoffs. The Statesmen finished third in the league, just two points out of first place.

Despite losing several key players from last year's squad, including senior captains Nick DeCroo '10, Bryant Harris '10 and Gregory Alberti '10, as well as Blake Bonham '10, Aleksey Koval '10 and Jordan Zitoun '10, Coach Taylor is excited for the start of the 2010-11 season.

“This season I feel a real hunger for success from this group,” Taylor said. “We return a few key familiar names and will look to a lot of new names this season, but the expectations are no different. 'Find a way to get it done' has always been our motto. I'm happy with the preparation the team has done off the ice and the way that they've come together so far.”

Here is a position by position look at the 2010-11 Statesmen:

FORWARD

Hobart returns 11 of 17 forwards from last year's team. The offense will be led by senior captains Patrick Moriarty, Danny Organ, and Matthew Wallace. Moriarty paced the Statesmen with 16 assists last season, and Organ posted seven goals and three assists in 22 games.

Wallace, an All-ECAC West Second Team selection, led the 2009-10 team with 15 goals and 28 points. He tied for second on the team with 13 assists. Wallace was also named to the ECAC West All-USCHO Second Team. He led the league in short-handed points (4) and short-handed goals (4), and tied the Hobart record for short-handed tallies in a season. Wallace also ranked fourth in the ECAC West in power play goals with seven.

Seniors Christopher Bower and Tommy Capalbo are also key returners. The Statesmen will look to them to play a vital role this season. Bower played in 25 games, registering nine goals, including four game-winners, and 10 assists. Capalbo, who was nagged by an injury last season, is one of the top Statesmen forwards. In nine games last winter he recorded one goal and six assists.

Joining them up front will be juniors Rick Longobardi (4 goals-1 assist-5 points) and Gregory Ciciola (8-3-11), as well as sophomores Bobby Hannah (1-4-5), Cam Miller (1-2-3), Frank Salituro (2-0-2), and David Stevens (1-1-2). All six will be the foundation for the Statesmen lines.

Taylor recruited a bumper crop of first-year forwards, including Keith Clarke, Tommy Fiorentino, Brett Riley, and Tom Rush They're all expected to make contributions right away.

DEFENSE

Last season, the Statesmen ranked third in the ECAC West in scoring defense (2.73 g/gm) and third in penalty killing (82.1 %). This season the defense will look to senior captain Kyle Whitaker for leadership. In 2009-10 he played in 20 games and tallied six assists.

Another key returner to the defense is sophomore Brad Richard. He was named to the ECAC West All-Rookie Team and the ECAC West All-USCHO Rookie Team. Richard tallied three goals and tied for second on the team with 13 assists last season. He ranked fourth in ECAC West in freshman scoring and fifth in defensemen scoring (16 points).

The Statesmen will also look to veteran defenseman senior, Josh Taylor for his leadership, team-first mentality, and perseverance. Taylor played in 17 games last winter and recorded three assists.

Sophomores Harry Radovich, Ryan Corcoran, and Mike White will anchor the defense this season. Radovich (1-2-3), Corcoran (0-6-6) and White (0-7-0) were all key members of the defense last season and are expected to step up even more this season to fill some of the holes left by graduation.

First-years, Kyle Gaskin,Greg Kreisinger, and Chris Pope will also be vying for ice time.

GOALTENDING

Returning in goal for the Statesmen is last year's ECAC West Rookie of the Year and ECAC West All-Rookie Team Selection, sophomore Nick Broadwater. In 2009-10, he posted a 10-8-2 record and earned a .925 save percentage, 2.41 goals against average and one shutout. His save percentage was the best in the ECAC West and his goals against average ranked second. Broadwater stopped 644 shots, including a season-high 49 against No. 11 Elmira. He ranks third on the all-time season records list in goals against average, fourth in save percentage, and fifth in saves.

Also returning is sophomore goaltender, Martin Ausserhofer. In 2009-10, he saw time in five games and started four. Ausserhofer finished with a 3-1-0 record and complied an .893 save percentage. First-year Max Wopperer will also be looking to get some time on the ice.

SCHEDULE

As a member of the highly-competitive ECAC West, the Statesmen schedule is once again loaded with tough teams. Hobart will face off against NCAA Tournament participant, Elmira three times. Outside of the league, the Statesmen will take on 2009-10 NCAA semifinalist and defending SUNYAC champion, Oswego, and one of the ECAC Northeast top-contenders, Curry.

The Statesmen will begin the 2010-11 season with three home games in The Cooler. On Nov. 5, Hobart will host Utica in an ECAC West game set to begin at 7 p.m. Then on Nov. 6, the Statesmen will play host to Manhattanville at 7 p.m. Cortland will come to Geneva on Nov. 9 for a non-league game beginning at 7 p.m.