The No. 3/4 Hobart College hockey team will take on conference foe Utica College for two ECAC West games in The Cooler this weekend. The Statesmen face the Pioneers at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 29, and again at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 30.
 
On Friday night, Hobart has teamed with the non-profit Thrive to Survive to host a "Drop the Puck on Cancer" night. Thrive to Survive is dedicated to providing support in a variety of ways to adults living in Geneva, Waterloo, Seneca Falls and Penn Yan, N.Y., diagnosed with and being treated for cancer.
 
Thrive to Survive will be selling fleece blankets at Friday's game. In addition, fans will be able to purchase rubber ducks for $5 each for the "chuck a duck" which will happen following the contest. Fans who purchased a duck will walk over to the mezzanine following the game to throw their ducks onto the ice. The person whose duck stops closest to center ice will win a raffle basket filled with prizes from local vendors. All proceeds will benefit Thrive to Survive.
 
The Statesmen enter the weekend with a 14-2-2 overall record and a 7-1-0 mark in ECAC West play. Senior Ben Gamache leads the team with 21 points and 17 assists. Senior Brad Robbins has posted a team-high 13 goals. Sophomore Frank Oplinger has played the last six games in goal. He's sporting a 1.81 goals against average, a .936 save percentage and a 6-1-0 record this season.
 
The Pioneers bring a 9-6-3 overall record and a 3-3-2 conference mark to Geneva. Hayden Dawes leads Utica with 14 points on eight goals and six assists. Kevin Valenti has logged a team-high 11 assists. Michael Fredrick has played the majority of minutes in goal. He has registered a 1.90 goals against average, a .940 save percentage and a 9-5-3 record this year.
 
The Statesmen and the Pioneers last met on Nov. 14, 2015. Hobart earned a 5-1 victory in Utica. Senior Sean Rudy score two goals, first-year Tanner Shaw posted two assists and junior Nick Bingaman chipped in a goal and an assist. Valenti scored for Utica.
 
Fans can follow all of the action this weekend online with Live Stats and All-Access Video.