The Hobart College hockey team will travel to Boston to take on UMass Boston in a New England Hockey Conference semifinal contest on Saturday, Feb. 23. Faceoff at the Beacon's Edward T. Barry Rink is scheduled for 7 p.m.
 
The Statesmen, who are the No. 4 seed, topped No. 5 seed New England College 4-1 in a quarterfinal last Saturday. The Beacons, who are the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament, advanced to the semifinals with a 4-0 victory over Southern Maine on Saturday night. No. 2 Norwich will host No. 3 Babson in the other semifinal at 7 p.m.
 
Hobart is 18-6-2 overall this season with a 6-5-1 record away from The Cooler. The Statesmen enter the weekend riding an eight-game unbeaten streak. Hobart leads the NEHC and is eighth in the nation in goals per game (4.15). The Statesmen are 15th in the nation in scoring defense (2.19 ga/g). Hobart is led by senior Jonas Toupal and first-year Zach Tyson who have 25 points each. Toupal has 12 goals and 13 assists this season while Tyson has six goals and a team-high 19 assists. Sophomore Travis Schneider leads the team with 13 goals and is fourth on the team with 20 points. Junior Alexander Connal and first-year Liam Lascelle have split tiem in goal this season. Connal is 8-5-0 with a 2.30 goals against average and a .907 save percentage. Lascelle is 7-1-2 in his rookie season with a 1.79 GAA and a .929 save percentage. Lascelle made 20 saves in Hobart's quarterfinal win over the Pilgrims.
 
UMass Boston brings a 19-6-1 overall record into Satruday's game. The Beacons are second in the NEHC in scoring offense (3.81 gpg) and scoring defense (1.81 ga/g). UMass Boston is sixth in the nation in scoring defense. Nolan Redler leads the team with 15 goals and 19 assists for 34 points. Zack Bross is second on the team with 24 points. Bailey MacBurnie has seen a majority of the action in goal. He is 18-5-1 overall with a 1.67 GAA and a .933 save percentage.
 
Saturday's game will be the third meeting between the two teams this season. The Beacons defeated the Statesmen 4-2 in Boston on Nov. 30 thanks to a three-goal second period. They skated to a 3-3 tie at The Cooler on Feb. 2. Senior Tanner Shaw scored the game-tying goal with 6.7 seconds remaining in regulation.
 
Fans unable to make it to the Edward T. Barry Rink can follow the action with Live Stats and Video through the Beacons' athletic portal. In addition, the game will be broadcast live by WHWS-FM (105.7 in Geneva).