The second-ranked Hobart College ice hockey team will take the ice for a pair of games this weekend. The Statesmen will host Buffalo State on Friday, Nov. 11, at 7 p.m. Hobart will then begin a three-game road trip Saturday, Nov. 12, when they head to Cortland to take on the Red Dragons. The game at Alumni Arena is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
 
The Statesmen are 4-0-0 to start the season, their best start to a season since 2007-08 when they won eight straight to start the year. Hobart opened New England Hockey Conference play last weekend with wins over then No. 7 Babson and Southern Maine. The Bengals are 3-1-0 on the year after beating Morrisville on Wednesday. Cortland enters the weekend with a 2-1-1 record and will be at Oswego on Friday.  
 
Fans unable to make the trip to The Cooler on Friday can follow the action with HWS All-Access and Live Stats. The game will also be broadcast on WHWS-FM (105.7 in Geneva). Saturday's coverage will be provided courtesy of cortlandreddragons.com
 
ABOUT THE STATESMEN:

• Jonah Alexander leads the team with six points on two goals and four assists.
• Luke Aquaro has a team-high four goals.
• First-years Damon Beaver and Mavrick Goyer have split time in goal this season. They are both 2-0-0. Beaver, who was named to the NEHC weekly honor roll this week, has a 1.51 GAA and a .941 save percentage.

 
NATIONAL NUMBERS:

• Entering the weekend, Hobart is ranked first in the nation in power play percentage (.462), and winning percentage (1.000).
• In addition, the Statesmen are fifth in the nation in scoring margin (+3.00), eighth in scoring defense (1.50), ninth in scoring offense (4.50) and 25th in penalty killing percentage (.889).
• Aquaro is second in the nation in power-play goals with two and Alexander is 19th in assists per game (1.00).

 
ABOUT THE BENGALS

• Connor Bizal leads the team with five assists and five points.
• Tyler Vanuden is right behind him with three points and three goals.
• Emil Norrman has played every minute in goal. He is 3-1-0 with a 1.76 GAA and a .954 save percentage.

 
SERIES HISTORY

• Friday's game will be the 38th meeting between Hobart and Buffalo State in a series that dates back to 1978.
• The Statesmen are 25-8-4 all-time against the Bengals, including a 15-1-3 mark in Geneva.
• On Nov. 11, 2021, Hobart knocked off Buffalo State 8-3. Dan Sliney '22 led the Statesmen with two goals. Austin Mourar had a pair of assists.

 
ABOUT THE RED DRAGONS

• Trevor Veneklase, Johnny Facchini and Sutter Donegan share the team lead with six points each. Facchini has a team-best five assists and Venekiase leads the team with four goals.
• Luca Durante has played every minute in net for Cortland. He enters the weekend with a 3.19 GAA and a .909 save percentage.

 
SERIES HISTORY

• Saturday's game will be the 56th meeting between the Statesmen and the Red Dragons.
• Hobart leads the all-time series 31-21-3, including a 13-12-0 mark in Cortland.
• The Red Dragons edged Hobart 2-1 in Geneva last season.