The third-ranked Hobart College ice hockey team will open New England Hockey Conference play this weekend when it welcomes seventh-ranked Babson College and the University of Southern Maine to The Cooler this weekend, Nov. 4-5. The Statesmen will take on the Beavers on Friday at 7 p.m. and the Huskies on Saturday at 4 p.m.
 
The Macarollin Food Truck will be at The Cooler on Friday night. Food will be free to all students and staff with an HWS ID courtesy of the Statesmen Athletic Association. The truck will serve a selection of classic, pulled pork mac and buffalo chicken mac.
 
The Statesmen are 2-0-0 after sweeping their opening weekend games against then No. 13 Oswego and Potsdam. Babson is 1-0-0 to start the year after knocking off Plymouth State 3-2 in overtime. Southern Maine enters the week with a 0-1-0 record.
 
Fans who cannot make it to Geneva, New York, can follow the action with HWS All-Access and Live Stats. Both games will be broadcast on WHWS-FM (105.7 in Geneva).
 
ABOUT THE STATESMEN:

• Through two games, Hobart is led by Jonah Alexander's four points on two goals and two assists.
• Matthew Iasenza, who was named to the NEHC weekly honor roll on Monday, also has two goals.
• The Statesmen are an experienced team this season, returning 18 players from the 2021-22 team that won the NEHC regular season title and advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament.
• Included in those returners are four of Hobart's top five point producers from last year highlighted by NEHC Rookie of the Year Luke Aquaro.
• In goal, Hobart has three first-year goalies. Damon Beaver and Mavrick Goyer acquitted themselves well in their collegiate debuts, earning their first collegiate wins.

 
ABOUT THE BEAVERS:

• Babson brings back 12 players from last year's squad that captured the NEHC tournament crown and advanced to the quarterfinals in the NCAA tournament. The biggest hole the Beavers have to fill is the one left by AHCA first team All-American Ryan Black. The forward led the team with 19 goals, 20 assists and 39 points.
• Egan Schmitt led Babson with a goal and an assist in its season-opening victory over Plymouth State. He scored the game-winning goal in overtime.
• Nolan Hildebrand went the distance in goal and made 28 saves in the victory.

 
SERIES HISTORY:

• Friday's game will be the 23rd meeting between Hobart and Babson.
• The Beavers lead the all-time series 11-6-5, but the Statesmen hold a slight 3-2-4 lead since they joined the NEHC in 2017-18.
• The series is deadlocked at 3-3-3 in games in Geneva.
• In the last meeting on Jan. 16, 2022, Babson skated away from The Cooler with a 5-3 victory.

 
ABOUT THE HUSKIES:

• Southern Maine was edged by Saint Anselm 6-5 to open its season.
• Mason Palmer played every minute in goal against the Hawks. He made 33 saves in the losing effort.
• The Huskies will be at Elmira on Friday night.
• Four different players recorded multi-point games in the loss.
• Southern Maine's top two point producers, Austin Marini (8g, 8a) and Curtis Judd (4g, 10a), are back from last season.

 
SERIES HISTORY:

• Saturday's game will be the 11th meeting between the Statesmen and the Huskies.
• Hobart leads the all-time series 9-1-0, including a 5-0-0 mark here in Geneva.
• Southern Maine's lone win in the series came in 2019 in overtime on its home ice.
• On Feb. 19, 2022, Hobart notched a 5-2 victory at The Cooler. Artem Buzoverya had three assists and Zach Tyson scored twice in the win.