The top-ranked Hobart College hockey team begins a five-game homestand this weekend, Dec. 2-3, when they welcome a pair of New England Hockey Conference foes to The Cooler. The Statesmen will take on Castleton Friday at 7 p.m. and 15th-ranked Skidmore Saturday at 4 p.m.
 
The Statesmen were idle over Thanksgiving weekend and are 8-0-0 on the season with a 4-0-0 mark in conference play. Hobart is 8-0-0 for just the second time in program history.
 
The Spartans are 3-6-0 overall with a 2-2-0 record in the NEHC. Castleton split its games in the Terry Moran Invitational Tournament last weekend. The Thoroughbreds are 8-2-1 overall with a 2-1-1 mark in conference play. Skidmore, which is ranked for the first time since 2016, won the Skidmore Thanksgiving Invitational with a 4-1 victory over No. 6 Oswego on Sunday. The Thoroughbreds will be at Elmira on Friday night.
 
Fans who cannot make the trip to The Cooler this weekend can follow the action with HWS All-Access and Live Stats. The game will be broadcast on WHWS-FM (105.7 in Geneva).
 
ABOUT THE STATESMEN:

• Jonah Alexander leads Hobart with 12 points and eight assists.
• Luke Aquaro has a team-high eight goals, including five game-winning goals. He is second on the team with 11 points.
• Damon Beaver and Mavrick Goyer have split time in goal for the Statesmen. Beaver has a 0.75 GAA and a .971 save percentage with two shutouts. Goyer has a 1.50 GAA and a .915 save percentage.

 
NATIONAL NUMBERS:

• As one of four remaining unbeaten teams in the country, Hobart is first in the nation in winning percentage (1.000).
• The Statesmen are second in scoring defense (1.12) and third in scoring margin (+3.25).
• Hobart is seventh in the nation in power-play percentage (.310) and penalty killing percentage (.929) and eighth in scoring offense (4.38).
• Aquaro's five game-winning goals rank first in the nation. He is fourth in goals per game (1.00) and seventh with three power-play goals. Alexander and Shane Shell are tied for ninth in assists per game (1.00).

 
ABOUT THE SPARTANS:

• Andrew Stefura leads the Spartans in goals and points. Stefura has five goals and nine points.
• Bryce Irwin is tied with Zach Trempner for the team lead with six assists.
• Dominic Rodrigue and Brandon Collett have split time in goal. They are both 1-3-0. Rodrigue has a 3.29 GAA and a .895 save percentage. Collett has a 3.49 GAA and a .890 save percentage.

 
SERIES HISTORY:

• Friday's game will be the 10th meeting between the Statesmen and the Spartans. 
• Hobart is 9-0-0 against Castleton, including a 4-0-0 mark at The Cooler.
• On Feb. 4, 2021, the Statesmen defeated the Spartans 12-2. Luke Aquaro, and Artem Buzoverya each scored twice. Aaron Maguyon '22 matched a Hobart record with four assists in the game.

 
ABOUT THE THOROUGHBREDS:

• Everett Wardle leads Skidmore 12 points and nine assists.
• Thomas Finck and Patrick Kaeden share the team lead with eight goals each.
• Tate Brandon has played most of the minutes in goal. He is 5-2-1 with a 2.47 GAA and a .925 save percentage.

 
SERIES HISTORY:

• Saturday's game will be the 21st showdown between Hobart and Skidmore.
• The Statesmen are 15-4-1 against the Thoroughbreds, including a 9-2-0 mark in Geneva.
• Hobart had won six straight games in the series before Skidmore notched a 3-2 victory in the NEHC semifinals last February.