The William Smith College ice hockey team will conclude a four-game homestand this weekend, Jan. 13-14, when it welcomes the University of Southern Maine and Salem State to The Cooler for a pair of New England Hockey Conference contests. The Herons will play the Huskies Friday at 7 p.m. and the Vikings Saturday at 4 p.m.
 
William Smith is 7-8-1 overall on the season with a 5-5-0 mark in NEHC play. The Herons are currently third in the conference standings with 16 points, two ahead of Southern Maine, but the Huskies have played two fewer games. William Smith was 1-1-0 last weekend defeating New England College and dropping a hard-fought game to Norwich University. Emma Faso was named to the conference's weekly honor roll following her performances.
 
Southern Maine is 7-8-0 overall with a 5-3 mark in conference play. The Huskies are coming off a 2-1 victory over Worcester State Tuesday afternoon. Salem State is 3-8-1 overall with a 1-6-1 mark in conference play. They currently sit ninth in the conference standings.
 
Fans that can't make the trip to The Cooler this weekend can follow all the action with HWS All-Access and Live Stats. The game will be broadcast on WHWS-FM (105.7 in Geneva).
 
ABOUT THE HERONS

• William Smith is led offensively by sophomore forward Kayla Ketchabaw's six goals and nine points. Senior forward Mia LaPlante (4g, 4a) is right behind her with eight points.
• Junior forward Emily Cataldo has a team-high six assists.
• Sophomore Erin Murray and junior Annie Hauser have split time in goal this season. Murray is 4-4-0 with a 2.15 GAA and a .941 save percentage. Her save percentage leads the NEHC and is 26th in the country. Hauser is 3-4-1 with a 2.33 GAA and a .916 save percentage.
• William Smith is 19th in the nation in penalty-killing percentage (.896).

 
ABOUT THE HUSKIES

• Madison Chagnon leads the team with 13 goals and 18 points.
• Caroline Thompson and Jordan Colbert share the team lead with six assists each.
• Haley McKim has played a majority of the minutes in goal. She is 7-7 with a 2.43 GAA and a .928 save percentage.

 
SERIES HISTORY

• Friday's game will be the fifth meeting between William Smith and Southern Maine, but just the second here in Geneva.
• The series is tied 2-2-0, but the Herons have won two straight. The Huskies won the lone meeting at The Cooler last year.
• On Nov. 5, Ketchabaw scored a pair of goals as William Smith defeated USM 3-0 at the USM Ice Arena.

 
ABOUT THE VIKINGS

• MacKenzie Mallett and Jessica Robert share the team lead with four goals and six points.
• Three players share the team lead with three assists.
• Kaia Hollingsworth has the edge in minutes played. She is 1-3-1 with a .921 save percentage and a 2.91 GAA.

 
 SERIES HISTORY

• William Smith has won each of the previous three meetings against Salem State, outscoring the Vikings 12-3. The Herons won the lone contest in Geneva, 3-1.
• On Nov. 4, William Smith beat the Vikings 4-2 in Salem, Massachusetts. Ten different skaters recorded a point in the victory.