The top-ranked Hobart College hockey team will wrap up 2023 when it hosts Middlebury College at the Cooler on Sunday, Dec. 30. The opening faceoff for the non-conference contest is set for 3 p.m.  
 
The Statesmen stand with an overall record of 10-2-0. Hobart entered the holiday break on a six-game win streak after beating 14th-ranked Trinity College 2-1 on Dec. 9. Jonah Alexander and Shane Shell had a goal and an assist each and Damon Beaver made 33 saves in the win.
 
The Panthers enter the weekend with an overall record of 1-5-2. Middlebury is looking to bounce back from a three-game losing streak. On Dec. 9, the Panthers were edged by Amherst 3-2. Middlebury took a 2-0 lead just before the midway point of the game, but the Mammoths scored three unanswered goals to skate away with the victory.
 
Fans unable to make it to The Cooler can follow all the action with HWS All-Access video and Live Stats. The game will be broadcast on WHWS-FM.
 
GAME NOTES

• This will be Hobart's fourth game on New Year's Eve under Head Coach Mark Taylor The Statesmen are 3-0-0 in their previous four games on Dec. 31.
• Last year, Hobart defeated Salve Regina 2-1 in overtime at The Cooler.

 
ABOUT THE STATESMEN

• Sophomore Tanner Hartman leads the Statesmen with 10 goals and 10 assists and 20 points.
• Sophomore Ignat Belov is second on the team with eight assists for 14 points. First-year Chris Duclair is second with nine goals.
• Beaver has played the majority of the minutes n net for the Statesmen. He has a GAA of 0.71 and a save percentage of .970.

 
NATIONAL NUMBERS

• Hartman is ranked seventh in the nation in goals per game (0.71) and in points per game (0.71).
• Beaver's GAA and save percentage are first in the country. Fellow sophomore Mavrick Goyer is ranked second with a GAA of 0.76.
• Defensively, Hobart is first in the nation in penalty-killing percentage (1.00). The Statesmen are the only team in the country to have not surrendered a power-play goal. Hobart has only allowed nine goals this season, the fewest in Division III. They are first in scoring defense (0.75).
• Offensively, the Statesmen are tied for second in the nation for goals per game (4.67). Hobart is fifth in points (150) and power-play percentage (.333).

 
ABOUT THE PANTHERS

• Andrej Hromic leads the Panthers with four goals and five points.
• Jin Lee is tied for the team lead in points with five and has a team-leading three assists.
• Jake Horoho has played the majority of time in net for the Panthers. He has a GAA of 2.33 and a save percentage of .925.

 
SERIES HISTORY

• Sunday will be the 8th meeting between the Statesmen and the Panthers.
• The overall series stands at 3-3-1. This will be the first meeting in Geneva.
• In 2021, the Statesmen defeated the Panthers 4-1. Luke Aquaro, Reid Lindsay, Aaron Maguyon '22, and Blake Coffey '22 each scored. Joe Halstrom'22 made 16 saves.