The top-ranked Hobart hockey team returns to The Cooler this weekend, Jan. 24-25, for a two-game set with New England Hockey Conference rival Norwich. Friday's game is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. The following afternoon, the faceoff is scheduled for 4 p.m.
 
Saturday's game will be part of a doubleheader with William Smith taking on Vermont State University Castleton at 7 p.m.
 
Last weekend, Hobart closed out non-conference play with a SUNYAC sweep. The Statesmen shut out Buffalo State 3-0 and Fredonia 5-0.
 
Norwich swept Castleton last weekend. On Friday, the Cadets won 8-3 and followed that with a 3-2 victory.
 
MEDIA COVERAGE

• Live Stats
• HWS All-Access
• WHWS

 
ABOUT THE STATESMEN (15-0-0, 10-0-0 NEHC)

• Hobart enters the weekend first in the NEHC with 30 points.
• Junior Tanner Daniels leads the Statesmen with nine goals and 19 points.
• Senior Shane Shell and sophomore Bauer Morrissey share the team lead with 12 assists each.
• Juniors Damon Beaver and Mavrick Goyer have split time in net for the Statesmen. Beaver has a 1.00 GAA, a .961 save percentage and three shutouts. Goyer has 1.00 GAA, a .948 save percentage and four shutouts. They are tied for first in the nation in goalie winning percentage and first and second, respectively, in GAA and first and fourth in save percentage.

 
NATIONAL NUMBERS

• Hobart is first in the nation in winning percentage (1.00), scoring defense (1.00) and scoring margin (+3.73).
• The Statesmen are second in scoring offense (4.73), third in points (197) and fourth in assists (126).
• Sophomore Chris Duclair is second in the nation in power-play goals (5). On the flip side, Daniels is second in the nation with two short-handed goals.
• Daniels is also 23rd in the nation in points per game.

 
ABOUT THE CADETS (8-4-3, 7-1-2 NEHC)

• Norwich is second in the conference with 23 points, seven behind Hobart.
• Clark Kerner leads the Cadets with six goals and 10 points.
• Holden Doggett has a team-high six assists.
• Sami Molu has played every minute in goal for the Cadets. Molu has a 1.77 GAA, a .934 save percentage and one shutout.

 
SERIES HISTORY

• This weekend will be the 19th and 20th meetings between the Statesmen and the Cadets.
• The series is tied 8-8-2, but Hobart has a slight 3-2-1 edge in Geneva.
• On Jan. 13, 2024, the Statesmen and the Cadets skated to a 1-1 tie. Shane Shell scored the lone goal for Hobart. Damon Beaver played all 65 minutes in goal and made 37 saves.