The top-ranked Hobart hockey team will host the New England Hockey Conference Championship Weekend at The Cooler, March 8-9.
 
The Statesmen, who are the No. 1 seed, will take on the No. 6 New England College in Saturday's first semifinal at 3 p.m.   In Saturday's second semifinal, No. 2 seed Norwich will take on No. 4 seed Skidmore at 7 p.m. The winners advance to Sunday's championship game which is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. The winner of that game will claim the Mariano Cup as NEHC Tournament Champion and receive the league's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
 
Admission to The Cooler is $5 each day. All Hobart and William Smith students, faculty and staff, youth hockey players and Geneva High School students will be admitted free. There will be no advanced ticket sales and the doors will open one hour prior to the game.
 
Here is a quick look at the teams.
 
HOBART
Location: Geneva, New York
Mascot: Statesmen
Overall Record: 24-1-1
Record at Home: 13-0-0
NEHC Record: 18-1-1 (Regular Season Champions)
USCHO Poll: 1st
NEHC Titles: 3 (2017-18, 2022-23, 2023-24) Head Coach: Mark Taylor (24th season, 430-177-56)
Goals Scored: 113
Goals Allowed: 26
Point Leaders: Tanner Daniels (36), Luke Aquaro (30), Shane Shell (24)
Goal Leaders: Daniels (16), Aquaro (14), Chris Duclair (11)
Assist Leaders: Daniels (20), Shell (17) Aquaro (16)
Goalie: Damon Beaver (1.07 GAA, .954 SV%, 13-1-0, 5 SHO)
 
NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE
Location: Henniker, New Hampshire
Mascot: Pilgrims
Overall Record: 11-14-1
Record on the Road: 4-9-0
NEHC: 9-10-1
USCHO Poll: Unranked
NEHC Titles: 0
Head Coach: Tom Carroll (23rd year, 299-246-48)
Goals Scored: 61
Goals Allowed: 71
Point Leaders: Jesper Tarkiainen (20), David Novotny (19), Gunnar Sibley (19)
Goal Leaders: Novotny (11), Sibley (10), Egor Osipik (10)
Assist Leaders: Tarkiainen (15), Jack Herron (12) Sibley (9)
Goalie: Anthony Beaulieu (2.38 GAA, .929 SV%, 11-12-1, 3 SHO)
 
NORWICH
Location: Northfield, Vermont
Mascot: Cadets
Overall Record: 14-9-3
Record at Neutral Site: 1-0-0
NEHC Record: 12-6-2
USCHO Poll: RV
NEHC Titles 3 (2016-17, 2018-19, 2019-20)
Head Coach: Cam Ellsworth (7th season, 114-38-19)
Goals Scored: 68
Goals Allowed: 62
Point Leaders: Clark Kerner (23), Bryan O'Mara (17), Cooper Bertrand (17)
Goal Leaders: Kerner (10), Johnny Johnson (8), O'Mara (7)
Assist Leaders: Kerner (13), Bertrand (11), O'Mara (10)
Goalie: Sami Molu (2.27 GAA, .921 SV%, 13-9-3, 1 SHO)
 
 
SKIDMORE
Location: Saratoga Spring, New York
Mascot: Thoroughbreds
Overall Record: 14-12-0
Record at Neutral Site: 0-0-0
NEHC Record: 11-9-0
USCHO Rank: Not Ranked
NEHC Titles: 0
Head Coach: Rob Hutchinson (13th season, 110-106-23)
Goals Scored: 88
Goals Allowed: 78
Point Leaders: Evan Brown (27), Coleman Jenkins (21), Danny Magnuson (20)
Goal Leaders: Brown (10), Zach Lindewirth (10), Cooper Rice (9)
Assist Leaders: Brown (17), Magnuson (17), Jenkins (14)
Goalie: Joshua Seeley (2.46 GAA, .905 SV%, 12-6-0, 1 SHO)