Things To Watch For This Weekend

This weekend the Dutchmen host the Yale Bulldogs and Brown Bears, in what might be the toughest home weekend of the season. The Bulldogs come into the weekend as the #1 team in the country and sport the nation's top offense, which is clicking at a 4.79 goals per game (BC is second with 3.74), and the third best defense allowing just 2.05 goals per game (Union is tied for tops in the country with Wisconsin with 2.04). While the Bears aren't ranked, they are still an extremely tough team as they proved last season when they shocked RPI and Yale in the ECAC playoffs.

My biggest concern about this weekend is the possibility of falling into a "trap game" with Brown. While the Dutchmen are not overlooking the Bears right now, there is a lot of focus being placed on Yale. I'm just afraid that the Dutchmen will put all of their energy and emotion into the Yale game and won't match it the following night whether if they beat Yale or not. Let's just hope the guys play hard against Yale and no matter what happens they instantly put the game in the past.

I think a great way to make sure this doesn't happen is to make a few lineup changes on Saturday night. I think that it might be smart if Leaman plays faster guys like Justin Pallos and Kyle Bodie to match Yale's speed on Friday night, but then replace them with Luke Cain and Stephane Boileau on Saturday night to match Brown's hard-hitting game style.

Also, the Dutchmen offesne is relying too heavily on the underclassmen (Carr, Welsh, Jooris, Mat Bodie). In important games like these you need the seniors to step up their game and take control. The experienced players need to set the tone, and the younger guys will follow. But, this doesn't mean that the underclassmen have an excuse to be intimidated. They, along with the rest of the team, should follow the example of Matt Hatch who flies all over the ice with no regard for his body. That's the type of hard work and intensity that will win big games.

Here are some fun facts:
- The last time Union played the top-ranked team in the country was on January 2, 2009 when they lost 3-1 to Nortre Dame at the Shillelagh Tournament. Brendan Milnamow '09 scored Union's lone goal and Corey Milan picked up 24 saves.
- In Union's first game back from the Shillelagh Tournament they traveled to Princeton where they beat a fifth-ranked Tigers team 3-2. This was the last time Union has beaten a Top 5 team. In the game Mario Valery-Trabucco '10 and Stephane Boileau scored goals, while Matt Cook scored the game-winner back in his hometown (he's from around Princeton).
- The last time Union played a #1 team in league play was on November 9, 1996 when they hosted Vermont. The Catamounts had future NHL stars Tim Thomas (Boston) and Martin St. Louis (Tampa Bay) on the team that year. Union lost to Vermont that night 1-0 behind 43 saves from Thomas.

Yale
Ryan Rondeau: the senior goaltender has only lost one game this season and is third in the nation with a 1.80 GAA.
Broc Little: leads the team with 13 goals and 27 points. He is extremely fast.
Brian O'Neill: second on the team with 12 goals and is third with 25 points. Also leads the team with five power-play goals.
Andrew Miller: leads the team with 21 assists in 19 games, meaning he sets up a goal every game. He has only scored five goals this season, but four of them have been game-winners.
Chris Cahill: has been a beast in ECAC play, leading the Bulldogs with eight goals and 19 points.

Harry Zolnierczyk

Brown
Jack Maclellan: leads the team with 13 goals, 16 assists, and 29 points.
Harry Zolnierczyk: the Bears captain has the reputation of being one of the dirtiest players in the league and has accumulated 83 penalty minutes in just 18 games this year. But, Harry Z can also put the puck in the net as he is second on the team with 11 goals, 12 assists, and 23 points. In Brown's upset of Yale, he picked up a 10 minute misconduct penalty only to return to score the game-winning goal late in the game. Also, watch out for him and Maclellan on the PK as they have both netted two shorthanded goals this season.
Dennis Robertson: the freshman leads all Brown defenders with five goals and 12 points. Four of his five goals have come on the power-play, which is tied for best on the team with Captain Harry.

Union
Adam Presizniuk: this is the type of weekend when your best player needs to show up and contribute. His line is really clicking right now and he just got the pin taken out of his thumb, so this could be the weekend where he finally explodes.
Brock Matheson: Captain Brock has been stellar of late and needs to lead the defense this weekend as they take on fast Yale forwards and hard-hitting Brown forwards. He needs to be the one to prove that they are not going to give the opposing forwards too much respect.
Daniel Carr: the freshman phenom leads the team with nine power-play goals. Union's special teams has been struggling a bit of late, but if they want any chacne to knock off Yale they have to convert on these PP opportunities. Carr will be the go-to guy.

For more about this weekend check out:
Union Athletics.com
Daily Gazette
INCH
Yale Daily News
Brown Bears.com

Here are highlights from Union's 5-0 loss at Yale earlier this season: