Union Has Up And Down Weekend

The reason why I have this title is because they won a game where they came back from behind in the third period for the first time this season (Harvard), but lost a game that they needed to win (Dartmouth).

Actually, if you really think about it this was a disappointing weekend for the Dutchmen. This was a weekend where they absolutely needed four points. With a win over Dartmouth, Union would have finally won that PWR game that they desperately needed and solidified themselves as a contender for the NCAA tournament. But, now they are back to being on the cusp of a tournament bid.

Here the question of the week: Are the Dutchmen ever going to win the PWR game? Maybe they will next weekend...

Here are some things I took away from the weekend:
- Dartmouth played really well. They jumped all over Union right from the drop of the puck with a hard hitting game plan.
- Ryan Carroll is excellent against the Dutchmen. I was pretty worried going into the third period down 1-0.
- I think Matt Hatch is the missing link on the Prezie-Zaj line. His past few performances have really proven that he belongs on that top line. He skates really hard and very fast and is always willing to fight for the extra inch and throw his body around. I've said it before, but he really looks like an upperclassman out there.
- Good articles about the team might actually affect the team. Coach Leaman said that there might be a hex around feature stories on INCH, as most ECAC teams that get featured end up losing the following weekend. So, players DO NOT read the papers or any other coverage... I'm just kidding. But, it was interesting how Leaman mentioned that after the Dartmouth game.

Here are some recaps of the games:

Dartmouth
Union Athletics.com
USCHO
INCH

Harvard
Union Athletics.com
USCHO
Times Union.com

Go to the "Official" Union Hockey Blog for post-game quotes for both games.

Also, check out this feature on the Simpson Brothers from the Boston Globe.