Elmira College (6-5-0, 2-4-0 ECACW) at The College at Brockport (6-5-2, 3-4-2 SUNYAC)
Friday, January 8, 2016 | 7:00 P.M. | Tuttle North Ice Arena – Brockport, NY
Live Coverage | Game Notes
 
Elmira College (6-5-0, 2-4-0 ECACW) vs. #8/4 SUNY Geneseo (8-1-2, 4-1-2 SUNYAC)
Saturday, January 9, 2016 | 7:00 P.M. | Murray Athletic Center Ice Arena – Pine Valley, NY
Live Coverage | Twitter: @ECSoaringEagles | Game Notes
 
Elmira, NY -- The Elmira College men's ice hockey team returns from a three-week winter break this weekend when it takes on a road and home back-to-back this weekend. First, Elmira will travel to take on one of the hottest teams in the region in The College at Brockport in a 7:00 p.m. puck drop on Friday night. The Soaring Eagles return home the following evening to take on nationally-ranked SUNY Geneseo at the Murray Athletic Center Ice Arena at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday.
 
Last Time Out
It has been nearly a month since Elmira's last game, a 2-1 overtime loss to eighth-ranked Trinity College (CT). The Soaring Eagles struck first in the contest, scoring in the final four minutes of the first period thanks to a power-play goal by Jarryd ten Vaanholt '16. Trinity evened the game at 1-1 in the second on a power-play goal of its own, which would eventually lead to an overtime session. The defending NCAA Division III National Champion Bantams punched in the game-winner just 31 seconds into the overtime period, snapping Elmira's five-game win streak. 
 
Steady Sandro
First-year netminder Sandro Aeschlimann '19 has proven to be a force between the pipes for the Purple and Gold this season. Elmira has been outshot in each of Aeschlimann's last five starts, but the Switzerland national has done his part to keep opposing teams off the scoreboard, boasting an ultra-impressive .944 save percentage. He has stopped 40 or more shots in each of his last five outings, including a career-high 42 saves against eighth-ranked Trinity.
 
Potent Offenses
Elmira's ability to find the back of the net has been phenomenal this season, as the Soaring Eagles boast the nation's 11th-highest scoring offense with 4.09 goals per game. Tonight's game should provide plently of fireworks, as SUNY Geneseo enters the weekend with the country's seventh-best offense with a goals per game average of 4.36.
 
Series History: The College at Brockport
The Soaring Eagles have a long history with Golden Eagles, as this Friday's matchup will be the 42nd in the overall series. Elmira has dominated the series as a whole, going 34-5-2, however, Brockport has experienced most of its success over the last decade. The teams are 4-4-2 over the last 10 matchups, with Brockport riding a two-game winning streak in the series.
 
Scouting The College at Brockport
The College at Brockport will be a stiff test for Elmira, as the team is unquestionably hitting its stride heading into this weekend. The Golden Eagles began the year with a 6-2 drubbing of SUNY Cortland; however, the team limped to a a 3-5 record over their next eight contests. The team has rallied in a big way since that point, riding a four-game unbeaten streak, which includes a 1-1 tie against then-No. 1 Plattsburgh and a 3-2 road upset of nationally-ranked Massachusetts-Boston in the opener of the Codfish Bowl over New Years Weekend. Senior forward Chase Nieuwendyk leads Brockport in scoring with 20 points on 10 goals and 10 assists.  Second-year forward Ryan Kangas has been a nice compliment with 18 points on 7 goals and 11 helpers. Senior Jared Lockhurst is the team's primary netminder, entering the weekend with a 3.22 GAA and .900 save percentage.
 
Series History: SUNY Geneseo
Elmira and Geneseo have a rich history, one that dates back to the 1975-76 season. The Soaring Eagles have enjoyed a great deal of success over the years with a 38-9-1 record against the Knights. EC enters tonight's game having won the previous three matchups and are 8-2-0 against the Knights in their last 10 meetings.
 
Scouting SUNY Geneseo
The Knights of Geneso enter the weekend with an 8-1-2 record and a Top-10 national ranking according to both USCHO and D3hockey.com polls. Geneseo is riding high on a five-game win streak that includes a win over then-No. 1 and previously unbeaten Plattsburgh State. During its five-game run, the Knights have outscored their opponents on average by 2.6 goals per game. One area Geneseo has excelled at this season has been on the power play, as the Knights own the nation's fourth-best power-play unit with a success rate of 26.7 percent. Stephen Collins and Trevor Hills have paced the Knights on offense with 19 and 17 points, respectively. Collins is fifth in the country in points per game (1.73), while Hills is second in the land in goals per game (1.10) and first in power-play goals (7).
 
Looking Ahead
The Soaring Eagles return to road ice on Tuesday evening when they head west to face Buffalo State. Opening faceoff is slated for 7:00 p.m.