After dispatching non-conference foe Middlebury by an 8-1 score last weekend, No. 1 ranked Hobart enters 2024 with an 11-2-0 record and a remaining schedule that is strictly composed of NEHC opponents. The Statesmen know they face everyone’s best game as defending conference champions and national champions but may have their best team performing at superior levels looking to repeat on both championships.
“This may be our best parity of depth on the roster,” said head coach Mark Taylor. “We are pretty healthy and have guys that are competing hard just to get playing time. I am not sure which coach I heard the quote from but “it is great when your best coach is your best player being your hardest worker.” I think that really defines a lot of our guys on the roster right now and demonstrates that we play like we practice.
One of those players leading the way on the ice is sophomore forward Tanner Hartman. Against Middlebury, Hartman scored a pair of goals, but he has produced a four-goal game against Johnson & Wales as well as a six-point game against Massachusetts-Boston. So far this season, he has produced 12 goals and 10 assist for 22 points while playing to a plus 18 for Hobart.
“He is full effort all the time,” stated Taylor. “Tanner literally empties the tank on every shift, and it is great to see that effort rewarded on the scoresheet. He goes to the hard areas of the ice but not all his goals are just about the hard work – he has produced some highlight reel stuff that has been impressive to see. He is one of quite a few players that has “game-blossomed” this year. We have a number of freshmen like Chris Duclair, Bauer Morrissey, and Brandon Sacchetti who are making contributions when they are getting playing time. It is exciting to watch especially as we enter the second half of the season.
With seven shutouts this season shared between goaltenders Mavrick Goyer and Damon Beaver, the Statesmen have been hard to score on and through their first 13 games have yet to surrender a power play goal to any opponent this season covering 36 penalty kill situations. Combine that percentage of success with a power play operating at 33% and you have a recipe for some dynamic winning hockey.
“It always helps to have great goaltending, especially during a penalty kill,” noted Taylor. “All the goalies have been terrific in stopping all the ones they are supposed to save and maybe a few they weren’t supposed to. The penalty kill is one area where I give the players some latitude and opportunity to go off their instincts as to how to forecheck in a man-down situation and it is hard to argue with the results so far this season. Like any situation on the ice, the players have taken ownership of performing at a high level and not giving opponents any cheap goals at even-strength or on the kill. We would certainly like to see the current trend continue into the new year.”
This weekend Hobart travels to face No. 10 ranked Skidmore on Friday and Castleton on Saturday in their return to NEHC action.
“We aren’t looking at anything beyond Friday against a very good Skidmore team,” said Taylor. “The big sheet they play on is different so obviously we will need to adjust some things against a team that has a lot of skill players and excellent goaltending. Our focus is to go 2-0 each weekend starting with this one and that can only happen with a great effort and a win starting on Friday night.”
