After a juggernaut season where Hobart has gone unbeaten in the regular season and SUNYAC tournament, established a new home win-streak, surpassing the great Cornell teams of the early 1970’s, surrendered less than one goal per game with fourteen total shutouts and finished ranked at the No. 1 spot in the country from pre-season to post-season – It all goes to the rear view as Hobart prepares for a fourth consecutive national title and the rarified air that only Bill Beaney’s Middlebury teams of the 90’s have accomplished.
This week the Frozen Four convenes in Utica, NY where last year Hobart downed the host Pioneers in double overtime to win their third consecutive national championship. On Friday, both semifinal games feature terrific east v. west matchups that should create drama and excitement in advance of Sunday’s championship game between Friday’s winners.
“[Wisconsin] Stout plays hard,” said head coach Mark Taylor. “They play hard, fast, are on their toes and have some good mojo going right now. They have had a lot of good things going with their game so we are expecting a tough one, as it should be this time of year on Friday night.”
Hobart’s senior class has experienced success very few programs can even imagine. Including this season’s current record of 29-0-0 entering the weekend, Hobart has gone an incredible 115-5-2 over the past four seasons while capturing three consecutive championships and is in the favorite position this weekend with three different teams qualifying this year including a pair of first-time participants in the season’s final weekend of play.
Captains Khalil Fontana (20g – 20A – 40 Pts; +33) and Tanner Daniels (16G – 21A – 37 Pts; +36) lead by example on and off the ice as Hobart has a deep group of forwards that play fast and hard on the puck in all three zones.
Defensively, the Statesmen have a very mobile group that play a 200-foot game lead by juniors Conor Lally (13G – 24a – 37 Pts; +46) and Bauer Morrissey (7G – 16A – 23 Pts; +29).
In goal, Mavrick Goyer, who has five shutouts in his ten starts this season will watch teammate Damon Beaver (19 GP – 0.90 GAA – .956 SP – 7 SO) continue his torrid play and unbeaten playoff streak dating back to his first-year where the Statesmen downed Adrian in overtime to win their first national title.
“Everyone has to keep being the best versions of themselves,” stated Taylor. “That isn’t a coach “Taylorism,” that is something the captains and team came up with as we continue to focus on the next game in front of us. This group has never been motivated by records. We didn’t even realize the Cornell record of home wins until someone in the media brought it to our attention when we were getting close to the number. This group just “goes to work” and has fun doing it. The captains here always lead by example and focus on “doing more and saying less.”
Overall, Hobart has unparalleled talent up and down the lineup but has been successful due to the team’s exceptional mindset and ability to stay in the present and focus on the here and now. They do not get distracted at the most important times in games nor do they make mistakes that beat themselves. In the words of their head coach Mark Taylor, “they respect all opponents but fear none.” That philosophy has served the program well as they enter the final weekend with two games separating them from a perfect season.
“Everybody has to stay focused and do what we have been doing all season,” noted Taylor. “This group of seniors has the opportunity to do something special, but it will always be in the context of the groups of players that played with and before them and who they play with now. I don’t expect this group to take their foot off the gas, and we will be ready to play on Friday against a very good Stout squad.”
For now, the clear and sole focus of the Statesmen will be on playing a very talented and disciplined Wisconsin-Stout team that has defeated Anna Maria and Utica in solid fashion to make their first Frozen Four since 2009. They don’t play the games on paper so look for Hobart to leverage their experience and team first approach against the Blue Devils on Friday in Utica.