Adrian, MI – The Adrian College Men’s NCAA Hockey season on 96.5fm The Cave will begin this weekend during a New Years three-team round robin showcase. The Bulldogs (9-3-0, 6-2-0 NCHA) will face NCHA foe Aurora University (Illinois) (10-2-0, 6-2-0 NCHA) Sunday, December 29th at 5pm at the Arrington Ice Arena. This game does not count towards the NCHA conference standings, but could have national post season implications.
On Monday, the Aurora University Spartans will play Bowdoin College (Maine) (5-3, 3-2 NESCAC) in Adrian at 3pm. The final game in the round robin will feature the Bulldogs and the Polar Bears at 5pm Tuesday, December 31st. Ian Wendt will be on the call for Adrian’s Sunday and Tuesday contests on 96.5fm The Cave and 965thecave.com.
Meet the Bulldogs…
Adrian College announced a coaching change in the offseason, hiring Adam Phillips as the third head coach in program history. He took the reins from Adam Krug, who took a position with the Edmonton Oilers AHL affiliate in California. AC’s early season schedule was littered with top teams in D3 hockey, including #4 Utica Univ., #10 Cortland, #RV Oswego State, and #11 Aurora Univ. The ‘Dawgs have won six straight games (two in overtime) after dropping two against Aurora in mid-November. Adrian is 3-3 at home this season. Ian Amsbaugh is the leading point-getter for the Bulldogs, netting 8 goals and tallying 14 assists. Ryan Pitoscia (5G, 7A) and Bradley Somers (7G, 4A) are the only other two Adrian skaters with double digit points. Goalie Dershahn Stewart has a 8-3 record, sporting a 2.54 goals against average and a .918 save percentage.
Meet the Spartans…
Aurora University comes into this holiday round robin having won 4 consecutive games after being swept by #2 St. Norbert College on the road just before Thanksgiving. The Spartans are 4-2-0 on the road this season. Hassan Akl leads AU with 19 points (4G, 15A). JaCob Mucitelli allows 2.52 goals per game, with a .920 save percentage, and has a 7-2-0 record. AU’s best wins on the season so far were against #6 UW-Stevens Point, #RV Augsburg Univ., and two @ #2 Adrian College. The Spartans are 3-22 all time against Adrian College, and have won two in a row in the series. Coach Jason Bloomingburg recently won his 100th career game.
Meet the Polar Bears…
Bowdoin College is on a two game winning streak, downing Conn College and Tufts on Dec. 6 and Dec. 7. The Polar Bears have never faced Aurora Univ. or Adrian College. Luke Wheeler, Jack Barbro, and Aidan Lyons all have a team-high five points on the season. BC as a team scores 2.5 goals per game, and allows 2.5 goals per game. BC has a 1-2-0 record away from home, and a 1-0-0 record on neutral ice.