This weekend marked the last opening weekend for the Union Men’s and Women’s hockey programs in the Frank L. Messa Rink. Both teams will kick off their 2025 seasons in the Mohawk Harbor Center that’s currently under construction. For now though we focus on the final season in the Achillies center going on its 50th year. Both teams came out of this thrilling weekend of games with at least one win and an overtime game.
The Women started off the weekend hot on Friday night with a stifling shutout victory over the rival RIT Tigers. The team looked to get revenge after dropping both games to the Tigers last season. They enter this season looking to rely on a lot of new faces to contribute after losing two of their top three point leaders from the previous season to the transfer portal and graduation. Among the new faces in the locker room is Head Coach Tony Maci and his staff in their first season leading the women’s hockey program. Junior Forward Greta Kropp said “We’re really excited about the opportunity to play for this new coaching staff. Their plan for us this weekend is to just keep it simple, play our game and stay out of the box”. The team came out strong outshooting RIT 20-16 showing their aggression out of the gate. The high powered offensive attack paid off early in the second period when Maddie Suitor netted the first of her two goals on the assist from Danica Mark and Kendal Davidson. The team added to the lead with Greta Kropp’s first career goal assisted by Quinn Dunkle and Paige Greco. The team held off the comeback attempts from RIT and then crushed their hopes with two more back to back goals late in the third to win the game 4-0 behind goaltender Sophie Matsoukas’s 4th career shutout.
On Saturday the Men’s team opened up their season with an exhibition game against #13 ranked Providence. Providence got off to a fast start with goals from Nick Poisson and Vegas Golden Knights 1st round draftee Trevor Connelly. Nate Hanley brought some hope to the Union squad with a goal in the first minute of the second period only to be followed two minutes later by another Providence goal at the hands of future Pittsburgh Penguin Chase Yoder. Providence capitalized on a third period power play to go up 4-1 in the Union defeat that fortunately doesn’t go on the record. Continuing the Saturday slate was the second of Union Women’s matchups vs RIT. The team fed off the momentum from the previous night with an early goal from standout sophomore Maddie Leaney. RIT wouldn’t be denied again, scoring their first goal of the weekend minutes later to tie it up. It was back and forth all games as First-Year Jill Willis got the first goal of her career followed again by two back to back Tiger goals in the 17th and 18th minutes of the period. Stephanie Bourque tied up the score early in the third period for Union but neither team could beat the goaltender for the remainder of regulation, forcing overtime. After winning the face-off and taking the first shot of overtime the team barely had time to get set as RIT took the puck down the ice to score in the first minute of OT.
On Sunday, in front of a packed crowd, the Men’s team played their first real game of the season taking on the Black Knights of West Point. Nate Hanley scores first for Union on a give and go tip-in early in the game getting some momentum going for the team who followed up the goal with a barrage of shots however the next goal fell to Army. Union takes the lead again early in the 2nd period after a goal from Connor Smith but this back and forth game brought another Army goal on a power play shortly after. In the 15th minute of the 2nd period Carter Korpi takes a shorthanded faceoff win down the ice of a breakaway to take the lead for a third time. Army opens up the third period with a sneak tip in goal to once again tie up the game 3-3 where the score remained for the rest of the period. Union controlled the puck for the first minute of overtime leading to a huge effort play by Colby MacArthur to keep the puck in the offensive zone and get it to All-American defender John Prokop who ended the game giving Union a thrilling 1-0 start to the season.
