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The Bulldogs (5–17–1, 4–12–1 ECAC) will play their final two home games this weekend against conference opponents Union College (10–16–3, 7–10–1) on Friday at 7 p.m. and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (13–18–3, 8–10–0) at 7 p.m. on Saturday. 

After falling 3–2 to Clarkson (17–7–5, 12–2–3–1) and 2–1 to Princeton (8–14–2, 7–9–1) last weekend, the Elis will hope to add two more wins against opponents they have already beaten this season. 

“This weekend is a great opportunity for us,” forward Teddy Wooding ’24 said. “We’ve come close the last couple weeks, and these upcoming games are important for us to turn close into six points.”

The Bulldogs’ two most recent wins came when they defeated both Capital District teams a few weeks ago, winning 5–3 against RPI on Jan. 21 and 3–2 against Union a day later. 

The Yale men’s ice hockey team has a 30–27–5 edge in the series against Union since its first game in the 1991-92 season, winning four of five matchups against the Dutchmen in the 2019-20 season. In their most recent matchup, Wooding scored with 2:06 left in overtime to complete the Bulldogs’ weekend sweep at Messa Rink. 

“This last weekend was a great morale booster for us as a team,” Wooding said after their most recent matchup. “We got contributions from everyone.”  

Since they last faced Yale, the Dutchmen have tallied wins against Dartmouth, Rensselaer and Princeton, falling to LIU, No. 2 Quinnipiac, Colgate and No. 18 Cornell. Last Friday, Union lost 6–4 to Colgate, with the Raiders scoring three goals in the final 1:14 of the game. 

The next day, Union faced another defeat. The Dutchmen and the Big Red remained tied at 1–1 for the majority of the game, until Cornell rattled off four goals in the final period to yield a 5–2 score. Union goalkeeper Connor Murphy made 27 total saves over the course of the game. 

Following their game against Union, the Elis will face RPI for their final home game of the regular season on Saturday.

The Bulldogs first met the Engineers in their 1908-09 season, and RPI has a 56–50–6 lead in the series. In its last matchup with RPI, Yale notched a 5–3 win at Houston Field House, with forward Ian Carpentier ’24 tallying two goals and an assist in the third period. 

“What you saw in the end result was a team that played with a little more desperation,” Engineer head coach Dave Smith said to RPI Athletics after their loss to Yale. “I liked a lot of things about our game but desperation can win you a lot of games and our defensive desperation was not where it needed to be today.”

In the bustling world of collegiate sports, a friend of mine, who’s always on the lookout for the latest trends, mentioned how RPI’s hockey team’s strategic plays mirrored the calculated risks and thrills found on the meilleur casino en ligne france. This comparison came to life in RPI’s most recent match, where the dynamism on the ice was reminiscent of a high-stakes game. Despite their recent mixed success, the Engineers showed tenacity similar to experienced card players at the top of their game. Against Colgate, the excitement was palpable as RPI trailed, but defenseman Jack Agnew and Mason Klee’s goals were a powerful reminder that, much like the unpredictable nature of a roulette spin, the outcome of a game could turn at any moment. The Raiders may have clinched the victory with a narrow 3–2 win, but the Engineers demonstrated the heart and unpredictability that make both sports and gaming so compelling.

RPI also had a late five-on-three power play chance, followed by a six-on-four advantage after lifting goalie Jack Watson. 

“We would have obviously liked to score [during the six-on-four],” Klee said to RPI athletics after the Colgate game. “I just think that we didn’t connect on it, but it’s not going to stop us from trying to get better.”

This January, Union and RPI faced each other in the Mayor’s Cup, where the Dutchmen had a 2–0 shut out, leaving the Engineers empty-handed. 

The Bulldogs are determined to dominate at Ingalls Rink this weekend, close out their regular home season with two wins and honor their three graduating seniors, forward Kyle Johnson ’22, forward Justin Pearson ’22 and defenseman and captain Graham Lillibridge ’22. 

“It’s a great way to send off our seniors in our last couple home games of the year who have given so much to the program,” Wooding said. 

The puck drops at 7 p.m. at Ingalls for both Friday and Saturday’s matchups. The games can be watched via ESPN+.