Farmingdale - DII Weekend Preview: Pivotal Game Against Fairfield

In their penultimate game of the 2023-24 season, the Farmingdale State Rams Division II hockey team will be taking on the Fairfield University Stags Division III team on the road. This will be the third and final meeting between the two teams and could be a pivotal game for seeding in the Empire playoffs. The Stags trail the Rams by two points in the Black Division, giving them an opportunity to force a tie for third place with a win. However, if the Rams win, they clinch third place and could still be in play for second or first place, depending on the results of Stony Brook’s and Sacred Heart’s games. The Rams will be seeking to break out of a recent slump that has seen them lose six of their last eight games, including back-to-back losses following a win over Sacred Heart. 

Farmingdale and Fairfield have split the first two games in their season series, both of which were hosted by Farmingdale. The Stags took a 5-3 victory in their first meeting, followed by a 4-3 Rams victory in the second meeting. The duo of Anthony DeFilio and Jack Hitchcock remain the biggest scoring threats for Fairfield. They’re tied for the team lead in points with 21 each, with DeFilio having a team-high 14 assists and Hitchcock having a team-high 11 goals. Zachary Pers also provides an ample scoring threat, being second on the team with nine goals this year. In goal, Jacob Watson has amassed a solid 3.11 GAA in eight starts. The game will take place on Saturday at 9:15 p.m. at The Rinks at Shelton and can also be viewed on LiveBarn.