Tag: Men’s ice hockey
Men’s Hockey Looks to Light the Lamp this Season
by The Cowl Editor on September 15, 2017
Sports
By Sam Scanlon ’19
Sports Staff
One month until the puck drops in Ohio for the Friars’ 2017-2018 season opener against the Miami (OH) Redhawks. Two seasons removed from a National Championship, the once gritty, tough, and rugged Providence Friars have now evolved into a squad full of skillful offensive weapons and elusive skaters. Veteran leadership on defense was the story for the Friars last season, now they must rely on a younger, quicker group of players to get the job done. This year’s roster includes a rather young team bolstered by key returners and upperclassmen, potential breakout players, and a slew of new talent.
Senior captain Brian Pinho ’18 is one of those key returning players. Last year’s Lou Lamoriello award winner as the team’s Most Valuable Player led the Friars in both assists (28) and points (40). His offensive prowess is going to be heavily relied on as the Friars go up against great defenses and goaltenders this year. Erik Foley ’19 had 15 goals last year; good enough for the team lead. He and Josh Wilkins ’20, who had an explosive rookie season last year, are also key offensive players returning in the lineup who will aim to compliment Pinho and generate plenty offensive opportunities.
A veteran goaltender is one of the most coveted pieces to a college hockey lineup. The Friars have exactly that in Hayden Hawkey ’19. As a junior, Hawkey has a full season as a starter under his belt, as well as a year backing up Nick Ellis ’17, who had a record-breaking 2015-2016 season. Hawkey’s experience is extremely beneficial for the success of this team. His confidence and poise will be higher this season, which will prove to be dangerous for opponents.
This year could very well be the year of the Sophomore. Along with Wilkins, Kasper Björkqvist ’20, Brandon Duhaime ’20 and Jacob Bryson ’20 are expected to step into larger roles this season. Björkqvist and Duhaime, 2016 NHL Draft 2nd and 4th round picks respectively, experienced limited offensive roles last season. Known for their goal scoring ability, they should find themselves more comfortable and put together breakout seasons.
Bryson definitely impressed last season, earning himself a 4th round selection in the 2017 NHL Draft, but was unable to get out of the shadow cast by the veteran defensemen. The smooth skating, puck moving defensemen is going to see a huge increase in ice time this season. His playmaking ability is a great accent to the talented offense. However, he also has goal scoring ability with an extremely powerful slap shot.
Perhaps the most exciting part of the new season is welcoming the new faces to Friartown. Four defensemen, three forwards, and a goalie step in to replace the class of 2017 who graduated in the spring. Led by defensemen Ben Mirageas ’21, the 2017 3rd round NHL Draft pick is a talented two-way defenseman who will fill the void left by the departure of Jake Walman. Jake Ryczek ’21, a 2016 7th round draft pick, and Jeff Baum ’21 add to the depth of young, two-way defensemen. The Friars also acquired a 5th year transfer student from Princeton in Tommy Davis ’18. Davis is a great addition to add veteran experience to the young defensive group. Up front, Bailey Conger ’21, Jason O’Neill ’21, and Greg Printz ’21 add some size and skill to an offensive unit that could potentially be a top scoring offense in the country.
The Friars have an exciting year ahead, including a trip to Belfast, Northern Ireland for the Friendship Four Tournament and a visit to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for the Three Rivers Classic. Is it October yet?
Hockey Program Bids Farewell to Seniors
by The Cowl Editor on March 2, 2017
Sports
By Sam Scanlon ’19
As both the Providence College Men’s and Women’s Ice Hockey teams wrapped up their regular season play, we said goodbye to the five women and six men graduating who have donned the black and white for the past four years. Arianna Buxman ’17, Ariana Reid ’17, Kendra Goodrich ’17, Lauren Klein ’17, and Cassidy Carels ’17 have all taken their last strides at Schneider Arena, but were honored before the last regular season home game against an outstanding Boston College Eagles squad.
The Friars jumped out to an early lead as Christina Putigna ’19 received a favorable bounce when her shot found the back of the net less than a minute into the contest. Putigna’s goal proved to be a major momentum lift as the Friars kept the pressure on the Eagles for the entire game. Kathleen McHugh ’20 registered two goals during the evening, and was later awarded Hockey East Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Week for her performance. Another offensive weapon, Cassidy MacPherson ’19, slid the puck past the Eagles goaltender with a nifty individual effort. The Friars pulled away with a 4-1 win with a stellar effort to upset the sixth ranked Eagles.
Unfortunately, the Friars were unable to keep rolling into the playoffs and were defeated in a heartbreaking Hockey East Quarterfinals series to the University of Vermont. The excellent leadership of Carels and Klein will be deeply missed as they have led this team for two years together. The veteran experience from Buxman, Reid, and Goodrich will also be missed, as well as the great effect they had on the locker room, but the Friars are loaded with young talent. The Class of 2020 has a skilled group of girls that consistently contributes every weekend. Although the Class of 2017 is going to be missed, the Friars are looking at a promising future and will continue to improve as the journey to the next season begins.
The men’s ice hockey class of 2016 was a very difficult act to follow as last year’s seniors played an integral role in both the program’s rebuild and subsequent National Championship. However, comprised of Brendan Leahy ’17, Kyle McKenzie ’17, Niko Rufo ’17, Anthony Florentino ’17, Josh Monk ’17, and Conor MacPhee ’17, the Class of 2017 has faced a great deal of adversity leading a young team back from a rocky first half of the season to a remarkably successful second half. Not to mention they have enjoyed a great amount of success as they have tallied 95 wins, four consecutive 20-plus win seasons, and three (hopefully four) consecutive NCAA tournament appearances.
Needless to say, this class of seniors is nothing short of impressive. In the regular season finale on senior night, the Friars hosted the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Offensively, the Friars relied on Garrett Gamez ’19 as he collected his third marker of the season. UMass bounced back in the second period to even the scoring at 1-1, but the rest of regulation remained scoreless. In overtime, it was Gamez again redirecting a shot from the blue line that clinched the Friars victory.
Although small in quantity, the Class of 2017 has made an immense impact on this hockey program. They have served as role models and leaders for a young team looking to make a name for themselves. The six seniors will need to display their experience throughout the postseason run as they have three playoff runs under their belt. Under captains Monk and McKenzie, this tight knit squad will battle in a tough Hockey East Tournament, beginning this Friday night at Schneider, and will make a splash in the NCAA tournament as well.