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twinsfan -> RE: Other college hockey (BSU, UND, SCSU, etc) (10/7/2014 12:52:23 PM)
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Another year older, another year wiser — or at least that’s what Bemidji Sate is hoping for. Last season is one the Beavers are ready to put behind them, but they know they have a few holes to improve upon. In the WCHA coaches teleconference Sept. 29, BSU coach Tom Serratore specifically noted needing to strengthen the power play and work on tipping the scales on their goal differential.
While some work does need to be done, BSU returns mostly intact from last season, losing only four players and adding eight freshmen. The Beavers return their top four scorers, notably junior forward Cory Ward who led the team with 29 points last season and 18 goals. His fellow junior forward Markus Gerbrandt trailed Ward’s effort with 25 points and 15 goals. Senior defenseman Matt Prapavessis will anchor a veteran defensive corps that returns in full, while both Andrew Walsh and Jesse Wilkins return between the pipes.
Based on what he’s seen in practice so far, Serratore has been impressed by his large freshmen class. He noted that the youngsters — in his words, a “skilled group” — will get ice time, it’s simply a matter of when opportunities arise. While he’s pleased with what he’s seen in practice, he is also realistic about the learning curve that takes place in games.
Overall, Serratore is confident the Beavers experience last year is a solid foundation for their growth this season.
“We feel we can build on the backline, in the net and we feel we have some players who can generate offense,” Serratore said. “We’re also a year older. We were very young last year and we’re experienced this year.
“We really like what we have. We’re a year older, a year better.”
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