RE: Other college hockey (BSU, UND, SCSU, etc) - 10/7/2016 1:03:47 PM
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twinsfan
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BEMIDJI -- The team that ended Bemidji State’s season in March will also be the first the Beavers see when they open up their new campaign this Friday.
When Bowling Green steps onto the ice at the Sanford Center (faceoff at 7:07 p.m. Friday and Saturday), the Beavers will be remembering their defeat in the first round of last season’s Western Collegiate Hockey Association playoffs. BSU, the No. 6 seed in the playoffs, took the third-seeded Falcons to three games before losing.
“I think it’s good we still have that fresh in our memory, what happened last year,” BSU senior forward Charlie O’Connor said. “I feel like a lot of the returners have that etched in our brain. We’re not forgetting about that.”
It’s a slightly unique situation for the Beavers, who open with a conference opponent right away for the first time in the memory of head coach Tom Serratore. Traditionally BSU has played a nonconference series, or at least an exhibition contest, before diving into WCHA play.
Instead, league points will be on the line right away this weekend.
“It’s different, there’s no question,” Serratore said. “It’s the first time I think I’ve ever done this where we’re starting with conference games. And it is a different mindset. You feel you need to get certain things in quicker…. The bottom line is, the players have to just play and you have to put the ownership on them now.”
The Beavers haven’t had a whole lot of time on the ice together, but the good news for BSU is they have plenty of veterans on the team this year -- 20 returners, to be exact, including six seniors.
Both of their top scorers are back -- junior Gerry Fitzgerald and senior Brendan Harms each finished with 25 points. Other double-digit scoring leaders who return include O’Connor, junior Kyle Bauman, senior Nate Arentz and junior Leo Fitzgerald.
“I think we have a good skill level,” Serratore said. “We have 2-3 lines that can score. I think that’s been our achilles the past couple years, and a lot of teams’ for that matter just scoring goals. But I think we have the pieces in place right there.”
BSU also has four goaltenders, including one very clear No. 1 star goalie in junior Michael Bitzer.
The biggest question mark might again be the defense, where the Beavers lost two solid pieces in Graeme McCormack (to graduation) and Ruslan Pedan (who left early to play in the KHL in Russia).
There are just two blueliner upperclassmen on the roster this year (senior Carter Struthers and junior Brett Beauvais).
But the Beavers think the youngsters are coming along nicely.
“Our D are a year older, which is huge,” Harms said. “There were some games last year where we played four freshmen defensemen. And no matter how good you are it can be tough at times. They’ve got some experience back there now.”
“I really like where we’re at right now,” Serratore added. “We might be a little young or inexperienced on the backline, but I think our guys have really stepped up. I like where our sophomores are at, and our two freshmen have come in and are playing really good hockey right now. We’re farther along then I thought we would be a month ago, that’s for sure.”
Bowling Green was picked to finish first in the conference while the Beavers were picked to finish sixth. BSU, of course, wants to prove to the rest of the league that they can do better than that this year. That requires a good start this weekend.
“Obviously you want to be picked higher,” Harms said. “You don’t have a lot of respect from everyone else, I guess you could say, but we need to gain that respect. Last year we won one playoff game and the year before we didn’t win any and the year before that we didn’t win any either. So it’s time for us to figure it out and get it going and get a good start.”
The Beavers will be led on the ice by three senior forwards in Harms, O’Connor and Arentz.
“They’re a great group and they’ve been great ambassadors for our program,” Serratore said. “They do it all. They’re top notch students, they’re top notch people, and they’re good hockey players. They wear the school colors proud. They lead the right way and are the hardest workers in practice. The guys knew what they were doing when they chose those guys to be captains.”
Harms, from Steinbach, Manitoba, scored 25 points last season (8 goals, 17 assists). O’Connor from Elk Grove Village, Ill. (7g-6a-13pts) and Arentz, from Lakeville (4g-7a-11pts) also were double-digit scorers last season.
“It’s a little different now,” Harms said of wearing a letter this season. “You’re senior now. There’s some things you have to do differently, but as a captain you just have to lead by example and not change the reason you got to be a captain. We’ve got a lot of leaders in our group, a lot of older guys too, so it’s a good group.”
http://www.bemidjipioneer.com/sports/beavers/4130402-mens-hockey-wcha-play-starts-beavers-host-bgsu-home-opener-video
I didn't realize we had so many guys returning. And with Bitzer in net, we could definitely finish better than 6th in the conference. The key appears to be our defensemen. Very young and most of them weren't very good last year.
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