Good starts bode well

This story first appeared on the Worcester Telegram and Gazette website.  To view the original story by Steve Kendall click here.

With the local Division 3 teams home for the holidays, it is an opportune time to sit back, examine and analyze the season's first month. For the local teams, it has been an interesting start, and with two months remaining to the season, it should be an intriguing finish - especially for the teams who will be challenging for the ECAC Northeast title over the next eight weeks or so.

Holy Cross
The area's lone Division 1 hockey program is off until next Saturday (Dec. 29) when the Crusaders take on host Vermont in the Catamount Classic in Burlington, Vt. HC will face either Western Michigan or old foe Quinnipiac on Sunday.

Holy Cross has had a solid start, going 5-4-4 overall and 4-3-3 in Atlantic Hockey. Currently, the Crusaders sit in seventh place in the league, but they have played two less games than the three teams in front of them: Mercyhurst, Bentley, and RIT,

Though senior Dale Reinhardt (3-11-14) has had a solid start, it has been the play of HC's youngsters that has stood out. Sophomore Brodie Sheahan has six goals and nine assists, while freshman Everett Sheen has eight goals on the season. Sophomores Rob Forshner (1-9-10) and Ryan Driscoll (5-4-9) have also contributed offensively, while freshmen J.P. Martignetti (3-5-8), Joe Brock (4-3-7), and defenseman Mark Znutas (2-3-5) have been pleasant surprises.

The goaltending duo of sophomore Ian Dams (2-1-2, 2.73 GAA, .911 save percentage) and freshman Adam Roy (3-3-2, 2.82 GAA, .913 save percentage) have been solid, if not spectacular.