Atlantic Hockey Online Spotlight: The Young Face of UConn Hockey

March 3, 2004

Courtesy of Karen Auerbach, University of Connecticut Athletic Communications Department

It is an unusual situation for a roster of 26 to include 15 freshmen, but that is the reality for the 2003-04 University of Connecticut men’s hockey team. Of the 28 men on the Huskies’ roster last season, only 10 returned this year. The result was head coach Bruce Marshall’s largest recruiting class in his 16 years at the helm of the program.

The freshmen hail from eight states across the northern half of the country. Massachusetts is the home state of four freshmen, while groups of three call New York and Minnesota home. Two pairs of freshmen played for the same team prior to coming to UConn. James Martin and Matt Scherer both played for the Tri-City Storm in the USHL, while J.R. Corkery and Nick Marean were both members of the Danville Wings in the NAHL.

In terms of performance, the new guys have done their part and more. The freshmen’s numbers in every category make up more than half of the total, and six freshmen currently rank in the top 10 point scorers on the team. Of the 100 goals the Huskies have scored to date, 53 have been by freshmen. They have also recorded 85 of the team’s 158 assists, and 138 of the team’s 258 points.

Marshall has also been impressed with the group for things other than their contributions on the ice. “This group is really meeting our expectations in the areas we thought we needed to improve upon from past years,” said Marshall. “Besides the raw ability the group has brought to the team, the character and work ethic we expected and hoped for from these guys is something they’ve really grabbed onto.”

One freshman whose contributions have been vital to the team is Scherer. One of only two players to have seen action in all 32 games this season, Scherer currently ranks first among all the freshman and second on the team in points scored with 25. Scherer is on pace to break all the records for freshmen scoring since UConn became a Division I program. He currently ranks in a tie for second in single-season assists by a freshman with 14, and is also second in points by a freshman with 25. Most notably, Scherer is already tied for first in goals by a freshman with 11. By the end of the season, Scherer could very well be ranked among all the same categories for the all-time records since 1960.

“This year has certainly had its ups and downs,” said Scherer, “and I think a lot of people thought of us as the underdog in most of the games we played this year, because of the fact that we had so many new faces. I think it actually helped us younger guys out having more freshman on the team, because then you have half of your teammates in the same position you are. At the beginning of the year it was a bit of a battle, not only for where you stood on the depth chart, but to see who would be in the lineup every night, and I think that intensity helped us to move towards a common goal.”

Although the accomplishments of many of the freshmen are significant, there is one who cannot be overlooked. Goaltender Scott Tomes has truly been a player the Huskies could not do without. Tomes has played just over 1,853 minutes this season to rank him sixth in the country for minutes played. He is gaining valuable experience early on in his career, and has played in all but one game for the Huskies, including 30 complete games.

For the six years since UConn has been a Division I team, Tomes ranks third all-time for wins in a season with 10, and already holds the lead for most saves in a season all-time with 872. He also holds the fourth and fifth spots for saves in a game with 43 and 42. In the UConn hockey records from 1960 to the present, Tomes’ season saves also rank him first all-time.

The success of the new class is not without help from the veterans on the team. “Anytime you bring in such a young group like this, the upperclassmen really need to embrace the change, and the guys on this team have done that,” says Marshall. “They have helped make the transition much easier, and have welcomed the challenge of having so many new teammates.”

Says senior and team captain Eric Nelson, “It’s been fun this year. Although the task of leading such a young group may seem overwhelming at times, they have made it somewhat easy. They all are hard workers, and for the most part stay out of trouble. I like to lead by example and hopefully I am setting one that is easy to follow. When you’re winning, leading is easy, however, when you’re losing such as we were early on, it becomes even more important for a team like we have to come together and believe that we can accomplish our goals. Everyone came together and we were able to put a winning streak together. The rest remains to be seen in the playoffs and what kind of noise we can create there.”

The team will soon face their biggest test of the season at the Atlantic Hockey Tournament. Their recent success has lifted them from near the bottom of the league standings to sixth place, but they will most likely face at least one team who has given them trouble this year, having recorded no wins against the top three teams in the league. But the group shares the attitude of Nelson, and hope to be able to continue their recent trend.

We tread on some rocky ground in the middle of the season,” said Scherer, “but now we sort of look at ourselves as the dark horse going into playoffs. It’s a three-game season now, and whoever peaks at the right time is going to come out on top.”