2004-05 Quinnipiac Season Preview

October 3, 2004

Despite the fact that the 2003-04 season came to an abrupt end in the Atlantic Hockey quarterfinals, the Quinnipiac University men’s ice hockey team could find some solace knowing that it maintained its place with some of the nation’s elite programs.

By virtue of their 15-14-6 mark, the Bobcats clinched their eighth straight winning season and sixth in a row at the Division I level. The only other schools to match that current feat are Maine, Michigan, Michigan State and New Hampshire.

However, even with the days of a new league affiliation and a new arena on the horizon, the Bobcats are focused on making their final season in Atlantic Hockey a memorable one – with a concluding stop in the NCAA tournament.

“I think that we were disappointed about the year that we had,” said head coach Rand Pecknold, who enters his 11th season behind the bench in 2004-05. “Certainly, there were positives, but I think that we underachieved. We will use that as motivation. We want to go out (of Atlantic Hockey) on a high note and finish with a bang.”

Forwards:

Returning/Lost: 12/4

Newcomers: 6

“A key to our season is that we need to score goals. We dropped from 139 goals to 87 last year. That’s too big of a drop-off. We need to get an increase in our offensive output.” - Pecknold

The offensive firepower that had been evident in each of the first five seasons of Division I hockey was nonexistent for most of the 2003-04 season. A combination of injuries and offensive slumps resulted in a campaign in which the Bobcats scored nearly one and a half goals less than the year prior.

Seven players scored more than 25 points in 2002-03. Not a single Bobcat matched that feat a year ago.

However, with a healthy, experienced group up front, Quinnipiac will look to return to its old ways this season.

Four seniors will play a crucial role in that process. Matt Craig enters his final season just three points shy of becoming the 23rd player in school history to reach the 100 point plateau.

After a 41 point sophomore season which saw him earn First-Team All-League honors, Craig battled through several nagging injuries and dropped to a team-best 25 points last season. However, he did register four game-winning markers and has developed into one of the best all-around players in Atlantic Hockey.

The story is also much of the same for Matt Froehlich, Chris White and Craig Falite.

Froehlich jumped from three goals in his rookie season to a league-best 21 as a sophomore. However, he dipped back down to 10 markers a year ago en route to a 22 point finish.

A physical presence in front of the net with a deft scoring touch, Froehlich looks to boost his offensive numbers again this year.

White needs just 22 points to reach the 100 point mark for his career. He scored 29 points as a sophomore, but dropped by 10 points last season. Still, with an average campaign in 2004-05, he should join an elite group.

Falite was one of the league’s breakout players in 2002-03 when he boosted his point total from five to 19. Last season, he finished with 13 points in 35 games, numbers that were down from the year before.

“If you look at Matt Craig, Matt Froehlich, Craig Falite and Chris White, all four of them had a significant drop-off last year,” Pecknold said. “I envision them getting back to the levels that they were at during their sophomore seasons.”

Three other seniors will also be in the hunt for regular ice time. Bobby Acropolis, Jack Devaney and Rob Hammel have all shown flashes of scoring prowess from time to time.

Acropolis has been injury-riddled throughout his first three years, but looks to shake that bug in his final season. Devaney broke into the lineup midway through last season after transferring from Fairfield University and finished with eight points on the year. Hammel has also battled health issues during his first three seasons, but is a physical player who can provide energy.

A talented group of five returning juniors will be looked upon to support the efforts of the senior class both in terms of production and leadership. Each of the five has provided punch now and again, but will now be needed to score on a consistent basis.

Michael Bordieri came into camp a season ago with hopes of building on a fine rookie season. Instead, that plan was quickly halted thanks to a season-ending injury in the opener against American International. With nearly a full year of recovery time, Bordieri hopes to add to a 12 point freshman campaign.

Ty Deinema was named the team’s captain during the off-season after a solid sophomore season in which he finished with eight points. However, his leadership skills became more and more evident as the year wore on. Following the graduation of Mark Hallam, Deinema became the club’s choice to wear the captain’s letter.

One of the team’s grittiest players, Joe Dumais has become a giant killer of sorts with his physical play. Standing just 5-foot-7, his penchant for delivering crushing checks has echoed across to some of the nation’s top programs. Offensively, he boosted his figures from six to eight points in 2003-04 and will look to keep that upward trend in place this year.

John Kelly was one of the Bobcats most dependable forwards a year ago, scoring 12 points. His work on the defensive end and on the penalty kill did not go unnoticed. In addition, Kelly played in all 35 games despite various injuries that threatened to end that streak.

Aaron Ludwig has maintained his goal scoring consistency in each of his first two campaigns, netting seven tallies as a freshman and as a sophomore. Also a solid penalty killer, he will be looked upon to increase that number into double digits this year.

Pecknold also recruited a fine crop of forwards to inject some added goal totals. The group includes five freshmen – Mark Agnew, Jamie Bates, Steve Eastman, Ben Nelson and Mark Van Vliet. Peter Alden, a transfer from the University of Massachusetts (Hockey East) will also be eligible to suit up at the conclusion of the fall semester.

“I’m really excited about the freshman forwards that we brought in,” Pecknold said. “They are all going to contribute in different ways. Peter Alden also brings a completely different element to our club with his size, skill and skating ability.”

Agnew played with Fargo (NAHL) a season ago and ranked sixth in the league in scoring and second in assists after posting 61 points (17 goals, 44 assists) in 55 games played.

Bates put up fine numbers with the Wexford Raiders (Ontario Jr. A) last season, scoring 57 points (22 goals, 35 assists) in 47 games.

Eastman was a member of St. Louis in the United States Hockey League last season and scored 30 points (13 goals, 17 assists) in 56 games.

Nelson was one of the top snipers in the British Columbia Hockey League last season. He finished 20th in the league in scoring and fourth in goals after a 79 point (43 goals, 36 assists) campaign. He also tallied 19 goals with the man advantage.

Van Vliet joins the Bobcats from the same junior team – Stratford Cullitons – as new teammate Matt Craig. Last year, Van Vliet tore up his league with 100 points (49 goals, 51 assists) in just 48 games played.

Alden played in 32 games for the Minutemen during the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons. As a freshmen, he was a regular in the UMass lineup and helped the Minutemen to their first-ever berth in the Hockey East semifinals. Prior to that, he played junior hockey with the Capital District Selects (EJHL) and was a league All-Star in 2001-02.

Defenseman

Returning/Lost: 5/3

Newcomers: 3

“On paper at the start of the year, this is the best group of eight defensemen that we have ever had. They are all going to push for playing time. It’s a good problem to have.” – Pecknold

The Quinnipiac blueliners played a key role in allowing opposing teams just 2.47 goals a game a season ago – the best single-season mark since moving to Division I. Five veterans are back from that unit, while three newcomers will look to break into the lineup immediately.

Tom Watkins is the lone senior in the group. The consummate defensive defenseman, he has played in 107 out of a possible 111 career games. Watkins will also serve as assistant captain for the second straight year this season.

Two juniors – Dan Rossi and Joe Testa – return with considerable experience under their belts. Each has skated a regular shift in their first two seasons with the Bobcats. A season ago, each player netted five points on the season. Testa will be looking to get back to full strength after suffering a season-ending injury in mid-February.

The return of two sophomores also provides a boost to the defensive unit. Reid Cashman made an immediate impact last season en route to Second-Team All-Atlantic Hockey honors. He finished with 21 points, including a team-best 19 assists, last year.

Troy Maleyko also stepped right into the Quinnipiac lineup last year and played in 31 games. A fiery competitor who is not afraid to play the body, he scored four points a season ago.

“Watty needs to have a big year and anchor the blueline for us,” Pecknold said. “He needs to be the great defensive defenseman and set the tone for the three freshmen.

“Cashman and Maleyko both had solid freshman years and we need them to build on that. Rossi and Testa both need to continue to develop. We are hoping that they can step up and have big years.”

The three freshman newcomers in the group are Nick Barnych, Dan Lefort and Matt Sorteberg.

Barnych arrives from the Jr. Coyotes (EJHL), where he was one of the club’s top blueliners. Last season, he scored 11 points in 35 games and posted a stellar +18 rating.

Lefort was a teammate of Jamie Bates with the Wexford Raiders and played a key role on both ends of the ice. He scored 43 points (12 goals, 31 assists) in just 46 games last season.

Sorteberg, a highly touted Minnesota scholastic product, was one of his state’s top defenseman at Anoka High. He finished his senior year ranked among the top 225 North American players by the National Hockey League’s Central Scouting Bureau after a campaign which saw him score 38 points (25 goals, 13 assists).

“I’m really excited about the three freshmen defensemen that we brought in,” Pecknold said. “They are really three different types of players, but I think that all three of them can make an impact as freshmen.”

Goaltenders

Returning/Lost: 1/2

Newcomers: 2

“Jamie Holden has just had a great career so far and we’re looking forward to him finishing it off with the same type of performance he’s had over the previous three years. I’m also very happy with the two kids (Josh Siembida and Brian Papcun) that we’ve brought in to replace Justin Eddy.” – Pecknold

As usual, the situation between the pipes isn’t really much of a concern for Pecknold and his staff. While the three-year tandem of Jamie Holden and Justin Eddy has ceased due to the latter’s graduation and ascent to the professional ranks, Holden is more than ready to finish his collegiate career with a flourish.

Already the single-season and career record holder at Quinnipiac in goals against average and save percentage, Holden is coming off a 2003-04 campaign which saw him earn First-Team All-Atlantic Hockey honors. He finished 11-8-3 with a 2.32 goals against average and a .932 save percentage.

His efforts off the ice, which also included the 2004 Atlantic Hockey Scholar Athlete of the Year award, were also just as impressive.

Holden needs 21 wins in his senior season to claim the last record of note in the books – the career win total. J.C. Wells currently has 59 career wins, while Holden has 39 to date.

The graduation of Eddy resulted in the addition of two talented newcomers for the 2004-05 season.

Josh Siembida already has parts of two seasons as a starter at the Division I level under his belt. During the 2001-02 and 2002-03 campaigns, he was a starter at the University of North Dakota (WCHA). Siembida went 17-10-1 in his two years with the Fighting Sioux, but left Grand Forks for junior hockey last year.

During his one season with Wichita Falls (NAHL), he posted a 19-10-4 mark with a 2.93 goals against average.

Brian Papcun played with Lone Star (NAHL) last season and posted a 10-7-1 mark in 19 outings. He also registered a 2.41 goals against average and a .916 save percentage.

In all, it figures to be an interesting battle for minutes this season.

“I expect Jamie to be not only one of the top goalies in our league, but in the country,” Pecknold said. “Josh has Division I games under his belt and has Division I success under his belt. We also feel that Brian can compete for playing time.”

The Schedule

After assessing a treacherous slate a year ago that featured the likes of Michigan, Wisconsin, Providence and Ohio State, the Bobcats have created another competitive schedule in 2004-05.

Among the elite programs on the docket this year are Maine, Colorado College and Dartmouth.

The Bobcats will open the season with the ninth annual Quinnipiac Cup. The host school will look to claim its seventh title overall and has won four consecutive crowns. The United States Air Force Academy, American International and Bentley College round out the field.

The following week, Quinnipiac returns the trip out west for a pair of games. The Bobcats will take on national power Colorado College for one tilt and Air Force for one contest.

Quinnipiac heads back east for its first of what will be many games with future ECAC member Dartmouth. The Bobcats and Big Green will play twice a year beginning with the 2005-06 campaign. However, this will be the first-ever meeting between the two clubs.

As the calendar turns to November, a non-conference series at 2004 NCAA participant Niagara University is on tap. The Bobcats will travel to upstate New York for a pair of games during the second weekend of the month.

In December, Quinnipiac welcomes first-year program Robert Morris of the CHA to the Northford Ice Pavilion for two games.

The Bobcats close non-league play with one game at 2004 national runner-up Maine on January 9. Quinnipiac and Maine have played in four of the six seasons.

“Maine is just a great atmosphere and we look forward to going up there,” Pecknold said. “Colorado College is a perennial power in college hockey. Dartmouth is going to be a great precursor to ECAC action the following year.

“Robert Morris is a brand new program and we want to help them out with games their first year just as teams did for us when we moved up to Division I seven years ago. Then we have some teams that we’ve played in the past such as Niagara and Air Force.”