C
MARIAN HOCKEY
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IN FRONT OF THE MIC by ADAM HILL
ollege hockey is truly a unique sport, especially at the
division three level. Teams get a long break to go home
and see their friends and family back home. The Sabres
had a 37-day break from the action and I’m sure the players
are chomping at the bit to return to the ice this weekend. The
first half of the season had many ups and downs. I’m going to
highlight the ups of the first half of the season.
My first half MVP for the season is the hardest category for
me. This season the Sabres have had some pretty solid goaltending
with senior Josh Baker and freshman Mike Baldwin between the pipes.
Baker has stopped almost 92 percent of the shots he’s faced, and Baldwin has stopped 91
percent of the shots he’s faced. I seriously considered them for co-MVP. But my first half
MVP has to be senior Tyler Klein. He leads the team in goals scored and points. He has
eight goals and nine assists on the year. He has also provided the team with great senior
leadership. One of the moments that I’ll never forget is when Klein returned to UW-Superior
and netted a hat trick. His dad made a surprise visit to the game and he had a smile that
went ear to ear.
My best newcomer of the year was another tough choice for me. This year’s team
has a different look to it, and has lots of great new players. My choice for newcomer of the
year has to be freshman Brodie Jamieson. He has recorded two goals and six assists on the
season. Jamieson also leads the team in plus-minus at a plus-7.
My play of the year so far has to be freshman Derek Perl’s goal to tie the game late
against Adrian. There was just 47 seconds left in regulation, and Marian had already pulled
Mike Baldwin. AJ Aitken used his timeout to get the right play set up and to get the right
players on the ice. Senior Matt Williams won the draw back to Perl who whistled a monster
slap shot past goaltender James Hamby for the goal. The two teams would skate to a draw
and the Sabres would earn a tough point from the Bulldogs.
The funniest play of the year was freshman Adam Ritchie’s empty net goal against
MSOE. Ritchie hit one of the slowest shots in the history of hockey. The puck was moving in
slow motion like the end of an 80’s action movie. Two MSOE players whiffed on knocking
the puck down and it slowly rolled into the empty cage. We all had a huge laugh at that
goal on the bus ride back to Fond du Lac.
I’m really looking forward to the second half of the year. I think this team is poised to
make a run in the NCHA. The tough first half slate should help this team for the rest of the
season. The Sabres could be a very dangerous team in the second half. This team has the
right mix of veterans and youth. I also think that the long break has helped this team, and
we should be fresh and ready to win a lot of games.