2005-06 ACCOMPLISHMENTS GIVE HOPE FOR 2006-07 SEASON
From nearly every standpoint, the 2005-06 SCSU men's hockey season was an unquestioned success. Defying the odds, the team clawed it's way back to the championship game of the WCHA Final Five. A 13-7-2 record after December 1 included wins over ranked opponents Colgate, Denver, North Dakota (sweep on the road) and Colorado College. Entering the playoffs, it wasn't easy - they began with two wins on the road vs a favored Colorado College team. In St. Paul, a gutsy win buoyed by strong goaltending vs UMD in the WCHA FF play-in game led to a classic battle vs the University of Minnesota with the Huskies earning an 8-7 OT win in a rare show of offense. The game winner by St. Cloud native Matt Hartman assisted by another local product, Nate Raduns of Sauk Rapids sent the Gopher fans scurrying for the exits unbeknown to them at at the time that it was the beginning of the end of their playoff run for 2005-06. After six games in nine days, the Huskies laced up the skates - again, to battle for the Broadmoor Trophy but succumbed to the University of North Dakota, an eventual 2005-06 Frozen Four finalist 5-3. Bobby Goepfert who thrived in big game situations the entire season yielded two goals within a 15 second span of the first period and the Huskies never quite recovered as the game ended their season.
Bobby Goepfert, the transfer from Providence College brought in by former coach Craig Dahl played the key role in the 22-16-4 season. A big play goaltender who also provided comic relief to a team transitioning to a new coach after a surprise departure of Craig Dahl in August of 2005, he led the team to a 3-2 record vs UND, 2-1 vs Minnesota and a split with Denver during Motzko's first season. Senior, Brock Hooton, an unlikely offensive star suddenly came alive during the playoffs and combined tremendous stamina with outstanding defensive play and netted 4 goals and 2 assists in the final three games. His size, speed , ability to play the defensive game and newly found knack to score provided future hope for a legitimate shot with the Ottawa Senators of the NHL. Hooton along with Nate Dey and Nate Raduns were the forwards that were counted upon heavily the entire season to shut down the opponents and that they did as the Huskies finished second in the league to national champs Wisconsin in overall team defense and 10th in the country with 2.36 goals per game. Goepfert was showered with honors during his record breaking season as he earned WCHA first team goaltender honors, ACHA West All -American third team All-American by Inside College Hockey and ALL USCHO honorable mention. He ended the season second in the league on GAA (2.20), tied for second in save % (.924) an broke Dean Weasler's record for season GAA. Joe Jensen, a solid four-year player cracked the 100 point club in his final game and captured the all-time team record for game winning goals with 13.
Academically, it was a record season for the studious Huskies as they placed 16 players on the WCHA All-Academic squad and placed two players- Nate Raduns and Matt Stephenson on the 2006 WCHA Scholar Athlete squad.
Underclassmen contributed heavily in 2005-06 with sophomore Andrew Gordon, a Washington Capitals draft choice leading the team offensively with 20-20-40 and a +19 plus/minus ranking. Nate Dey and Nate Raduns excelled defensively and were matched up the entire year against some of the top lines and players in the league. As a junior, Casey Borer was placed in a leadership role as captain and responded nicely playing in all 42 games and finishing +11. Sophomore, Matt Hartman and UMD transfer and Junior, Dan Kronick contributed 21 goals on a team desperate for scoring. Defenseman, Aaron Brocklelhurst pitched in 23 points and played in all but one game and finished +7.
In a season that saw SCSU bid farewell to longtime coach Craig Dahl, new head coach Bob Motzko hit the ground running snaring several top-flight recruits and leading the team to the championship game of the WCHA Final Five. He also earned a number of awards his first season including WCHA Co-Coach of the Year , INCH National Coach of the Year and a finalist for the Spencer Penrose National Coach of the Year. In other words, the team is in good hands.
Departing seniors included Billy Hengen, a solid four-year player who finished tied for second in team scoring with 32 points. Assistant Captain, Konrad Reeder who rebounded in 2005-06 for his best offensive output ever with 11-16-27 finished fourth on the squad in scoring. TJ McElroy, the ultimate on-ice warrior logged 33 games and pitched in 3 goals in the process. Jason Montgomery saw limited time in goal playing in six games but had healthy 2.47 and .925 goaltender stats. Michigan Tech transfer Josh Singer was hampered by offseason surgery and simply never got untracked in a season of only three games.
A LOOK TO THE FUTURE
Coach Motzko and assistants Fred Harbinson and Eric Rudd have hit the recruiting trail hard and are intent on fielding a smaller, quicker, skilled team at forward. At defense, it'll be a mixture of size and skill with an emphasis on a quick transition game.
Goaltenders:
With Bobby Goepfert back in 2006-07, the Huskies have one of the top backstoppers in all of college hockey. The pre-season All-America pick will carry the load in goal and will be spelled on occassion by newcomer, Jase Weslosky (St. Albert, Alberta). Senior to be Tim Boron made his decision in the summer to forgo his final year and play minor pro hockey. Weslosky is young with loads of potential and was rated 14th among the top 30 No. American goalies by Central Scouting. Also backing up Goepfert will be B.J. O'Brien a 6" 170 pound goaltender from Lakeville, MN who played for Fargo-Moorhead in the NAHL in 2005-06.
Defense:
Strong, with a good mix of veterans and newcomers. Casey Borer leads a group of seasoned DE-men that was one of the stingiest in goals against in SCSU history. Granted, Bobby Goepfert contributed heavily but it was still a team effort as the Huskies outshot their opponents 1414 to 1233, held them to less than 100 goals over the season and was one of the least penalized teams in the nation. The defensive crew returns five players (Borer, Stephenson, Brockelhurst, Fletcher, Clafton) that logged nearly every game this past season and newcomer David Carlisle who proved he fits in nicely within the Motzko defensive scheme. The team also has the luxury of Grant Clafton, as much of a utility player as you can get, that gives them the versatility of an extra forward as needed. Chris Anderson saw less ice time in 2005-06 but the coaching staff likes his work ethic and defensive play and he should log increased ice time in 2006-07. They've added a three year USHL veteran in Garrett Raboin (Detroit Lakes, MN) who will offer toughness, blue-collar play and some scoring punch from the get go. BCHL veteran Craig Gaudet (Revers, Sask) was a teammate of forward Mike Olson and will add offense and a point man on the power play from either the left or right side. Recruit, Jon Ammermann, from Moorhead, MN will be thrown into the mix as well.
Forwards:
The Huskies lose 118 points from departures at forward. So, the question is how much scoring can be expected in 2006-07 and by whom? Andrew Gordon had an outstanding offensive season as he led the team in scoring and he should be right there again in 2006-07. The keys will be how much scoring can be squeezed out of upperclassmen Dan Kronick and Nate Raduns who are next in line on the scoring chart. Matt Hartman, Nate Dey and Marty Mjelleli can and need to bust out offensively in their junior seasons. Sophomore's to be Mike Olson and John Swanson logged significant ice time in their freshman year and can bury the puck. Olson is a great team leader and will work on his speed this summer. If Swanson impoves his strength and drive to the net he can bury the puck. The coaches have recruited scoring potential in Ryan Lasch and Andreas Nodl but it will have to be seen how much of an impact these players will have their first year in the tough and skilled WCHA.
