Sports
Men’s hockey begins season with new faces, same goals
The Pointer
Dneck184@uwsp.edu
The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point men’s hockey team defeated Northland College on the road last Saturday with a decisive 6-1 victory in their first game of the season. They will play their first Northern Collegiate Hockey Association conference game against the College of St. Scholastica this week in their home opener.
Last year the team captured a 15-10 record, the most wins for the program since 2002, only to fall to conference rival St. Norbert College in the playoffs.
Head coach Wil Nichol felt good about the winning season, but was unsatisfied with the team’s playoff performance.
“We took a big step last year, but it wasn’t enough,” Nichol said. “We talk about winning championships here, and we didn’t do that.”
Nichol said that this year’s team is full of fresh faces. The team lost 12 seniors after last season, and has 14 freshmen skating this year. He said that although they are all very talented, they’ll need more than that to succeed.
“I think we have tremendous talent, which is promising and exciting. But talent doesn’t win championships, and it doesn’t win games,” Nichol said.
He emphasized the importance of the program’s tradition and expectations for success.
“I put a lot on my veteran players and I try to teach them to be mentors each year,” Nichol said. “So right now our freshmen are learning the Pointer way, and by the time they’re juniors and seniors it’ll be their turn.”
Senior defenseman Tom Upton said that the leadership of coach Nichol has been crucial to the team’s success.
“Every year since coach Nichol has been here, it’s gotten better and better,” Upton said.
Upton said the summer workouts helped to keep the team together in the offseason.
“His offseason workout is demanding, but we need it,” Upton said. “Once we get back to the school, we run as a team every morning at 6 a.m. with our coach.”
Upton said the new freshmen will be good for the team not only because of their talent, but their conduct off the ice as well.
“They’re all really good players, and off the ice, they’re really good guys,” Upton said. “We’re not going to win with a bunch of idiots. You need good guys who get along together, and that’s definitely the case here.”
Upton looks forward to a demanding, physical game in their conference opener against St. Scholastica.
“Last year they were ranked second in the country for most of the year. They’re going to get ugly and they’re going to hit hard all night,” Upton said. “They’re a well-rounded team, and they work hard just like every other team in this league.”
The Pointers will play the St. Scholastica Saints from Duluth, Minn. in their first home game this Friday, Oct. 30, at 7:30 p.m. at the K.B. Willett Arena. UWSP will again face St. Scholastica on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 7:30 p.m. at the same place.
