Looking Good

I was able to get to the men's hockey opener tonight against UMass-Lowell, and boy was I in for a treat! The Raiders manhandled the Riverhawks by the tune of 6-2. Having followed Colgate hockey for some time, tonight was the best I've seen a Colgate team look before the holidays. It was exciting to see.

Some highlights and thoughts:

-Mark Dekanich probably won't be a huge question mark in goal for long. He was solid throughout the contest. In the right place at the right time and not a lot of rebounds for second opportunities for UMass.

-There is a ton of offense on the ice. Six points and our top two scorers didn't get a goal. We've probably got at least six legitimate threats with the puck so far: Both Smyths, Burton, Campaner, Wilson and Fulton. More should emerge too; Tataryn could be the next one to take his game up a notch.

-This freshman class looks goooooood. They all played, and they didn't play like freshman. Torti and St. Pierre in particular stood out. I'm loving scholarships right now.

-The physical condition of the team looked great. They had more juice in their legs than UMass. These guys are in shape.

I'm crossing my fingers that this team keeps up this level of play throughout the year. These early games are important, so getting that first win for the new crew and for Dekanich - especially against the #16 team in the nation - is huge. This could be a good season hockey fans.