Hobart College Hockey Head Coach Mark Taylor recently announced that seniors Bronson Kovacs (Sault Ste Marie, Ontario), Terrence O’Neill (Kearny, N.J.) and Peter Ryan (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.)will serve as team captains, while juniors Mac Olson (Grosse Pointe, Mich.) and Ben Gamache (Longlac, Ontario) will be alternate captains for the 2014-15 season.
This year’s captains were announced to the team by Pierre McGuire ’83, a Hobart hockey alumnus and Emmy award-winning sports correspondent during a recent visit to campus.
“Over their careers here, all of these guys have distinguished themselves as leaders in the classroom, at practices, in games and especially in their pursuit of expectations for the success of this team,” said Taylor.
An alternate captain last season, Kovacs posted 14 points on six goals and eight assists. He ranked seventh in the ECAC West in defenseman scoring and was second on the team and tied for sixth in the conference with five power-play goals. Kovacs also finished the season tied for ninth in the league with 11 power-play points. He produced the game-winning goal in a 5-2 victory over Salve Regina.
Also an alternate captain in 2013-14, Terrence O’Neill saw time in 21 games last winter, posting three goals and 10 assists for 13 points. The All-ECAC West first team honoree ranked eighth in the league in defenseman scoring and was tied for sixth in the conference with two short-handed points. O’Neill registered the game-winning goal 56 seconds into overtime in a 3-2 victory at Elmira. He tallied three assists in a 5-1 victory over Manhattanville. O’Neill was selected the ECAC West Rookie of the Year in 2012.
Ryan, also a 2013-14 alternate captain, played in all 27 games last year. He chipped in two goals and two assists for four points. Ryan scored the Statesmen’s first goal in a 3-2 overtime win at Elmira, and the very next day, he assisted on the game-winning goal for a 5-4 overtime victory in Pine Valley. Ryan, Kovacs and O’Neill led the Hobart defensive unit that posted seven shutouts last winter. The Statesmen ranked second in the league in scoring defense (2.85 ga/gm) and first on the penalty kill (83.3%).
A forward and All-ECAC West second team selection, Olson led the Statesmen with 27 points and 15 goals, appearing in all 27 games last season. He also chipped in 12 assists and notched three game-winning goals, including the game winner nine seconds into overtime against then No. 7 Williams in the Buck Supply Winter Classic. Olson finished the season sharing the ECAC West lead in goals, tied for third in game-winning goals and short-handed goals (2), tied for sixth in short-handed points (2) and tied for seventh in points. He was tabbed the ECAC West Rookie of the Year in 2013.
Also a forward, Gamache ranked second on the team with 25 points on 10 goals and 15 assists. He garnered All-ECAC West honorable mention last year. Gamache led the Statesmen with seven power-play goals and added two game-winning goals. He capped the season ranked second in the ECAC West in power-play goals, third in power-play points (17), tied for third in short-handed points (3), tied for seventh in game-winning goals, tied for 11th in points, tied for 12th in assists, and tied for 13th in goals.
“I feel really fortunate this year to have a team that has a good number of individuals that are experienced and respected leaders, both those who wear letters now and those who may not,” said Taylor. “This was very evident in the off-ice training this fall. It was one of our best preseasons and I think that speaks volumes of the entire team and of the leadership within it.”
The Statesmen will begin the 2014-15 season on Friday, Oct. 31, when they travel to take on Brockport in a non-league game at 7 p.m.
