ELMIRA, N.Y. — After making a run to the inaugural United Collegiate Hockey Conference Championship (UCHC) a year ago, the Elmira College men’s hockey program enters the 2018-19 season with one goal in mind; to capture a UCHC championship.
With a veteran-laden roster that features 24 returners, including CCM/AHCA Second-Team All-American Nick Ford ’20, the Purple and Gold are locked and loaded heading into the 2018-19 season. After making a surprise run to the UCHC championship game as the No. 5 seed in 2017-18, the Soaring Eagles are primed for another deep playoff push. The Soaring Eagles will no longer be an unknown quantity in the national conversation, thanks to the five wins they earned over nationally-ranked opponents a year ago.
“I don’t think we’re sneaking up on anybody this year,” said Head Coach Aaron Saul ’98. “I think the word is out that we have everybody coming back and that we’re a pretty decent team.”
Tasked with another challenging schedule this season, Saul, now in his 10th season as head coach at his alma mater, believes the Purple and Gold are ready to rise to the challenge. On Monday, the UCHC office announced that Elmira was elected the second-best team in the league, as voted on by head coaches from around the conference in the annual UCHC Preseason Coaches’ Poll. The only team ahead of EC in the poll is the defending conference champion, Utica, which knocked off the Soaring Eagles in the title game despite losing both regular-season meetings by identical 5-1 scores.
“Our expectation is to be in the championship this year,” Saul stated. “We caught fire in the second half last year, and we knew we had a good team, but we weren’t really showing it early. When we finally started playing the way we could, winning those games on the road and in the playoffs really helped our confidence.”
“With all those guys coming back, there’s no reason we can’t get back to the championship game.”
Forwards
The Soaring Eagles’ vaunted attack returns the majority of its firepower after graduating one player from last season in Mitch Atkins ’18. Elmira’s top line is back to wreak havoc on opposing defenses, as Ford, Connor Powell ’20 and Matthew Cuce ’20 are set to pace the Purple and Gold’s offense once again. The trio finished with 50, 44 and 39 points, respectively, a year ago, forming one of the most dynamic lines in the nation. All three ranked in the top-25 nationally in points per game, with Ford’s per-game average of 1.79 points placing him second among all skaters.
“The first forward line is a special group,” Saul said. “They work so well together, it’s like they’ve been playing together their whole careers even though they’re from three different states. They gel really well; you have three very unique players and their talents mesh very well together. Obviously, they’re a special group, and we just try to play them as much as we can and just let them go. We’re excited that they’re coming back and they’re more focused and ready to go. They really want to win together.”
Behind the three-headed monster on the first line, the Soaring Eagles have a wealth of experienced options to deploy. Two of the team’s three assistant captains, Chris Moses ’19 and Brent Lafayette ’19, return as the most seasoned members of EC’s forward corps, having appeared in a combined 123 games. The senior linemates will look to continue to provide leadership as the Purple and Gold look to begin their march back to the UCHC championship game. Joining the pair of seniors in sporting an “A” this season is the hard-hitting Anthony Parrucci ’20, who will look to continue his upward-trending point production after logging a career-best 17 points as a sophomore.
“Our assistant captains are our role guys,” Saul added. “They’re our lifeblood; they bring a lot of energy. They come to the rink, and they work hard every day, and I think just their work ethic alone rubs off on a lot of guys. There’s no quit in them; they give it everything they have at every opportunity. They’re a great example of people who lead by example, and they do it every day.”
Spencer MacLean ’20 finished as the team’s fourth-leading goal scorer a year ago after tallying a career-high 11 goals and will look to increase that production as a junior. Fellow juniors Patrick Schmelzinger ’20 and Andrew Pucci ’20 will add even more veteran depth to the forward group.
Joe Smith ’21, Justin Robertson ’21 and Aleksi Ojala ’21 are all aiming to take a step forward in their second year with the Purple and Gold. Ojala tallied three points in 10 appearances after transferring to EC at the winter break, and the Finnish product is poised for a breakout year.
A trio of freshman round out the forward grouping. Ross Bartlett ’22, Marty Kapoian ’22, and Matthew Stewart ’22 will each be looking to make an impact in their first year as Soaring Eagles. Kapoian brings a dynamic scoring touch to the Soaring Eagles after averaging over a point per game in 92 career outings with the Philadelphia Revolution of the Eastern Hockey League (EHL). Bartlett – the younger brother of team captain Blake O’Neill – flashed playmaking ability with the Ogden Mustangs of the Western States Hockey League (WSHL), posting 104 points (41g-63a) last winter. In his final season of juniors, Stewart earned EHL All-Star honors as a member of the Total Athletic Seahawks.
“Kapoian, Stewart, and Bartlett are three really competitive and hungry guys up front,” Saul said. “I think they’re going to have an impact eventually, but they’re just getting their feet wet to college hockey. It does take time for some of those guys, but we’re really excited for what we’ve seen so far.”
Defense
The Soaring Eagles return all eight defensemen from last year’s roster, creating a solid blue line rotation for Saul to lean on to shut down opposing offenses. Blake O’Neill ’19 headlines the group and will don the captain’s “C” for second straight season. The Fort Myers, Florida, native ranked second among all defenseman last season with a career-high 12 points (4g-8a) and produced a plus-10 rating while consistently skating against opponents’ top lines.
“Blake is a professional and a perfectionist,” Saul said. “Everything he does on and off of the ice, he wants to do to the best of his ability. There is no fooling around when it comes to Blake O’Neill. He is very serious about everything that he does, and he puts a lot of work into it. He holds guys accountable, and that’s great for us. He’s been one of the best leaders we’ve had over the last 10 years, and I’m excited to see what he can do his senior year.”
Ryan Blais ’21 returns for his sophomore season after pacing all EC defenseman with 22 points (2g-20a), the highest point total for an Elmira blueliner since former All-American Karl Linden ’11 tallied 29 points in the 2008-09 season. The Woonsocket, Rhode Island, native ranked fourth on the team with a plus-12 point differential, showcasing his two-way play. Blais and O’Neill combined for one of the most formidable blue line pairings in the entirety of the UCHC a year ago and will look to duplicate that performance again this season.
Spencer Carter ’20, Harry Kramer ’20, and Calvin Hughson ’19 all return for their third go-round with the Soaring Eagles and will look to provide a veteran edge at the blue line. Kramer appeared in all 28 games last season and finished the year with nine points (2g-7a). Carter and Hughson will provide much-needed depth for the Purple and Gold after appearing in 23 and 21 games, respectively.
A trio of sophomores in Dan Smith ’21, Jamie Dorsey ’21 and Adam Eby ’21 are all aiming to make an impact in 2018-19. Eby ranked behind only Blais in games played by a freshman a year ago, making 23 appearances and finishing with five assists. Dorsey and Smith saw limited time on the ice, but Dorsey flashed two-way potential by logging three points (1g-2a) in 10 games.
Joining the fray on Elmira’s defense this season are Nick Grinvalds ’22 and Matthew Cousino ’22. The pair adds significant depth for the Purple and Gold while adjusting to the rigors of collegiate hockey. A Parsippany, New Jersey, native, Grinvalds spent the last two seasons with the Boston Jr. Rangers of the EHL, amassing 32 regular-season points (10g-22a) with an All-Star nod last winter. Cousino, a 6-foot, 180-pound defender, most recently helped the New Jersey Hitmen of the U.S. Premier Hockey League’s National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC) reach the playoffs.
“I think the two defensemen, Grinvalds and Cousino, they both have gotten off to a great start and provide depth, which we need in our lineup,” said Saul of the first-year defenders. “We lacked depth last year in the backend and bringing those guys in really impacts our depth for this season.”
Goaltenders
Saul has plenty of solid options to choose from in the crease this season, as the Purple and Gold look to build out from the net. The Soaring Eagles return all four members of their goalkeeping rotation from last season, creating a fierce battle for the starting job. Charl Pretorius’19, one of five seniors on the team, is the elder statesman of the group, which also features sophomores Gennaro Anzevino ’21, Jake Sabourin ’21, and Ben Fleischman ’21.
Anzevino and Sabourin split time in the crease a year ago, as Anzevino started in 16 contests and Sabourin made 11 starts, and both showcased brilliant shot-stopping ability. Anzevino, a UCHC All-Rookie Team selection, finished with an edge in goals-against-average (2.79) and save percentage (.910), and fared better in the win column with a 9-5-2 record. Sabourin was just behind his classmate with a 3.00 goals-against average, .907 save percentage and an even 5-5-1 record.
“The goaltending battle has been competitive,” Saul added. “I think both Anzevino and Sabourin were very good, competitive, really support each other and have two totally different styles. When we started winning the second half of the year, one played one game, and one played the next, and it was a good combination for us. It was great for them, and our team has confidence in both of those guys. It’s another battle again this season with two totally different styles, and I think it bodes well for us.”
Season Opener
The Soaring Eagles open the season with a big test, taking on No. 6 nationally-ranked Hobart in the first half of a home-and-home set on Friday, October 26, at 7:00 p.m. Friday night’s game is also a rematch of the 2017-18 season opener, in which Elmira shocked the Statesmen with a 3-2 overtime win on home ice. EC will look to open the new season with another statement victory against its longtime rival.
“With Hobart, they’re always good every year, and they had a great season last year,” Saul said. “It’s going to be two competitive games, and if we have the opportunity to win both that would be a tremendous start to our season. We’re going to take it one game at a time. We know how good Hobart is; they have some key players coming back as well, and it’s a great rivalry right down Route 14.”
Sixth-ranked Hobart presents a stiff challenge for the Soaring Eagles, with 21 players returning from last year’s team that won a New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) championship and qualified for the NCAA Tournament. The Statesmen have their five leading scorers back, including the team’s top point-getter, forward Jonas Toupal (15g-17a). All-American Tanner Shaw and NEHC Co-Rookie of the Year Mike Faulkner return to the Hobart defense as well.
Saul expects the Purple and Gold to rise to the occasion, as the team is hungry to continue the resurgence that it started last season.
“I think there are expectations for our team and that’s why guys choose Elmira College; they want to be one of the top programs in the country, and they want to compete every day,” Saul said.
