By Warren Kozireski —
With three reason remaining in the regular season, Colgate University was within one win of equally their total from all of last season. Three regulars on the blueline graduated, which opened a spot for New York City freshman Anthony Stark and he has stepped headlong into the fire missing only two of the team’s first 28 games.
“After being away, this was a chance for me to get closer to home where my parents and family could come see me play,” Stark said in early February. “My sisters are at Oswego, so not too far.
“For some reason there seems to be a need to small, right-shot defensemen lately.”
The 5’9”, 170lb. blueliner has four assists this season playing often on the third defensive pairing, but was still looking for his first collegiate goal as of Feb. 13.
He started hockey with the Westchester Vipers where he played for five years before jumping to renowned hockey factory Shattuck St. Mary’s in Minnesota for three years of prep school.
There he netted 20 goals with 78 points at three different levels in 147 games.
“I started late; didn’t start skating until I was about nine and, after five years in Westchester, it was time to make a decision about whether I was serious about this and my best friend, Aerin Frankel the Northeastern University starting goaltender, told me about Shattuck St. Mary’s so I went there.
“Then two years in the USHL before I got the opportunity to come here.”
He played ten games in the NAHL with Austin before getting an opportunity in the USHL with Madison where, after he committed to Colgate in October, he scored six times last season in 56 games.
Now he is making the needed adjustments to Division I college hockey.
“(It’s the) speed mostly and seeing how small the gap is between the best teams and everyone else. Learning how to close the gap between the forwards coming into the zone.”
It is a much-needed crash course as the Raiders will lose three more seniors to graduation after this season leaving Stark with another opportunity to step into the void.
