By Warren Kozireski–
“Another blue-collar kid that you want on your team,” University of Massachusetts head coach and Spencer Penrose Award as National Coach of the Year winner Greg Carvel said about Setauket native and freshman forward Bobby Trivigno. “He’s 5’8″. I watch him weigh in. It’s always see if he got up to 150 (lb.) or not. That’s after every other kid is 200, 205. He jumps up there. I love him. He’s tough as nails, scores big goals, plays every situation.
“As coaches, there’s certain kids you want on your team. Bobby is one of those kids. Plays the game on edge. He knocks down as many guys of the opponents of anybody on our team every night. We’ll always start video on Monday showing good, physical hits. He’ll knock down three guys a game. He’s 5’8″, 148 pounds, scores goals, goes to the front of the net, does it all. We’re very fortunate to have him. Unbelievable player.”
The top scoring freshman on the Minutemen with 13 goals and 28 points scored a power play goal from his office in front of the net two minutes after Denver took a 1-0 lead in the Frozen Four semi-final; a game UMass won in overtime 4-3.
“When I’m in front of the net, it’s just take away the goalies’ eyes, try to bang in any rebounds and that particular play (senior forward Jacob Pritchard) “Pritch” shot the puck and I just tipped it into the goal and got lucky,” Trivigno said in the postgame locker room.
“When I’m in tight to the net I can use my speed, spin off players and it plays to my pros (strengths).”
Trivigno was fourth on the team in scoring and won an Anderson Cup as regular season champs last season with Waterloo in the USHL. Prior to that he spent three years starting at age 16 with the Shattuck St. Mary’s program winning a national title in 2016 with the Shattuck St. Mary’s U-16 team.
“My sister (Dana) went there before me; she was heavily recruited by them and I saw what success it brought her so I wanted to go there. (Dana was a captain as a senior at Boston College),” Trivigno said.
“While I was there it was a great experience, great culture, great coaches, teammates and you’re surrounded by players who want to do the exact same thing as you and when I got the opportunity, I wasn’t going to turn it down.”
Prior to that he played most of his youth career with the Long Island Royals program and one year prior to prep school with the P.E.L. Jr. Islanders.
Now UMass will try to deny Minnesota-Duluth a repeat championship.
“We’re super-excited, but we’re looking at it as just another game. We’ll rest, re-gen (regenerate) and be ready to play Saturday night.”
As this is written, the NCAA announced that Trivigno has been suspended for one game under the NCAA’s supplemental discipline process as a result of an incident that occurred during the third period of the Men’s Frozen Four semifinal game between Massachusetts and Denver.
The action was taken by the committee after a review of the incident, which occurred with 3:10 remaining in the third period, in which Trivigno made contact with the head of a Denver player.
