2002 Season Outlook
9/20/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Sept. 20, 2002
After finishing third in the MAAC last season and reaching the semi-finals of the conference tournament, the Sacred Heart Pioneers hope to go to the next level and take the MAAC by storm in 2003.
The Pioneers finished the 2001-02 seasons with a 16-14-4 overall record and 15-8-3 mark in conference play. Seeded fourth in the post-season MAAC Tournament, Sacred Heart beat Canisius in overtime at home to advance to the semi-finals, losing to Quinnipiac in Worcester, MA.
The Pioneer offense took a heavy blow, as all four of the last year's graduating seniors were forwards. The good news is that senior assistant captain Martin Paquet is back and capable of picking up some of the slack. Paquet is now 13 goals away from leading all Pioneers in career goals scored. He led the team in scoring last year for the third straight season.
Senior Richard Naumann will wear the "C" as captain this season, coming off a 19-point campaign a year ago. Head coach Shaun Hannah expects senior Lloyd Tennant, and juniors Marc-Andre Fournier, Chuck Metcalfe, and Mike Reagan to pick up their production this year. He also looks for sophomores Garrett Larson and Barclay Folk to play a greater role in this season's offense. Newcomers Peter Giatrelis, Andrew Billinghurst, Erik Roos, Rocco Molinaro, and Brad Holland will also look to jump into the lineup.
The defensive core remains intact and is led by senior Les Hrapchak. Hrapchak has put up impressive numbers the last three years and was fourth in the MAAC in scoring last season. Les is backed up by seniors Konn Hawkes and Nick Nutcher, and sophomore Ryan Bremner. Newcomer Brnie Chmiel brings an impressive junior hockey career to a strong defensive unit.
In the net, the Pioneers are confident in the play of returning senior Eddy Ferhi. Poised to break several records, Ferhi has turned out successive stellar years. Coach Hannah will look for sophomore Kevin Lapointe to continue to improve this season, with an eye on the future.
The Pioneers have an ambitious schedule, opening their season on the road in Minnesota with non-conference games against Bemidji State on Oct. 18 and 19. The first home game will be against Army on Nov. 8.
Sacred Heart will travel to face Colgate out of the ECAC on Oct. 25 and 26, and Miami (OH) on Feb 21 and 22. The team will wait to face off against defending champion Quinnipiac until later in the season, hoping to send a message for the post-season.
The Pioneers also have two games scheduled at Harbor Yard Arena this season in two MAAC doubleheaders. The first of those will be against the University of Connecticut on Nov. 15, and the second against cross-town rival Fairfield University on Mar. 7.
