2008 Woodie Awards
New talent on LU men's hockey team appears promising
Ted Greeley
Issue date: 10/19/07 Section: Sports
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With 12 new faces added to the roster, Lawrence's men's hockey team will be a mix of old and new as they take the ice this season. Head coach Mike Szkodzinski comes into his second season with a host of new talent.
The Vikings will look to improve on the most successful season in team history, in which the Vikes went 13-14-2.
Szkodzinski brought in a host of new players to fill in the gaps left after the Vikes lost a strong senior class. The ice won't be the same without the size and shot of Kalle Larsson, work ethic and grit of David Olynyk or the solid play of Evan Thornton.
The loss of Joe Searl, who tied the single season goal record last year, and Andrew Isaac, three time all-conference goaltender, will also hit the team hard; but this is the nature of college sports, with the loss of seniors comes in the excitement of new recruits.
This season, the team welcomes 11 freshmen and a junior transfer. Among the recruits are three new goaltenders vying for the number one spot. Jimmy Ryan, Evan Johnson and Riley Stank will be in between the pipes.
Ryan, a junior transfer from New England College, posted a 2-0 record his freshman campaign with the Pilgrims. Johnson came to the Vikings from the New England Huskies of the Eastern Junior Hockey League.
Stank, a Wausau, Wis. native, arrived at Lawrence after playing for the Green Bay Gamblers Midget AAA team last season. His style has been compared to that of the great Denis Lemieux.
The Vikings look to incorporate freshmen Pat Brenner and Corey Garrett into a solid defensive core. Anchored by the veteran leadership of senior captain Josh Peterson, a three-time all-conference player, the solid play of Adam Brand and last year's midseason acquisition, Mike Ackley, the Vikes will look to shut down opposing teams' offense.
The Vikings round off their defensive unit with the size and strength of senior Pat Tuohy and the transfer of Aaron Lafave from the offensive side of the puck back to defense.
The Vikings will look to improve on the most successful season in team history, in which the Vikes went 13-14-2.
Szkodzinski brought in a host of new players to fill in the gaps left after the Vikes lost a strong senior class. The ice won't be the same without the size and shot of Kalle Larsson, work ethic and grit of David Olynyk or the solid play of Evan Thornton.
The loss of Joe Searl, who tied the single season goal record last year, and Andrew Isaac, three time all-conference goaltender, will also hit the team hard; but this is the nature of college sports, with the loss of seniors comes in the excitement of new recruits.
This season, the team welcomes 11 freshmen and a junior transfer. Among the recruits are three new goaltenders vying for the number one spot. Jimmy Ryan, Evan Johnson and Riley Stank will be in between the pipes.
Ryan, a junior transfer from New England College, posted a 2-0 record his freshman campaign with the Pilgrims. Johnson came to the Vikings from the New England Huskies of the Eastern Junior Hockey League.
Stank, a Wausau, Wis. native, arrived at Lawrence after playing for the Green Bay Gamblers Midget AAA team last season. His style has been compared to that of the great Denis Lemieux.
The Vikings look to incorporate freshmen Pat Brenner and Corey Garrett into a solid defensive core. Anchored by the veteran leadership of senior captain Josh Peterson, a three-time all-conference player, the solid play of Adam Brand and last year's midseason acquisition, Mike Ackley, the Vikes will look to shut down opposing teams' offense.
The Vikings round off their defensive unit with the size and strength of senior Pat Tuohy and the transfer of Aaron Lafave from the offensive side of the puck back to defense.
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Kjol Lahti
posted 10/20/07 @ 2:00 PM CST
Best of luck this season to the Lawrence University Hockey Team. With the addition of 2 new teams in the league who I feel will be better then either UM-Crookston or Northland, The Vikings will have no weekends easy this season. (Continued…)
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