Charles Haddad
Journal Staff
After starting off the season 2-0, the Suffolk University Men’s hockey team has dropped its last seven contests to put them at a disappointing 2-7 with 15 games remaining on the schedule.
The Rams are 0-4 in their conference and have yet to win on home ice this year.
Although it has been a rough start for Head Coach Chris Glionna’s bunch, the team has had its bright spots and continue to see progress from this young group of players. This year’s team only includes four seniors, and four out of their top five scoring leaders are either freshman or sophomores.
The top leading scorer so far this season for the Rams is Hanover. native Charlie McGinnis, a sophomore forward. McGinnis this season has tallied five goals and five assists for a total of 10 points in nine games.
Also putting up impressive numbers this year is a fellow sophomore Josh Goryl. This Michigan native has been effective distributing the puck this season, recording five assists to this point. Goryl has also netted two goals to bring him to a total of seven points on the year.
Captain J. Andrew Wein and assistant Dan Feyock are holding down the blue line this season as the pair of senior defenseman try to turn around their last campaign. Although neither has tallied a point, the leadership qualities of the pair are what drive the team.
Of the 15 games that remain on the schedule, 10 are conference games. The Rams will play those last 10 conference games in the last 10 out of 11 games, so getting hot toward the end of the year will play a big factor in the possible resurrection of this team.
In order to get hot, sophomore goaltender Cam Kelly will have to continue his impressive play.
After the end of last season, the Rams lost possibly the best goaltender to ever wear a Suffolk University Hockey sweater-Jeff Rose.
Kelly has stepped up to the test this season by not necessarily posting the most impressive stats, but keeping his team in the game, and giving the team a chance to win.
Kelly has played in all nine games this season with a 4.33 goals against average. The Brighton product has seen 228 shots this year and has made 197 saves. In the last game against Curry College, Kelly got the loss in a 5-1 defeat, but earned third star honors for making 38 saves on 43 shots.
Kelly will have to turn up the focus in the second half of the year to help get Suffolk back into the mix.
The second half of the season will prove to be decisive one as the Rams hockey team will be put to the test in order to set goals on a postseason berth. The streak of conference games to end the season can be make or break for the team.
With the right leadership and maybe a little holiday magic, maybe something special could happen in the Suffolk University Hockey locker room this winter.
The Rams resume play on December 10 when they take on Stonehill College at home at 8:35 p.m. This will be the last game of December and the team will not play until January 7th.
