{"id":28659,"date":"2006-11-10T18:45:22","date_gmt":"2006-11-11T00:45:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.uscho.com\/2006\/11\/10\/this-week-in-the-sunyac-nov-10-2006\/"},"modified":"2010-08-17T19:56:41","modified_gmt":"2010-08-18T00:56:41","slug":"this-week-in-the-sunyac-nov-10-2006","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uscho.com\/2006\/11\/10\/this-week-in-the-sunyac-nov-10-2006\/","title":{"rendered":"This Week In The SUNYAC: Nov. 10, 2006"},"content":{"rendered":"
Hockey officials are clamping down again. It was quite evident in the first full weekend of conference play. In eight games, only six times did teams not go into double digits with penalties. Its effect was also evident on the scoreboard. Out of the 55 goals scored, 24 of those were scored on the powerplay. Another four were scored shorthanded. That’s just over half the goals scored by special teams.<\/p>\n
“At first you think it’s your team,” Oswego coach Ed Gosek said. “But then you look around the league and see everyone is getting calls against them.”<\/p>\n
“Combination of officials cracking down, calling the penalties in combination with players learning how to deal with it,” Geneseo coach Chris Schultz said. “They’ve learned all their lives how to cheat, and now they are going to have to adjust.”<\/p>\n
Schultz may have been a bit harsh, but many players do come from junior hockey where a lot more is allowed.<\/p>\n
Buffalo State coach Nick Carriere explains, “It comes down to the habits of a bunch of guys who played junior hockey with different rules.”<\/p>\n
So, what can the coaches do about it? “It’s only so much I can say and do,” Carriere said.<\/p>\n
Old habits do die hard, but Gosek has no problem dealing with it firmly. “I can make them do extra practice, skate extra laps, but sitting guys out is the only thing that gets their attention,” he said.<\/p>\n
Potsdam was able to take advantage of the situation as their powerplay started to return to last year’s form. Surprisingly, the Bears, who got numerous penalties coming into this weekend, did not have double digit penalties in both their games.<\/p>\n
“We’ve had an awful lot of experience with penalties and stick calls and problems all year long,” Potsdam coach Glenn Thomaris said. “I thought our guys finally did a pretty good job keeping their sticks to themselves. It’s nice to see them get penalties instead of us for a change.”<\/p>\n
Potsdam came into the weekend at 0-4, outscored 22-7. Yet, not only did they win both games on their longest road trip of the year, they did it in the most unlikeliest way — with solid goaltending by both Rob Barnhardt and Vince Cuccaro. They also relied on a strong powerplay, scoring four of their six weekend goals with the man advantage.<\/p>\n
On the other end of the surprise spectrum, Plattsburgh, despite also getting few penalties, scoring four powerplay goals, and one shorthanded tally, didn’t get a single point in the western reaches of New York. The Cardinals never led Fredonia and despite two early leads against Buffalo State, they let up six unanswered goals in what suddenly turned into a route. They even resorted to playing all three goalies in the Bengals’ game.<\/p>\n
Penalties did hurt Cortland who looked set to start making some noise this year. Seventeen penalties against Geneseo and ten against Brockport doomed them to two losses. Somehow, the Golden Eagles fared decently, only losing to Oswego by one goal despite 14 penalties — but they never let up a powerplay tally — and came back to beat Cortland even though they did let up three powerplay goals and got 17 penalties.<\/p>\n
Last year, SUNYAC teams comprised three of the four most successful powerplay units in the country. Oswego was number one at 29.0%, Potsdam was second at 28.0%, and Plattsburgh was fourth at 26.4%. It appears they will get plenty of practice to reach those numbers again as there is no reason to believe the referees will let up on the mandate to call tight games. It will be the teams that can limit the revolving penalty box door and take advantage of their special teams that are going to win games.<\/p>\n
Oswego coach Ed Gosek said, “If you’re not prepared to play hard and compete, you will fall by the wayside.”<\/p>\n
And play smart.<\/p>\n
Oswego may have played six games, but sophomore forward Garren Reisweber has only played in three of them. He certainly has made the best of his playing time, scoring six times in those trio of games.<\/p>\n
“He’s worked extremely well to get back into the lineup,” Gosek said. “He certainly earned a spot right now and will stay in there as long as he deserves it.”<\/p>\n
Last year, Geneseo’s Mitch Stephens scored a nation’s best seven shorthanded goals. Reisweber already has three in just three games.<\/p>\n
“He’s a hard worker,” Gosek said. “If he’s got open ice, he’ll go for the net. He’s opportunistic.”<\/p>\n
Reisweber played 12 games last year, and only got five assists. Not a single goal. He’s definitely being opportunistic this season.<\/p>\n