{"id":29959,"date":"2008-10-04T15:38:53","date_gmt":"2008-10-04T20:38:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.uscho.com\/2008\/10\/04\/200809-st-lawrence-season-preview\/"},"modified":"2010-08-17T19:57:15","modified_gmt":"2010-08-18T00:57:15","slug":"200809-st-lawrence-season-preview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uscho.com\/2008\/10\/04\/200809-st-lawrence-season-preview\/","title":{"rendered":"2008-09 St. Lawrence Season Preview"},"content":{"rendered":"
Offense<\/b><\/p>\n
McBride (12-22-36) and classmate Casey Parenteau (11-8-19) were the only double-digit goal scorers on the Saints last year, so it’s a good thing they’re coming back to Canton for a final round. The team scored 2.78 goals per game overall last time around, but finished in a three-way tie for eighth with only 58 ECAC goals. <\/p>\n
Last year was a big letdown for coach Joe Marsh and his program, as the Saints of 2006-07 won the ECAC crown and battled in the NCAA tournament at season’s end.<\/p>\n
“Kyle Rank, Drew Bagnall, Max Taylor,” he listed. “It comes down to three guys” as the difference between two years ago and last year, he said.<\/p>\n
“We’ve got to grit it out and win some one-goal games,” he added.<\/p>\n
The Saints only won 35 percent of their close games, whereas they were near .500 in their remaining decisions.<\/p>\n
DeVergilio (8-17-25), junior Mike McKenzie (7-13-20), and defensemen Zach Miskovic (8-12-20) and Jared Ross (6-9-15) chipped in with at least a half-dozen goals apiece, and will be joined by former Union forward Augie DiMarzo (two years of eligibility remaining) and freshman winger Jacob Drewiske, brother of former Wisconsin captain Davis Drewiske.<\/p>\n
“He’s a real hard worker, and works hard defensively,” said Marsh of the younger Drewiske. <\/p>\n
Mostly, Marsh looks forward to having a tougher team to work with this season.<\/p>\n
“We’re physically stronger than we were a year ago. We’re not going to throw teams around, but we’ll be able to play in confined areas better than last year,” he stated.<\/p>\n
Defense<\/b><\/p>\n
The defense should be stalwart for St. Lawrence this winter, returning five senior blueliners, four of whom played at least 33 of the Saints’ 37 games. <\/p>\n
Between Miskovic, Ross, Matt Generous (3-12-15) and Sean Fensel (3-12-15), SLU looks super in back. Those four haven’t accounted for a single healthy scratch since their freshman year, and get plenty of support from cast members like junior Derek Keller (0-3-3) and sophomore Matt Raley (1-0-1). Jeff Caister joins the program from Wayne State as well, just to shore things up.<\/p>\n
“The defense should be a strength,” Marsh emphasized.<\/p>\n
Goaltending<\/b><\/p>\n