2006-07 St. Cloud State Season Preview
As St. Cloud State University embarks on its 20th season of NCAA Division I hockey, second-year coach Bob Motzko will be looking to build upon the Huskies' tradition of success that has been a hallmark of the program during the last two decades.
Motzko and the Huskies added another chapter to that ongoing success story in 2005-06, as St. Cloud State compiled a 22-16-4 overall record (13-13-2 WCHA), a top 15 ranking in the final NCAA Division I polls and a second place finish at the 2006 WCHA Final Five.
For his efforts during his rookie year at SCSU, Motzko earned WCHA Coach of the Year accolades along with Inside College Hockey national coach of the year honors. Goaltender Bobby Goepfert gained All-WCHA and All-America notice and the Huskies earned their first trip to the WCHA Final Five since 1991-92.
St. Cloud State placed itself among the nation's top hockey programs in 2005-06, and the Huskies appear to be poised to make another strong run in 2006-07.
"The biggest question that we have to answer this season, is who will replace a very strong and productive senior class that we had in 2005-06," Motzko said. "We are really going to need someone to step up in the middle to replace our departed seniors like Joe Jensen and Brock Hooton."
Last winter, SCSU's senior accounted for almost 100 points, but the Huskies' cupboard is far from bare when it comes to returning firepower in 2006-07. The top dog back for SCSU this winter is junior forward Andrew Gordon, who led the Huskies in scoring as a sophomore with 20 goals and 20 assists.
"Andrew (Gordon) had a break through season in 2005-06, and we look to him to be one of our offensive leaders this year," Motzko said.
SCSU's offense will also receive a boost from several veterans including the likes of senior forwards Nate Raduns (5g/10a in 2005-06) and Gary Houseman (5g/1a); junior forwards Dan Kronick (11g/12a), Nate Dey (5g/9a), Marty Mjelleli (4g/10a) and Matt Hartman (10g/4a); and sophomore forwards John Swanson (5g/5a) and Michael Olson (6g/3a). The offense will also benefit from the return of senior Grant Clafton, who notched one goal and 11 assists in 2005-06. A versatile player for the Huskies, Clafton has seen action at both forward and defense during the past two seasons at SCSU.
\"We will be trying a multitude of things to fill some of those holes on offense left by our departed seniors," Motzko said.
"A key to our success will be how well our returning players can step up into new roles on offense, and how we incorporate our new players in our line-up this season. With nine freshman our youth and inexperience will be a big challenge for our team."
Some of those new names to mark in your program include rookie forwards Andreas Nodl, Ryan Lasch, A.J. Gale and Ryan Peckskamp. A native of Vienna, Austria and a recent draft pick of the Philadelphia Flyers, Nodl enjoyed a breakout year with Sioux Falls of the USHL with 29 goals and 30 assists in 2005-06. Lasch, who hails from Lake Forest, Calif., posted huge numbers with the Pembroke Lumber Kings of the CJHL. This past winter, Lasch led his league with 79 goals and 175 points in 67 games.
Gale played junior hockey with Nanaimo of the BCHL, and last year he ranked among the league leaders with 27 goals and 24 assists. He joins other Nanaimo alumni on the squad including Olson, Aaron Brocklehurst and Craig Gaudet. The group is completed by Peckskamp, a local product from nearby Sauk Rapids. Peckskamp notched 11 goals and 13 assists for Indiana (USHL) in 2005-06.
In contrast to SCSU's offense, the Huskies' defense will benefit from a wealth of veteran experience and skill in 2006-07. St. Cloud State only loss on defense was T.J. McElroy, as Motzko will welcome back six blueliners to his bench.
Senior Casey Borer and Justin Fletcher will be the foundation of the Husky defense in 2006-07. Borer, who served as team captain in 2005-06, posted three goals and eight assists last year while Fletcher ranked second on the team with 21 assists. He also posted six goals and notched five power play goals. A catalyst on special teams, Fletcher already ranks among the team's top 16 players with 15 career PPGs. To add to his list of creditenials, Fletcher was tied for the team's plus/minus lead at +19 in 2005-06.
SCSU's junior blueliners include Chris Anderson, Aaron Brocklehurst and Matt Stephenson. Brocklehurst stepped up to the plate in 2005-06 with five goals and 18 assists, while Stephenson saw ice time in all 42 games last winter. Stephenson carded 12 points and was +16 on the plus/minus in 2005-06. Sophomore defender David Carlisle will also return in 2006-07, after being named the team's most improved player in 2005-06.
"We have a strong veteran core on defense and that should really help us break in our new players on defense," Motzko said. "The experience provided by players like Borer, Fletcher, Brocklehurst and Stephenson will be a very valuable asset to our roster this winter."
New faces on defense that will debut this winter include Garrett Raboin, Jon Ammerman and Craig Gaudet. Raboin is from Detroit Lakes and starred for Lincoln (USHL), while Ammerman played junior hockey with Indiana (USHL) and prepped at Moorhead High School. Gaudet is another part of the SCSU-Nanaimo (BCHL) connection.
"Those new players will provide us with some toughness, puck handling ability and speed back at the blueline," Motzko said.
In the nets, SCSU will be in good hands with the return of Goepfert. A workhorse between the pipes, Goepfert is a bonafide post-season honors candidate for the Huskies in 2006-07. In his first year on ice after transferring from Providence, Goepfert proved to be the real deal with a school record 2.20 goals against average and 2,264:29 minutes played. He also had 1,010 saves and three shutouts to his credit last winter along with a sterling .924 save percentage.
"Bobby (Goepfert) really established himself as one of the nation's premiere Division I goalies last winter," Motzko said. "All good hockey teams start with a great goaltender, and Bobby was provided us with a consistent level of excellence last year. His play was a major reason for our success in 2005-06."
To pad SCSU's talent in the nets, Motzko will welcome newcomer Jace Weslosky to the roster in 2006-07. A standout with Sherwood Park (AJHL), Weslosky was recently selected by the New York Islander in the 2006 NHL draft. Weslosky marked a .910 save percentage and charted 1,106 saves during the 2005-06 season at Sherwood Park.
"Jace (Weslosky) will provide some great competiton in the nets for Bobby (Goepfert), and I look for him give Bobby some much needed rest at times throughout the year as we groom him for the future," Motzko said of Weslosky.
Another player to compete for time in the nets will be freshman goalie B.J. O'Brien, who played during the 2005-06 season with Fargo-Moorhead of the NAHL.
"I look forward to this year's team being able to compete in the WCHA and being able to win a game on any given night," Motzko said. "We have solid depth at defense and I believe our goaltenders will keep us in any game. If we reach our potential on offense, we will be a very competitive team in 2006-07."
The Huskies will face another strong schedule in 2006-07, which includes a full slate of games in the always rugged WCHA along with home non-conference match-ups against Colgate and Clarkson. SCSU will also take part in Vermont's Catamount Cup tournament on Dec. 29-30, which will feature the Vermont, RPI, Union and SCSU.
As always, the WCHA will feature the nation's best college hcokey in 2006-07. Last year, a total of four teams from the league advanced to the NCAA playoffs and for the fifth consecutive season a league team won the NCAA championship. The league's parity in legendary, and it should be even more evident this season as several of the league's top underclassmen have opted to sign early with NHL squads.
"The early NHL signings really have things up in the air," Motzko said of the league's outlook in 2006-07. "To pick a favorite in the league this year is going to be very difficult. The key is to be playing your best hockey come playoff time, and then I like any WCHA team at the end. It's just anybody's guess who will be the team to beat at the end of the season."
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