Feb. 28, 2006

By Ben Birnell, SCSU Athletic Media Relations

ST. CLOUD, Minn. - Three years ago last month, Kristy Oonincx made a decision that would effectively change the face of the St. Cloud State women's hockey program.

After playing in 24 games for the University of Minnesota and racking up 25 points during the 2002-03 season, a disagreement arose with the team and the then-sophomore forward decided it was time for a change of scenery.

Instead of choosing another school that was already a national contender among the women's college hockey scene, the Moose Jaw, Sask. native choose to transfer to a program that had just one winning season to its credit in five years of existence.

"If I can help turn the SCSU program into a winner, it would mean more to me to have my name on something like that than to win a National Championship," Oonincx told a reporter a few days after deciding to transfer to St. Cloud State in March 2003.

Three years later, the strides the program has made with Oonincx (pronounced "Oh-nix") on the roster are obvious.

Heading into their inaugural WCHA home playoff series this weekend against Ohio State, the Huskies (13-14-1 WCHA, 16-17-1 overall) have the second highest amount of wins in program history since the 2000-01 season. On a personal level, Oonincx holds the third highest single-season point total (42) in school history.

"Her 42 points are huge," linemate Denelle Maguet said. "She can put the puck in the net or find people that are open. Last weekend (against Bemidji State), she got (BSU goaltender Jill Luebke) thinking she was shooting, then fed it over to (senior forward Ashley Stewart) and she buried it. Kristy's obviously been huge for us this year."

Glancing over her stats it is quickly realized a majority of Oonincx's points come from the 27 assists she has accumulated this season. However, she's also tied as the team's goals leader (15) with junior linemate Hailey Clarkson, who has 21 helpers to her credit. Add in Maguet's stats - 14 goals and 16 assists for 30 points - and you have an eye-popping 46 percent of the team's total points accounted for.

"Obviously, you're only as a good as your linemates," said Maguet, who also serves as an alternate captain. "Kristy's assists this year are ridiculous. That just goes to show that she's helping Hailey and I put up points. Kristy can see the ice so well."

However, it's Oonincx who said it's her teammates who have helped her the most as a member of the Huskies.

"Playing with Denelle and Laura Fast last year and now Hailey and Denelle this year has been memorable for me," Oonincx said. "Those are some linemates that I owe a lot to. I owe my whole career to them. With me, Denelle and Hailey, we have great chemistry. We play well because we have fun. It is just a really relaxed atmosphere playing with them."

Besides that, one could look to the wins St. Cloud State picked up along the way in 2005-06 to see how much things have changed for the program.

In January, the Huskies knocked off then-No. 1 ranked St. Lawrence in overtime, on their own ice, no less. Three weeks later, it was a sweep against WCHA foe Minnesota-Duluth, ranked No. 3 at the time. Then in early February, the Huskies knocked off another ranked opponent in then-No. 1 ranked Wisconsin. The wins garnered some attention among college hockey's brass and the Huskies found themselves ranked in the national polls for the first time in the program's young history.

"This has been a good year and we've been winning a lot," Oonincx said. "No matter how this season ends, I think this year has been good for the whole team in general. I look at it as a successful year. If it were to end tomorrow, I would still look at that way."

If the season were to end tomorrow, Oonincx said she feels she made the right decision to transfer to St. Cloud State.

"I always tell the girls I've had the time of my life here over the last three years," said Oonincx, who has a plus/minus rating of plus-10 this season. "I wouldn't trade anything that I've gone through for anything in the world. I've met the greatest friends anyone could ask for and I've met some great people along the way. I've really enjoyed my time here."

St. Cloud State isn't the only place Oonincx remembers having the time of her life at. She attended Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Wilcox, Sask. with current SCSU senior captain Randie Jelinski. The school is widely recognized for its hockey exploits, producing such hockey players as Vincent Lecavalier, Rod Brind' Amour and Curtis Joseph.

"It was one of the greatest four years of my life as well," said Oonincx, who amassed 498 points in her prep career. "On the ice, it was good hockey. We were always one of the best teams. I look back and realize I grew a lot there because I did not have any family there with me to hold my hand through everything. It really helped prepare me for college."

The biggest attribute that teammates rave about besides Oonincx's style of play is the senior forward's personality. Maguet is the first to declare that Oonincx's easy-going attitude has helped the team perform better.

"She never gets too uptight," Maguet said. "She's a bubbly person and is always joking around. She's a really easy person to talk to."

Part of that bubbly personality might come from the fact that Oonincx knows her senior season is coming to a close and is trying to get the most out of the little time she knows she has left.

"The biggest thing I've learned is that you have to make it enjoyable," Oonincx said. "You have to surround yourself with great people. I've surrounded myself with great teammates. It's tough knowing that it is coming to an end. I'm excited for it to end in some ways, but sad for it to end in other ways."

With her career coming to an end, the education major has plans of becoming a coach in the future.

"Next year I have to finish up with my student teaching," Oonincx said. "But after that, I may teach a little bit and travel. Some day I'd like to teach youth hockey. I'd like to stay out of the competitive side for awhile before getting back into it."

For now, Oonincx is focusing on the team's playoff series this weekend. She knows her final season could end in the next two games or last through the better part of March.

"I am really dreading it (ending)," she said. "I know I won't be able to keep it together when it ends. (Playing hockey) is all I've really known. For this to come to an end is sad. Saying good-bye to hockey is going to be difficult, that's for sure."

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