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University of New Hampshire Athletics
Kalle Eriksson and the Wildcats open the 2022-23 season at Clarkson on Friday night.
Photo by: Thom Kendall
Insider Report: Picking Up the Pace
10/6/2022 3:51:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey, UNH Insider
'Cats Have a Dozen Newcomers, Look to Play with More Speed
DURHAM, N.H. – The University of New Hampshire men's hockey team, featuring a dozen players new to the roster, plans to pick up its pace of play a bit this season.
Senior defensemen Kalle Eriksson pointed to increased team speed as one of the things he's noticed in the early-going of practice as the Wildcats head into a long road-trip to open the season.
"I feel like we're all good skaters and the pace has been really high compared to other years," Eriksson said in a preseason media conference Wednesday.
The Wildcats will put their added speed to a quick test.
They open the season Friday night at No. 17 Clarkson and then move on to complete an up-state New York swing with a game at St. Lawrence on Saturday night. Both games start at 7 p.m.
The Wildcats will waste little time in getting their skating on display on their revamped home Towse Rink in the Whittemore Center, either: They open Hockey East play at home against Boston College next Saturday, Oct. 15, at 7 p.m.
Tickets for UNH hockey at the Whittemore Center may be purchased at UNHWildcats.com/Tickets or by calling the ticket office at (603) 862-4000.
New boards and glass were constructed around the Whittemore rink during the offseason and the size of the ice sheet was adjusted to 200 feet by 90 feet. It had been Olympic-sized at 200-by-100 feet.
After the opening weekend in New York and starting with BC, nine of UNH's next 10 games are against Hockey East opponents.
Senior forward Chase Stevenson is in full agreement with Eriksson on the team's outlook.
"I think people are going to see a different look from us this year," Stevenson said. "We've got a lot of guys who are fast. I think we're going to be a team that plays extremely fast and I think we've got a lot of new guys that can make plays."
Stevenson is the team's captain and Eriksson, senior forward Harrison Blaisdell and sophomore defenseman Alex Gagne of Bedford, N.H., are the alternate captains.
Head coach Mike Souza and his staff have added eight freshmen and four transfers to a roster that now numbers 29.
The newcomers should help in each area of operations: defense, offense and goaltending. Here's a quick look at each unit.
The Defense
Among the leaders besides Eriksson and Gagne are returners juniors Luke Reid and Nikolai Jenson and sophomore Colton Huard. Huard is one of the returning scorers from last year after collecting six goals and 10 assists for 16 points. He and sophomore forward Liam Devlin (9 goals, 7 assists) were tops in scoring of the players who are back.
Souza expects the defense should fuel the offense with its ability to break the puck out and advance it.
Freshman Damien Carfagna is among those who has impressed in practice. He helped the Sioux City Musketeers to the Clark Cup championship in the United States Hockey League last season.
"I really like our D-corps," Souza said. "I think it's the strength of our team. We have some experience back there. Certainly a lot of mobility and some size."
The Offense
The Wildcats averaged 2.24 goals a game last season and are looking to boost that number.
Devlin and another sophomore forward, Robert Cronin (7-5-12), were on the same line this week as the Wildcat staff put its early groups together.
"Liam and Robert are two guys we expect to take a step this year," Souza said. "They've been through the league and played in a lot of key situations for us last year and I'm excited about where they are right now."
Additional scoring up front could come from any number of places between returners, transfers and freshmen.
Among the freshmen to watch are Stivan Sardarian, who is from Russia and was a third-round pick of the Buffalo Sabres in 2021; Jake Dunlap out of Windham, N.H.; Morgan Winters, who had 13 goals and 28 assists for 41 points in 56 games last year in the USHL; and Cy LeClerc from Brentwood, N.H.
Goaltending
Senior David Fessenden, who had a 2-4-1 record with a 2.19 goals against average and save percentage of .909 last year, and freshman Tyler Muszelik have both had good camps.
Souza praised the job former Wildcat All American and NHLer Ty Conklin, the team's goaltending coach, has done with the two goalies.
Fessenden did a nice job in the weight room during the summer, Souza said.
Muszelik played with the U.S. National Under-18 team last year and had a 24-5-3 record with a .900 save percentage and 2.91 goals against average. He was picked by the Florida Panthers in the sixth round of this year's NHL draft.
"We're excited to see the two of them work with each other and push each other," Souza said. "Certainly both of them are capable of starting games for us."
Opening weekend
Clarkson had a 21-10-6 record last season.
UNH exploded for four goals in the third period to beat the Golden Knights, 5-1, in the Whittemore Center on Jan. 8.
Huard had a goal and three assists for the Wildcats and Devlin had two goals and an assist.
St. Lawrence was 11-9-7 last year. The Saints opened the season with a 4-0 loss at UMass Lowell last Saturday.
Senior defensemen Kalle Eriksson pointed to increased team speed as one of the things he's noticed in the early-going of practice as the Wildcats head into a long road-trip to open the season.
"I feel like we're all good skaters and the pace has been really high compared to other years," Eriksson said in a preseason media conference Wednesday.
The Wildcats will put their added speed to a quick test.
They open the season Friday night at No. 17 Clarkson and then move on to complete an up-state New York swing with a game at St. Lawrence on Saturday night. Both games start at 7 p.m.
The Wildcats will waste little time in getting their skating on display on their revamped home Towse Rink in the Whittemore Center, either: They open Hockey East play at home against Boston College next Saturday, Oct. 15, at 7 p.m.
Tickets for UNH hockey at the Whittemore Center may be purchased at UNHWildcats.com/Tickets or by calling the ticket office at (603) 862-4000.
New boards and glass were constructed around the Whittemore rink during the offseason and the size of the ice sheet was adjusted to 200 feet by 90 feet. It had been Olympic-sized at 200-by-100 feet.
After the opening weekend in New York and starting with BC, nine of UNH's next 10 games are against Hockey East opponents.
Senior forward Chase Stevenson is in full agreement with Eriksson on the team's outlook.
"I think people are going to see a different look from us this year," Stevenson said. "We've got a lot of guys who are fast. I think we're going to be a team that plays extremely fast and I think we've got a lot of new guys that can make plays."
Stevenson is the team's captain and Eriksson, senior forward Harrison Blaisdell and sophomore defenseman Alex Gagne of Bedford, N.H., are the alternate captains.
Head coach Mike Souza and his staff have added eight freshmen and four transfers to a roster that now numbers 29.
The newcomers should help in each area of operations: defense, offense and goaltending. Here's a quick look at each unit.
The Defense
Among the leaders besides Eriksson and Gagne are returners juniors Luke Reid and Nikolai Jenson and sophomore Colton Huard. Huard is one of the returning scorers from last year after collecting six goals and 10 assists for 16 points. He and sophomore forward Liam Devlin (9 goals, 7 assists) were tops in scoring of the players who are back.
Souza expects the defense should fuel the offense with its ability to break the puck out and advance it.
Freshman Damien Carfagna is among those who has impressed in practice. He helped the Sioux City Musketeers to the Clark Cup championship in the United States Hockey League last season.
"I really like our D-corps," Souza said. "I think it's the strength of our team. We have some experience back there. Certainly a lot of mobility and some size."
The Offense
The Wildcats averaged 2.24 goals a game last season and are looking to boost that number.
Devlin and another sophomore forward, Robert Cronin (7-5-12), were on the same line this week as the Wildcat staff put its early groups together.
"Liam and Robert are two guys we expect to take a step this year," Souza said. "They've been through the league and played in a lot of key situations for us last year and I'm excited about where they are right now."
Additional scoring up front could come from any number of places between returners, transfers and freshmen.
Among the freshmen to watch are Stivan Sardarian, who is from Russia and was a third-round pick of the Buffalo Sabres in 2021; Jake Dunlap out of Windham, N.H.; Morgan Winters, who had 13 goals and 28 assists for 41 points in 56 games last year in the USHL; and Cy LeClerc from Brentwood, N.H.
Goaltending
Senior David Fessenden, who had a 2-4-1 record with a 2.19 goals against average and save percentage of .909 last year, and freshman Tyler Muszelik have both had good camps.
Souza praised the job former Wildcat All American and NHLer Ty Conklin, the team's goaltending coach, has done with the two goalies.
Fessenden did a nice job in the weight room during the summer, Souza said.
Muszelik played with the U.S. National Under-18 team last year and had a 24-5-3 record with a .900 save percentage and 2.91 goals against average. He was picked by the Florida Panthers in the sixth round of this year's NHL draft.
"We're excited to see the two of them work with each other and push each other," Souza said. "Certainly both of them are capable of starting games for us."
Opening weekend
Clarkson had a 21-10-6 record last season.
UNH exploded for four goals in the third period to beat the Golden Knights, 5-1, in the Whittemore Center on Jan. 8.
Huard had a goal and three assists for the Wildcats and Devlin had two goals and an assist.
St. Lawrence was 11-9-7 last year. The Saints opened the season with a 4-0 loss at UMass Lowell last Saturday.
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/ Men's Ice HockeySunday, March 08
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Tuesday, February 24
Sunday, February 22