By Gavin Lindahl
Sports Assignment Editor
It’s been a rough start for the club hockey team as it began its 2014-15 season. The team has gone 0-5 since starting four weeks ago, with four of those losses on home ice. Through the opening five games, the squad has been outscored 28 goals to seven.
According to junior defensemen and assistant captain Nate Parker, however, the team’s rocky start isn’t necessarily surprising. The team is composed primarily of freshmen and first-year players, so chemistry isn’t going to come instantly.
“We have welcomed many new players from all different areas. Few, if any, have played with or against each other [in the past]. We have to acclimate ourselves to each other, and that takes time,” Parker said. “We also have had trouble finding our scoring touch, but that will come.”
Inconsistent or not, there have been some flashes of familiarity between the team. A forward line composed of freshmen Colin Coppola, Tyler Gokey and Mike Mendola has been the team’s most productive line. The trio has seven points together and has been responsible for about half of the Bonnies’ goals.
“They have been able to find the back of the net, and they have also been able to play defensively,” Parker said. “They’ve been our best line.”
Perhaps the team’s most precarious situation is the one between the pipes. The squad currently has three goalies, all of which are freshmen. The starting spot has fallen to Pittsburgh native Alex Feyche, who has tallied 141 saves on 161 shots faced this season.
According to Parker, the Bonnies’ number of goals against does not reflect the strong play of Feyche, but rather the team’s lack of offense early on.
“He has played very well in net. He was pushed into the position as all three of our goalies are new guys, but he has been able to make big saves and keep us in games,” Parker said. “We just have not given him the goals and support he deserves.”
For the first time in several years, the Bonnies will be staying overnight for a road game, as the squad will be facing off against Slippery Rock University back-to-back tonight and tomorrow.
“This weekend will be an interesting experience. We have not had an overnight road trip since I have been on the team. In regards to the game, we haven’t prepared any different,” Parker said. “We are just trying to focus on getting, and converting, scoring chances,”
Nearly a month into the season, perhaps this week will see the Bonnies track down their first win of the season. Regardless of whether the chemistry presents itself or not the Bonnies will be facing a challenging opponenet.
Slippery Rock has played in nearly three times as many games as the Bonnies but is under .500 with a 6-7 record. Also, Slippery Rock’s goal differential is negative (60 goals for to 74 against). Puck drop is set at 9 tonight and 6 p.m. tomorrow.
