Photo: @bonnies.hockey on Instagram
BY: KYLE MAIER, SPORTS EDITOR
With eyes set on a national championship this season, the St. Bonaventure men’s AAU Division I hockey team looks to bring its win streak to four following two games against the Rochester Institute of Technology this weekend.
After a 2-1 start, head coach Jordan Farnham made his expectations for Bonaventure’s 2024-25 season clear.
“Our expectation is to compete for and ultimately win a national championship,” said Farnham.
Farnham said capitalizing on power plays will lead to wins against an old rival on Saturday and Sunday.
“We haven’t played RIT since our American Collegiate Hockey Association days so it will be nice to play an old rival,” said Farnham. “Our special teams need to improve. We haven’t fully clicked on the power play.”
Bonaventure previously played in the ACHA before moving to the AAU.
Sophomore defenseman Miles Brown said SBU must focus on one game at a time despite two straight wins.
“I think that keeping things fun and light is key as the season is a long one,” said Brown. “Not getting ahead of ourselves and taking it day by day is a simple approach, but an important one in the grand scheme of things.”
Bonaventure’s roster depth and the talent of senior forward Owen Hughes will be key down the stretch this season, said Farnham.
“We have one of the deepest rosters I’ve seen,” said Farnham. “[A key player] is Owen Hughes, who was First-Team All-American last year in AAU. My hope is that we have enough depth to take pressure off our first two lines and to get secondary scoring.”
Hughes, a team captain, said the Bonnies perform their best playing a fast-paced brand of hockey.
“Last weekend [against Niagara] we used our speed well,” said Hughes. “We try to play a fast and smart game, as we find ourselves most successful when we can do those things.”
Hughes sees accountability and energy as vital to the squad improving throughout the season.
“I try to hold everyone accountable,” said Hughes. “Whether that’s at games, practices, or away from the rink. Also, keeping energy up every day is important to getting better in a long season.”
An alternative team captain, Brown said maintaining locker room morale will translate to wins.
“Hockey is very emotional; there are a lot of ups and downs throughout the games,” said Brown. “Being able to build a positive environment and keeping morale high will
Brown said he can hold his teammates accountable due to their strong chemistry.
“On and off the ice, we are a tight-knit group,” said Brown. “Since our chemistry is high, we can hold each other accountable for our actions on the ice, but most importantly off ice like how we carry ourselves around others and in classes.”
A sense of brotherhood amongst the team helps the Bonnies thrive, said Farnham.
“We have a sense of brotherhood and fraternity that has really helped us grow,” said Farnham. “That has brought us closer and gives the guys beliefs that we’ve been here before.”
With 19 games to go, Brown defined the impact he hopes to have on his teammates.
“I hope I can make a positive impact both on and off the ice with everyone I come across,” said Brown. “Continuing to lead this team is something I value and hopefully I can play a part in bringing a national championship trophy to St. Bonaventure.”
Bonaventure’s first game against the RIT Tigers starts at 3 p.m. Saturday in the Gene Polisseni Center. Game two will be played on Sunday at 11:30 a.m.
maierkj22@bonaventure.edu
