PLYMOUTH, N.H. — Finishing tenth in the ECAC Division III Northeast at 3-9-4 (5-12-5 Overall), the Panthers were unable to come up with a playoff bid for the third time in four seasons. Despite their shaky performance, don’t let the stats fool you; the Panthers are a young team with a lot of promise, and things are definitely looking up for Coach Chris Hudon and his squad next season.
The biggest challenge for the Panthers this season was their inexperience on the ice. Of the 29 players who were on the squad, 14 were freshmen. “It’s a whole new atmosphere than high school hockey and prep hockey,” Said Hudon, who wrapped up his second year as the Panthers’ Head Coach. “They can play, it’s just that adaptation that takes place when you make the jump to college hockey. We knew we would struggle a bit because our league is very competitive. We’re trying to rebuild a program, and that doesn’t just happen overnight.”
While some freshmen still have a way to go, some have already made quite an impression as the future of the Panther team. One such freshman, Dennis Kane, led the Panthers with 14 goals this season, one of just two Panthers to reach double-digits in goals. Also making big contributions was Rory Nickerson, who led the team in assists (15) and total points (19), and also earned Rookie of the Week honors for his three crucial third period assists in a thriller against Worcester State near the end of the season.
“Rory sees the ice very well and makes some unbelievable passes. Dennis is a sniper. You get him within the 20-foot range of the net and he’s shooting the puck. I really liked the way those two guys developed this year,” said Hudon
Another prospect that showed his potential for the future is second semester pickup Matt Gotts, who led the Panthers in scoring with five goals and three assists during the final four games of the season.
As for veterans, the team has Captain Bryan Croft to lead the way next year. “Bryan Croft is a tireless worker,” said Hudon. “I cannot say enough good things about how he led the team this year.” Hudon is also looking at Mike Jackson to join Croft as a captain next year. “He goes hard every time he’s on the ice. He gives you 100-plus percent, and that’s the kind of kid we’re trying to bring in.” The Panthers also hope to have veterans like Kyle Poirier, Matt Toutain, Ryan Luczynski and a handful of other juniors and sophomores that are expected to return next season.
In early January, the Panthers were dealt a crucial blow when junior goalie Mike Mansson suffered a hand injury and would not return until the final two games of the season. During his absence, the Panthers turned to three freshmen goalies, Chris Hyson, Kyle VanDingstee (who joined in the second semester) and backup Joe McGabe. While Hyson had a good run just before Winterim, the Panthers were unable to find similar success against some of the ECAC Northeast’s stronger teams.
“That hurt,” Hudon said on losing Mansson. “He’s a big goalie and moves pretty well. It’s a tough transition…[Hyson, McGabe and VanDingstee] fared well for being thrown into that situation.”
One of the greatest benefits to such a young program is that the Panther squad will remain almost entirely intact come next season. The Panthers will say goodbye to one senior this year, but he hasn’t left without leaving an impact on the team.
“We’re gonna be sorry to lose Craig Russell,” Hudon said of the senior forward. “We’re going to miss his leadership on the team. He’s the kind of kid every coach would love to have in his program.”
As for other changes, Hudon seeks to keep on track for next season. He stated, “We’re bringing in probably five recruits. We’re happy with where we’re at. We were in it to the final week of the season. We’re going to continue our progress to be more competitive in the ECAC Northeast.”