Over the past three years, there have been a number of great players to step on the ice for the Plymouth State Men’s hockey team. Whether it be some of those that have graduated (Jack Astedt, J.C. Richardson, Alex Cottle, Dave Walters, Phil Arnone), or are currently on the team (Zach Sarig, Gordon Ceasar, Andrew Wigg), all of these players have been able to rely on Senior Mike Freitag to become one of the best forwards within the MASCAC.
Hailing from Westmont, Illinois, Freitag is well known for putting a ridiculous move on UMass Dartmouth in the home-opener for the Panthers, as he crossed up defenders as well as the goalie. Freitag is absolutely deadly if he is able on the breakaway, as he has fantastic hand/eye coordination. The skill set that the Economics major possess has allowed him to score the second most points on the team, and scoring isn’t anything new for him, as he could eclipse 100 points for his career.
1. How long have you been playing hockey?
I have been playing hockey since I was 4, so 20 years now.
2. How does the hockey team look for the rest of the 2014-2015 season?
After a sweep of Framingham and Westfield this past weekend, I think our team is finally starting to hit our stride and exemplify our true potential. We have all of the right pieces to the puzzle to make a strong push for a conference championship and NCAA birth.
3. What is your most memorable moment in your hockey career?
My most memorable moment in my hockey career would be winning the MASCAC championship my freshman year in front of our home fans, and earning a birth in the NCAA tournament.
4. Do you have any superstitions on game day?
I’m pretty superstitious on gamedays. I wake up every gameday at 8 and have breakfast at Chase street, followed by a stretch and an hour nap. I have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich as I head down to the rink, and teammate Erik Strom brings me a pre game banana.
5. What was the "Welcome to Hockey" moment in your career?
My welcome to hockey moment was in 1996 when I was 6 years old. My dad took me to a Chicago Blackhawks game against the Colorado Avalanche. I was overwhelmed with the atmosphere of the game and immediately fell in love with the game.
6. If I were to look at you iPod/iTunes/etc., what would be the five most played songs?
I am a huge country fan, so a majority of my top played songs are from country artists, including “Carolina” by Parmalee, “Watching Airplanes” by Gary Allen, “Fly Over States” by Jason Aldean “Clockwork” by Easton Corbin, and “Drink a Beer” by Luke Bryan
7. You have a chance to eclipse 100 points for your PSU career. What would it mean to you to be one of only ten players to do so if you get to 100?
I think that eclipsing 100 points would be a direct reflection of the caliber of players I have played with in my 4 years while at PSU, and the success we have had during my time here.
8. On a few occasions this season, you have had 1-0 opportunities where the only person you have to beat is the goalie, and have been successful. What goes through your mind on those breakaway opportunities?
We practice breakaways a lot in practice and our goalies challenge us players at a high level. I tend to watch whether the goalie comes out of his crease a lot and wants to play it aggressively; I’ll deke, but if he stays deep in his net I will probably shoot.
9. This is the last season that each team plays each other three times within the MASCAC. Since you play these teams so often, does it allow you to respect teams more, or is it the exact opposite and you hate them that much more?
Well, I think seeing teams so often over the course of a year, you tend to know what to expect from teams the more you play them. You tend to grow rivalries and a strong dislike for certain teams, and learn to respect certain teams more than you would have expected at the start of the season. Teams like Salem that we have been battling for control of the conference since I’ve been here you grow to hate, which makes it a more heated rivalry.
10. Assuming the team gets to the MASCAC championship game, what will make this year different then years past, so that the team can move on to the NCAAs this season?
I think this team is different from every year I have been here. It’s essentially the same roster as last year, but having a large sophomore class that has matured as college hockey players over the last year is huge. Having experienced many ups and downs throughout this season has prepared us for the home stretch and playoffs. Having been through adversity this year, our team is ready for whatever we will face the rest of the season in preparation for a run at our 4th straight MASCAC championship appearance.