MILTON, Mass. - The 2010-2011 Hockey season is upon us, on the heels of an ECAC Northeast Championship and NCAA berth.  The Colonels will bring to this year’s lineup 11 new faces.  The Colonels return 20 players, including just three seniors.

The Colonels graduated six seniors on last year’s team that made the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2005.  Lost to graduation from last season’s championship team are forwards Ross Enmark, who finished a great Colonel career earning his 100th point last season, and co-captain Sean Sylvester.  Curry graduated two senior goaltenders in Zachary Cardella and Steven Jakiel.  Jakiel was named as “Co-Most Valuable Player” and “Playoff Most Valuable Player.”  He was also named as Curry’s “Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year.”  Two big bodies on the blue line lost to graduation were co-captain Jarrett Rush and Phil Hotarek.  “We undoubtedly enjoy seeing our student-athletes go out winning some form of championship on the ice and culminating with their graduation in May, but there is also a degree of sadness,” says Head Coach Rob Davies.

The Colonels will definitely have big shoes to fill, especially where goaltending is concerned.   For the past three seasons, the Colonels have enjoyed the tandem of Cardella and Jakiel.   Davies and his staff know very well the importance of great goaltending and depth at that position.  “There is no doubt in our minds that goaltending plays a major factor in our overall success. You can’t underestimate the importance of having at least two goaltenders that you feel can get the job done on any given night.  We feel very confident that sophomore Robert Dawson (Woodbury, MN) can get the job done and freshmen David Aman (Souderton, PA) and Keith MacDonald (Storrs, CT) will give adequate depth for us,” he says.

As for this year’s coaching staff, the Colonels have undergone something of a facelift.  Longtime coach Bob Roche has left to coach at his alma mater, Boston College High School.  Former assistant Andrew Boschetto left the Curry staff to become the head coach at Salve Regina University.  Added to the 2010-2011 coaching staff are local residents and experienced coaches in Larry Rooney and Brendan Flynn.  Veteran assistant coach Tom MacDonald will return for his eighth season and former standout Lenny Mosca will be  back to help with the goaltenders.  “There is no doubt Bobby Roche will be missed, he has meant so much to our program and the kids who have played here in the past and are playing here now,” says Davies.  “We wish him all the best at BC High, and I am sure we will see him regularly.  We are also very excited for Andy getting an opportunity to be the head coach at Salve Regina. I’m sure he will do a fantastic job for them.”

As for the new faces, Davies believes that Larry Rooney and Brendan Flynn will get the job done.  “They both bring a wealth of talent and experience and really know and understand the game,” says Davies. “They both are very committed and passionate about helping us get to the next level.  Both will work within our framework and be involved in all facets of our program.”  The coaches are very excited to get the season going.  What they have seen in the early going has been very positive.  The returning players all seem to have taken their summer workout programs very seriously and came back to school bigger and stronger.  The freshmen seem to be a determined and focused group that are all eager to make their mark.
 
The Colonels also prepared themselves this year by doing a one-day physical and mental leadership program that proved to be a challenge for even the toughest of the tough.  “I think the kids got a lot out of the experience and they might be able to take something from what they learned and use it as a rallying point during their collegiate career,” says Davies.
 
Once again the Colonels start the season off as pre-season favorites in the ECAC Northeast and are ranked in the USCHO.com Poll at #18.  Curry will get tested very quickly once the season begins, hosting Neumann University, the national champions from two seasons ago. They will also host Elmira College, who bounced the Colonels out of the 2010 NCAA Tournament with a 4-1 first-round win.  “It’s always nice to be recognized as pre-season favorites and get national attention.  It means the team had a certain degree of success the previous year and people recognize it,” says Davies.  The Colonels have certainly proven over the last six or seven years that they are the team to beat in the ECAC Northeast.   The Colonels will have their work cut out for them, with the league as a whole getting tougher and more competitive each year.  This season’s new playoff format has only six teams making the playoffs so each league game becomes more important.

This year’s Colonels will feature just three seniors in forward Ray Nicks (Surrey, BC), defenseman Sean Mahoney (Canton, MA) and assistant captain Ryan Warsofsky (Marshfield, MA).  “Though our senior class is not a big class, we believe they will play a vital role in our overall success,” says Davies.
 
This year’s squad includes 10 juniors.  “The entire coaching staff feels very comfortable with the junior class and what they bring to the rink everyday,” says Davies.  Among the junior class are captain and 2009-2010 leading scorer Payden Benning (Estevan, SK) and assistant captains Michael Guzzo (Pinckney, MI) and Ryan Barlock (Chicago, IL).  “There is no underestimating the importance of good leadership and the role it plays in our overall success,” he says.  The coaching staff believes that Benning brings all the attributes you would want in your captain to the rink everyday, and that he has the total respect of everyone in the locker room.
 
Also added to this year’s group of juniors is transfer Christopher Atkinson (Sparta, NJ).  Atkinson played for Division I “Frozen Four” participant The University of Vermont two seasons ago.  The remaining juniors are scoring threats John Williams (Flourtown, PA) and Steven Mohler (Yorba Linda, CA), forwards Josh Kamrass (Norcross, GA), Shane Geib (Stony Plain, AB) and Michael Curran (Arlington, MA) and steady defenseman Jonathan Miller (Freehold, NJ).

This year’s squad is also represented by eight sophomores including ECAC Northeast All-Rookie selection and last year’s team Rookie of the Year Connor Hendry (Calgary, AB).  Among the mix of returning sophomores are goaltender Robert Dawson, forwards George Isham (Lake Bluff, IL), Michael Cenisio (Chadds Ford, PA), Casey Brugman (Winthrop, MA), Jacob Hutt (Menlo Park, CA), and defensemen Brett Kaneshiro (Laguna Niguel, CA) and John Grossi (Springfield, PA).
 
Rounding out the roster are 10 freshmen, including talented forwards Philip Arnone (Litchfield, NH) and Ryan Desroches (Salem, NH), defensemen Joshua Pineiro (Burbank, CA) and Alexander Barr (West Milford, NJ), and goaltenders David Aman (Souderton, PA) and Keith MacDonald (Storrs, CT).  The five other freshmen looking to make an impact are forwards Michael Lopez (Newton, MA) and Andrew Tate (Canton, MI), and defensemen Evan Reilly (Hanover, MA) and Michael Sullivan (Newton, MA).  “We believe that our freshmen class is going to mature into a very strong group,” says Davies, “I believe that some guys might be a little further ahead of some younger guys and may get more attention early on, but I also believe over time you are going to recognize a few other guys whose upside is just around the corner.”

 “The will to win is important, but the will to prepare is vital.  There’s no question that great preparation leads to a confidence that allows you to feel like you can win every game.  So far in practice, we are demonstrating a great attitude and work ethic that is very encouraging to the entire coaching staff.  We all feel that the players understand and are embracing the approach of wanting to get better every day.”

GOAL

“Though we lost two outstanding goaltenders due to graduation, we believe our goaltending will be as strong as ever.  We really need to put the emphasis on team defense when we are talking about goaltending and define the type of shots our goaltender faces on a regular basis,” says Davies.

With two-thirds of the Colonels netminders gone, the task of carrying the load for the Colonels this year may fall on the shoulders of sophomore Robert Dawson.  The Minnesota native comes off a successful freshman campaign where he helped secure some key wins.  “I will look for Robert to build on the experience he may have acquired last year.  He played in some key games, especially within the conference, and he more than held his own,” says Davies.  Dawson had the best save percentage among the Colonels’ goalies last season.  He is very capable of doing a great job for the team. He has good size and when he plays at the top of his crease, he makes it very tough on opponents to beat him on the first shot.  The interesting scenario for Dawson this year is that he is the only returning goalie and will not have to fight to get in the net during the practice like he did last year.  The coaches would like to see him step up in practice and take charge, much like Jakiel did.
 
Freshmen David Aman and Keith MacDonald round out the Colonels’ netminders for the 2010-2011 campaign.  Davies believes that these two are more than capable of challenging Dawson for game action.  Aman, who tried out for the Colonels last season but decided it would be best to play junior hockey, left school at mid-semester to refine his game and returns to Curry this year.  “I think David wasn’t quite ready last year, and playing juniors was the best option.  I think it has paid off as he looks more polished in his game and seems more comfortable facing players at this level now. We all like the way he competes every day, and though the technical part of his game is a work in progress, he nevertheless comes up with the save,” says Davies. “We all believe he has a lot of upside and are all very excited to see him mature and develop.”  MacDonald is the third goalie, who also comes to the Colonels after playing junior hockey.  “Keith has been a pleasant surprise and I don’t mean that in a bad way.  He did everything that was asked of him in the weeks leading up to camp as far as our workouts, and he put himself in a position to make the club, which is a credit to him.  I don’t know how much he will play, but we are all confident he will continue to work hard, so we know he will continue to get better,” says Davies.

Overall, the coaching staff believes all their goaltenders will continue to get better through their work ethic and the efforts of Coach Mosca.  Though they have to figure things out quickly with the opening game on November 6, after the team is made they are confident that whoever plays in net will be more than ready.

DEFENSE

“Though we lost two pretty good defensemen in Jarrett Rush and Phil Hotarek last year to graduation, we all believe we are stronger on the blue line this year.  We have a good blend of skill and size back there, along with experience, which should pay dividends right from the start,” says Davies.

The Colonels are led by two seniors in Ryan Warsofsky and Sean Mahoney.  Warsofsky transferred to Curry second semester last year from Sacred Heart.  Mahoney is entering his fourth campaign with the Colonels where he played forward during his freshman and sophomore seasons.  “Ryan was a nice addition last season and made us immediately better upon his arrival,” says Davies.  “He is a very good leader on and off the ice and an excellent kid to have around.  He has great offensive instincts, a great shot and is a dangerous player for opponents on the power play. Everyone always mentions Ryan’s offensive abilities, and if you ask him he would probably agree. But he is a great defenseman as well, which goes unnoticed by most,” he says. 
 
Mahoney has continued to improve as a defenseman since he was moved back two years ago.  “Sean has improved his understanding of his new position, and has tremendous skill and great size.  He is very strong on his skates and has a nice stick from a skill standpoint.  But Sean will have to bring more of a physical presence to his game on a regular basis in order to be successful and become the player he can be,” says Davies.

Two players representing the junior class on defense are Ryan Barlock and Jonathan Miller.  For the Colonels last year, Barlock was a force at both ends of the ice. But he led the team in penalty minutes, an aspect of his game the coaches hope he improves.  Miller was as steady as any Colonels’ defenseman has been in recent years, mainly because of his positionally-sound game.  “I think Ryan is as good as any defenseman out there, and I mean from a national point of view.  He has the ability to break the puck out of the zone by himself if need be, and is a great competitor on both sides of the puck.  The one thing I would like him to change is the ability to channel his emotions in a positive manner, which will not only benefit him but the team as well.  We are better with him on the ice rather than in the penalty box,” says Davies. “We all love the edge he has but he must get control of it.”
 
Miller has been a very steady and reliable defenseman for the Colonels the last couple of years. “We think Jonathan can do more, and I think once he realizes what he has to do, you will see a player that will be more of a presence out there,” says Davies.  “I believe it all starts with having power in his game, and when he brings that element, you can really notice him because he is so strong.”

The 2010-2011 Colonels have two returning sophomore defensemen in Brett Kaneshiro and John Grossi.  Kaneshiro is a smaller but clever defenseman that has tremendous vision and can make great up-ice passes.  “Brett has some great upside from a skill-set standpoint,” says Davies.  “Brett can, at times, make everything look easy and effortless. Sometimes that can be a problem because when it’s not easy he has to find that extra gear and problems arise.  We all would like to see him play with a little bit more of an edge, and if he does, he can be a great player for us.” Grossi came to the Colonels having played predominately as a forward in juniors, but was converted to defense last year.    “John has had some tough luck as far as injuries are concerned, but nonetheless, he has and continues to work.  Unfortunately, John has had a tough time with a banged-up hip but has shown great character in continuing to work hard to overcome this obstacle,” says Davies.  John has fantastic vision that you definitely can’t teach and when he’s going well he can really stand out. The coaches don’t know how much he will play, but they do know he will continue to work hard and will be ready when called upon.
 
Rounding out the defensemen are newcomers Josh Pineiro, Alex Barr, Evan Reilly and Mike Sullivan.  Pineiro played in the BCHL for the last couple of seasons and the California native brings a nice offensive upside to his game.  “No doubt about it, Josh appears to have good ice vision and seems very passionate about the game.  I think he will get a lot of opportunities to help the hockey club, we are glad he is here,” says Davies.
 
Barr played junior hockey in Canada last year and though his game is much different than that of Pinero, Davies believes that he will help the club immediately.  “Alex is a big solid defenseman who tries to keep it simple and squares up with everything.  I really believe he is going to be a very good defenseman for us and he is only going to get better.  If he continues to work on his skating to maybe pick up a step, I think that will help him get to the next level,” says Davies.  Both Reilly and Sullivan played prep school last year and had very good seasons for their respective teams.  They should provide depth for the Colonels.  “We are excited about Evan and Mike making our team and being with us, as they have worked hard,” says Davies.  The two may be a ways from getting into the lineup, especially in the early going, but the coaches will monitor their progress as the team moves forward.  They have a ton of upside as very big kids.
 
Overall, the coaches are very happy with the defenders they have.  “I think we have some stability in Warsofsky, Miller and Barlock, and the other returners have the experience we are looking for.  The freshmen class has some players that are going to be noticed right away and a few that may take a little longer to get noticed. Nevertheless, they will be very good players,” says Davies.  “We have a group that has skill and speed with offensive instincts on the other end, but are also are very capable of being very good defensively.”
 
FORWARDS

“The depth of our forwards should be the strength of our hockey club.  The battle to get in and stay in the line-up will be competitive.  We have a good mix of talented and skilled forwards with the tenacity to be effective in all three zones.  We also have a number of players to choose from as part of the power play and penalty-kill units,” says Davies.

Scoring goals has not typically been a problem for the Colonels in the past, and judging by this year’s roster, it shouldn’t present that big of a problem most nights for the Colonels.  “I really see our production coming from all four lines, with the defense chipping in more than last year.  But I also sense that this year’s group of forwards are more committed defensively and this will take the pressure off us to score,” says Davies.  The Colonels strength up front lies with having no less than eight members of the junior class, followed by four sophomores and four freshmen.  The lone senior up front is Ray Nicks, an assistant captain last season who came to the Colonels the year before from Lebanon Valley.  Nicks will be looked upon for his toughness and experience to help the younger members understand what it takes to win championships at this level.
 
Davies knows the importance of seniors in the line-up and is hoping for Nicks to really contribute this year.  “We definitely would like Ray to give a little more, but I don’t mean work harder.  We would like to see more results,” says Davies.

The newest member of the forward junior class is Christopher Atkinson.  Atkinson is a speedy and crafty center who should add a lot of punch to the Colonels this year.  According to Davies, “Chris can be a real difference maker.  No doubt if Chris takes care of business away from the rink he will benefit the hockey team, and most importantly, it will be a good success story.  We are all pulling for him.”  Also with just one year under his belt, Josh Kamrass is back for his second season with the Colonels.  Last season, he played center on the power play, until a back injury slowed him up.  “Josh was just starting to really have an impact on our team, and he was starting to figure out all the movement we want until he got hurt.  He seems ready this year, and a healthy Josh makes us a lot better,” says Davies.  Another player who the Colonels hope is healed and recovered is big strong power right winger Mike Curran.  The winger was just coming into his own when a freak accident occurred and he severely sprained an ankle that would later require surgery.  “He seems to be experiencing no ill-effects and looks ready to go.  I hope Mike bounces back and tries to build on the momentum that he was developing last year,” says Davies.  After a year of experimenting at defense, Shane Geib will return to his original position.  Geib played most of his freshman year at forward, then because of his versatility, he was moved back last year to fill a void in the Colonels’ roster.  “Shane’s ability to be versatile has allowed us to fill holes in our line, and it has always helped Shane’s development.  I am sure he is looking forward to competing at forward this year,” says Davies.
  
Mike Guzzo is trying to rebound from an off-season where he was slowed by a hip injury.  The skilled right-shot left winger is looking for the scoring touch that he had his freshman year.  “Mike has looked better in the early going than he did all of last year,” says Davies.  “Mike probably should have given himself more time for rehab after hip surgery at the conclusion of his freshman year, and had more realistic expectations in regards to his sophomore year, but that’s hindsight.”  There is no doubt a healthy Guzzo adds tremendous balance to the Colonels already potent forward lineup.  Rounding out the junior forwards are Payden Benning, right-winger John Williams and winger Steve Mohler.
 
The 2010-2011 Curry captains were chosen by last year’s team following the regular season.  Benning has been a force on and off the ice for the past two seasons.  Off the ice, he will be looked upon to oversee all aspects of the Colonels’ chemistry and camaraderie that they will need if they have any hopes of defending their championship.   On the ice, Benning has a nice mix of skill and an edge to his game that opponents quickly recognize.  He also plays a vital role on special teams and can play wing as well. “I think Payden will do a great job of being this year’s captain,” says Davies.  “It says something when every kid we had last year voted for him, and tells you he had their respect.  His challenge will be if he wants to be a popular captain or a respected one, because you can’t be both.  As far as on the ice, Payden is the type of player that can help you in the tough games because he has that ability to get to the tough area and finish.  I look for him to be a very good captain and have a very good year."

Williams brings his usual speedy and crafty game to Max Ulin Rink this year and opponents will quickly realize that although he is smaller in stature, he may very well be the Colonels most dangerous and skilled player.  “No doubt John has tremendous skill, speed and great hands and can really shoot the puck,” says Davies.  “He will play multiple situations for us this year and should really be a leader. What we would like for John to do this year is play with an edge, and if he does that, he could be one of the best forwards in the country.”

Mohler enters his third season after a stellar sophomore year that saw him rebound from a somewhat slow freshman campaign.  The big winger brings perhaps the best vision and hands to the team. He reported to camp this year having added more size and strength, and that should put more fear into opposing players this year.  “Steve had a great year for us last season,” says Davies, “He really came to school this past year prepared, where as a freshman he may not have been, and I think he would agree with this comparison.  This year, because of his summer workouts, he has put himself in great position to have a very big year for us.”

The 2010-2011 Curry Colonels will feature five sophomores.  Leading the way is Connor Hendry, who led all freshmen in scoring last year.  “Connor really sees the ice well and makes great plays look easy,” says Davies.  “We look for him to have a big year for us and take his game to the next level.”

Winger-center Mike Cenisio has been a two-way force for opponents to contend with, and is back to bolster the Colonels at both ends of the rink.  Cenisio had a great second half for the Colonels, and hopes to pick up where he left off.  “Mike is a very strong player who is great on his edges,” says Davies. “He had a great second half for us and was possibly our best forward on the ice versus Elmira in the National Tournament.  He has come to school in much better shape.”

Another forward who brings a lot of energy is George Isham.  Isham came on in the second half for the Colonels last year and earned some power-play time.  He should be considered for the penalty-kill units this year.  According to Davies, “George is performing well in practice.  He is working extremely hard and will be a tough player not to dress.”   Strong and diminutive, feisty winger Casey Brugman brings energy to the game.  “Casey is an energetic guy and when he is going well, he is very hard to miss,” says Davies.  Jacob Hutt is another forward for the Colonels.  “Jake put on a lot of weight over the summer and this will only help him,” says Davies. “He is much stronger than last year. He is a great skater and has tremendous edges that allow him to be good in the corners and on the wall.”

Rounding out the 2010-2011 forwards are four freshmen: Phil Arnone, Ryan Desroches, Mike Lopez and Andrew Tate.  According to Davies, “Arnone is the real deal.  I see what the buzz is about Phil because he competes hard, has great speed, a nice touch and a pretty good understanding of the game.”  Desroches is another right-shot winger that led his team in scoring last year.  “Ryan may make the proper adjustments this year to his game, and has the skill to be able to keep his scoring touch, “says Davies.  “I don’t know when Mike is going to play, but at some point he will, and he will be a very good player for us.”  Tate comes to the Colonels after playing his final junior season on the local Bay State Breakers.  “Andrew is an honest player and he gives an honest effort all over the ice.  Once he catches up to the speed, he will be that much more effective.”
 
Overall, Davies and his staff believe that their team has a group of forwards that have better than average skill and speed and will be able to compete at the national level.  “I believe this group of forwards compares with some of our better groups in past years.  There is a skill-set and speed element that opposing teams will have to respect.  We can put together three very dangerous lines and a fourth that will cause problems for opponents.  Also, there should be a lot of competition for those final forward spots on a weekly basis.  I believe that using our speed effectively and working hard to get to the tough areas will be the key for our forwards.”

IN GENERAL

“We are all encouraged and excited about where we are right now.  We believe that will have great leadership.  We will want to create an environment that fosters “collective accountability.” In order to do that, we as a group are going to have to encourage each other to see it, own it, solve it and do it.  We are the defending champs and a lot is on our shoulders, so we have to be prepared.  Our goaltenders are competing every day. The defense is coming together and the new guys are fitting in nicely.  Our forwards are showing their talents and skills along with their depth potential.  We have 31 players on our hockey club this year, which means there will be competition for spots in the lineup on a day-to-day basis.  There are only a limited number of spots available from game to game which means we will have some good hockey players in the stands.  People may have to wait their turn and continue to work hard.  I really believe the guys want more than just going go to the national tournament.  I believe they want to get to the “Frozen Four” and take it from there.  In order to do that, they will have to do what no previous Curry hockey team has done. Only time will tell.”