There comes a point in the life cycle of every college hockey program where something that was once considered a “milestone” stops being significant and simply becomes “routine.”
This past weekend St. Thomas did two of those things – both of which head coach Rico Blasi would much prefer are soon just routine things his program can do without anyone making a big fuss.
On Friday night in Mendota Heights, Minnesota, the Tommies beat Lake Superior State 4-0 backstopped by Aaron Trotter’s 23-save shutout – the first in the program’s Division I history. The next night, the Tommies made some more history. Their 2-1 win over the Lakers finished off St. Thomas’ first series sweep of the Division I era.
Blasi said he was happy with the way the games played out but knows these milestones are just steppingstones.
“We obviously feel good about what happened this past weekend, but it gets harder as we go along here,” Blasi said Monday. “It’s a step in our process because it was the games we had to play this weekend. Our culture and our focus is always taking it one day at a time. I know that’s cliche, but that’s the truth. We can’t get ahead of ourselves. We have to try and be the best we can each and every day.”
Coming into the weekend, the Tommies (4-12-0, 3-7-0 CCHA) had been in the midst of a six-game losing streak. All six losses came against the top three teams in the CCHA standings (Minnesota State, Bowling Green and Michigan Tech), but St. Thomas was competitive in every game. Four of those were one-goal games, and the other two were tied going into the third period.
So against the Lakers, finishing strong was the key both nights. In Friday’s game, the Tommies scored three times in the second period (including two goals from freshman Josh Eernisse) and finished off the game with a power-play goal in the third to make sure the Lakers didn’t have a way back into the game. On Saturday, it was a more white-knuckle affair. Luke Manning gave the Tommies the lead on a power-play goal late in the second period. Eernisse scored shorthanded four minutes into the third frame to make it 2-0, but LSSU’s Posa Benito got one back midway through the period to cut the lead in half.
From there, the Tommies defended well and didn’t fall into the same habits as they did in some of their more recent losses. Trotter, a freshman, got the win again on Saturday, stopping 21 shots.
“After Friday’s game, we talked about how to be better for Saturday. We knew that it was going to be a tough game,” Blasi said. “Now that’s over with, and now the media don’t have to talk about St.Thomas sweeping anybody. But we know it gets harder as we go.”
The Tommies have already passed their win total from 2021-22, when they finished 3-32-1. That’s also something that the media doesn’t need to talk about anymore, because no matter what happens, the Tommies are already setting new program records.
Another potential record to watch for: Most goals in a season. Eernisse already has seven. Manning, a senior, scored eight last season as a junior (he’s got five this year).
Blasi on Monday praised Eernisse for his consistency – not just every weekend during games but every day in practice.
“We get a chance to see him every day, and what you see in games is what you see in practice. That’s that consistency that we’re talking about. You don’t go from 0 to 60 on Friday or Saturday, you have to do it during the week. You have to prepare every day like it’s gameday, and Josh is one of those guys that does it constantly,” Blasi said. “What happens on Fridays and Saturdays is no surprise to us. Maybe it’s a surprise to different people around the country, but we get to see that every day. And we have a lot of guys who do that.
“We feel like we have a good group that works hard every day and we’re just learning to be consistent in our approach and the little details that make a difference. Obviously, Josh is leading the way for us right now in that category, and we have to have some other guys follow suit.”
That word – consistency – is one Blasi used often during Monday’s media conference. He said he thinks that’s the key to what makes a program successful. The Tommies aren’t quite there yet, but it’s the goal.
“There’s a reason why the Bemdijis and the Mankatos and the Northerns and Bowling Greens have been up there,” Blasi said. “They have the talent, and they have the depth that keeps them consistent on a week-to-week basis. That’s what we’re trying to build our program around, trying to get that skill level, consistency and effort each and every night.”
