Ryan Tverberg has, so far this season, done everything in his power to get Connecticut to its highest national ranking ever — seventh in the latest edition of the DCU/USCHO.com D-I men’s poll.
The scary thing for the rest of Hockey East? The junior forward might still have his best hockey in front of him.
“He just keeps getting better since he’s been here,” said UConn coach Mike Cavanaugh, shortly after his Huskies completed a weekend sweep of Maine. “He’s a difference maker. (He) affects the game in so many different ways — killing penalties, on the power play, 5 on 5. I’m glad he’s on our team.”
For his efforts in October, Tverberg was named Hockey East Player of the Month. The Richmond Hill, Ont., native scored seven goals and added four assists for 11 points, including three on the power play and one game winner.
In October, Tverberg led the league in scoring and recorded at least one point in all but one of UConn’s nine games. The Huskies are now 9-1-1.
“It just shows what this program is all about,” Tverberg said. “It’s climbing. It’s been real special how we’ve been able to do that and bring a new culture to the team and program. It’s competitive and hard-working. We’ve got, however many new guys, 16? Having them adapt to it, understand it, bring them into it so that everyone knows what to bring every day. Everyone brings their best.”
One of those newcomers is grad student and Yale transfer Justin Pearson, who scored the game winner for UConn over Maine last Saturday (a 3-2 win) for his first goal in a Huskies jersey. Pearson said Tverberg sets an example for him and every first-year player with his work ethic.
“He’s a committed player,” Pearson said. “Every practice, he’s always one of the hardest workers. So I look up to him in that regard.”
Pearson added that Tverberg is a fun player to watch.
“He’s got some of the best wheels in the league,” Pearson said. “He just flies out there and creates so much space for other players. It’s really just cool to see him excel.”
Another Husky garnering monthly honors from the conference was sophomore goalie Logan Terness, who got the bulk of the starts for his team and went 4-0-1 in October with only six goals allowed. He posted a 1.18 goals-against average and a .946 save percentage, second in the nation in both categories.
“Logan’s committed to being the very best goaltender he can be,” Cavanaugh said last week about Terness. “(He) does work — whether it’s off the ice throwing balls against the wall, doing different things (to) optimize his strengths as a goaltender and be the very best version of Logan.”
The Huskies will look to keep the good times rolling this weekend with a home-and-home series vs. No. 9 Providence.
“We know we’re a great hockey team,” Tverberg said. “We’re playing good right now. We just have to keep playing that way. Work on what we’re doing wrong — you can’t be satisfied with just wins. Just play better every day and work hard in practice.”
