Going to a hockey game at Geneseo is now a must do on a Friday and Saturday night as lively crowds and a pep band pack the Ira S. Wilson Ice Arena. So much so that the basketball team struggles to get any sort of crowd. Some will say that having a winning team is the real reason, but ask any of the players and coaches, and they will say their winning is a direct result of the strong fan support. On the other hand, ask the three students, and they will say the opposite.<\/p>\n
All modesty aside, whether it is a chicken and egg conundrum or not, they certainly go hand in hand. One could not do it without the other. College sports is like that, which is what makes it so unique and enjoyable. Mutual respect is very high between the hockey team and the students who resurrected fan support.<\/p>\n
During the first intermission in their game against Potsdam, the team stayed out on the ice to present Hiroko Yuki with an official Geneseo hockey jersey. Yuki, who graduated last May, has decided to return to her native Japan, and the team wanted to thank her for all she did. They all seemed genuinely happy to be recognizing her.<\/p>\n
Yuki wasn’t just someone who became a fan of hockey when she came to America. She became a student of the game, learning the rules, strategy, and nuances of the sport. She wrote about the game, covering the Ice Knights for the school newspaper, The Lamron<\/i>. The first time I met her, she was wearing a New Jersey Devils uniform. It wasn’t just college hockey she enjoyed.<\/p>\n
Thanks to the Internet, even half a world away, Yuki will be able to follow her beloved Ice Knights. I can picture her wearing that Geneseo jersey as she tunes into the radio broadcasts on the web, reads this column and game recaps on USCHO, and exchanges e-mail with her fellow fans.<\/p>\n
She did tell me she is going to miss hockey, as hockey in Japan is boring. (I saw it once on TV when I was in Tokyo, and I agree.) She will also, of course, be missed by the Geneseo hockey community and her many friends.<\/p>\n
It goes hand in hand. I wonder who is going to miss whom the most.<\/p>\n
SUNYAC Short Shots<\/h4>\n![\"Hiroko](\"http:\/\/www.uscho.com\/images\/colorscans\/20062007\/genst_jersey.jpg\")
<\/p>\nHiroko Yuki with the jersey presented to her by the Geneseo Ice Knights. (photo: V.W. Hope)<\/div>\n<\/div>\nD’Arcy Thomas scored two goals in 32 seconds, Richard Curtis also got two goals, and Jason Hill got four assists in Buffalo State’s 6-3 win over Cortland … Oswego’s Brendan McLaughlin got two goals and four assists, Ryan Ellis got two goals and two assists, and Ryan Scott made 19 saves in an 8-0 whitewashing of Fredonia … Jason Dolgy scored with 1:18 left in the game for Brockport to beat Potsdam, 4-3 … Geneseo’s Mitch Stephens got four assists against Plattsburgh in a 4-1 win … All of the goals in Oswego’s 3-1 victory over Buffalo State came in the first period as Oswego outshot the Bengals in that period, 21-6 and McLaughlin scored another two goals … Cortland’s Ben Binga made 29 saves for the 3-0 shutout over Fredonia … Sebastien Panetta scored the third period winning goal in Geneseo’s 3-2 win over Potsdam … Six different Morrisville players scored in their 6-3 win over Plymouth State … Travis Moore made 39 saves in Morrisville’s 3-0 shutout over Plymouth State in a game that took only 1:56 to play.<\/p>\n
Game of the Week<\/h4>\n
This weekend the travel partners pair off, except for Potsdam and Plattsburgh who already played each other earlier. In fact, if we picked a non-conference game of the week, it would no doubt be Elmira at Plattsburgh for the history and rivalry alone. On top of that, these two storied programs are struggling, and a win in this game will certainly help boost their confidence.<\/p>\n
“They have everything to gain and nothing to lose,” Emery said of Elmira. “They are going to be playing their best. We’re going to have to play our best hockey to win. We can’t assume because we are back home after being on the road that we are going to win. It’s nice to be back home, and we have great fans, but it’s not automatic.”<\/p>\n
The game to pick is a toss up between Brockport at Geneseo and Fredonia at Buffalo State.<\/p>\n
The first choice is a Brockport-Geneseo game that means something for the first time in many years. Brockport is one point behind the Ice Knights. A win, and suddenly Brockport is a team to watch the rest of the year. Meanwhile, Geneseo wants to keep pace with Oswego before the SUNYAC becomes a runaway.<\/p>\n
“They’re a team without question is going to try to outwork you every night,” Geneseo coach Chris Schultz said of Brockport. “We’re going to have some practice this week where there is going to be a lot of battling, a lot of corner work, and physical play. At the same time, we are going to condition the heck out of them, so they are ready for a hard working team.”<\/p>\n
The second choice, and the game I am picking, is the one in Buffalo. These two teams may be lower in the standings, but it means the level of desperation is higher. Buffalo State does not want to fall back any further after the success of last year, and the last thing Fredonia wants is to continue dropping through the standings.<\/p>\n
“I think we’re going to be a better team on Friday. And I emphasize the team part,” Meredith said as he plans on sitting out some players who have been making numerous mental errors.<\/p>\n
Of course, scoring goals is going to be the key for the Blue Devils. “Unless we get the puck to the net, we’re not going to generate chances,” Meredith said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nD’Arcy Thomas scored two goals in 32 seconds, Richard Curtis also got two goals, and Jason Hill got four assists in Buffalo State’s 6-3 win over Cortland … Oswego’s Brendan McLaughlin got two goals and four assists, Ryan Ellis got two goals and two assists, and Ryan Scott made 19 saves in an 8-0 whitewashing of Fredonia … Jason Dolgy scored with 1:18 left in the game for Brockport to beat Potsdam, 4-3 … Geneseo’s Mitch Stephens got four assists against Plattsburgh in a 4-1 win … All of the goals in Oswego’s 3-1 victory over Buffalo State came in the first period as Oswego outshot the Bengals in that period, 21-6 and McLaughlin scored another two goals … Cortland’s Ben Binga made 29 saves for the 3-0 shutout over Fredonia … Sebastien Panetta scored the third period winning goal in Geneseo’s 3-2 win over Potsdam … Six different Morrisville players scored in their 6-3 win over Plymouth State … Travis Moore made 39 saves in Morrisville’s 3-0 shutout over Plymouth State in a game that took only 1:56 to play.<\/p>\n
Game of the Week<\/h4>\n
This weekend the travel partners pair off, except for Potsdam and Plattsburgh who already played each other earlier. In fact, if we picked a non-conference game of the week, it would no doubt be Elmira at Plattsburgh for the history and rivalry alone. On top of that, these two storied programs are struggling, and a win in this game will certainly help boost their confidence.<\/p>\n
“They have everything to gain and nothing to lose,” Emery said of Elmira. “They are going to be playing their best. We’re going to have to play our best hockey to win. We can’t assume because we are back home after being on the road that we are going to win. It’s nice to be back home, and we have great fans, but it’s not automatic.”<\/p>\n
The game to pick is a toss up between Brockport at Geneseo and Fredonia at Buffalo State.<\/p>\n
The first choice is a Brockport-Geneseo game that means something for the first time in many years. Brockport is one point behind the Ice Knights. A win, and suddenly Brockport is a team to watch the rest of the year. Meanwhile, Geneseo wants to keep pace with Oswego before the SUNYAC becomes a runaway.<\/p>\n
“They’re a team without question is going to try to outwork you every night,” Geneseo coach Chris Schultz said of Brockport. “We’re going to have some practice this week where there is going to be a lot of battling, a lot of corner work, and physical play. At the same time, we are going to condition the heck out of them, so they are ready for a hard working team.”<\/p>\n
The second choice, and the game I am picking, is the one in Buffalo. These two teams may be lower in the standings, but it means the level of desperation is higher. Buffalo State does not want to fall back any further after the success of last year, and the last thing Fredonia wants is to continue dropping through the standings.<\/p>\n
“I think we’re going to be a better team on Friday. And I emphasize the team part,” Meredith said as he plans on sitting out some players who have been making numerous mental errors.<\/p>\n
Of course, scoring goals is going to be the key for the Blue Devils. “Unless we get the puck to the net, we’re not going to generate chances,” Meredith said.<\/p>\n