With the SUNYAC season over for nearly a month now, its time to break down last year and look forward to next year. There are some BIG shoes to fill on some teams, and some BIG senior heavy rosters on others. Some teams need to work on finishing, some teams need to work on starting. Here are my thoughts, what is yours??
The NON Playoff Teams
9. BROCKPORT GOLDEN EAGLES
7TH 5-9-2 (9-13-3)
BIG WINS: PLATTSBURGH (4-2), ELMIRA NC (4-3OT)
SENIORS: 6 – CODY, FINNERTY, SHOFF, WREN
RETURNING: PANEPINTO
Just two years after hosting a SUNYAC playoff game, the Golden Eagles found themselves once again out of the SUNYAC playoffs. But missing the playoffs still wasn’t a total loss season for the Eagles. Of their 13 losses on the season, 10 of them came by way of 2 or fewer goals. Brockport was “in” just about every game they played in 2011-2012. Part of the reason was the play of SUNYAC Player Of The Year Senior James Cody (11-8-19) who finished his career at Brockport with 60 goals and 116 points. Unfortunately for Brockport, there will be no 5th year eligibility status for neither Cody nor fellow seniors Ian Finnerty and Adam Shoff whose combined 58 points accounted for nearly 40% of the Golden Eagle conference offence.
Looking forward, Brockport will return 4 other 10+ players from last years squad in Polino, Cangro, Rothfuss, and Hayward. Cangro was 2nd on the team behind Cody in conference goals with 7. Goaltending will be a major question for the Eagles. Since the departure of Todd Sheridan, who holds nearly every major goaltending record at Brockport, the Eagles had the luxury of a very stable goaltender in Oliver Wren. Now that Wren has graduated, Aaron Green is next in line for overall playing time. He will have to improve on his 4.10GAA and .870 save% in hopes of keeping Brockport a float.
I can’t foresee Brockport pulling in any kind of offensive talent to replace the big three. Losing 40% of your offense in just 3 players will be very hard. Brockport takes a step back and continues to miss the playoffs for the third straight year.
8. CORTLAND RED DRAGONS
8TH 4-11-1 (6-18-1)
BIG WINS: HOBART NC (3-2)
SENIORS: 10 CHRISTIANO, LOMPADO, REILLY
RETURNING: BEVILACQUA, ZAPPIA
Another disappointing season for the Red Dragons in 2011-2012. Cortland posted half of their total wins before Thanksgiving and was just 1 game under .500 at that point. The Dragons would finish the season 3-14-0 getting their remaining wins over New England College, Brockport, and Potsdam. 10 of their 18 losses were by 3 or more goals in 2011-2012. They finished the season “strong” with 3 of their 4 loses by 1 goal, but still a step behind. St.Norbert transfer and team point leader Adam Bevilacqua and Nick Zappia, who led the Red Dragons in goals as a freshman, will need to really pick up production in 2012-2013.
They will lose a lot of not only talent, but leadership in their 10 seniors. This could be a good thing if coach Baldarotta, who will be entering his 6th season at Cortland, can land some nice recruits. Since coming to Cortland, Coach Baldarotta has seen a decrease each year in winning percentage (.481, .360, .280, .280, .260). Coach Baldarotta has only had 2 seasons below .500 since 1991-1992 before coming to Cortland in 2007-2008.
I’m not sure that trend will continue, but it will be another playoff-less season for the Red Dragons and Coach Baldarotta.
7. MORRISVILLE MUSTANGS
9TH 4-11-1 (5-19-1)
BIG WINS: NONE (TIE VS OSWEGO 3-3)
SENIORS: 4 – HOSMER, MATZEL, LONGLAND, CRISTINI
RETURNING: NELSON, RENAUD, BREEN
Hopes were high for Morrisville entering the 2011-2012 season. With the addition of Todd Hosmer, the biggest question was who would fill the shoes of Mr.Mustang Caylin Relkoff. Morrisville brought in Christopher Azzano who transferred in from Wentworth, but battled for time with fellow sophomore Colin Breen. Neither were the answer to backstopping the Mustangs. Morrisville will enter next season with just 2 seniors. A very young Mustang team went through a lot of growing pains, which could help them next season.
Another major issue for Morrisville was their lack of discipline. Morrisville led the league in penalty minutes with nearly 23 minutes a game average. Combine that with the fact they had the 2nd worst penalty kill in the league at just 72% it was a recipes for disaster. Losing Todd Hosmer to graduation, and the other 3 seniors, will also exile 172 penalty minutes from last year. Nearly 70% of the teams overall penalty minutes in just those 4 players.
Coach Grady needs to really get his team under control if the Mustangs plan on getting back out from underneath the SUNYAC rankings. I don’t see it happening. If he can turn things around and put the Mustangs in the playoffs, sign Grady up for Coach of the Year right now.
The NON Playoff Teams
9. BROCKPORT GOLDEN EAGLES
7TH 5-9-2 (9-13-3)
BIG WINS: PLATTSBURGH (4-2), ELMIRA NC (4-3OT)
SENIORS: 6 – CODY, FINNERTY, SHOFF, WREN
RETURNING: PANEPINTO
Just two years after hosting a SUNYAC playoff game, the Golden Eagles found themselves once again out of the SUNYAC playoffs. But missing the playoffs still wasn’t a total loss season for the Eagles. Of their 13 losses on the season, 10 of them came by way of 2 or fewer goals. Brockport was “in” just about every game they played in 2011-2012. Part of the reason was the play of SUNYAC Player Of The Year Senior James Cody (11-8-19) who finished his career at Brockport with 60 goals and 116 points. Unfortunately for Brockport, there will be no 5th year eligibility status for neither Cody nor fellow seniors Ian Finnerty and Adam Shoff whose combined 58 points accounted for nearly 40% of the Golden Eagle conference offence.
Looking forward, Brockport will return 4 other 10+ players from last years squad in Polino, Cangro, Rothfuss, and Hayward. Cangro was 2nd on the team behind Cody in conference goals with 7. Goaltending will be a major question for the Eagles. Since the departure of Todd Sheridan, who holds nearly every major goaltending record at Brockport, the Eagles had the luxury of a very stable goaltender in Oliver Wren. Now that Wren has graduated, Aaron Green is next in line for overall playing time. He will have to improve on his 4.10GAA and .870 save% in hopes of keeping Brockport a float.
I can’t foresee Brockport pulling in any kind of offensive talent to replace the big three. Losing 40% of your offense in just 3 players will be very hard. Brockport takes a step back and continues to miss the playoffs for the third straight year.
8. CORTLAND RED DRAGONS
8TH 4-11-1 (6-18-1)
BIG WINS: HOBART NC (3-2)
SENIORS: 10 CHRISTIANO, LOMPADO, REILLY
RETURNING: BEVILACQUA, ZAPPIA
Another disappointing season for the Red Dragons in 2011-2012. Cortland posted half of their total wins before Thanksgiving and was just 1 game under .500 at that point. The Dragons would finish the season 3-14-0 getting their remaining wins over New England College, Brockport, and Potsdam. 10 of their 18 losses were by 3 or more goals in 2011-2012. They finished the season “strong” with 3 of their 4 loses by 1 goal, but still a step behind. St.Norbert transfer and team point leader Adam Bevilacqua and Nick Zappia, who led the Red Dragons in goals as a freshman, will need to really pick up production in 2012-2013.
They will lose a lot of not only talent, but leadership in their 10 seniors. This could be a good thing if coach Baldarotta, who will be entering his 6th season at Cortland, can land some nice recruits. Since coming to Cortland, Coach Baldarotta has seen a decrease each year in winning percentage (.481, .360, .280, .280, .260). Coach Baldarotta has only had 2 seasons below .500 since 1991-1992 before coming to Cortland in 2007-2008.
I’m not sure that trend will continue, but it will be another playoff-less season for the Red Dragons and Coach Baldarotta.
7. MORRISVILLE MUSTANGS
9TH 4-11-1 (5-19-1)
BIG WINS: NONE (TIE VS OSWEGO 3-3)
SENIORS: 4 – HOSMER, MATZEL, LONGLAND, CRISTINI
RETURNING: NELSON, RENAUD, BREEN
Hopes were high for Morrisville entering the 2011-2012 season. With the addition of Todd Hosmer, the biggest question was who would fill the shoes of Mr.Mustang Caylin Relkoff. Morrisville brought in Christopher Azzano who transferred in from Wentworth, but battled for time with fellow sophomore Colin Breen. Neither were the answer to backstopping the Mustangs. Morrisville will enter next season with just 2 seniors. A very young Mustang team went through a lot of growing pains, which could help them next season.
Another major issue for Morrisville was their lack of discipline. Morrisville led the league in penalty minutes with nearly 23 minutes a game average. Combine that with the fact they had the 2nd worst penalty kill in the league at just 72% it was a recipes for disaster. Losing Todd Hosmer to graduation, and the other 3 seniors, will also exile 172 penalty minutes from last year. Nearly 70% of the teams overall penalty minutes in just those 4 players.
Coach Grady needs to really get his team under control if the Mustangs plan on getting back out from underneath the SUNYAC rankings. I don’t see it happening. If he can turn things around and put the Mustangs in the playoffs, sign Grady up for Coach of the Year right now.
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