I recently returned from the Mass-Lowell luncheon where Greg Bullock and
Coach Crowder spoke and here's the latest scoop.
 
Crowder said that the past two years he's been making the decision on who
would start in goal, but this year his assistants are.  :-)  (Newbies should
realize that all-everything goalie and sometime HOCKEY-L contributor Dwayne
Roloson played in virtually every UML game for the past two years.  Goal is
the single biggest question facing the RiverHawks this year.)  Following the
comment, Mark Ostipina could be seen flipping a coin.
 
Seriously, Craig Lindsey will start in goal tomorrow night.  Crowder said that
Lindsey benefited from Roloson's presence last year.  Roloson, unlike many
goalies, was intense even during practices.  Crowder feels that that rubbed off
on Lindsey and he hopes that will now rub off on Fankhauser and Fillion, the
two freshmen netminders.
 
Crowder feels the strength of the team is in it's defense.  He said that they
would have the fastest defense they've ever had at UML.  He jokingly said that
the thing they'd miss the most about departed defensemen Travis Tucker and
Kerry Angus was their speed.  :-)
 
He said that in general he's a lot more optimistic about the team than he was
a week ago, even though he wasn't happy with the way the team played in their
exhibition against Concordia.  He felt the team got away from doing the little
things that win games.
 
Crowder feels that he has enough returning players who saw some power play
time last year that that won't be a problem.  He's more concerned about the
penalty killing unit.
 
Jeff Daw, a junior (and one who had a mixed sophomore season IMO) who was named
captain, was done so by vote of the players.  It was a close vote between a
vocal junior, Daw, and a quiet senior, Aaron Kriss.  Kriss has been drafted
by the San Jose Sharks, I believe.
 
Bullock said that he was not surprised by his performance last year because
he had always excelled at hockey and he *expected* himself to continue that
performance at UML.  He said the one thing he looked to do this year, even
though his role was primarily offensive, was to improve his defensive play
which he felt would be necessary for him to play at the next level, which he
wants to do.
 
Adam Tramonte, a freshman forward from Chelmsford, Mass who played with the
Tyngsboro Huskies (EJHL) last year has been redshirted.  Last year's redshirt
local player Jarod DiBona has been cut.
 
IMO, if the RiverHawks solve their goaltending question marks, they could
finish as high as second.  That's a big if, obviously.  I don't even want to
think about where they'll finish if the "big if" goes awry.
 
DaveH
 
"Rumors of the demise of UMass-Lowell hockey have been greatly exaggerated."