From 10/15 Gazette-Telegraph: Tigers say they're ready to play Offense punctuates CC intrasquad game Peter Geronazzo says Colorado College is ready to get on with the hockey season. After the Colorado College right wing combined with center Colin Schmidt and left wing Jason Christopherson to total three goals and eight assists in Friday night's intrasquad game, it would appear the junior from Trail, British Columbia, is ready to roll. "This is a steppingstone to get the season going," Geronazzo said after scoring a hat trick and setting up a fourth goal as the White team posted a 7-4 victory before about 350 spectators at Honnen Ice Arena on the CC campus. Geronazzo scored the White squad's third, sixth and seventh goals. He worked well with his linemates, despite only four days of on-ice practice. Schmidt, a junior from Regina, Saskatchewan, set up five goals, including all three of Geronazzo's; Christopherson, a junior from Burnsville, Minn., added two assists. "Colin and I played together last year, too," said Geronazzo. "It's good to get back to playing, get in some game situations. We moved the puck around a little bit." The Tigers, defending champions of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, open their season at defending Central Collegiate Hockey Association champ Michigan on Oct. 21-22. CC, ousted in the first round of the WCHA playoffs, did not get a bid to the NCAA tournament. "We're anxious to get to Michigan, to get going with the season," Geronazzo said. "We've got something to prove after last year." Second-year coach Donn Lucia, noting a lack of icing and offside penalties, said the Tigers proved Friday they're fast learners. "I think they moved the puck well for four days of practice," Lucia said. "Schmitty (Schmidt) and Gerry (Geronazzo), and those guys, I expect to score goals." Eight players scored goals. Geronazzo, seniors David Paxton and Ryan Reynard, and freshmen Stewart Bodtker and Calvin Elfring tallied for the White. Senior R.J. Enga scored two goals and set up another for the Black, and junior Jay McNeill and freshman Travis Cheyne each scored a goal. "The best thing is nobody got hurt," Lucia said. "It was a good chance to get the guys in game situations with referees." All three goaltenders played two periods each, with senior Paul Frank splitting between the Black team (21 first-period saves) and the White (seven third-period saves). Redshirt sophomore Ryan Bach stopped 17 shots, and sophomore Judd Lambert recorded 15 saves. end of article I was able to go watch the scrimmage Friday night. According to some spectators, this was the most people they'd ever seen show up. The game started out with a goal for each team within the first two minutes, as the players got adjusted to the game situation. There was a lot of movement from the players around the ice, perhaps in preparation to better use the bigger ice surface at Air Force. The game was played clean, with no injuries and only three penalties called (interference, holding, and too many men on the ice). It looks like the players to watch this year are Peter Geronazzo, R.J. Enga, and Jay McNeill to be the big scorers for CC. Bach was looking pretty good in the net as well. Also this weekend I caught a special preview show by one of the local tv stations, KRDO. It was a nice half hour piece, discussing the strengths of the team, the move to playing at the Air Force Academy, and interviews with coaches and some of the players. There was also a quick preview of each team in the WCHA. In response to the coaches poll, Jeff Thomas, announcer for all CC games, picked his top five in the WCHA: 1. Northern Michigan 2. Colorado College 3. Minnesota 4. St. Cloud State 5. Denver Also in the broadcast they gave the extention number for CC on Teamline, which is 8475. It was good to see some hockey again, and I can't wait until Oct. 29, when CC plays their first game at home against North Dakota! Karen Heasley Colorado College '95 [log in to unmask] * [log in to unmask]