2011 - 2012 Ice Hockey Preview
The Geneseo Ice Knights enter the 2011-12 season looking to continue their rise back to the top of the SUNYAC for sixth year coach Chris Schultz (Geneseo '97). The Ice Knights finished the 2010-11 campaign with a record of 16-8-2 and a second place mark of 10-5-1 in SUNYAC. Geneseo garnered a bye in the first round of the conference playoffs before being eliminated by Plattsburgh in the semifinals in an entertaining 3-2 overtime contest.
Schultz returns 12 of the top 13 scorers to the team, five of the top five defensemen from a year ago and the SUNYACs top goaltending combination as the Ice Knights try to unseat perennial favorites Oswego and Plattsburgh.
Senior Danny Scagnelli (College Point/New York Bobcats) leads an experienced blue line after earning first team All-SUNYAC and third team All-America honors from the American Hockey Coaches Association in 2011. Scagnelli scored 21 points on seven goals and 14 assists and returns to team with junior Colin de Jersey (West Vancouver, BC/Burnaby Express), who added 10 assists on his way to 12 points. Senior two-year captain Jimmy Powers (Coral Springs, FL/New Hampshire Monarchs) and senior Jake Yard (Bracebridge, ONT/Huntsville Otters), who had 17 points in 2010 after being second team All-SUNYAC in 2009, have been teamed for the better part of their careers and add stability to the Blue Knight defense.
Junior Blake O'Connor (Phoenix, AZ/Bay State Breakers) completes the returning defensemen and Schultz will use either first year Peter Mott (Orleans, ONT/Cumberland Grads) or Jack Caradonna (Markham, ONT/Stouffville Spirit), a pair of offensive minded back liners. O'Connor scored a goal and four assists in 22 games, while de Jersey netted two scores in 19 games last year.
Junior Brandon Angotti (Stamford, CT/Springfield Falcons), sophomore Ryan Goldberg (Toronto, ONT/Markham Waxers) and first year Jesper Fahlen (Kungälv, SWE/Kungälvs IK) provide depth on defense.
Offensively, the Ice Knights return their top two lines from last season. Senior Jonathan Redlick (Biggar, SAS/Kindersley Klippers), an honorable mention All-SUNYAC choice after scoring 31 points on nine goals and 22 assists, returns to center sophomores Zachary Vit (Villanova, PA/Green Mountain Glades) and Rich Manley (Buffalo/Coquitlam Express). Vit netted a team-best 13 goals with 22 helpers for 35 points on his way to SUNYAC Rookie of the Year recognition, while Manley had 11 markers and 12 helpers in 20 games played after missing six contests due to injury.
Geneseo's second line reunites Trail Smoke Eater teammates David Arduin (Halfmoon Bay, BC/Quinnipiac), Stefan Decosse (North Vancouver, BC/Trail Smoke Eaters) and Ryan Bulach (Kelowna, BC/Trail Smoke Eaters) for the third year. Senior Arduin scored 20 points on nine goals and 11 assists, senior Decosse added 16 points in 2011 after leading the team in scoring in 2010 and junior Bulach scored nine times on his way to 15 points.
Schultz has depth on the forward line as seven returners and three newcomers compete for the remaining six slots of playing time. Senior winger Clint Olson (Clearwater, MB/Melfort Mustangs), who scored 11 points in 2011, junior center Corbin Rosmarin (Rexford/Northern Cyclones), junior winger Kaz Iwamoto (Tomakomai, JAPAN/Wyoming Seminary) and sophomore center Carson Schell (Saskatoon, SASK/Nanaimo Clippers) appear to have the inside track on playing time after combining for 85 of a possible 104 games played in 2011.
Junior Nick Ryan (Rochester/Buffalo Jr. Sabres), who returns to the team after missing last season due to injury, sophomores Garry Childerhose (Altona, MB/Melfort Mustangs) and Jonathan Sucese (Fairport/Northfield Mount Hermon) compete for a spot in the starting 12 forwards, along with newcomers Justin Scharfe (Webster/Bridgewater Bandits), who should contribute immediately to the offense, Zach Martin (Point Clair, QC/Nanaimo Clippers) and Zach Cavallini (St. Louis, MO/Capital District Selects), a pair of tough, gritty grinding wingers.
Senior Cory Gershon (Sparta, NJ/St. Michael's Buzzers) and junior Adrian Rubeniuk (Grandview, MB/Dauphin Kings) give Geneseo championship caliber goaltending, with Rubeniuk posting a 8-3-1 record with a 2.72 GAA and a .910 save percentage in 682 minutes and Gershon finishing 7-5-1 with a 2.25 goals against and .921 save percentage in 800 minutes. First year Bryan Haude (Hilton/Hartford Wolfpack) settles in to the role of third goalie and works toward playing time.
The Ice Knights open their season on Saturday, October 22 when the national runner-up Adrian Bulldogs visit the Ira S. Wilson Ice Arena at 4 p.m.