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Sunday, October 9, 2022 | 11:01 AM
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Pine-Richland’s Jordan Spear skates with the puck opposed to Central Catholic’s Mario Misiti right through a PIHL playoff recreation remaining season.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
When remaining season ended, the Pine-Richland hockey group stated good-bye to its best 4 point-getters in standout forwards Alex Erlain, Carson Kalpakis and Michael Megine and defenseman Esai Morse.
That leaves the Rams with some scoring to substitute, however they have got some returners and new faces taking a look to make their mark.
“As coaches, we’re excited to see who steps up,” Pine-Richland trainer Jordan Yoklic stated. “We have a excellent mix of seniors, incoming newcomers that earned varsity spots and the whole thing in between. We’re constructive with the crowd now we have. It’s numerous first-year varsity gamers, so we simply have to get adjusted to the tempo for Class 3A play.
“It’s a learning process at this stage of the year. As we keep playing, these guys are going to get better and better to work toward a championship-level caliber of play.”
Pine-Richland complex to the Class 3A semifinals remaining 12 months earlier than falling to eventual Penguins Cup champion Peters Township.
The Rams opened the season with a 5-2 loss opposed to Upper St. Clair on Oct. 3.
The largest returner is Dan Mooney, who established himself as probably the most best goaltenders within the PIHL remaining season.
Mooney carried a 14-4 document with a 1.99 goals-against reasonable and .918 save share as a junior. He’s grown into a pace-setter for the group and a relaxing affect between the pipes.
“Mooney is definitely the backbone of our team,” Yoklic stated. “It’s very comforting and a luxury to have a quality goaltender, especially one like him that works extremely hard on and off the ice. The skaters in front of him want to make his life as easy as possible and let him see the shots. We’re confident he can make any save when he sees the puck, and if there’s a second, third or fourth opportunity, he can make those saves too.”
Joshua Folmer, Jordan Spear and Jack Breisinger are seniors who make up the captain team. Folmer and Breisinger are the main returning scorers with 14 issues every remaining season.
“They are familiar with our coaching style and expectations,” Yoklic stated. “They have high goals individually and for the team. We’re fortunate to have those guys back and will be relying on their leadership.”
Seniors Ryan and Shawn Peacock, who’re twins and Haden Snyder additionally go back. Yoklic stated he’s on the lookout for giant strides from underclassmen Benjamin Baileys, a junior, and Jeremy Casper, a sophomore.
With a tight quantity of first-time varsity gamers at the roster, Yoklic put numerous time into group construction actions over the summer time, so they may get to know every different.
They did exercises at the Pine-Richland soccer box and weight room and took a team-wide commute to a Pirates recreation.
There used to be additionally a commute to Chicago to play 3 video games in August, they usually participated in the yearly St. Margaret preseason match. The Rams went 3-0 in pool play at St. Margaret’s earlier than falling to Armstrong within the semifinals.
Yoklic credited the gamers and fogeys for his or her willingness to play within the offseason and their dedication to this system. The Rams have any other commute deliberate in February to play in a match at Notre Dame.
It’s all a part of the method with the function of being a contender as soon as once more when the Penguins Cup playoffs arrive in March.
“Our goal going into every single game is to come out with two points, but big picture, we just want to come to the rink, whether it’s a practice or a game, and get better as players and coaches,” Yoklic stated. “We need to to find that group bond. If you broaden that early, it units you up smartly come March.
“We’ve been doing some team-building things away from the rink, at the rink, watching film … all the little things that build you into a championship-caliber team. The returners and the new faces on our team are starting to understand that. They’re all excited to continue learning and improving.”
Jerin Steele is a contract author
Tags: Pine-Richland