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What to expect? Where will the offense come from? Will the defense be able to step up and keep it low scoring? Those seem to be the questions every year for the Beavers.
WHAT THEY LOST
BSU lost five players last year, four to graduation and Ruslan Pedan signing with Sochi in the KHL. Here is a look at those five and where they ranked in scoring.
#3 Markus Gerbrandt (F) 8G-16A-24 pts
#4 Graeme McCormack (D) 6G-16A-22 pts
#6 Cory Ward (F) 9G-10A-19 pts
#7 John Parker (F) 11G-6A-17 pts
#11 Ruslan Pedan (D) 3G-6A-9 pts
WHAT THEY HAVE COMING BACK
So that means 6 of the Beavers’ top 10 scorers will return. The class breakdown ends up being 6 seniors, 8 juniors, 8 sophomores and 6 freshmen.
#1 Gerry Fitzgerald (Jr) 14G-11A-25 pts
#2 Brendan Harms (Sr) 8G-17A-25 pts
#5 Kyle Bauman (Jr) 7G-13A-20 pts
#8 Charlie O’Connor (Sr) 7G-6A-13 Pts
#9 Leo Fitzgerald (Jr) 3G-9A-12 Pts
#10 Nate Arentz (Sr) 4G-7A-11 Pts
WHAT THEY HAVE COMING IN
Tommy Muck, D-Madison Capitals (USHL) 48 GP, 4G-6A-10 Pts., 6 PIM
*********Fargo Force (USHL) 15 GP, 0G-7A-7 Pts., 2 PIM, +7
Jack Burgart, G-Weyburn Red Wings (SJHL) 43 GP, 27W-10L-4OTL, 2SOL, 1.97 GAA, 93.5 Save%, 3 SO
*********SJHL Playoffs 5 GP, 1W-4L, 2.26 GAA, 94.2 Save%, 0 SO
Hampus Sjodahl, F-Odessa Jackalopes (NAHL) 60 GP, 35G-34A-69 Pts., 34 PIM, +16
*********Playoffs 3 GP, 1G-1A-2 Pts., 0 PIM
-Dylan McCrory, F-Brooks Bandits (AJHL) 60 GP, 24G-46A-70 Pts., 84 PIM
*********AJHL Playoffs 13 GP, 11G-6A-17 Pts., 12 PIM
*********Western Canada Cup 6 GP, 0G-2A-2 Pts, 6 PIM
*********Royal Bank Cup 5 GP, 0G-3A-3 Pts., 6 PIM
-Adam Brady, F, Lincoln Stars (USHL) 27 GP, 9G-15A-24 Pts., 21 PIM, +1
-Zach Whitecloud, D, Virden Oil Capitals (MJHL) 59 GP, 6G-34A-40 Pts, 105 PIM
*********Playoffs 7 GP, 2G-3A-5 Pts., 6 PIM
WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN
Probably the biggest area of concern for this year’s team will be on defense, where they will be young. With McCormack graduating and Pedan leaving before his senior year, that leave 6’5” senior Carter Struthers as the lone senior defenseman, and he has only seen limited action in his career due to injuries. They young defensemen did see plenty of action last season with Junior Brett Beauveis having the most experience.
Goaltending should again be solid with Junior Michael Bitzer having plenty of game experience. He will be backed up by senior Reid Mimmack and junior Jesse Wilkins, who both have seen limited action over their careers. Also on the roster will be incoming goaltender Jack Burgart, who had a very solid campaign last year in the SJHL.
But as in years past, will the Beavers have that offensive punch that the fans are looking for. Losing four of their top ten scorers will hurt, but on the plus side, they return six. The Beavers started out last year seeming to be an offensive minded team, but then saw their numbers trail off at the end of the year. Some good numbers are coming in from the junior circuits, but as we have heard in the past, junior numbers don’t always translate into college numbers.
THE SCHEDULE
With the WCHA having to remove a week from the length of the schedule, each team will miss out on one bye week for the year, which will make the season even that much more of a grind. BSU travels to Alaska twice and will use two of those exemptions for a 36 game schedule. Out of conference games at North Dakota, with Princeton, home and home with Duluth and the North Star Cup (St. Cloud the first round) will test the Beavers. But the WCHA grind will not be an easy one either. BSU (preseason rank #6) will play four games against preseason number 1 Bowling Green, four against number 2 Michigan Tech and four against number 3 Mankato. The other two teams that the Beavers will see four times are Northern Michigan (#5) and Alaska-Anchorage (#8). That leaves two against Ferris (#4), Lake Superior (#7), Huntsville (#9) and Alaska (#10).
The key for BSU will to be turning around the losing home record while still maintaining the winning road record. Since the Sanford Center has opened, it has not been the home ice that the Glas was. That needs to change. BSU definitely needs to jump out early and get the lead as they have shown in the past they play very well with the lead, but really struggle if they have to come from behind.
Buckle up the chin straps, it is almost time to start the season!
WHAT THEY LOST
BSU lost five players last year, four to graduation and Ruslan Pedan signing with Sochi in the KHL. Here is a look at those five and where they ranked in scoring.
#3 Markus Gerbrandt (F) 8G-16A-24 pts
#4 Graeme McCormack (D) 6G-16A-22 pts
#6 Cory Ward (F) 9G-10A-19 pts
#7 John Parker (F) 11G-6A-17 pts
#11 Ruslan Pedan (D) 3G-6A-9 pts
WHAT THEY HAVE COMING BACK
So that means 6 of the Beavers’ top 10 scorers will return. The class breakdown ends up being 6 seniors, 8 juniors, 8 sophomores and 6 freshmen.
#1 Gerry Fitzgerald (Jr) 14G-11A-25 pts
#2 Brendan Harms (Sr) 8G-17A-25 pts
#5 Kyle Bauman (Jr) 7G-13A-20 pts
#8 Charlie O’Connor (Sr) 7G-6A-13 Pts
#9 Leo Fitzgerald (Jr) 3G-9A-12 Pts
#10 Nate Arentz (Sr) 4G-7A-11 Pts
WHAT THEY HAVE COMING IN
Tommy Muck, D-Madison Capitals (USHL) 48 GP, 4G-6A-10 Pts., 6 PIM
*********Fargo Force (USHL) 15 GP, 0G-7A-7 Pts., 2 PIM, +7
Jack Burgart, G-Weyburn Red Wings (SJHL) 43 GP, 27W-10L-4OTL, 2SOL, 1.97 GAA, 93.5 Save%, 3 SO
*********SJHL Playoffs 5 GP, 1W-4L, 2.26 GAA, 94.2 Save%, 0 SO
Hampus Sjodahl, F-Odessa Jackalopes (NAHL) 60 GP, 35G-34A-69 Pts., 34 PIM, +16
*********Playoffs 3 GP, 1G-1A-2 Pts., 0 PIM
-Dylan McCrory, F-Brooks Bandits (AJHL) 60 GP, 24G-46A-70 Pts., 84 PIM
*********AJHL Playoffs 13 GP, 11G-6A-17 Pts., 12 PIM
*********Western Canada Cup 6 GP, 0G-2A-2 Pts, 6 PIM
*********Royal Bank Cup 5 GP, 0G-3A-3 Pts., 6 PIM
-Adam Brady, F, Lincoln Stars (USHL) 27 GP, 9G-15A-24 Pts., 21 PIM, +1
-Zach Whitecloud, D, Virden Oil Capitals (MJHL) 59 GP, 6G-34A-40 Pts, 105 PIM
*********Playoffs 7 GP, 2G-3A-5 Pts., 6 PIM
WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN
Probably the biggest area of concern for this year’s team will be on defense, where they will be young. With McCormack graduating and Pedan leaving before his senior year, that leave 6’5” senior Carter Struthers as the lone senior defenseman, and he has only seen limited action in his career due to injuries. They young defensemen did see plenty of action last season with Junior Brett Beauveis having the most experience.
Goaltending should again be solid with Junior Michael Bitzer having plenty of game experience. He will be backed up by senior Reid Mimmack and junior Jesse Wilkins, who both have seen limited action over their careers. Also on the roster will be incoming goaltender Jack Burgart, who had a very solid campaign last year in the SJHL.
But as in years past, will the Beavers have that offensive punch that the fans are looking for. Losing four of their top ten scorers will hurt, but on the plus side, they return six. The Beavers started out last year seeming to be an offensive minded team, but then saw their numbers trail off at the end of the year. Some good numbers are coming in from the junior circuits, but as we have heard in the past, junior numbers don’t always translate into college numbers.
THE SCHEDULE
With the WCHA having to remove a week from the length of the schedule, each team will miss out on one bye week for the year, which will make the season even that much more of a grind. BSU travels to Alaska twice and will use two of those exemptions for a 36 game schedule. Out of conference games at North Dakota, with Princeton, home and home with Duluth and the North Star Cup (St. Cloud the first round) will test the Beavers. But the WCHA grind will not be an easy one either. BSU (preseason rank #6) will play four games against preseason number 1 Bowling Green, four against number 2 Michigan Tech and four against number 3 Mankato. The other two teams that the Beavers will see four times are Northern Michigan (#5) and Alaska-Anchorage (#8). That leaves two against Ferris (#4), Lake Superior (#7), Huntsville (#9) and Alaska (#10).
The key for BSU will to be turning around the losing home record while still maintaining the winning road record. Since the Sanford Center has opened, it has not been the home ice that the Glas was. That needs to change. BSU definitely needs to jump out early and get the lead as they have shown in the past they play very well with the lead, but really struggle if they have to come from behind.
Buckle up the chin straps, it is almost time to start the season!
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