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It is laborious to think about a greater begin to the 2022-23 season for the UNH Males’s Hockey workforce. After a 6-hour bus journey to Potsdam within the “North Nation” of upstate New York, the Wildcats overcame a 3-1 deficit within the third interval of final Friday’s recreation in opposition to Clarkson College, to win 4-3 in time beyond regulation. A fast journey to close by Canton on Saturday result in extra success with a 4-1 victory over St. Lawrence College.
This season’s workforce is comparatively younger with 8 freshmen and 9 sophomores. The 6 freshmen who noticed motion over the 2 video games will, little doubt, keep in mind the thrill and nerves. Freshmen forwards Cy LeClerc (1 purpose, 1 help) and Morgan Winters (1 purpose) scored whereas Stiven Sardarian and Jake Dunlap performed common shifts. The excellent play of two different UNH freshmen earned them weekly honors from Hockey East.
Damien Carfagna Named Hockey East Defender of the Week
Final weekend, all 11 Hockey East groups have been in motion for the primary time this season. On Monday, the league introduced the recipients of the weekly awards. 19-year-old UNH freshman Damien Carfagna was named “Defender of the Week”. The 5’11”, 168 lbs., left-shot defenseman from Wooden Ridge, New Jersey, who was primarily paired with sophomore Colton Huard, blocked one shot and registered a +1 ranking in opposition to Clarkson. On Saturday, Carfagna cranked up his offensive recreation firing 8 photographs on purpose in opposition to St. Lawrence and scoring his first NCAA purpose. His total ranking for each video games was +3.
This is his purpose, which put UNH comfortably forward early within the third interval:
Interview with Damien Carfagna
I had a chance to interview Damien Carfagna, by way of electronic mail, about his NCAA debut and the Hockey East weekly honor:
Mike Lowry: Congratulations on incomes the Hockey East “Defender of the Week” award in your first NCAA video games. Would you describe your experiences main as much as the your first shift, in the course of the early phases of the sport, in the course of the last moments, and after the sport?
Damien Carfagna: Within the weeks main as much as the sport every little thing was about studying the system right here at UNH and getting snug enjoying with my teammates. Clearly I had some nerves earlier than my first shift, however my teammates and the teaching employees did an amazing job ensuring that I used to be snug with enjoying my recreation at this degree. Within the second recreation I used to be extra assured. Within the third interval I used to be in a position to rating on a shot from the blue line, so it was good to get my first one out of the way in which early.
Mike Lowry: How would you self-evaluate your efficiency?
Damien Carfagna: I really feel like I had a really constructive begin to my school profession this previous weekend. This previous weekend was a superb start line for me that I wish to construct off of. Being awarded Hockey East Defender of the Week was one thing particular for me, however I nonetheless really feel like I’ve areas of my recreation that I can enhance as I play extra video games and get extra expertise at this degree.
Lowry: How does the general degree of ability and competitors in your first collegiate recreation examine to what you encountered within the USHL?
Carfagna: The largest distinction that stood out to me was the power of a few of the gamers. Within the USHL, you’re nonetheless enjoying in opposition to youngsters, however in school you’re typically enjoying in opposition to grown males. Each second of the sport can also be extra aggressive, as a shorter season on the school degree permits for fewer errors to be made.
Lowry: How would you describe the workforce’s type of play and it’s strengths?
Carfagna: We’ve got a really quick workforce, and we used it to our benefit within the opening weekend. We’re laborious on our forecheck, and our conditioning and depth permits us to play a tough, quick recreation for a complete 60 minutes.
Tyler Muszelik Named Hockey East Rookie of the Week
UNH had two freshmen earn a Hockey East honor this week. 18-year-old Tyler Muszelik, a 6’3″, 195 lbs. goalie from Lengthy Valley, New Jersey was named “Rookie of the Week”. It’s the first time a UNH freshman goalie has been named Hockey East rookie of the week since Casey DeSmith earned the respect halfway via the 2011-12 season. It might be the primary time a UNH freshman goalie earned the award based mostly on his first NCAA recreation.
In his NCAA debut in opposition to St. Lawrence within the second recreation of the 2022-23 season, Muszelik confronted 32 photographs on purpose and just one bought previous him. On a St. Lawrence energy play late within the first interval, a shot ricocheted off a UNH defenseman and Muszelik had no probability to cease the redirection.
With 13 minutes remaining within the recreation and UNH main 4-1, junior ahead Nick Cafarelli dedicated a 5-minute main penalty for contact to the top. The door was open for St. Lawrence to stage a comeback. Happily, the UNH penalty kill shut the Skating Saints down and Muszelik made 6 key saves.
This is just a few of Muszelik’s saves in the course of the St. Lawrence 5-minute energy play halfway via the third interval:
Interview with Tyler Muszelik
I had a chance to interview Tyler Muszelik, by way of electronic mail, about his NCAA debut and the Hockey East Rookie of the Week honor:
Mike Lowry: Congratulations on incomes the Hockey East “Rookie of the Week” award in your first NCAA recreation. Would you describe your experiences main as much as the opening face off, in the course of the early phases of the sport, in the course of the last moments, and after the sport?
Tyler Muszelik: I used to be wanting to play my first official school recreation so when coach Souza stated I used to be in versus Saint Lawrence I used to be excited. I felt ready and felt assured considering again that I had already performed some school opponents final season.
I felt sharp in the course of the recreation so when it was shut I simply needed to maintain making saves to provide us the chance to attain just a few extra and take an even bigger lead. When the sport was over I used to be simply joyful and relieved to have had a superb first school recreation and rejoice with my teammates on a profitable weekend as a workforce.
Mike Lowry: How would you self-evaluate your efficiency?
Tyler Muszelik: The workforce made it simpler for me by clearing guys out of the web entrance and never giving as much as many grade A possibilities. I assumed I used to be regular and due to my teammates saved Saint Lawrence to only 1 purpose.
Lowry: How does the general degree of ability and competitors in your first collegiate recreation examine to what you encountered within the USHL and worldwide competitors?
Muszelik: There may be positively a distinction between school and USHL/worldwide play. The blokes are clearly older they usually’re larger and stronger. It was much more bodily of a recreation then I used to be used to. There was much more site visitors in entrance of my internet and performs have been made slightly bit quicker.
Lowry: How would you describe the workforce’s type of play and it’s strengths?
Muszelik: I believe our workforce this yr is an “in your face” form of workforce who can actually skate and satisfaction ourself on effort and compete. I believe skating is an enormous power of ours this yr and we are able to actually take benefit offensively due to it.