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Newcomers Provide Spark in Pointers
Season Opener
by Scott Williams
Stevens Point Journal
Original Article
Box
Score
Talk about making a good first
impression.
From freshman goalie Bryn Davies to freshmen blueliners Colin Trulock and Nate
Sorenson to rookie forward Anthony Forgione there was little to complain about
in the season opener Friday night for the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
men's hockey team.
Davies stopped 19 shots and Forgione had a goal and an assist in his college
debut as the Pointers tripped up UW-Eau Claire 3-1 in nonconference action at
K.B. Willett Arena.
"I was very happy with the young kids," UWSP coach Joe Baldarotta said. "I'm
happy for this time of the season. But I want to keep everything in perspective.
I don't want to be a blind optimist." You would have to be blind not to notice
the performance turned in by the line of Nick Molski, David Lee and Brett
Coburn.
The trio looked as if it had been playing together for 10 years instead of being
assembled just before the game.
"Nick just popped on the line today. Cobes and I played a little together at the
end of last year," said Lee, who played with Molski at Stevens Point Area Senior
High.
Every time the line stepped on
the ice, Molski, Coburn and Lee caused all kinds of fits for the Blugolds. They
made their presence felt in the corners and along the boards despite giving up
size.
The line was rewarded for their efforts when Coburn lit the lamp at 11:56 of the
third period to put the Pointers on top 3-1, and supply some breathing room.
"We're not the biggest guys,
but we're shifty and quick. The coaches tell us to keep the puck on the boards
because no one can hang with us," Lee said. "We just move our feet and keep
cycling until someone gets open."
It was Eau Claire's Brooks
Lockwood who opened the scoring. Lockwood followed up a scramble in front of the
Pointers net and flipped the puck over a prone Davies who made the initial save.
Davies spent the rest of night putting up a wall in net. He was particularly
tough when faced with odd-man rushes, as he stoned the Blugolds on a handful of
quality chances.
"I thought their goalie had a nice game," Eau Claire coach Jean-Francois
Laforest said. "We're not going to be a formidable scoring hockey team. When we
get chances we need to bury them. We need to score more than one goal."
Goals were tough to come by
for both teams. Forgione got the Pointers back to even in the opening period by
powering a shot through the glove of Eau Claire netminder Chris Nelson (25
saves).
"It's nice to see a freshman score a goal in his first game," Baldarotta said.
That was when a number of talented UWSP veterans forced people to stand up and
take notice, including junior defenseman James Jernberg.
While working a two-man advantage, Forgione showed excellent vision by finding
Jernberg between the circles for a one-timer that Nelson never saw.
Nick Zebro had a golden chance to get into the goal-scoring column in the final
period but Nelson made a sprawling save.
"We did some things extremely well," Baldarotta said. "We had a couple bad
lapses we need to correct. And I wish we had finished a couple more chances."
All in all, the win was a nice
building block to the season.
After getting off to an 0-2 start a year ago, including a loss at Eau Claire,
the Pointers will enter next weekend in a good frame of mind.
"This will help keep everybody's spirits up. We have a fresh look and a win
right off the bat gives us some momentum to start the year," Lee said.
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