Keep a program handy this UMass hockey season.
There are a lot of new faces to adjust to in Amherst, as the Minutemen added 12 players ahead of the 2022-23 season – eight freshmen and four transfers.
Three of those freshman forwards were selected in this summer’s NHL Draft: Kenny Connors (LA Kings, 4th round), Cole O’Hara (Nashville Predators, 4th round) and Tyson Dyck (Ottawa Senators, 7th round).
“It’s different. A lot of guys come from junior hockey, so it’s a culture shock with school and everything going on,” UMass assistant captain Jerry Harding said. “I’m trying to help them out and give them any tips, trying to make it an easier transition for them.”
The transfers arrived from Arizona State (goalie Cole Brady), Colgate (defenseman Elliott McDermott), Michigan State (forward Josh Nodler) and Providence (forward Matt Koopan).
Integrating that many new players multiple years in a row has helped coach Greg Carvel improve at it.
“We spend the summer trying to indoctrinate them on our culture, the standard, how we do things on and off the ice,” he said. “With that many young players, you have to play the games. Practice just doesn’t do it.”
No. 13 UMass will get its first taste of game action Saturday against AIC at the MassMutual Center in Springfield (7:05 p.m., FloHockey, WHMP). It’s the 10th meeting in the past 10 years for Western Massachusetts’ two Division I programs. They didn’t meet during the 2020-21 season due to Hockey East’s conference-only schedule, but the Minutemen swept two games last season.
“I love playing AIC. I think they’re extremely well coached, good friends with their coach (Eric Lang) and it’s close (to Amherst),” Carvel said. “It’s good for fans. It’s good for Western Mass. It’s fun to go play in the MassMutual Center. It’s kind of like somewhat of a home game. We get a lot of fans there.”
Both teams have made the past three NCAA Tournaments. The Yellow Jackets reached the second round in 2019 by upsetting the No. 1 overall seed. They’ve won three Atlantic Hockey titles in a row, while UMass is the two-time defending Hockey East champion.
The Yellow Jackets (0-1-1) opened with two games at Alaska Fairbanks last weekend and scored a goal in each game. AIC forward Blake Bennett was named preseason All-Atlantic after 34 points (14 goals) last season.
“I love what they’ve done down there. Both programs have kind of gone hand in hand over the last five or six years, and both programs have built up a lot of mutual respect for each other,” Carvel said.
The Minutemen will need to earn that respect again with its new-look lineup. UMass lost nine players from last year’s conference champions, including longtime stalwarts Bobby Trivigno, Colin Felix and, perhaps most crucially, goalie Matt Murray.
UMass lacks an established netminder for perhaps the first time in Carvel’s tenure. Each of the three goalies on the roster: Brady, junior Henry Graham and sophomore Luke Pavicich played a period in Saturday’s exhibition loss against Sacred Heart.
“It’s the goalies in the game we’re gonna have to evaluate. You guys know I hated those years with (Filip Lindberg) and (Murray) and having to juggle the two of them was brutal. Last year was a nice change of pace for me. I didn’t have to think about it,” Carvel said. “But I’m gonna think about it this year.”
Brady started 23 games in two seasons with the Sun Devils. He faced a lot of shots in the desert but held his own despite a lot of pressure.
Pavicich appeared in four games last year, starting one against LIU. He notched a .933 save percentage and a 1.62 goals against average.
“Pavicich is young. He’s inexperienced, but he’s got some ability. Cole Brady’s got a little more experience,” Carvel said. “I think in my mind, I know which guy’s probably a little bit ahead but to me, I need to see games to prove it to myself.”
The Minutemen aren’t bereft of proven options, however. Defensemen Scott Morrow and Ryan Ufko were Hockey East All-Rookie selections last season, and Morrow was named to the league’s first team.
Reed Lebster, Cal Kiefiuk and Lucas Mercuri will also provide some stability in the forward lines.
“We are young, but there’s a lot of potential there,” Ufko said.
Kyle Grabowski can be reached at kgrabowski@gazettenet.com. Follow him on Twitter @kylegrbwsk.