When asked how the team has improved from last year to this year, Kyle W. said, “we didn’t lose anybody, we got stronger, and the team’s chemistry has improved greatly.” The team chemistry improvement can be seen by watching the passing this year compared to last and the assist totals are far greater than of last years at the midpoint of the season. When watching the team you can see a different competitive energy and drive to win it all that you couldn’t see much of last year.
Less than halfway through the season, the 2017-2018 Coventry High School hockey team believes they have improved greatly from last year, according to many players and assistant coach Mr. Spencer.
Eight games into the season, their record is 6-1-1 (one overtime loss), scoring 30 goals, while allowing only 15 (2:1 ratio). Kolye Bankauskas, the starting forward, is second in points in all of division 2 with 23 (10 goals, 13 assists). A big turning point this year from last year is the amazing goalie play by Tom Julian, he has a 0.929% save percentage (12 goals allowed, 157 saves), while last years was 0.904% (39 allowed, 262 saves) at the end of the season. Another player who has greatly improved is Kyle Wheeler, who already has the same amount of points that he had all of last year in 8 games (13).
CHS hockey players responded to the question on what new coaching strategies have the coaches used by saying, “they are pushing harder, keeping everyone in check and making sure everyone is well disciplined.” Coaches pushing players harder this year has definitely helped improve the team in building confidence and keeping a good, healthy, strong work ethic.
When asked how the team has improved from last year to this year, Kyle W. said, “we didn’t lose anybody, we got stronger, and the team’s chemistry has improved greatly.” The team chemistry improvement can be seen by watching the passing this year compared to last and the assist totals are far greater than of last years at the midpoint of the season. When watching the team you can see a different competitive energy and drive to win it all that you couldn’t see much of last year.
Kyle Wheeler, Bobby Thayer and Kolye Bankauskas all believe that starting goalie, Tom Julian, has improved the most as a player, and a teammate in the past year, as his stats sure show so. Statistics show that eight games into this season he is second in overall goalie stats in all of division 2.
The starting lineups/ players positions have also changed from last year and even during this year, according to Kyle W. , “Anthony M. is getting regular rotations and now that Jake Organ is out the next two games, Nick Kanaczet is filling in his spot as a Freshman. Also, Patrick Egan was moved to forward.” Forward Bobby Thayer, was also moved from the first line, to the second line, in order to balance goals out between lines. This move was seen as questionable my many, believing that all of line one should be a “power house”, especially since Bobby, Koyle, Patrick, Kyle L., and Kyle W., all play better together and have outstanding offensive chemistry.
All players and coaches say that the biggest threat this year is Barrington, their record is 8-0-1, while last year Toll gate (5-5 this year) was the biggest threat (12-4-1-1 last year). Toll Gate beat CHS in the playoffs semi-finals in last years season. Three of Barrington’s players are top five in total points so far in the season, so it is easy to see why they’re such a huge threat. Coventry plays Barrington next, today at home (1/19/18), away (3/3/18), which is the last game of the season, and possibly in the playoffs.
CHS’s playoff hopes are high this year between players and everyone else in the school. It would be a huge championship, especially for seniors because they have not won one yet, and winning it during their senior year would be something super special to end their high school career. As they should, everyone on the team believes they have a chance to win it all this year, all responding with the same answer “absolutely”. The 2017-2018 CHS hockey team has a legit shot at winning it all this year, while last year there wasn’t as much confidence and hope.
However, problems concerning next years team may occur due to all of the seniors graduating because most of the team is made up of them. (Kolye Bankauskas F, Patrick Egan F, Kyle Wheeler F, Bobby Thayer F, Kyle Larivee D, Jake Albanesa F and Cam Baris F). Next year’s team will only feature one senior, Jake Organ, and he plays on defense. It will be interesting to see who makes up lines 1 and 2 on next years team.
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