NEW ENGLAND’S LARGEST COLLEGE DAILY | INDEPENDENTLY SERVING THE UMASS COMMUNITY SINCE 1890 HIGH: 68 LOW: 45 www.DailyCollegian.com FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2011 Sizing up UMass Forwards anchor BY SCOTT COURNOYER Syner. “This year, we have more he’s going to do everything pos- BY SCOTT COURNOYER Syner, who scored nine goals last season. “This COLLEGIAN STAFF size and that’s only going to sible to prepare himself the best COLLEGIAN STAFF year, we have more size, and that’s only going to help. Hopefully, it will translate he can.” help. Hopefully it will translate in to good things To put it bluntly, the into good things for us.” Despite going through In 2010-2011, the Massachusetts hockey team, for us.” 2010-11 season for the because of its lack of physical size, relied on Sophomore Michael wh at Teglia called “rough, DEFENSE Massachusetts hockey team speed, quickness and good movement to dictate Pereira will also be looked bumpy roads” last season, the Last season, UMass ranked eighth in the was a campaign to forget. upon to help carry the load the tempo and pace of each game. sophomore worked relent- Hockey East for goals allowed (88). In part, it With 14 freshmen and five offensively. Pereira tied Hobbs This season, with the physical development was due to the defense, particularly, a lack of size contributing seniors depart- for the team-high in goals (12) lessly over the offseason to seen in returning players, as well as a bigger against bigger offensive threats. ed from ’09-10, along with last year, as well as posting 13 make leaps in his game. incoming freshman class, UMass coach Don This year, with the development of sopho- defensive miscues, shaky assists, good for third on the “I worked on a lot of fun- Cahoon hopes that more balance will be created goaltending and the inabil- team in points (25). damentals this summer, stay- in the realm of the team’s physicality, allowing for more Adam Phillips (who’s listed at 6-foot-6), as ity to score on opportunistic “Mike [Pereira] has a ing here for a month and also better offensive opportunities and defensive pres- well as the impact of freshman defenseman Oleg chances, UMass plummeted deceptive shot, crafty, a head getting in the gym a lot to sure on the puck. Yevenko, the Minutemen may have found a poten- to a 6-23-6 overall record, for getting to the net,” said prepare myself,” said Teglia. FORWARDS tial front line on defense to compete with the best including a 5-16-6 record Cahoon. “However, he can “I’ve worked on a lot of Last season, a collection of young and older in the HEA. against Hockey East oppo- learn to shoot the puck a bit angles to pucks and I’m really players carried UMass offensively. Even after “We definitely recruited bigger bodies over nents. better from a range. He’s got happy with the work that I put the departure of senior Chase Langerapp, the the offseason,” said Cahoon. “It’ll take time for The Minutemen relied Minutemen are still capable offensively with many some of these younger guys to catch up to what such a good shot that if it can in this summer.” on undersized forwards and get to the net more often, it can goal scorers returning, including Michael Pereira, we’re doing. However, I’m happy with the physi- Other contenders include defensemen to dictate the flow really be the difference.” Conor Sheary and Branden Gracel. cal dimension that we’ve added. It’ll allow us to senior Kevin Moore, who and pace of the game, using A major part of becoming “Last year, our biggest strength was our speed control tighter areas better than we did last year.” Cahoon said is “a very impor- speed and fluid movement in more physical in the Hockey and our movement,” said Cahoon. “We hope Despite having to adjust to a new way of play- and out of the zones to move East is having the players with tant piece to the team,” as to have a little more balance on offense, and to ing hockey here in the United States, the Belarus the puck. This style of play the size and strength to do so. well as freshmen Kevin Boyle see these guys development. You see the biggest native Yevenko has taken to the high-speed, high- didn’t fare well for UMass in With the development of sopho- (Manalapan, N.J.) and Steve development of a player between their freshman tempo of practice instituted by Cahoon. tight contests, as it dropped 10 more Adam Phillips and senior Mastalerz (Meriden, NH). and their sophomore year.” “I like all of the guys here at UMass,” said Senior Danny Hobbs made huge leaps forward one-goal games. Michael Marcou, who played With the ability to capital- Yevenko. “I’d like to think that I’m a defense-first last season as a junior, tying a team-high in goals This season, the Minutemen big parts in dictating defensive ize on offense in close games, guy. We can definitely bring size and defense, but return many players from last pressure in the neutral zone, (12) and ranked second in assists (16). Hobbs physical play in the neutral I also hope that I will be able to take my chances year and have also brought in along with the recruitment of and defensive zones and sound hopes to make even bigger leaps this year, as UMass looks to spread the puck out to create looks offensively when I can.” recruits that will bring more Oleg Yevenko, a 6-foot-7 fresh- goaltending by whomever is size and physicality, hoping to man , the Minutemen may have all over the offensive zone. GOALTENDING appointed in net, UMass may create more balance on both the size they’ve been looking for “These younger guys are going to become The most significant transition UMass will be able to turn the Hockey ends of the ice. to hang with defensive lines in more comfortable each day,” said Hobbs of the undergo this season is in its goaltending as Jeff “Last season, our strength the conference. East upside down with its newcomers, who will help fill the depth chart Teglia, Kevin Moore, Kevin Boyle and Steve was our movement and our “We like the idea of hav- play in ’11-12. and will contribute right from the start Mastalerz compete for the spot. speed,” said UMass coach ing a little bit of everything Scott Cournoyer can of the season. “With the guys from “They are in a real competitive battle for the Don Cahoon. “We weren’t out there,” said Cahoon. “If be reached at scournoy@ last year, you’re going to see that starting job,” said Cahoon, who noted that the able to own strategic pieces of I feel that putting a physical student.umass.edu. progression that we’re looking players are in a competition to take the starting job the ice, mainly in front of the lineup out there gives us the for. These guys after the departure of Paul Dainton, who started net. Now, we’re going to do best chance to win, I will. The just have to be all four years before graduating this past spring. a better job at defending our physicality is definitely there.” themselves and “Now that we’re in camp and under way, we can own grade A and penetrating Despite more scorers return- play like they’re start to refine and work with them on the position.” in the offensive zone.” ing this year and a bigger lineup capable of.” Teglia, who played in nine games as a sopho- Two key factors to make present, the position of goal- Senior T.J. more last season has the “early advantage, because that happen are seniors Danny tender will undoubtedly be the Syner will also he played last year,” according to Cahoon. Hobbs and T.J. Syner, who each team’s gage for success. After play a signifi- In Dainton’s absence, who was out with an made huge leaps during their the departure of four-year starter cant part on the injury to start last season, Teglia started four games offensive end junior years last season. Paul Dainton, UMass will look in net, playing against pivotal opponents such as this year for the Hobbs, who racked up 12 to fill the void left behind. Minnesota, Boston University and Wisconsin. With four goalies on the Minutemen. As goals and 16 assists, good for Despite growing pains, Teglia said that his mindset roster, the early frontrunner for a junior, Syner second on the team, has been this year is significantly different than last year. the starting job in net is sopho- posted 27 points encouraged by the progress “I worked on a lot of fundamentals this sum- more Jeff Teglia. Teglia played last season, good he saw during camp earlier mer, staying here for a month and also getting in last month. nine games in net while Dainton enough for sec- the gym a lot to prepare myself,” said Teglia. “I’ve “All of these guys are going was out early last season with ond on the team. worked on a lot of angles to pucks, and I’m really to feel more comfortable each an injury, competing against Syner’s ability happy with the work that I put in this summer.” day,” said Hobbs. “We’re going nationally ranked opponents to get the puck to see that progression.