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Defense has to answer some early questions
It sounds wrong to say that the Husky's defense will be thin to start the season.
The same young group of blueliners that ranked second in the WCHA in team defense, allowed only 2.31 goals per game while being second in the WCHA in penalty killing, will be back, but they will be missing a couple key contributors due to academic ineligibility and injury.
The defense's only senior, Derek Eastman, (besides Moreland) and junior Joel Peterson had academic problems, and won't join the team until sometime in January. Junior Ryan LaMere will be recovering from off-season shoulder surgery, but should only miss the opening series against Ferris State.
Eastman's absence will definitely be felt, being the team's most consistent defender coming off a 26 point season (eight goals and 18 assists).
The Huskies will be relying on junior captain Jeff Finger (drafted by Colorado), WCHA All-Rookie team sophomore Matt Gens (drafted by Vancouver) and LaMere, when he returns, to provide leadership to another group of young blueliners.
Combined, these three put up 62 points last season (44 assists, 18 goals), but their offensive play won't necessarily be crucial for SCSU this season.
"With our defensemen, it's always a bonus if we score. Ever since I've been here our forwards have been really high-powered, and they've always been among the top teams in the league in scoring offense," Finger said. "I think we will have the ability to score once in a while, and it'll be a bonus."
Although the Huskies will be short a few of their most experienced defenseman early on, there will be a couple freshman that should make major contributions. Freshmen Tim Conboy, T.J McElroy and Greg Tam will be forced to step up right away and fill some holes in the defense.
The 6-foot-2, 210 pound Conboy has shown a lot of spunk early on in practice, and will add a lot of the same ruggedness that has made Finger such a fan favorite.
"Timmy Conboy came from juniors where I played and (that league) has a little different style. You're allowed to play a little rougher," Finger said.
The real fate of the defense will once again lie in the crease. After extremely successful seasons for Scott Meyer in 2000-01 and Dean Weasler last year, it looks to be Jake Moreland's turn to prove himself in his senior year. In 18 games last season, Moreland posted a .916 save percentage, but only had a record of eight wins and five losses, while Weasler lost only six games in the 32 he played. Although it looks to be Moreland's job to lose, he will probably be rotating games with one of two freshman goaltenders in either Jason Montgomery or Adam Hanna.
"The goaltending area is always the most critical part of your team," Dahl said. "Jake Moreland had some pretty good numbers last year, and Montgomery was a first-team All-British Columbian junior hockey league goalie who redshirted here last year due to the fact that Weasler and Moreland got off to such a good start."
It was well known that Moreland had some confidence issues the last couple of years, and it will be up to the Huskies defense to help him keep that confidence high.
"We were second in the WCHA last year in team defense, and we're going to have to be right near there again this year in order to win some games," Dahl said. "In Moreland's case, being the number one goalie to start the year, you don't want him under a barrage of shots. You want to try and build his confidence."
If the Husky blueliners pull together early, there should be nothing stopping them from being the best defense in the WCHA.
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