The Pioneers are rolling. As winter sports are in full swing in late January, the hockey team is looking for a big second half of the season. After an incredible playoff run all the way to the state championship one year ago, the team is poised for another run. Although, this year, it’s more of an expectation than it was last time. Currently sitting at an impressive 15-5 record, the team has found continued success throughout the winter.
Since our last edition in December, the team went 6-2 in their January stint. The team had rivalry wins, showcase wins, and played some new competition as well.
“We went up north in early January to Traverse City. Up there, we played pretty well and split games on the weekend. We beat the #3 team in Ohio, St. Edwards, and then took a tough loss to Bay Reps,” Captain Scotty Millman ‘24 said.
The win over St. Edwards was a confidence booster for the team, as it showed them that they could hang not only with the best teams in Michigan but also with teams outside of the state.
“Traverse City was definitely a good learning experience for the boys. Having such a great win paired with a tough loss isn’t something you experience much, so this was still good for us,” Millman added.
There is a lot to gain out of the weekend trips for the team as well. Staying together as a team for two nights, eating meals together, and in general hanging out off the ice is great for team morale.
“We went to the Incredible Moe’s, played some laser tag, and I got to room with Glenn Green ‘24, which was pretty cool,”’ Millman said.
A few days after their trip up north, the team took on Rockford, a rivalry game. The boys ended up winning the physical matchup 5-1, adding to their winning streak.
Two weeks after Traverse City, the boys traveled to Chelsea to play two more games.
“While we were in over on the east side of the state, we traveled to Ann Arbor to see the University of Michigan Hockey Team play. It was definitely cool to see such high-level hockey,” Captain Rieden McIntosh ‘24 said.
With just five games left in the regular season, the team is starting to direct their focus to the playoffs.
“After we lost to FHNE, we really wanted to focus on bouncing back, which we did in Chelsea going 2-0, hopefully staying hot for the start of playoffs,” McIntosh said.
Last year, Tyler Sikkenga ‘23 went on a tear in the playoffs, being instrumental in the team’s run. With Sikkenga being graduated now, the team will look for someone new to catch fire come sudden-death games.
“I’ve got a couple of names that jump right in my mind when you talk about that. Obviously, Glenn Green, you can’t avoid the fact that he’s just a stud. You can’t avoid it,” Millman said. “And then Rieden McIntosh, I am feeling a little bit of a ‘Playoff Padgett’ feel out of him recently. All we need is a couple of goals from the defensemen, a couple of blue-line snipes and we’ll be looking good to make a run,” Millman said.
Come watch the boys on Feb. 9 as they take on rival FHC at Patterson Ice Center. Then, on Feb. 10, they play Mona Shores for senior night.
