The 2022-23 Prep hockey team during September action at the Olympic Center (Photo: Mr. Michael Aldridge).
As tryouts came to an end and the boy’s hockey teams began their seasons, the Prep Team had their first tests against CP Dynamo and Mount St. Charles. With only 5 returners and the rest of the roster consisting of new players, it was safe to say that the team needed to get some experience playing with each other so the chemistry could develop. Here is how the first games played out.
The games versus Dynamo stood as a good opener for the team, by allowing the boys to get moving and see how they could mesh. Northwood had a promising, dominant start to the season against the Dynamo with two wins, one tallying in at 6-0 and another 7-1. A handful of new Huskies like Ritter Coombs ‘25 and Owen Flynn ‘24 tallied their first goals for the team, building confidence in the mostly new team. Beyond the sensational victories, however, it was more important that they are prepared for the next weekend’s games versus a daunting Mount St. Charles—a member of the Prep Hockey Conference and last year’s U18 National Champions.
Looking back on the games, CP Dynamo was just a warmup for the real challenge against Mount St. Charles. These games would show what the team really needed to work on and how they would stack up against elite competition. Going into the weekend confident from the performance of the previous weekend, the team would quickly realize that Mount was much different than CP Dynamo.
The first game on Saturday was a huge wake up call for what the team had to dial in on. With a stunning 4-1 loss, the coaches knew there was more effort to give and preparation that needed to be done for the next game. As Coach Morris said, “I am a bad loser and I want you guys to hate it like I do.” It was clear that the team needed to bounce back and buy into what needed to be done.
Daniel Buchbinder ’23 during action at the Olympic Center in September 2022 (Photo: Mr. Michael Aldridge).
Against a cocky Mount St. Charles team that was ready to play the second game, the Huskies looked light-years better than the night before. The team played stronger defense and was able to fend off the Saints until late in the third period. Ultimately, the game ended 1-0 in favor of Mount St. Charles. Despite the result, the performance was far superior compared to the night before.
Some of the players recalled what Coach Morris declared in the locker room: “The fabric of the team was starting to show.” This was a much more prospective statement, one that gave the team confidence in knowing that they were heading in the right direction.
The perspective of how the team veterans view the first games of the season is no less important. Senior Daniel Buchbinder, a three-year veteran of the team, said, “It was a great first test for our team and for our new players to get their first league games under their belt. I am looking forward to the rest of the season.”
It will be exciting to see how the team grows from these games and progresses throughout the season.
