Playing some of their best hockey in the regular season’s final weeks, the Cardinals put together another gritty effort over the weekend, hanging tough in their season’s final two games only to come out with the same frustrating results that have dogged the team all year.
Taking a 3-0 loss to the Camels of Conn. College and a 5-3 defeat at the hands of the Tufts Jumbos, the Cardinals fell into last place in the NESCAC, and neither their improved team play nor the stand-up individual efforts of a few may have been able to save the squad from that fate.
“This season has been a learning experience for a lot of these kids,” said Chris Gateman ’05. “People only look at wins and losses, but a lot of good will come from this season.”
Will Bennett ’07 netted a pair in Saturday’s game against Tufts, making it four goals over the last three games for the assistant captain. Mike Dorsey ’08, who scored six of his seven goals in the final three weekends of the year, continued to handle the puck well as he picked up an assist on Bennett’s second to put Dorsey among the team’s top three in points. Taylor Evans ’07 has also surged of late and managed to equal his team-leading total of 12 assists from a year ago. Playing in his final collegiate game, captain Gateman assisted on Derek Davidson’s ’08 second period score to cap off a solid final season.
Youthful inexperience was the story of the year for the beleaguered Cardinals as their disappointing finish can really be attributed to a shortage of seasoned NESCAC players. Up front and back on defense, the Cardinal lines have been loaded with freshman from the very beginning. Though Bennett and Evans emerged as impact players last season as freshmen, they were surrounded by a core of seniors that had seen four years of competition in the league, and helped the two young players to develop more rapidly.
This year’s freshman class has proved highly promising, as their extended ice time and exposure to team leaders has resulted in the maturation of a number of players who will be part of a bright future for the program.
“You can’t deny the potential of this team,” Gateman said. “With the exception of myself, the whole team is going to be back next year. As long as these kids keep doing the work, this team will be better as soon as they hit the ice next year.”
For Gateman, the final week of the season has been bittersweet.
“You remember the wins and the losses, but when you look back at the experience, I think you’ll always remember your teammates the most,” Gateman said. “The competition and the common goals are also something you lose. It hits you at different times.”
Gateman leaves the program with a career total of 29 points in action spread out over 90 games. The Cardinals will return 27 of 28 players for the 2005-2006 season, with hopes that depth will be the foundation for a rebound year.
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