With 13 returning seniors and twenty-two letter-winners coming back from the 2002-03 season, as well as a new head coach, the 2003-04 men’s ice hockey team is coming in hot.
Currently sporting a 3-2-0 record overall and 1-1-0 in the NESCAC/East Division, the Cards are looking to take advantage of the energy and inspiration provided by the team’s early success. All of the positives can be attributed to a new attitude brought by Head Coach Chris Potter and long time assistant coach Jim Langlois, returning for his twentieth year at Wesleyan University.
Formerly an assistant at Brown University, Coach Potter was named interim head men’s ice hockey and Golf Coach for the 2003-04 season. Along with being a four-year letter winner for the University of Connecticut Huskies, where he was an All-American as a senior and a two-time all-ECAC and all-New England selection, Coach Potter is a former professional ice hockey player.
Following a three-year stint as an assistant coach at the University of Connecticut, he was a member of the Roanoke Express, an affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Chicago Black Hawks, in the Southern Division of the East Coast Hockey League. From that point on, he has spent his time as an instructor, assistant, and head coach for the USA Hockey-Team New England. Chris Potter also earned his Master’s degree in education from the University of Connecticut in 2003.
The Cardinals kicked off the season with a two-game road trip, which included games against perennial heavyweights Salem State and Southern Maine. The boys started the year off with a tough loss against NESCAC/East rival Salem State in a game that saw little action until the third period. The Cards got their offense, with goals by Will Bennet ’07 off a pass from Co-Captain Dave Hogan ’04 and Steve Bogosian ’04 assisted by Dave Taylor ’04 in the third period, operating too late to overcome four goals by the opposition. Jim Panczykowski ’04 posted 40 saves in the game in an outstanding personal effort, as the Cardinals lost 2-4.
“The bad came with the good,” said Zach Lampell ’04. “Will Bennet has the best skating stride I have seen since Brian Boytano.”
Despite the loss, the team came back to put up a quality win against another fellow inter-division club Southern Maine, 3-0. Once again Bogosian and Bennett provided the offense, with Casey Benny ’04 scoring an important insurance goal late in the game. Panczkyowski had another strong showing with 30 saves on the day.
Wesleyan came off the road trip with growing confidence and a much better sense of where both their weakness and strengths lie. They continued their win streak with wins against Nichols, 3-0, and Castleton State, 11-2. Both were wins to build upon and good opportunities to let the freshmen showcase their skills.
“Mike Barbera, who has an absolute cannon for a shot, had an unbelievable highlight reel goal against Castleton where he really displayed his offensive prowess,” said Steve Binswanger ’06.
However, the Cards must be ever vigilant, as their most recent 1-3 loss against Connecticut College showed. Despite the loss, Dave Taylor ’04 and Taylor Evans ’07 were named to the six-player all-tournament team.The NESCAC is as competitive as ever this season, but this is the best hockey team we have seen at Wes in four years and the possibilities are endless.
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