Friday, Jun. 20, 2008

‘Pool of Talent’ on Ice

Dragons Hockey Testing Newcomers for Fall Varsity Roster Spots

By Zach Warner

Staff Writer

Editor's Note: The incorrect hockey story was published this week in print. This is the correct story.The Journal regrets the error.

Prior to Thursday’s game, the Carroll varsity hockey team’s leading goal scorer this summer is a player that has only competed in one of the Dragons’ first three games.

While that may sound like a knock against Carroll’s offensive performance so far this summer, it’s not. Scoring has been spread around among various players, but this new face on the Dragons varsity represents a wave of new talent that the team has to choose from when deciding on its varsity roster for the fall.

Tyler Bravo, placed on the varsity this summer after playing on the Carroll JV Gold travel hockey team last fall, has scored two goals to lead the team through three games. The Dragons (1-1-1) played Northwest on Thursday and prepare to face Marcus White (1-1-1) at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at the Euless StarCenter.

Bravo, who contributed 22 points (12 goals, 10 assists) for the Carroll JV team last fall, will try to earn a spot on varsity this coming fall. He’ll also get a chance to play this summer on the same team with incoming junior Conner Gildenblat, who was the Dragons’ leading scorer on varsity last season with 19 points (four goals, 15 assists).

Seeing how well potential stars mesh together is one objective of the Carroll hockey team this summer, Dragons coach Tom Yockey said.

“[Bravo’s] a good example of how we have a lot of great young players to pull from,” Yockey said. “He’s a smart player, he has a knack around the net and he’s done a great job. “The proof’s in the pudding,” he said. “If he keeps putting the puck in the net, it’s hard not to take a player like that [for varsity].”

But other players have a chance as well, those both on the varsity for the summer and those that are currently on the JV. Marcel Toure, second on the JV in scoring with 32 points last fall (16 goals, 16 assists), currently plays on the varsity. Tim Hennessy, the JV’s top scorer last fall (43 points) and third-best JV scorer Skyler Spiller (30 points), are on the JV this summer, but also have a chance to make varsity in the fall.

Yockey said bringing in younger players to mix in with the older varsity veterans next fall could serve as a huge boost for the team.

“When you’re younger, you tend to want to prove yourself and when they play with some of the older players, they want to prove they’re as good,” he said. “They aren’t necessarily looked to [for leading] this team, but I think they have the mentality that they are going to be leaders on this team.

“I think it’s a win-win situation, because they’re going to push the older players to be at their best as well.”

Unusual Loss

The Dragons scored eight goals in their first two games to win one and lose the other in overtime to teams with a combined record of 5-1-0, but couldn’t manage a goal in a 3-0 loss to the formerly winless Marcus White team on June 12.

Losing their first regulation game this year to Marcus White (1-1-1) didn’t sit well with Carroll. The Dragons actually out-shot Marcus 16-12, but could not connect with a score. Marcus shot three past Carroll goalie Nick Wang.

“We didn’t have as many of our core guys in there, but that was kind of a disappointing game,” Yockey said. “I’m pretty sure we gave up one or two point-blank breakaways. “We had our chances and just didn’t bury them, that’s all,” he said. “We weren’t on our ‘A’ game and didn’t capitalize on our opportunities.”

The Dragons will have a chance to redeem themselves when they face Marcus White at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at the Euless StarCenter.

Players Commit

Several players that left the team to play on other travel hockey teams had expressed interest in returning to the team for the fall. They made official commitments last weekend.

Although some will begin playing this summer, not all of the returning players will do so. But they will be back in time for the fall, Yockey said.

“They needed to commit and they have,” he said. “That’s a positive.”