Hockey hands out awards
USU’s hockey club celebrated the conclusion of another season by enjoying a team meal at Firehouse Pizzeria and viewing a DVD of photos taken by team documentarian Scott Cooley last Tuesday night.
Cooley’s DVD gave the team a chance to relive some great moments from the past season: Kent Arsenault’s center-ice brawl against Denver, Jeremy Madigan getting flipped and spun upside-down by a hip-check, and Ryan Osterheldt’s many arguments with the referees. Team doctor Jim Davis remarked that for next year’s highlight DVD he wants to see more goal celebrations and fewer official confrontations.
After the DVD concluded, head coach Jerry Crossley, team manager John Eccles and Davis handed out the annual awards. The rookie of the year award was split between two undersized but highly productive forwards; Brendan MacDonald and Madigan, who led the team in breakaway chances this year.
The Raging Bull award was also split between two players, defenseman Jordan Francom and Swedish forward William Winsa. Davis, who presented Winsa with his giant bull trophy, recalled a game wherein Winsa expended so much energy skating his shift that he couldn’t climb back over the boards unassisted. This complete effort won Winsa the Raging Bull, according to Davis. Francom is a repeat winner.
The most improved award went to Shane Gallup for his nonstop effort in practice. Then Winsa picked up his second trophy as utility player of the year, which he earned by playing both ways and forechecking hard.
For the second straight year, Arsenault led USU in goals and points. His trophy for that achievement was combined with a trophy for leading the team with 46 assists.
The best forward award was split between Arsenault and his linemate Matt Geer.
Paul Reinhardt took home a well-deserved best defenseman trophy. Only Scotty John and Matt Ferris logged as many shifts for the USU defense as Reinhardt. When Reinhardt broke his wrist midway through the first semester, his presence was sorely missed, though only after he tried to play with the cast for one game.
There was little doubt who would take the MVP trophy, Arsenault deserved it after leading the team in most statistical categories.
Goalie Greg Finatti, who is still an underclassman, has already broken the USU record for career saves with 2,315, and received an award recognizing this. Those 55-save games add up quick.
Finally, the coaches award went to Winsa and John. Winsa has probably had the more glorious career in terms of goals and assists, but John deserved recognition as well after captaining the team for the last three years and serving as team president over that same tenure. As Crossley said, no one has done more for USU hockey than John, including behind the scenes.
-graham.terry@aggiemail.usu.edu