Jordan Kuhns
VilleHockey.com Writer
Team Broadcaster
The Great Northeast Collegiate Hockey Conference has changed its divisional layout by adding yet another division, and by adding a few more teams to the conference. The Millersville Marauders were placed in a division with several new teams. The team has a lot more experience than these other teams, and that’s where forward Mike Carpenter believes they have the edge.
Mike Carpenter shields the puck away from a defender.
“With the incoming of new teams such as Gettysburg, Seton Hall, TCNJ, among others, we feel like we’re still going to be on top,” Carpenter said.
The Marauders finished last season on a sour note, tying Muhlenberg in the last game of the season when a win was necessary to make the playoffs. Much of this Marauder team will remain untouched from last season, including the stalwart defense core, ready to come back with a vengeance with new players in tow.
“With the return of Sean Nielsen, Chris Collins and Chris Reinhart, three core guys, our top three, they’re gonna be able to teach the young guys the system real fast,” said Carpenter. ”They [Collins and Nielsen] are pretty offensive minded, and Reinhart, he does the defensive side, nobody really gets past him.”
“I think our defensive core will really, really help us out this year.”
The majority of the scoring last year was carried by Carpenter as well as Evan Miller and the aforementioned Sean Nielsen. This year, the team has the ability to spread the scoring, including two returning players including last year’s transfer student from UMBC, Kyle Hench, and a second-year player in Mike Grass.
Kyle Hench battles in front of the net vs. Scranton.
Mike Grass skates in full stride.
“A guy who’s going to go out there and work hard every day, grind it out is Mike Grass. He’s just gonna be in there, and his goals will come,” Carpenter said. ”He’s not gonna get pretty goals, but hey, if the puck goes into the net, the puck goes in the net.”
Carpenter predicts Hench, who had 18 points last season, will start on one of the top two lines, and Grass, with 8 points last season, may be on the third line. Grass’ impact though, according to Carpenter, will come in the way of checking the opponent’s top lines and being ready whenever he’s called upon.
A lot of the Marauders’ recent success after being a weaker squad has come in the form of recruiting. Recruiting became a top priority right alongside winning.
“Our recruiter, Tom Hench, has done a huge job this year. He’s been amazing.” Carpenter said. ”We go to showcases and talk to kids who we think will be a good fit for us. We’re getting kids from Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, we’re trying to get kids from all over.”
“Millersville ice hockey is not a scrub team anymore. We’re for real. This is real college hockey. We go out and play good teams, and we want to win a championship. Recruiting is going to be a big part of that.”
“I believe this year we have a good group of rookies. This year is just going to build on that.” Carpenter concluded. ”The recruitment style that Tom Hench has done has been absolutely amazing for this club.”
The season starts in less than a month, with an outstanding majority of the games on the road throughout the season. Carpenter and the Marauders feel they are ready for a bonafide run to the GNCHC championship, as well as ACHA regionals and perhaps nationals. He stressed that this is the last chance for a lot of the departing seniors this year.
The pieces are in place.
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