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University of Massachusets Athletics
Inside The Glass With Troy Power
October 15, 2014 | Hockey
Unfortunately our home opener wasn't quite what we hoped for. However, looking into the future we will be able to use the loss as a learning tool and something to gain knowledge from. It was great to see the freshman get their first taste of Hockey East and see how competitive and fast this league is every night. One of the highlights of the night was seeing Jake Horton score the first goal of his college career. Its always fun watching the emotions of the player after they bury their first one and how excited the bench gets for their teammate. In order for our team to have success, we will continue to need production from the freshman class as they all play vital roles on our team.
Just prior to our home opener, the coaching staff announced that both Oleg Yevenko and Zack LaRue will be serving as our assistant captains this seasons. I have had the pleasure of getting to know both of these guys for the past four years and I couldn't agree more or be happier with the decision. I think they both bring individual characteristics that make them unique leaders that are easy to follow. Both Oleg and Zack have great personalities and are well liked among their peers. More importantly, they are respected because of they way they go about their business every single day. They both are a prime example of doing things the right way. Whether a drill in practice, a workout, or doing extra work after hours, they provide a picture of what role models look like.
In addition to being leaders by example, they have done a great job being vocal both at and away from the rink. There are not shy with holding guys accountable which is an area we needed to improve on from past years. Also, with a 24-man roster, hearing multiple voices is beneficial and provides a dynamic change. Listening to the same leader talk day in and day out can be repetitive and often times the message can get lost.
Being a captain on any team is tough and a lot of hard work, but knowing these two will be there to help lead will not only make my job easier but only help keep this team moving in the right direction. I think it is important to note that there were a number of guys who were deserving of this honor and the leadership of all the upperclassmen has been tremendous going all the way back to spring workouts at the end of last season.
Moving forward, I couldn't be more excited to head on the road with the team to Michigan State this weekend. Hosting them last year was a lot of fun and playing out of conference opponents when league pride on the line will be a real treat. Going on the road is a great time to bond with your teammates and get to know them on a different level and I look forward to doing just that. All things considered this will be a fun time for our hockey team but is without a doubt a business trip. If you can't make the venture out to Michigan we hope you can follow us online! Go UMass!
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