November 20, 2017 at 3:05 p.m.
Team preview: RHS boys' hockey
Hodag hockey has high hopes for 2017-18
Team preview: RHS boys' hockey
"The all-time win record here is 14 and I think we can do that," he told the River News last week. "I think we're better than that. But we're a long ways from that right now. We've got to have a lot of things happen. We've got to have everyone healthy and everything work out, but I have a lot of expectations for these guys."
On the surface that expectation may seem to be a stretch, considering the Hodags graduated their top two defensemen and four of their top seven scorers from a year ago. But Laggis is optimistic the players he has returning, along with an influx of talent off a Rhinelander Ice Association Bantam squad that's made back-to-back trips to the WAHA Class 3A state tournament will flip the Hodags' fortunes around.
The Hodags flashed some of that potential last Thursday when they scrimmaged Wausau East/Merrill, the team that knocked Rhinelander from the WIAA tournament in the first round last February with an overtime defeat.
The Hodags looked bigger, stronger and faster during that scrimmage and took the two varsity sessions by an unofficial score of 4-1.
Laggis said the new and returning players made an offseason commitment to the weight room that he hopes will pay dividends on the ice this season.
"We got some guys that can so and we've got some size," he said. "Not everyone's big, but we've got some size and we've got some tough kids, weightlifters on our team. I'm not trying to say that's the whole game, but you can see by the physical play that we're not backing down from people, and that's how we're going to play hockey.
"We were more physical than you've seen a Hodag hockey team in the last 10 years."
Perhaps the biggest question entering the season is who is going to step up on the blue line for the Hodags following the graduation of senior starters Logan Wild and Tyler Blomdahl. Also gone is senior Dylan Roeser, who split time at forward and defense last season and scored a team-high 12 goals.
Senior Matthias Schneider and sophomore Danny Zuiker will assume the top two spots on the blue line this year after serving as the Hodags' second defensive tandem a season ago. Sam Tjugum has moved from wing to defense this season, as has Alex Hedberg. The Hodags also got looks at JC Adams and Max Spaulding on defense during the scrimmage.
Offensively, the Hodags bring back Brandon Kolasa, who had eight goals a year ago, along with seven-goal scorer Freddy Wisner and Cole Spaulding. The team will also be relying on more production from returning forwards Bridger Flory and Hunter Hicks and could get a lift from a trio of first-year high school players - Abe Laggis, Harlan Wojtusik and Conor Pequet.
Abe Laggis, coach Laggis' son, is a sophomore but will be making his varsity debut after missing the 2016-17 campaign with a knee injury. He and Pequet both notched goals during last Thursday's scrimmage.
Sophomore Seth Stafford returns for his second season in goal for Rhinelander. The good news is the Hodags have a known commodity in goal after Stafford posted a 5-12-0 record with a .859 save percentage and a 3.66 goals against average last year.
The bad news is he has no safety net. The team entered the season without a second goalie on the roster. First-year skater Anthony Kowalski served as the JV goalie during last Thursday's scrimmage, but he is still very much a work in progress in net.
"We've got to keep him going, keep him healthy, keep him working and strong and he's got to have a big year for us," Laggis said of Stafford. "There's no other option."
Last Thursday's scrimmage gives the Hodags reason for optimism.
"I thought we were doing a lot of good, physical hits and we were getting up ice real well," Laggis said. "Passing has got to keep getting better. Shots have got to be quicker and on net and we've got to finish a little better."
Laggis figures perennial GNC powers Northland Pines and Antigo will again be favorites this season but noted the Hodags have the potential to work their way to as high as third in the conference by season's end.
The Hodags open the season tonight at Chequamegon/Phillips and will host De Pere in a non-conference contest next Tuesday.
The Great Northern Conference slate for the Hodags begins Dec. 2 at Waupaca. Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
Comments:
You must login to comment.