Senior forward keeps intensity high for Raiders
By: Justin Feil
In the week since returning from winter break, most of the Hun School ice hockey team has struggled with its intensity at the start of games.
Not Jeff Fisher.
The senior forward has reason to play all out every second he’s on the ice. Fisher understands more than most what it will be like after his final season for the Raiders and his final season of organized hockey because he got a taste of it last season.
"You kind of want to play every game like it’s your last," Fisher said. "I got in a car accident early in the season last year. I wasn’t able to play."
Fisher returned in time to help the Raiders to the Mercer County Tournament title, but he hasn’t forgotten the feelings he had when he missed the entire middle portion of the season.
"It was the only time I got emotionally upset about the sport," he said. "We went to Maryland for a tournament and I couldn’t go. They called and told me they won both the games. I was emotionally so happy that they pulled through. It was tough to miss though."
Fisher was back skating with the team two weeks after reconstructive surgery on his forehead, but couldn’t hit for several weeks. His intensity level was there from the time he returned and has carried into this season. It’s not hard for him to remember how fortunate he is to play.
"I got back for the last few games last year," said Fisher, a Hamilton resident. "I played in Mercer Counties. But not playing those (other) games, it showed me how much I’m going to miss it after it’s gone."
Fisher has tried to lead the Raiders with his own experiences and talents in mind. He was one of the players who got Hun straightened out in time to pull away for a 5-2 win over Hightstown on Friday, two days after Hun fell, 4-2, to Morristown-Beard when it scored its only two goals in the third period.
"I preach a lot in the locker room about playing with heart," Fisher said. "We have a lot of talent. I’m in the middle for talent. But if we play with heart, that’s what makes us come out on top. Being a senior, you come out hard. It’s your last year. It’s your team. The younger guys need to learn it’s their team too. They have to come out hard too."
Fisher admits that he took a few years to understand just the sort of effort he now preaches. But he doesn’t expect that it should take a life-threatening accident to get every player to turn it on. Instead, Hun has resorted to other means to lift the intensity level.
"Every time, I have to threaten them that I’m going to shorten my bench," said Hun head coach Francois Bourbeau, whose 5-2-1 squad will host public school power Morris Knolls 3:30 p.m. Wednesday. "We’re trying to do some things to turn the team around. I wish the team would do it on their own without me trying to penalize them.
"We have one or two working hard to do that. Colin Ryan tried. Drew Mervin and Jeff Fisher try. They show a lot of heart and intensity form the start. The rest of the team didn’t quite pick it up. Hopefully they can turn it around."
Fisher is a prime example for every Raider player to follow. He’s always enjoyed playing hockey, even if he wasn’t the best player on his team. He started playing in second grade, played travel hockey until middle school and then devoted himself to the Hun team.
"He played hard (Friday)," Bourbeau said. "He’s not my most skillful guy, but he had a lot of heart and intensity (Friday). He’s worked really hard the last two games. He came out with a lot of intensity. He’s one that did."
Fisher takes a lot of pride in playing for Hun, which is hoping to build on last year’s MCT championship team. He just wants to do his part to make the Raiders not only MCT repeat winners, but state champs as well.
"I was never the best, never the fastest, never had the stick-handling skills of other guys," Fisher said. "But you go out to play for the name on the front of your jersey and not the back. You don’t want to be in it for yourself, you’re in it for the team. That’s the attitude you have to take.
"High school hockey, it’s a lot different than when you’re younger. You’re representing your school. There’s a lot more on the line."
Hun is hoping to play with that increased urgency against Morris Knolls before going into their exam break. Hun got two Matt Torstrup goals in the third period against Mo-Beard, and Torstrup had two more goals in the win over Hightstown. John Rankin, Mervin and Fisher also scored goals as Hun pulled away from a 3-2 lead with two more goals in the third period.
"By not playing at our level until third period (against Mo-Beard), I was able to correct our weaknesses on Thursday at practice," Bourbeau said. "We have to play a game for a full three periods. This week, I wasn’t too happy with our team. We turned it around in the third period.
"After the first period, it was 1-1 (against Hightstown). That’s why I wasn’t too happy. Then after two periods, it was only 3-2. I think my team should have a bigger difference against Hightstown. We played to their level. I wasn’t too happy overall. This week, the guys have to not forget, but learn from it, learn from their mistakes. We have some good teams to play. It’s going to be a tough second half of the season."
But it won’t be as bad if the Raiders can pick up their intensity from the start. It’s something that Fisher doesn’t have trouble remembering as he counts down the final games of his career.
"I think we’ll have a real good season this year," he said. "Towards the beginning of the season, we started out strong. We didn’t play as strong against Hightstown. The attitude after was like we lost a game. We need to get more fired up before games. Practices need to be a little more intense. We have to be ready to play."

