By Michael Holcombe, Sports Writer
After suffering through two disastrous seasons, the South Brunswick High ice hockey team could not have started out this year’s schedule on a more different path, sweeping its first three games in convincing fashion last week.
The Vikings outscored their opponents 29-5 in jumping to a 3-0 start , crushing Edison in the season opener 11-0 and St. Joe’s of Hammonton 10-0 on Monday. They also added a more competitive 8-5 win over Monroe.
”Finally, it’s about time,” said South Brunswick head coach Mike Slansky of the big opening week. “We were getting good productivity from everybody, including the freshmen. The contributions they made to the team bodes well for the future as well as this season. That’s a good thing.”
The Vikings opened the season with a resounding win against an Edison team that is in its first varsity season. Matt Repka had a hat trick and added an assist as Kush Patel and Tyler Scharff each had two goals and two assists.
”We dominated them,” admitted Slansky. “We played a JV game against them last year so we knew what we were getting into there. They’re an up and coming team with a couple of nice players but you need to be able to run two or three lines out there. They’re first line was good but it dropped off from there.”
In spite of the lopsided score, Slansky was not overly impressed with his team’s play in the opener. He was however, much happier with the way his squad progressed through the week, improving in its most competitive game against Monroe last Friday and finishing up with its best game of the week against St. Joe’s on Monday.
”I thought we played all right but I didn’t think we played great,” he said of the opener. “There was definitely room for improvement in that game, though we played a little bit better, but not great, against Monroe. Then against St. Joe’s, strictly from a technical perspective – passing, play making and that kind of thing – it was probably the best game we had so far.
”From my perspective we were at a disadvantage because we were playing three games in six days and because of that fact we didn’t get to practice. But I felt that for the amount of time we spent on the ice we played pretty well. St. Joe’s has got some nice players and a goaltender who played a phenomenal game. We scored seven seconds into that game and the kids thought it was going to be an easy one. But we probably took another seven or eight shots and the kid made some unbelievable saves.
”We finally settled down and had some nice passing plays and good puck movement. As a coach that’s what you’re looking for. Not all games are going to be blowouts and we need to be in a position to win against all of the teams not just some of them.”
As Slansky had expected going into the season, he has gotten production out of a talented group of freshmen, including goalie Dylan Trioano.
”He hasn’t gotten tested all that much,” Slansky said of Trioano. “Obviously against Monroe he got a decent workout. They’ve got a good team over there now. I’ve been really pleased with my freshmen players. They have been coming along nicely. Will Connell has seven points in three games. He’s leading the freshmen right now in scoring.
”There’s another freshman, Tyler Rule, who doesn’t have any points but I can throw him out there on penalty kills. He’s one of the smaller kids on the team but he is one of the most tenacious players I’ve seen in some time. He doesn’t care how big the other players are. I don’t think we’ve given up any short handed goals. Russell Lorring has shown me the same thing. He’s also out there on the kills.”
South Brunswick should get a stiffer test this week as it plays West Orange on the road Friday night after a Wednesday game with Scotch Plains.
”I think we’re on track and I’m pleased with what we’ve done so far,” Slansky said. “Obviously we’re just looking to keep this rolling. It took us all season to get to this many wins last year. We know what it’s like to be on the down side. It’s nice to be on the upside.
”You can just feel the difference in the players on the ice and in the lockeroom. You don’t have that feeling of wondering when the next shoe is going to drop. It’s very upbeat and very positive. Last year even when we were up we were asking ourselves how long it was going to last.
”This is definitely a much better way to keep the season going. It feeds on itself. They say that winning is contagious. And it is. The kids start walking with that little bit of a swagger. They’re going into the tough games now thinking they are going to win. It’s a different type of situation and a much different type of mentality.”

