By Warren Rappleyea
Old Bridge High School’s ice hockey team is looking to rebuild this winter after going 11-9-1 a year ago.
The Knights have several veterans back but will feature a young squad that will likely include several freshmen as the season progresses. Old Bridge opened the season with six players on the injured list and three others who have not joined the team yet since their fall seasons only recently concluded.
A relatively inexperienced lineup took the ice Nov. 28 for Old Bridge’s season opener against Edison High School at the Arenas at Woodbridge. The Eagles scored first on a Robert Distefano goal, but Peter Hernandez equalized for the Knights with Rashab Nikula assisting before the opening period ended.
With the host Eagles pouring in four goals in the second period, the game got away from the Knights. Chris Kennedy set up Erick Gaffney for the second Old Bridge goal midway through the third and Hernandez notched his second tally off of a pass from freshman Matt Kravitz to make the final score 7-3.
“Edison played a strong game, and they showed they’re a much improved team that doesn’t have to rely on one key player [in Distefano] any more,” Knights coach John Hughes said. “We have some work to do, but it’s still early. We have to incorporate our younger guys into the lineup and come together as a team.”
The Knights will look to Hernandez — a senior who pumped home 11 goals and added 11 assists a year ago — to lead the scoring. Center Arthur Dzieniszewski scored seven goals and had eight assists last winter. The senior will join the team shortly now that the cross-country campaign is over.
Anthony Ferrero, another senior, scored three goals and two assists last season. Sophomore Heather Figueroa showed offensive ability and is coming off a four-goal, seven-assist freshman year. Martha Dzieniszewska showed promise, picking up four assists as a freshman. Kravitz will also see a regular shift. Dom Hospidor, who had been playing for the Knights’ football team, will move up from the junior varsity team to play forward.
Defensively, the Knights will rely heavily on senior Jack Morris, who scored two goals to go with four assists, and junior Kevin Haslach. Both missed the opener with injuries. Hughes will work to solidify the back line as the season progresses.
Newcomer Andreas Pawlus is expected to share the netminding duties with senior Mathieu Schroeder. Pawlus turned in a .909 save percentage last season, while Pawlus made 31 saves in the loss to Edison.
“We’re a little smaller than in the past, but I still want to play a more aggressive physical game,” Hughes said. “We’ll be competitive. Right now, we have to focus on getting better and for the younger players adjusting to varsity competition.”
The Knights were scheduled to host Howell High School Nov. 30 and will travel to Ocean Township High School Dec. 1. Old Bridge is back home Dec. 7 to face Wall High School at the Old Bridge Sports Arena.