The Cinnaminson Ice Hockey club team looks to return to the league title game for a second straight season. Here is our preview of the 2016-2017 campaign.
Head coach Don Nogowski is entering his third season at the helm of the team.
Cinnaminson returns a handful of veterans from last year’s squad that will be looking for redemption in 2016-2017.
“We’ve got about 12 players coming back from the varsity team last year,” Coach Nogowski said.
“Michael O’Brien, Andrew Nogowski and Michael Quattrone have played together most of their careers.”
Cinnaminson finished the 2015-2016 regular season with a record of 10-5-2 with 22 points. It was good for first place in the Parent Division.
“We’ve been stressing the importance of playing together as a team,” Coach Nogowski said. “We want them to enjoy their time. It’s a special time, especially for the seniors.”
Cinnaminson lost to division rival Mainland in the league title game last season 5-4 in a shootout.
“We fell a little short in the championship game last year,” Coach Nogowski said. “We want the seniors to go out with a championship this year.”
“They played a great game and they left it all out on the ice. Mainland was a very good team with some exceptional players. They had one of the best players in all of South Jersey in Mickenzie Restle. They had nothing to be ashamed about.”
Starting goalie Stephen Sanmartin graduated and backup Andrew Nogowski is playing for the Niagara Whalers in Canada this season.
Andrew Nogowski will be available for a couple of games here and there when he has time off from his junior team.
Taking over in net for the Pirates will be senior goalie Rachel Necky.
“Necky is a great kid, but she doesn’t have a lot of experience in net,” Coach Nogowski said. “We are going to have to play a more defensive game and protect her.”
The Pirates will need to be a more defensive-minded team this year, according to coach Nogowski.
“We need to play a more defensive style this year,” Coach Nogowski said. “We had Sanmartin in net last year and he was probably one of the best goalies in the league.”
“Andrew was backing him up. We knew when they were in net we would get strong goaltending. We relied upon that a little too much. This year, we’ve got to play it a little more straight up, play it the right way.”
The Pirates will be led on the ice by team captain, Cinnaminson resident and senior Michael O’Brien.
O’Brien tied the title game with Mainland late in the third period to sent it to overtime. It was his third goal of the playoffs and 14th of the season.
“I believe he will be the best player in South Jersey this year,” Coach Nogowski said. “I expect him to lead this team and do a great job. He is a high character kid and the hardest working kid you’ll ever see.”
“He’s developed into a very powerful skater with great hands. He is a legitimate, NCAA college prospect.”
The 2016-2017 season begins tonight against Williamstown at the Flyers Skate Zone in Pennsauken. The puck drops at 8:50pm.
“We just want to assure oursevles of a playoff run,” Coach Nogowski said. “We want to work hard, get better and play a defensive game.”
Cinnaminson Pirates
2016-17
Last Name First Name Class Position
ANTINORE AIDEN Freshman Winger
CLOKE CHRISTOPHER Junior Defenseman
DAVIS ADAM Junior Defenseman
DOMAN KEVIN Junior Defenseman
DUCA ALEXANDER Junior Winger
EVANS JORDAN Sophomore Center
EVERWINE CHAD Freshman Winger
FARKAS CONNOR Junior Winger
KORDES MARK Junior Winger
LORINO ANTHONY Sophomore Winger
MCGURRIN LIAM Senior Defenseman Asst Captain
MCLANE MATTHEW Senior Center/ Defense
NECKY RACHEL Senior Goalie
NEHRING DAWSON Senior Center Asst Captain
NOGOWSKI ANDREW Senior Goalie
OBRIEN MICHAEL Senior Center / Defense Captain
QUATTRONE MICHAEL Senior Defenseman
RICHARDSON ALEX Junior
SABO MICHAEL Sophomore
SAMBUCCI GENO Senior Center Asst Captain
SCHWOERER SHANE Freshman
Image credit: By Hedavid – Own work (taken by me), CC BY-SA 3.0
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