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Cardinal Roster
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Cardinal Statistics
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Cardinal Schedule
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MIAC Standings
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MIAC Statistics
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| 2005-2006 Final Records: 8-8-0 MIAC, 9-14-1 Overall |
| Upcoming Games: Fri., Nov. 3: UW-Stevens Point, 7:05 p.m. Sat., Nov. 4: SMU at UW-Eau Claire, 7 p.m. |
| Cardinal News and Notes: After going 2-13-1 in their first 16 games, SMU closed out its season with seven wins in its last eight games a year ago. … SMU’s MIAC sweeps of Concordia, Hamline and St. Olaf had marked the first time the Cardinals had won back-to-back-to-back MIAC series since sweeping Bethel, Saint John’s and Hamline during the 1989-90 season. … The Cardinals’ season-high, six-game winning streak was also their longest since stringing six together early in the 1994-95 season. …SMU goalie Curtis Nosal (Omaha, Neb.) closed out the season with a 2.97 goals-against-average and a .916 save percentage. … Adam Gill (Rochester, Minn.) ended as SMU's leader in goals (15) and points (27), while Tim McNamara was first in assists (13) and second in goals (10) and points (23). |
determined to make a run at conference playoff berth
WINONA, Minn. —
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Adam
Gill Team-high 15 goals, 27 points in 2005-06 |
During each of those 30 years, one of the toughest tasks Olson faces actually has nothing to do with the sport of hockey — it's the preseason ritual of learning the names of all his players.
And this year, that has proven tougher than ever.
Having 15 freshmen — and two junior transfers — among your 31-man roster will do that to a coach.
"There are certainly a number of new faces," said Olson with a smile. "With graduations, your roster changes a bit every year — but getting a handle on all the new names and faces has been a bit tougher than usual this year."
Yet, while Olson works hard to put all the new names with faces, there are also a few faces missing from this year's squad — most notably graduated seniors Marcus Reszka and Curtis Nosal.
During his four year career, Reszka never missed a game, playing in all 100 contests, earning First Team All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors in both his sophomore and senior seasons.
Nosal, meanwhile, was the Cardinals' starting goalkeeper his last three seasons, and put together a career season a year ago, posting a 2.97 goals-against-average and a .917 save percentage, while also earning honorable-mention All-MIAC honors.
"We lost six of our top eight defensemen a year ago — including one (Reszka), who was an all-conference performer who logged more ice time than anyone else on the team last year," said Olson. "Replacing them is going to be tough."
As is filling the void left by Nosal.
"Curtis was our top goalie the last two-and-a-half years and played exceptionally well the second half of last season," said Olson, noting that seniors Nick Berra (St. Louis, Mo.) and Andy Nadeau (Winona, Minn.), along with junior transfer Dan Smith (Rochester, Minn.) have looked good in preseason and will battle for the starting duties. "I think we've got three very capable goalies, but the concern is, none of the three has extensive experience at the collegiate level."
Led by junior captain Adam Gill (Rochester, Minn.), the Cardinals do return two of their top three scorers — not to mention a total of 46 of SMU's 71 goals — from a year ago.
If the Cardinals are going to make a run at an MIAC playoff berth, 71 goals as a team just won't cut it.
"We need our offensive production to improve — we can't average three goals a game and have our leading scorer have 27 points if we are going to be competitive in this league," said Olson, who had just two players — Gill and graduated senior Tim McNamara — with more than 20 points a year ago. "I think offensively, we are going to be more skilled, we are going to be smarter with the puck, and we are going to be deeper — but we are going to be very inexperienced."
Inexperienced and untested isn't exactly the way Olson would like to go into the MIAC season, but the veteran coach isn't about to count out the Cardinals when it comes to post-season berths.
"The MIAC just keeps getting tougher and tougher," said Olson, whose team finished sixth a year ago, missing a berth in the five-team playoffs during the final week of the season. "This group is driven to get back into that top five, and if we can get all the pieces of this puzzle put together, I wouldn't put it past them."