Turnover in roster hasn’t slowed Owls

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Last Updated on Thursday, 25 October 2012 15:24

By Nick Clark
MnJHL

The transition currently being worked through in Isanti, Minn., has come with its share of challenges for the Minnesota Owls.

Some, such as adjusting the players to the speed and physicality needed to succeed in the Minnesota Junior Hockey league, are still ongoing.

Others, such as figuring out who is who on a roster littered with new bodies, are starting to take form.

All together, however, the conversion hasn’t slowed the team much in the win/loss column.

And despite everything it has taken to rebuild the team this year, that much isn’t being taken for granted.

“We’ve found a way to get some points, and that is really important in this league,” said assistant coach Travis Kuznia of Minnesota’s 7-3-2 start through the first dozen games.

“This team is totally different,” Kuznia continued. “It is all new guys, and there was so much we had to do to get them up to speed and show them how physical this league can be. It is different than high school, and they had to learn that.”

The experience has been a night-and-day difference from what the Owls went through a year ago, when a veteran laden group won 26 games to finish third in the league.

This year, each of the top-six scorers from 2011-12 have moved on. Jerid Adamson (Isanti, Minn.) and Taylor Bargar are the two highest returning scorers from a year ago, when each finished their respective season with 26 points.

Adamson is off to a solid start this year with nine assists in the 10 games he has played, and Tanner Vinison (Ashland, Wis.), who last year had six points in 47 games, already has eight points in 12 games.

But the onus up front has fallen largely on newcomers Zach Foesch (Andover, Minn.), Vincent Currao and John Zupko (Chicago, Ill.).

Foesch has a team best 14 points (6 goals, 8 assists), Currao has eight goals and five assists thus far, and Zupko has already netted 11 goals in his 12 games.

“We’ve had guys come in and contribute, that has been important,” Kuznia said. “And we’ve gotten some solid goaltending, which is something we haven’t always had in years past.”

Filippo Traversa has been the most impressive goaltender so far for the Owls. He’s played in eight games, and won five of them while posting a goals against average of 2.15 and a saves percentage of .936. He made 27 saves in a 4-1 victory over Hudson in Minnesota’s most recent outing.

The team wore pink that night as part of its annual breast cancer awareness fundraiser.

Vinison had a goal and two assists in that game, and both Anthony Rohde (Villa Park, Ill.) and Foesch finished with a goal and an assist.

Foesch and Currao also had a goal and an assist the night prior, when Minnesota lost to Maple Grove 6-5 in overtime.

Those two teams will play again at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 26 at the David Johnson Civic Arena in Isanti in a game that will be the first of three this weekend for the Owls.

“These three game weekends aren’t easy, but we still need to find a way to get points,” said Kuznia, whose team will also play host to Edina Saturday before visiting first-place Twin Cities Sunday. “We are going to get better, but so is everybody else, and that makes these games real important.”

Elsewhere in the in the Minnesota Division of the MnJHL:

Dells Ducks: The Ducks managed to get three points out of a three-game home series with first-place Twin Cities this past weekend. Jacob Stima had a goal and an assist in a 4-3 shootout victory Oct. 19, and then Lane Martin, Gavin Porter and Nick Albergo finished with three points each in a 6-4 victory Oct. 20.

Edina Lakers: The Lakers dropped a pair of games to Steele County and Rochester last weekend. Andrew Bergquist had a goal and Tanor Bradison 31 saves in a 3-1 loss to the Blades Oct. 19. Seman Ivanov scored twice and Adam McMasters (Austin, Minn.) had a goal and an assist in a 6-3 loss to the Ice Hawks Oct. 20.

Hudson Crusaders: Hudson lost two more games last weekend. Patrick Evans and Aviv Milner each scored in a 12-2 loss at Rochester Oct. 19. Ryan Anderson (Rosemount, Minn.) scored a goal and Marc Hayton (Cumberland, Wis.) made 43 saves in a 4-1 loss at Minnesota Oct. 20.

Maple Grove Energy: The Energy needed overtime both nights, but Maple Grove ended up with a sweep in its two games against Minnesota and Steele County. Martin Danialcak scored 2:45 into overtime, Nick Townes had a pair of assists and Valdyslav Makorevych finished with three points in a 6-5 victory over the Owls Oct. 19. Makorevych then netted the game-winner 3:33 into overtime, Travis Ricci (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) had two assists and Brian Anderson (Lino Lakes, Minn.) 28 saves in a 4-3 victory over the Blades Oct. 20.

Rochester Ice Hawks: Rochester won twice last weekend, led in large part behind a five-goal weekend from forward Jake Zarzycki. The Clinton Township, Mich. native had a hat trick in a 12-2 win over Hudson Oct. 19, then scored two more in a 6-3 win at Edina Oct. 20. Drew Carlson had a four-point night for Rochester in the win over Hudson, and both Brent Kallio and Kenny Tencza finished with three points in the win over the Lakers.

Steele County Blades: The Blades earned a split in their two games last weekend. Adam Carlson (Edina, Minn.) made 42 saves and was backed by goals from Jon Skarlis (Waterloo, Iowa), Quest Bain (Anchorage, Alaska) and Justin Brown (Owatonna, Minn.) in a 3-1 victory over Edina Oct. 19, and then Bain and Jon Stevanovich (Brookfield, Ill.) had a goal and an assist each in a 4-3 overtime loss at Maple Grove Oct. 20.

Twin Cities Northern Lights: The Northern Lights three-game visit to play the Dells Ducks produced two more victories. Carter Purdy and Jace Childs (Savage, Minn.) had two points each and Nate Gay (Bowling Green, Ohio) stopped 35 shots in a 4-3 shootout victory Oct. 19. Andrew Scofield (Northfield, Minn.) then scored twice and Childs set up a pair in a 4-2 win Oct. 21.