Lions look to take another step in rebuild process
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HANCOCK -- When he took over the helm of the Finlandia Lions men's hockey team, head coach Joe Burcar, who was returning to a program he had found success with in the past, knew he was in for a multi-year project in rebuilding the team.
Since he returned to the Lions in 2016, the progress the Lions have shown has been incremental until this past season, where things went awry both on and off the ice between the COVID pandemic and a severely shortened season in the late winter. It is still hard for Burcar and his staff to quantify how learning the underclassmen lost by not being on the ice with their teammates for much of the first semester.
Pandemic impact
For Burcar, the constantly changing landscape of NCAA Division III athletics last season made life difficult off the ice. His players were tested daily first thing in the morning. They were isolated for long stretches in their dorm rooms or their apartments, taking their classes via Zoom. The only interactions they had with their teammates during those weeks were Zoom meetings moderated by the team captains.
"You could just see it took its toll on our guys mentally," he said. "I'll defend these guys. It was so hard, from not knowing if we're gonna play games, to doing all your class stuff online, was a challenge for a lot of people, and our players."
Despite all of the confusion off the ice, when the team finally did return to action, they played eight games over the course of five weekends, each series a home and home, meaning that they traveled either direction for each contest. The good news, everyone who made it to campus in the fall remained on the roster in the spring despite all the challenges put in front of the group.
"I give a lot of credit to our captains," said Burcar. "They did a great job last year. They figured out a way to stay connected with each other."
The Lions finished their spring schedule with a 1-7 record, which, on the surface, looks like a step backward from the progress they had been making as a group under Burcar.
Lions leadership
This year, the Lions are going to lean on the veteran presence of players like fifth year goaltender Marcus Gloss, senior defenseman Dylan Paavola, and senior forward Tyler Watungwa.
Gloss has been a cornerstone of Burcar's vision in his return to the Lions. A Houghton native, Gloss was the first local player to commit to Finlandia under Burcar. He has won 11 games over his four years with the Lions, but more importantly, he gives the Lions a chance to win night in and night out.
"He's a kid I wish I could have grown every year," said Burcar. "He's another guy that's in a senior year, and he wants to make a difference here."
Paavola has five goals and eight assists in his career to this point. A Hancock native with deep bloodlines in the area, he serves as an assistant captain on the ice in games, and an unofficial assistant coach in practice, a trait that thrills Burcar.
"He always steps up on game day," Burcar said. "It just shows by his effort, his attitude.
"He quietly talks to players on the side. Just quietly watching him, you want guys like that and you want leaders like that too."
Watungwa returns to the Lions as captain for a second straight season. A player who had to fight his way into the lineup as a freshman, he has learned how to lead by working hard in practice and games, making himself an example for younger Lions skaters.
Another player who is part of the leadership group, according to Burcar, is junior forward Phil Schader. Schader only saw action in seven of the eight games the Lions played in the spring, as he took a costly penalty in a game against Marian that changed the momentum of the game in Burcar's eyes.
Since that moment, Schader has worked very hard to mend fences with both his teammates and the coaching staff. He also found positive ways to chip in on the scoresheet, where he put up two goals and four points over his final six games of the season.
He will be wearing an "A" on his sweater this year, further proof of how far he has come since early last season.
"It just kind of clicked with him, it just really did," Burcar said. "He felt so bad about that (the penalty) to his teammates. He literally was that the rink early in the morning, cleaning the locker room, just trying to make up to his teammates.
"He's earned my trust. He's earned the team's respect."
Fresh faces
The Lions have a large incoming class of freshmen this season. Burcar feels that three of them could have impacts almost immediately in Houghton native Brendan Erickson, Rochester, New York, native Luke Dobles, and Wilcox, Saskatchewan, native Max Messier.
Messier is a cousin of former NHL star Mark Messier, and Max's father Joby also played on the 1994 New York Rangers team that won the Stanley Cup in 1995.
"Max's just a humble, humble, humble, Canadian farm boy kid that just wants to be here, wants to play hockey," Burcar said. "He's doing well in school... He's happy to be here."
Dobles, a defenseman, should help fill the gap on the blue line left by the loss of Blake Gutterman, who chose to not return this season. Dobles stands a little shorter than Gutterman, but has a poise with the puck and a quick, effective release on his shot that Burcar fell in love with immediately.
"We haven't had a defenseman like (him)," said Burcar. "He's big. He's strong. His release on a puck. He's almost got that senior mindset, calm, cool, and it's just a pleasure to see a guy like that come in."
Erickson, who played both forward and defense for the Houghton Gremlins in high school, has seen action with four teams over the past two seasons, playing one year in the VIJHL and one year in the EHL. He found the most success with the Protec Jr. Ducks last season, where he racked up 12 points in 21 games, adding another two points in four playoff games.
Burcar and his staff are challenging Erickson to earn his ice time, something they believe he will do.
Tough schedule
The Lions play in the NCHA, which features the likes of Adrian, St. Norbert and Lake Forest, all three of which should likely be in the mix by NCAA Tournament time in the spring. Before they get into the conference schedule.
They host UW-River Falls for a pair of games to open the season next weekend before traveling to play Bethel twice. They will also take on Northland twice and later Hamline in late November, giving them a deep non-conference schedule.
Burcar is excited for the challenge the opening five games provides before facing NCHA opponents.
"Every year, it just gets a little bit better," he said "We'll do a two-year series or a two-year deal with them. It means a lot to our program that we've gained the interest. People want to play us because they (know) it'll be a competitive game."