2012-13 Review 10-11-4 Overall
6-8-4 NESCAC (6th in NESCAC)
Overall (Conference Rank) Conference Games (conf. rank)
Offense: 3.50 G/GM (2nd) Offense: 3.11 G/GM (4th)
Defense: 2.57 G/GM (5th) Defense: 2.72 G/GM (5th)
Power Play: 24/105 -22.9% (3rd) Power Play: 19/77 -24.7% (3rd)
Penalty Kill: 71/93 - 82.8% (4th) Penalty Kill: 59/73 - 80.8% (5th)
Wesleyan finished about where it was expected to last year, at sixth in the regular season conference standings. The loss of 2011-12 leading scorer Nik Tasiopoulos to Babson was offset by the unexpected emergence of senior Nick Craven. The Cardinals lost in OT of the NESCAC Quarterfinals to rival Trinity.
Key Losses (stats are for 2012-13)
Nick Craven (F, '13) (25 GP: 16-17-33); 2013 1st Team All-NESCAC
John Guay (F, '13) (24 GP: 6-12-18)
Donald Kleckner (F, '13) (25 GP: 5-14-19)
Chris MacDonald (D, 13) (25 GP: 0-8-8)
Micah Ehirobo (D, '13) (18 GP: 0-9-9)
Glenn Stowell (G, ;13) (12 GP: 720 min., .904 save%, 2.58 GAA, 4-7-1)
Key Returners (stats are for 2012-13)
Keith Buehler (F, '14) (25 GP: 20-20-40); 2013 NESCAC Player of the Year; 2013-14
Tommy Hartnett (F, '14) (25 GP: 10-12-22)
Jay Matthews (F, '16) (23 GP: 4-5-9)
Brad Improta (D, '14) (22 GP: 1-2-3)
Eric Casey (D, '16) (21 GP: 1-5-6)
Nolan Daley (G, '16) (11 GP: 695 min., .926 save %, 2.50 GAA, 53-3)
Key Recruits
James Kline (F, '17)
Cole Morrissette (F, '17)
Elliot Vorel (F, '17)
Dawson Sprigings (G, '17)
The Cardinals lost a total of 11 seniors. Buehler and Hartnett contributed 30 of the 88 team goals last season, but the rest of the returners only contributed 18 tallies combined. So there should be an opportunity for some of the freshman, like Milton teammates Cole Morrissette (F, '17) and Elliot Vorel (F, '17) to contribute on the offensive end for Wesleyan. The newcomers will determine how much depth the Cardinals actually have past their top line.
Defensive depth might might be a question for the Cardinals as well, with only five blue-liners returning that played in more than half of last season's games and only two, assistant captain Brad Improta and sophomore Eric Casey, that played in more than 20 games.
In net, sophomore Nolan Daley (G, '16) returns having played in 11 games in his rookie year. Daley looked impressive at times, including a big 46 save shutout against Williams in early February. He'll be joined by prep school product Dawson Sprigings (G, '17), who made the NHL Central Scouting list of draft prospects in 2012.
Predictions/Projections Predictions for Wesleyan are all over the place. The lowest is eighth by D3Hockey.com with the highest coming at fifth by the WordPress blog. USCHO and our preseason poll place Wesleyan at sixth. Nationally, D3Hockey.com (D3H)'s computer projections predict the Cardinals will end up 32nd out of 79 teams in their final computer rankings.
Out of Conference Schedule Like travel partner Trinity, Wesleyan plays all six of their non-NESCAC games in a row from November to early January. After two weeks of conference play, the Cardinals travel to Mass. to take on Stonehill (75th D3H) the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. The Saturday after Thanksgiving they take on frequent NESCAC foe Wentworth (18th D3H) (the Leopards also play Trinity and Colby) in Middletown before hosting Salve Regina (40th D3H), who will be coming from a game at Trinity. The following week they host Hobart (16th D3H) to conclude play in 2013. They finish up OOC with home games against New England College (42nd) and Canton (76th) in early January.
Song for the Season We could have gone with Wesleyan alum Amanda Palmer's "Do It With a Rockstar" here, in honor of the Cards trying to ride 'Cac superstar Buehler to title contention. But even if Buehler does produce, it might be the youngsters that determine this season for Wesleyan, so we present a ukulele orchestra cover of MGMT (Wes alums Andrwe VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser)'s "Kids".
The Ooks of Hazard - "Kids" (MGMT cover)
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