Aug. 19, 2002
The Wayne State University men's hockey team begins its fourth season with an ultimate goal of qualifying for the 2003 NCAA Tournament.
Last season the Warriors won both the College Hockey America regular-season title (15-2-3) and the conference tournament.
Should WSU be able to win its third straight league tournament title, the Warriors would receive an automatic bid to the expanded 16-team NCAA field.
Head coach Bill Wilkinson, who ranks 31st on the NCAA all-time win list, led Wayne State to a 21-11-4 overall mark last year with no seniors on the squad.
A position breakdown follows:
Goaltenders (Returnees 2/Newcomers 1) -- Senior David Guerrera (St. Leonard, Que./Estevan Bruins) returns after being selected CHA Player of the Year last season. In league games, Guerrera compiled a 14-2-3 record with a 2.34 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage.
Backing up Guerrera will be junior Marc Carlson (Hingham, Mass./Chicago Freeze) and freshman Matt Kelly (Hull, Mass./Topeka Scarecrows).
Carlson missed all of the 2001-02 season after being diagnosed with cancer in August 2001, while Kelly led Topeka goaltenders in games (39), minutes (1,982), wins (16) and shutouts (2).
"Every championship team must have strong goaltending," said Wilkinson. "Guerrera and Carlson are a solid one-two punch. Dave has exceptional competitive skill and Marc brings an exceptional attitude to his position and the team. Matt Kelly has the capabilities to fill in for either Dave or Marc in emergency situations."
Defensemen (Returnees 6/Newcomers 2) -- The Warrior blueline corps will be led by seniors Tyler Kindle (Portage, Mich./Bozeman Icedogs) and Keith Stanich (Bethel Park, Pa./Waterloo Black Hawks).
Kindle earned first team All-CHA honors a year ago after recording a team-best 20 points (6-14) in 20 league games. Stanich, a co-captain for WSU, led the squad with a plus/minus rating of +16 while playing in 35 games.
Also returning on defense will be senior Marc St. Jean (Orleans, Ont./Hawkesbury Hawks), junior Nick Stodgell (Warroad, Minn./Des Moines Buccaneers), and sophomores Carl Voelker (Sterling Hts., Mich./St. Louis Sting) and Justin Kahle (Farmington Hills, Mich./Springfield Spirit).
St. Jean's strong play in the defensive zone helped WSU to the 21st best penalty-killing percentage (.839/172-205) in NCAA Division I hockey last season. Stodgell had a +8 rating, while playing in all 20 CHA games. Voelker played in the final 17 games of the season and had a +8 rating. Kahle saw action in two games.
Looking to crack the lineup on the blueline will be freshmen Steve Kovalchik (Riverview, Mich./Omaha Lancers) and Greg Poupard (Jackson, Mich./Waterloo Black Hawks).
"Experience and depth are two key ingredients that should bolster a solid defense corp," added Wilkinson. "The three seniors - Kindle, St. Jean, and Stanich - will carry much of the weight.
"Stodgell, who is coming off a great year after eye surgery, will strengthen the blueline crew. Add returnees Carl Voelker and Justin Kahle, with highly skilled newcomers Steve Kovalchik and Greg Poupard, and you have the potential to be the best in the CHA."
Forwards (Returnees 14/Newcomers 1) -- Senior co-captain Jason Durbin (Trenton, Mich./Danville Wings) returns after leading the team in scoring last year with 34 points on 16 goals and 18 assists. Durbin was ranked nationally in game-winning goals (T15th-4), power-play goals (T18th-9), and short-handed goals (T13th-2).
Adding scoring punch to the Wayne State offense will be seniors Dustin Kingston (Spencerville, Ont./Brockville Braves), Jack Redwood (Trenton, Mich./Compuware Ambassadors), Maxim Starchenko (Kharkov, Ukraine/Powell River Kings), Jon Brink (Portage, Mich./West Michigan Warriors), Nick Shrader (Blissfield, Mich./Compuware Ambassadors), Brent Renfrew (Fairbanks, Alaska/Soo Indians), Steve Nichols (Washington, Mich./Chicago Freeze).
Kingston earned CHA Tournament MVP honors after scoring both game-winning goals. Kingston and Brink led all WSU forwards with a +11 rating, while Starchenko's 12 league assists was tops among all WSU forwards.
Juniors Chris Vail (Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich./Vernon Vipers), and Matt Milanowski (Grand Rapids, Mich./Bozeman Icedogs) along with sophomores Nathan Rosychuk (Athabasca, Alb./Grande Prairie Storm), Billy Collins (Enderby, B.C./Prince George Spruce Kings), John Grubb (Burlington, N.D./Waterloo Black Hawks), and Reegan Rehm (Park Rapids, Minn./Billings Bulls) will be looked to for increased offensive output.
Vail was a second team All-CHA selection, while Grubb led all WSU skaters with 10 goals in league games.
The lone newcomer up front will be Derek MacKay (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont./Sault Ste. Marie Thunderbirds).
"Senior captain Jason Durbin will be counted on again to lead our team," stated Wilkinson. His leadership skills compliments his on ice skill to make him a league all-star. Durbin will be supported for the fourth year by left winger and CHA Championship MVP Dustin Kingston. Dustin has great speed and scoring touch to make him one of the most dangerous forwards in the CHA.
"Max Starchenko, a strong power center with all the tools to be a pro-style player, could have a banner year. Linemates, Chris Vail and Jack Redwood make up a dynamic forward unit. Big, fast, and strong - look for this group to be very instrumental in the team success.
"Add power forwards Nick Shrader and Brent Renfrew to the mix along with centers Steve Nichols and Reegan Rehm and you have a solid group of forwards.
"Then inject last season's freshman unit of Collins, Rosychuk and Grubb and now you have a team that will be very difficult to contend with. Highly-skilled freshman Derek MacKay will add more fire power to an already explosive offense."
Last season the Warrior offense finished 15th in country (3.44 gpg), while WSU was 17th in scoring margin (+0.33/124-112). WSU's power-play ranked 27th in the nation last year (18.1%/34-188) and its winning percentage (.639) was 13th.
The 2002-03 schedule consists of 20 CHA contests (four each against the five other members), plus non-conference road games at Vermont (Nov. 1), Dartmouth (Nov. 2), Ferris State (Nov. 8-9), Michigan Tech (Nov. 29-30) and the RPI Tournament (Dec. 28-29). Non-league home contests will feature St. Lawrence (Oct. 25-26), Notre Dame (Dec. 14 at Joe Louis Arena), American International College (Jan. 10-11 at Taylor), and Bowling Green (Jan. 21 at Joe Louis Arena).
"The final pieces of the puzzle have been put in place. Now it is up to the coaches and players to solve the puzzle of winning a third CHA playoff championship. This will be our greatest challenge and most difficult. To win the CHA three consecutive years will tell you how good this team can be."
