Three Dutchmen suspended (updated, with video)

by Ryan Fay

The Union men's hockey team will start the regular season shorthanded.

Dutchmen head coach Rick Bennett announced Sunday that he suspended senior forward Max Novak and junior forwards Matt Wilkins and Nick Cruice for a violation of unspecified team rules. Novak was suspended for five games, while Wilkins and Cruice were suspended for three each. The suspensions started with Sunday's 6-3 exhibition win against Prince Edward Island.

l-r: Cruice, Novak, Wilkins

The suspension will keep Novak out until the Oct. 24 home game against St. Cloud State. He ranks second among returning players in goals (14) and third in points (31). His eight game-winning goals last season were a single-season program record.

Wilkins and Cruice are eligible to return Oct. 17 at Maine. Wilkins had six goals and 14 assists in 40 games last season. Cruice recorded six goals and an assist in 35 games a year ago.

None of the players were made available for comment after the game.

"We’re going to go with the guys that are playing [and] that are following the code here that the coaching staff has put in," Bennett said. "You saw it tonight. They put up six goals and those guys provided value. If I'm the guys that are sitting out, I'd be a little nervous."

Senior forward and alternate captain Daniel Ciampini isn't worried about being shorthanded up front with the loss of three forwards to begin the regular season, which gets underway Friday at home against American International.

"We have to play with the lineup that we're given," said Ciampini, who scored a power-play goal in Sunday's win. "That's why we carry a 27 man roster. I think every guy in the locker room is capable of playing every night. Hopefully, guys can step up and this is their time."

Senior defenseman and captain Charlie Vasaturo echoed those thoughts.

"Whatever lineup we have, we're good to go," he said. "We've got 27 capable guys."

Bennett hopes the suspended players use their time off as a learning experience.

"What we want the guys to learn is that there's a certain way to do things here," Bennett said. "We want good, strong character guys. Yeah, they made some mistakes. We all do. We're going to move on from it."

Bennett said the suspended players can still practice with the team. But they won't able to participate in the festivities before Friday's game. That's when Union will raise banners for last season's Cleary and Whitelaw Cups, in addition to banners for participating in the NCAA tournament and winning the program's first national title.

Highly-touted freshman forward Ryan Scarfo also missed Sunday's exhibition game. Scarfo was out with an undisclosed injury and the timetable for his return wasn't immediately clear.

POSTGAME VIDEO

Jason Tapp and Rick Bennett



Charlie Vasaturo and Daniel Ciampini


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