There was a lot of buzz around Matt Wilkins entering last season.
The Kimberley, British Columbia native came to the program after destroying the Alberta Junior Hockey League from 2010-2012. In that span, he scored 176 points (64 goals, 112 assists) in 120 games, and was a two-time AJHL All-Star.
But the 22-year-old Wilkins got off to a sluggish start with Union, collecting just four assists in his first 14 games.
Wilkins (vnews.com)
"It was a big change from junior hockey," Wilkins said of the transition to college hockey. "Everyone is bigger, stronger, and faster. Every aspect is that much better. I had to get used to the more physical aspect of college hockey and get more aware in the defensive zone."
Once Wilkins made the necessary adjustments, he began to show signs of the offensive promise he displayed in junior hockey.
The forward scored 12 points over Union's final 23 contests last year, including the game-winning goal against crosstown rival RPI in the inaugural Mayor's Cup and six assists in eight pivotal games in March.
"I got a lot more playing time as the season went on," Wilkins said. "I felt more comfortable out there. I was more willing to take chances and try to make plays. It paid off."
Added third-year Union head coach Rick Bennett, "I thought he picked up a step as far as his feet. I thought he went through the same progression that [former Union forward] Kelly Zajac did. Once you figure out you have to keep your feet moving, you become a complete player and that's what he's becoming now."
Going into his second collegiate season, Wilkins said he feels more confident and wants to build off his strong finish to last season. He spent the summer focusing on further improving his speed.
With a year of college hockey under his belt, Wilkins said he is ready to take on more responsibility.
"I want to be a guy people look at to score goals when we need them."
Senior forward Wayne Simpson, who led the Dutchmen with 36 points and seven game winning goals, was named the team MVP at the annual Union hockey awards banquet Sunday night.
Other award winners include:
Sophomore Daniel Ciampini walked away with the most improved player award. The forward scored 21 points this past season, 15 more than he did in his freshman campaign. His goal total jumped from three to 11 and his assist tally increased from three to 10.
Freshman Matt Wilkins, who led all Union freshmen with 16 points, was named the rookie of the year. The forward was especially good after the first of the year, as 12 of his 16 points came after the calendar flipped to 2013.
The coaches award went to the three captains, seniors Kyle Bodie and Greg Coburn, and junior Mat Bodie.
Sophomore defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere picked up the 7th player award, chosen annually by the fans. It is awarded to the player who fans feel, with extra effort and skill, consistently creates excitement and aggressive play, resulting in a team advantage. Gostisbehere finished second among Union defensemen with 26 points, trailing only the 28 posted by Greg Coburn.
Junior forward Cole Ikkala picked up two awards, the Charlie Morrison award for community involvement and the Scott Richardson Unsung Hero award.
Theo DiPauli, a freshman forward, was awarded the VanArden Dukehart award for team's highest GPA.
For postgame videos, click here or scroll down. There's three - RPI coach Seth Appert, Union coach Rick Bennett, and Union players Josh Jooris/Matt Wilkins/Troy Grosenick. ========== by Ryan Fay ALBANY -- There are some things that never seem to change. Take the RPI-Union series. After losing to their route 7 rivals, 3-2, in Saturday's inaugural Mayor's Cup game, RPI's loss was just more of the same. Earlier this week, I asked RPI head coach Seth Appert about Union's success against his team. One the things he said was "we've taken some ill-advised penalties against them and they have an absolutely lethal power play." Saturday's loss, RPI's eighth in a row against 19th-ranked Union, was a continuation of that. RPI's Nick Bailen, a senior, took what most would call an "ill-advised" penalty when he went off for interference with 97 seconds left in regulation of a tie game. After the game, Appert offered "no comment" on the penalty.
Wilkins (Union Athletics)
At the time of the penalty, RPI had recently tied the game at two off the stick of Mark McGowan, so the last thing the Engineers wanted to do was give the country's best powerplay (27.1%) a chance to win the game. Matt Wilkins, who turned 22 on Saturday, proved why Union's powerplay is "absolutely lethal" when the freshman forward scored the game-winning goal on the powerplay with 37 seconds left in the game. "I was driving the net, I saw Jooris go wide, and their defensemen was sort of flat footed," Wilkins said of the game-winning play. "I drove the net and Jooris made a great pass." Said Appert of the goal, "at the end of the day, [Wilkins] made a play. We had two guys that didn't execute very well. It was a play that should have been pretty easily defended. We had two guys that made mental mistakes in big moments and they have to grow up from that." It was the second goal of the night for the Union powerplay, which finished 2-for-4. After Guy Leboeuf was called for cross checking just two minutes into the game, Daniel Ciampini opened the scoring by knocking in a rebound at 3:34.
"It always seems like we take a penalty early and get scored against them, and we did,” Appert said after the game. “It played out, pretty much, how you anticipate [it]."
Earlier this week, Appert also pointed out Union's penalty kill as another reason why Union has had its run of success against his club. On Saturday night, the Dutchmen killed off all five RPI powerplay opportunities, including two in the third period. The Engineers, who outshot Union 38-20, had 15 of their shots on the powerplay including 11 in the first. Troy Grosenick stopped all 15 powerplay shots and 36 of the 38 overall. When I spoke with him on Tuesday, Appert credited "very good" goaltending as yet another factor behind Union's recent edge in the series. Grosenick was the biggest reason Saturday's game came down to the third period. For a good portion of the night, RPI was outskating the Dutchmen. The junior netminder kept Union in the game with several spectacular saves, including a couple on Ryan Haggerty, RPI's top goal scorer. The sophomore, who has ten goals this season, did beat Grosenick on one of his five shots, a goal that tied the game at one only 16 seconds into the middle period. Union head coach Rick Bennett graded Grosenick's performance as "exceptional" and added Grosenick "kind of bailed us out when we needed him to." Bennett also came away impressed with RPI (8-11-5, 3-6-3).
"That's a good hockey club," he said of RPI, which won the faceoff battle, 37-25. "They've been making strides this season just like they did last year. Whoever faces them in the playoffs better buckle up."
Greg Coburn scored Union's other goal, a long-range rocket early in the third period that momentarily gave the Dutchmen a 2-1 lead.
Union (13-8-4, 6-4-3) resumes play on Friday night at Messa Rink against #12/13 Dartmouth (11-7-2, 7-5-1). The game, a 7:30 pm faceoff, will be nationally televised on NBC Sports Network.
POSTGAME VIDEOS
Rensselaer (8-11-5 (3-6-3 ECACH)) vs. Union (13-8-4 (6-4-3 ECACH)) Date: Jan 26, 2013 Location: Albany, NY Arena: Times Union Center Attendance:5959 Start time:7:30 pm End time:9:35 pm Total time:2:05
After missing one game with an upper-body injury, junior forward Josh Jooris returns to the lineupfor tonight's Mayor's Cup game against RPI. Jooris will be centering a line with Matt Hatch on the left and Kevin Sullivan on the right.
Daniel Carr moves from the Kyle Bodie and Wayne Simpson line to the Matt Wilkins and Max Novak line. Daniel Ciampni will be with Bodie and Simpson instead of Wilkins and Novak.
Troy Grosenick starts in goal and defenseman Shawn Stuart remains sidelined with an upper-body injury. It will be Stuart's fourth consecutive game missed.
SCHENECTADY -- Forget about collapsing in the third period.
On Tuesday night, Union saved its best for last.
The Dutchmen scored three goals in the final period to roll to a 4-1 win over Harvard at Messa Rink. Union, which won its second game in a row, had gone six games without even one third period goal.
Before Union broke out in the third, their powerplay opened the scoring late in the second. Harvard's Luke McGregor was called for holding at 16:19 and Max Novak cashed in at 17:27 to make a 1-0 game.
"Novak was real patient and made a great play with that spinaround shot," said Union defenseman Mat Bodie, who picked up his first of three assists on the goal. "It was Matt Wilkins in front and I don't think their goalie saw it."
The Union powerplay, which ranks first in the country at 26.4%, hit paydirt again on Union's first goal of the third. Union had a 5-on-3 opportunity at 7:36 when Luke Greiner was whistled for high sticking on a delayed hooking penalty on Mitchell Everson.
Wayne Simpson capitalized and made the Crimson pay, putting Union ahead, 2-0, at the 8:12 mark. It was his team-leading twelfth goal of the season and eventually proved to be the game winner.
"Not many players can make the play Mat Bodie did to get it to me," Simpson said of his teammate. "He drew some of the guys out, so it was pretty much me. I was looking for the pass initially, but I found a spot to put in, and luckily it just snuck in the corner."
Jimmy Vesey, Harvard's star freshman, made it a 2-1 game with just over nine minutes left in regulation.
"There was a little life on the bench when we scored," Harvard head coach Ted Donato said.
But Union's lead quickly grew back to two, 3-1, when Wilkins provided some breathing room with his second goal of the month at the 13:35 mark.
"Like my first goal, it was kind of weight off the shoulder," the freshman said after the game. "It's not as if I've been lacking opportunities, but they haven't been going in. Hopefully this one will get me going."
Said Bodie of the goal, "it was huge for us. I think that was the one where we felt 'alright, I think we have this one under control.'"
Bodie, who is four points from setting the school record for points by a defenseman, drew praise from Union head coach Rick Bennett.
"He's been doing the little things that the coaching staff has been showing and that tells what type of leader he is," Bennett said. "His defensive play the past two games has been dynamite. And his offense tonight was the benefit of that."
What wasn't praiseworthy was Union drawing a penalty for too many men on the ice for the third straight game.
"One of our guys had a foot over," Bennett said. "He was coming back hard, but our guy jumped forward. It's going to be a tough skate on Thursday -- for the coaching staff as well. It's a team penalty and the coaching staff is going to be held accountable just as much as the players are."
Daniel Carr's empty net goal with 19 seconds left in the game made it a 4-1 lead for Union, which outshot Harvard, 38-23, on the night. Troy Grosenick added 22 saves in the winning effort.
The Dutchmen resume play on Saturday night in a non-league contest against rival RPI at the Times Union Center.
JOORIS UPDATE
Don't expect injured forward Josh Jooris to play in Saturday's game.
"It doesn't look great," Bennett said after the game.
Jooris was banged up in the third period of Saturday's win over Colgate and missed his first game of the year on Tuesday.
"It's upper-middle body. Could be lower-body for all I know. It's somewhere in the body. That's all I know at this time," Bennett coyly added.
Hockey Game Box Score (Final) Harvard vs #19 Union (Jan 22, 2013 at Schenectady, NY)
Harvard (5-11-1 (3-9-0 ECACH)) vs. Union (12-8-4 (6-4-3 ECACH)) Date: Jan 22, 2013 Location: Schenectady, NY Arena: Messa Rink Attendance:1624 Start time:7:00 pm End time:9:04 pm Total time:2:04
