Boys ice hockey preview: Amherst, Easthampton looking to book return trips to the state tournament

Amherst goalkeeper Spencer McDonald (1) stops the attack from Greenfield’s Matt Garvin (14) during action last season at Orr Rink in Amherst.

Amherst goalkeeper Spencer McDonald (1) stops the attack from Greenfield’s Matt Garvin (14) during action last season at Orr Rink in Amherst. STAFF FILE PHOTO

Easthampton’s Rob Herman (16) carries the puck up the ice under pressure from Greenfield’s Derek Wissmann (22) last season at Collins-Moylan Arena in Greenfield.

Easthampton’s Rob Herman (16) carries the puck up the ice under pressure from Greenfield’s Derek Wissmann (22) last season at Collins-Moylan Arena in Greenfield. STAFF FILE PHOTO

By RYAN AMES

Staff Writer

Published: 12-18-2024 6:19 PM

Optimism is swirling around the Amherst Regional boys hockey team in the early parts of the 2024-25 season.

The Hurricanes lost eight seniors to graduation and fell in its first game of the season to Greenfield on Tuesday, 7-1, but head coach Mike Rousseau is taking a glass-half-full approach when describing his expectations for this year’s squad.

“We got hurt by graduation, we lost some players to other programs, so the upperclassmen we have, have not been regular-shifters, so these guys are as inexperienced as freshmen,” Rousseau said. “It’s about buying into the system and again, I’m optimistic. Everything we saw [Tuesday] is fixable.”

Senior goalie Spencer McDonald looks to be Amherst’s most important player this season, following a stellar campaign in between the pipes last year as a junior. McDonald was 11-7-1 with a 2.23 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage in 2023-24.

Tuesday night, McDonald faced nearly 50 shots in his first outing against a talented Green Wave group.

“Our goaltender Spencer McDonald, he did what he could,” Rousseau said. “Six of those goals were from six feet in, after he made the save. That’s team defense.”

McDonald is one of two Hurricanes’ captains, along with senior Jack Dyjach.

Junior Ben Remensnyder picked up where he left off versus Greenfield, recording the Hurricanes’ only goal after securing 14 goals as a sophomore. Rousseau mentioned Remensnyder as well as freshman Nathan Desbian as two players in particular he’s expecting to play important roles this season.

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“Ben Remensnyder is our junior defenseman, he’s going to need to step up to give us an offensive push, and our freshman Nate Desbian, I think he needs to quickly get into the game,” Rousseau said. “Because we play Thursday, then Monday and then the following Friday, so we’re going to know where we stand real quick.”

Remensnyder was a key cog for Amherst’s offense a year ago as the team averaged 3.60 goals per game, and 31.2 shots per game. Remensnyder, one of three alternate captains this season along with seniors Ethan Mooney and Nate Ziomek, had 19 points in 2023-24, which trailed only Dyjach’s 21 points in 16 games of returning skaters.

“He’s going to be asked to score some goals,” Rousseau said of Remensnyder. “But again, I’m optimistic of what we have.”

Sophomore Sawyer Ferro was paired with Remensnyder on the Hurricanes’ first D-pair on Tuesday and looked confident carrying the puck. Sawyer Ferro played on the varsity club as a freshman last year, alongside his brother Skylar Ferro, and should continue to take strides as his second go-around progresses.

“He’s another one, we’re going to need him to step up,” Rousseau said. “He logged a lot of minutes last year and mistakes he made tonight were first-game rust.”

Along with Mooney and Ziomek, seniors Eric Chen, Brach Applegate, Connor Welch and Stephen Rich will see increased responsibilities while juniors Josh Feldman and Alexander Marlin round out the Hurricanes’ upperclassmen bunch. Desbian highlights a freshman class that includes Silas Villegas, Noah Tulippe, Nolan MacTavish and Landon Lukasik.

Junior Jason Kim will serve as McDonald’s backup goalie.

Amherst will play in the Fay-Wright Division where it’ll go up against the likes of Agawam, Chicopee, Taconic, Easthampton, McCann Tech and Southwick. The Hurricanes put together a 12-8-1 record last year, which earned them a spot in the MIAA Division 3 boys state tournament. Melrose clipped Amherst, 3-1, during the preliminary round.

“I’m excited, I really am,” Rousseau said. “I think we’re going to be fine. I think we have a good chance of making our Western Mass tournament… We have the bones, we just have to work on it. It’s about buying into the system and playing for each other.”

EAGLES READY FOR TAKEOFF — Easthampton returned to the ice on Wednesday for its first outing of the season against McCann Tech. The Eagles squeaked into the Division 3 state tournament last year as the 38th seed, before losing to Foxborough, 4-3, during the preliminary round.

Easthampton no longer has the services of three of its top four scorers in Zach Roy, Mickey Thompson and Hunter Stockseth, who all graduated, plus its former backstopper in Paige Galpin.

Senior Rob Herman is the only returning Eagles skater who cracked double-digits in goals (14), while senior Anthony Torchia (18 points) and junior Parker Christy (12 points) will look to take the next step under head coach Timothy Pfau this year.

Pfau’s fourth season behind the bench will largely depend on how quickly his 10-player sophomore class performs at the varsity level, especially sophomore goalies Tommy Bixby and Lewin Coady. Bixby earned some playing time as a freshman, whereas Coady will make his varsity debut.

Pfau also noted sophomores Jae’vian Lopez and Grayson Prevey-Catrambone as players to watch.

The Eagles will look to improve upon their 12-9-0 record from a season ago.

BELCHERTOWN ENTERS CO-OP — Belchertown no longer has its own varsity program, as the Orioles have joined up to play as part of the new Ludlow cooperative program for the 2024-25 season.

Belchertown, which won just one game last year, does have some talented players aiding the Lions in the Berry Division this winter. Senior forward Charlie Fijal has three goals and three assists in two games, both victories for Ludlow, and junior goalie Donald Rogers made 36 saves in a win over Minnechaug over the weekend.

The Lions play their home games at the Olympia Ice Arena in West Springfield.