BOSTON, MA (October 31, 2024) –UMass Boston men's ice hockey returns to the Edward T. Barry Ice Rink Friday, November 1, at 7:00 p.m. against the eighth-ranked team in the country, the Curry College Colonels, in the 2024-2025 season opener.

Last season, the Beacons finished with a 9-15-2 overall record (7-11-0 New England Hockey Conference) and bowed out of the NEHC Tournament in the first round against third-seeded Skidmore College on the road. Some notable wins from the previous season include a 5-0 victory over Johnson and Wales, and solid wins against the University of Southern Maine (4-1), New England College (5-3), Worcester State (5-3), and Vermont State University Castleton (7-1). In 26 games, the Beacs tallied 64 goals on 938 shots and averaged 2.6 goals per game on an average of 37.5 shots.

The New England Hockey Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll, where conference coaches vote on the best teams before the season starts, ranked UMass Boston men's ice hockey eighth out of 11 teams with 44 points. "We'd like to prove them wrong, and that will be our mantra," said Head Coach Peter Belisle. "We think we know we're better than that and want to prove it. The group is fired up to make a statement and finish better than eighth place. We'll use that as motivation."

According to United States College Hockey Online's most recent poll on October 14, Curry College was voted as the eighth-best team in the nation. Last season, Curry finished with a 21-6-1 overall record, and a 15-3 record in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC). In the NCAA Tournament last year, the Colonels were triumphant in the first round over #9 Geneseo before ultimately bowing out 4-3 against the eventual tournament champions, Hobart College.

Last year, the Beacons relied heavily on a deep freshman class of 13 athletes. This season, Coach Belisle retains 12 of them. Among the returning sophomores, forwards Jack Mortson (Detroit, Mich.), Chris Repmann (Middletown, N.J.), Jack Ford (Middletown, Del.), and defenseman Zander Lizotte (Scarborough, Maine) each made significant contributions last season. Mortson tallied eight goals and six assists in 28 games, while Repmann added three goals and eight assists. Expect these sophomores to increase their impact this year as they bring elevated experience.

The Beacons also welcome three junior transfers to this year's squad: defenseman Stephen Spetz (Oak Ridge, N.J.) from Wilkes University (NCAA DIII), forward Jason Finan (Clifton, N.J.) from Alvernia University (NCAA DIII), and forward Dylan Robbins (New York, N.Y.) from Sacred Heart University (NCAA DI). Returning juniors Jazz Krivstov (Santa Clarita, Calif.) and Jude Kurtas (Hillsborough, N.J.) were recently named assistant captains. "We just named Jude and Jazz as assistant captains," said Coach Belisle. "Our leadership group has strengthened with these additions, joining seniors Kolye Bankauskas (Coventry, R.I.) and Kevin Sadovski (Palm Coast, Fla.), and I'm excited to see them embrace their roles."

When asked about the team's strengths, Coach Belisle remarked, "We seem to be coming together nicely as a team. We've gained a lot of experience, and I hope that bodes well for our season. Our biggest strength will be our speed—we can really move the puck quickly and play very fast." He added, "Goaltending will be crucial, as it is for any team. All our goalies look really good early on."

The Beacons have a four-man rotation in goal, including sophomore returners Sal Carabelli (Shelby Township, Mich.) and Antonio Tarantino (Phoenix, Ariz.), sophomore transfer Connor Bradford (Kingston, Mass.) from Anna Maria College (NCAA DIII), and senior transfer Tyler Bost (Mahwah, N.J.) from Nichols College (NCAA DIII).

Rounding out the new additions, the senior core includes premier talents like captain Koyle Bankauskas and defenseman Michael Krupinski (Dallas, Tex.), described by Coach Belisle as "a dominant physical presence." Evan Googins (Braintree, Mass.), a speedy winger who recorded six assists last season, is another player to watch. "I think he [Googins] will have a stellar year," said Coach Belisle. "Sadovski [Kevin] is a workhorse for us, Leonard [Ryan] is another dominant physical presence on defense, Aarons [Chris] has been an outstanding utility player for us and forward Mathews [Ty] is primed to have a breakout season."

Coach Belisle concluded, "I'm excited. The boys are excited. We have a lot of people to prove wrong. That's pretty obvious. We hope to exceed expectations and surprise a few people along the way. The boys are pumped."

--FIND A WAY--

*Be on the lookout on Friday (11/1/24) vs Curry for men's and women's ice hockey schedule-poster giveaways!