![\"Jason](\"http:\/\/www.uscho.com\/images\/colorscans\/archives\/uc_j_ralph.jpg\")
<\/p>\n“We have to adapt to playing better defense so we can put guys like (Jason) Ralph (9-12–21) and (Kris) Goodjohn (4-8–12) into positions to score those goals,” said Sneddon. “A guy like Jeff Wilson (8-8–16) is due for a breakout year and I am expecting big things from him.<\/p>\n
“(Jeff) Hutchins (4-14–18) and (Drew) Taylor (5-11–16) will play together and I am excited about that opportunity. We’ve also got some great role players that will make up our third and fourth lines, and hopefully they’ll make it a nightmare for some of the defenses in the league.”<\/p>\n
Nonetheless, a defensive philosophy will be on the ice at Achilles this season, especially with a home rink that seems to lend itself to low-scoring, physical affairs.<\/p>\n
“One of my goals as a coach is to improve our defensive production, which will lead to more offensive production,” said Sneddon. “That’s the thing we really have to focus on, to be better defensively so we have more energy to go the other way and create things. We’re not an offensively dynamic team and I am okay with that. We don’t have the best forwards on our team, but if you play as a team and we’ll create some chances. There’s nothing wrong with winning 2-1, and our guys are buying into that.”<\/p>\n
— Union head coach Kevin Sneddon<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Another intangible that Sneddon is sure to look at is the leadership of the upper classmen. There would have been nine seniors in the group, but last year’s captain, Jay Varady, was forced to retire from hockey with a back injury and will be the volunteer assistant coach for the Dutchmen this season.<\/p>\n
“We have eight seniors, and to be honest, not a lot of talent in that group, but they will push our younger players and be there every night,” he said. “The strength of our team is our camaraderie. Our seniors want to take the torch and run with it this year. We’ve improved our defensive corps and our forwards are ready to score some more goals.<\/p>\n
“I’m hoping we can improve as a program. We got a little taste of playoff hockey last season — our players will use that experience and be in the mix in March and maybe experience Lake Placid this season.”<\/p>\n
The last intangible could be the addition of AD Belmonte, late of USA Hockey, who takes over for Dick Sakala.<\/p>\n
“It’s a very exciting year, a lot of changes are happening and it’s positive, mostly due to [Belmonte],” said Sneddon. “It’s a fun place to work again.” <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It was an improvement, albeit a small one. Five more wins for the Union Skating Dutchmen and an appearance in the ECAC playoffs, where they lost twice to the eventual ECAC champion St. Lawrence Saints by one goal. Small steps — what head coach Kevin Sneddon said it would take. Sneddon hopes that 21 returnees, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":140328,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[322],"tags":[],"coauthors":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n