After winning the first two games, the boys went on a rough stretch. Injuries and other situations held some Blaze players off the ice, and the team dropped four in a row. However, the team seems to be finding some rhythm after improving their record to 4-6.
Andrew Imhof and Sean Kenny have both returned to action in last week’s game against the Kings. Forward Sean Matchett has also made his return to the team. Unfortunately, rookie forward Alex Paul is expected to miss the remainder of the season with an upper body injury.
The Blaze made additions on both offense and defense while dealing with injuries. Vernon alumni TJ Santiata has been playing with the Blaze and made his presence known when he scored a hat-trick against the Kings. Meanwhile on the blue line, West Milford alumni Mike Nicholas has been playing big minutes.
With the Blaze returning to most of their normal roster, Mick McFalls has been able to join Anthony Pagliuco up front. The pair seems to never lose chemistry as they continue to play well when on the same line.
Defenseman Ryan McNeil has been steadily improving throughout the season, and has been looking increasingly confident while defending the rush and handling the puck. Fellow defenseman Matt Bennett has also continued to look strong, playing big minutes and blocking tons of shots while doing so.
The boys have 6 games left until playoffs and will be looking for as many wins as they can get. Momentum is key for this young team and they might be ready to get it rolling… the next few games will tell.
