A Zamboni is an oddly satisfying vehicle to observe as it polishes the ice; it cleans with force, leaving behind a clean slate. With a Bud Light ad plastered on both sides, the Zamboni at West Meadows Ice Arena glided along the ice like a steam boat spouting white smoke from the top exhaust, leaving a transparent path in its wake. What followed behind was the DePaul men’s hockey club team charging out to center ice for an early Thursday morning practice.
Like they hadn’t noticed how early it was, the boys began to take shots on goal to get warmed up. A shot was expertly fired in the top corner of the net, followed by a swaggering boast. Those that missed collided with the boards in a thunderous clap that nearly knocked others to the floor. There was a mix of trash-talking and genuine encouragement that can only be found in a men’s locker room.
This team is now 11-1 on the season with no signs of slowing down in face of their next big challenger, Notre Dame. It is safe to say the rebuilding years are over for senior captain Chris Ernsting and the boys, as he and the coaches have these players buying into a system and creating one cohesive unit, on and off the ice.
“We are pretty much a family, we do everything together. On the weekends and weekdays, we get lunch together after practice. We are all best friends and couldn’t be prouder to be on the same team,” Ernsting said.
The team has handily defeated their opponents from start to finish, running a great system bolstered mostly by younger players. DePaul graduate and now assistant coach Mario Carbonaro said “we had a ton of freshmen last year and they have grown up and matured. Now the chemistry has picked up and we are picking up right where we left off last season”.
Before practice the players were skating leisurely across the ice, some sitting down and others scattered conversation.
Head coach Jerry Fronek blew his whistle and within no time the practice was at full speed as the players began to skate laps at a brisk pace across the ice. The two-hour practice did not slow down as this was the time to start prepping for Notre Dame Nov. 26.
“We prepare for Notre Dame the same way we do every game: try to keep in the same flow. We just play every game like it’s the Stanley Cup”, said junior goalie Nick Vittori. The ability to focus has come easier this year with such a cohesive group of guys. “The unity is really helping the flow of things. We all believe in each other and we have a lot of good young talent that are stepping up and scoring all of the goals for us”.
Freshmen have not only bought into the system, but they are already important contributors on the ice for the Blue Demons. Freshman right winger Thomas Feldman picked up a hat trick recently against The University of Illinois and has proven to be a potent threat in both the goal and assist columns for the Blue Demons offense. He and the rest of the freshmen are more than willing to pick up where these seniors will leave off in just a few months.
“Looking forward, we have a great group of seniors, so we better pick up the tempo and be ready to take their spots,” Feldman said. “But we are always just looking to the next game, trying to get to regionals and then nationals”.
Much like Feldman, the mindset of the team is focused in the short term. As they exited to the arena, a Zamboni came through the large double doors.
Mid-way through the season the Blue Demons are confidently striding towards one of their best records in recent years. Their next game is Nov. 13 against Robert Morris.
