Shorthanded Hawks feature improved depth

HOUSTON — Thirteen skaters and a goalie may seem like slim pickings for some. But its meaning good things for the Houston Hawks.

After trekking through a chunk of the 2009-10 season with only nine skaters and a goalie on the roster, the Hawks are preferring life with a few more options on the squad.

“I feel very good, other than wishing we had more,” Houston head coach Mike Styers said of his players last week. “I’m really pleased that we have a few more than we did last year.”

While the Hawks will not be as shorthanded as they have been at times during recent memory, Styers said Houston will continue to put an emphasis on endurance. And that’s an area he’s already pleased with.

“We’ve worked really hard, we dry-land every day,” Styers said. “It’s already paid off.”

Houston opened its 2010-11 season with a 4-2 nonconference loss to Colony last Friday at the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Ice Arena in Wasilla. After the game, Styers estimated that two of his top defensemen — senior Zack Weisz and junior Zach Lovelace — were on the ice between 35 and 40 minutes, an astronomical total for a 45-minute prep game.

“They were on the ice just all the time and seem to be in good shape,” Styers said.

Weisz and Lovelace are among a handful of Houston’s top players who will see ample ice time this season. That group also includes senior captain Rye Humphreys and senior forward Jon Olson.

Another senior who will be key to Houston’s success is goaltender Ben Barenburg.

Barenburg has worked as pretty much the lone man in the Houston net during his career with the Hawks. Styers said the goalie has continued to improve throughout his time with the team and impressed with a 44-save performance during the loss to the Knights.

Sophomore forwards Cody Lipse and Lane Styers also return, and each will take on a larger role with the Hawks, the Houston head coach said. Forwards Jonathon Lovelace, Jaden Sears and Patrick Thistle are among the top freshmen on the squad.

Senior Kevin Niemi, and sophomores Johan Shuey, Kody Conner and Curtis Blackledge are also on the roster.

Houston will see its next action during the Curtis C. Menard II Invitational next week at the Menard Arena. The Hawks, the tourney host, open play against Eagle River on Nov. 18.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com. Follow him at Twitter at twitter.com/matsu_sports.