Boys hockey hopes hot streak ends at state tournament

Post date: Feb 28, 2017 9:05:58 PM

Parker Thomas

Reporter

As the regular season comes to a close the Moorhead Spuds boys hockey team looks to go far this postseason. They have been close the past few years and they have some returning players that have experience. Jon Ammerman, head coach of the team, says the team’s success is tied to the basics. “We need to get better defensively and keep the game simple,” said Ammerman. Zone coverage is what they can work on the most to improve. They are good at their transitioning from defense to offense and they have a very deep team so they have many guys that they can count on to come in and play well. Ammerman says that winning sections and going to state, If they do what they are capable of, is well within the team’s expectations.

At the beginning of the season their goal was always to make it to state, but also to get better every day. They faced some struggles early on because of injuries to key players and many players had a lack of experience. But playing the younger guys, and guys that haven’t had as much experience has helped them become better. “It’s helped us get deeper, guys have gotten more experience. We’ve had 25 plus guys that have played in games,” said Ammerman. They have gotten better at pressuring the puck and have more guys involved. “We have a very skilled team and if we work hard we can do it,” said Ammerman.

At the time this publication went to print, the hockey team had just entered the playoffs. The section 8AA championship game is this Wednesday, March 1 at 7 p.m. The class AA state tournament begins next Thursday, March 9 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.