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Strong newcomers have SJA feeling positive

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Created on Wednesday, 07 December 2011 18:06

Written by Jordan Royer

Despite the loss of some very talented players, the 2011/12 St. Johnsbury Academy hockey team is poised for improvement on their 7-12-3 record from a year ago. Strength between the pipes and help from a pair of Finnish student-athletes has fifth year coach Trevor Barski excited this preseason.

Chris O'Donnell will man the goalie position for the 'Toppers this season. O'Donnell is a senior from Rhode Island who carries with him experience from prep-school hockey. “He is very mechanically sound,” coach Barski said of O'Donnell. “He had to compete with our three other goaltenders for the top position and I'm looking forward to a strong performance in net from him this season.”

Roope Kyttala and Petteri Vuorenmaa are the pair of Finnish players joining this year's Hilltoppers squad. Petteri is a junior forward who Barski described as small but very strong on his feet and tenacious driving to the net. Roope is also a junior, currently slated for defense but his skills are wide ranged. “He is big, fast and has very soft hands. He has one of the quickest releases I have seen in my years at the Academy,” Barski said. “He is more than capable of playing anywhere on the ice.”

The Academy will look for senior leadership from Cole Barski, who has been in the mix since his freshman year. “He is very smart with the pick and knows his position well. His ability to anticipate plays and put himself in a position to score ensures that we will have a very solid scoring line this season,” coach Barski said. Others returning for their senior campaign are goaltender Jesse Cote, defenseman Cody Bedard and forwards Devon Biggie and David Yedid.

“It is very difficult to predict the outcome of this season,” Barski said. “I have 10 new players and we have just begun to work on our systems but to this point everyone has been working very hard and I'm beginning to see the talent emerge.”

The 'Toppers open their season on Saturday at Brattleboro.