The UPEI Panthers have too many players to fit in one dressing room at this point.
It means the roster will soon be cut by a handful of players as it prepares for the upcoming Atlantic University Sport (AUS) men’s hockey season. The team can only dress 22 skaters for a game this season.
“We have a lot of bodies on the ice right now,” head coach Forbes MacPherson said Saturday. “There’s no question, they’re tough decisions, but for the health of the team, the decisions have to be made. They’ll be made next week.”
The Panthers had one of its best recruiting classes in recent memory, adding size and skill up front. The defence and goaltending appear all but set.
“We have a great group of guys here this year. Everyone is pushing the pace,” said second-year forward Stephen MacInnis. “I think having this many guys around keeps everyone on their toes and keeps everyone honest.”
Beni Berisha joined the Panthers midway through last season. He said there’s always pressure, whether it is internal or external pressure.
“Whether you’re battling each other for spots in the lineup or . . . trying to push yourself, there’s always something kind of pushing you,” he said.
The Panthers get a chance to show the coaching staff what they have learned in the first few practices when they play the UNB Varsity Reds, the defending Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) champs, in their first AUS exhibition game tonight at 7 p.m. in Fredericton, N.B.
“It’s nice to not have to beat up on each other for once,” Berisha said. UNB is “always a tough test. I think it sets a tone for the season. You know what to expect and all the new guys coming in kind of get a taste of the league really quickly.”
MacPherson said each player brings a different piece to the puzzle and the coaching staff is trying to determine how it all fits together. He said there’s a lot of excitement within the group, particularly the returning players.
“They see the additions that we’ve made and some of the new faces within the program,” he said. “They’re all real excited to get going.”
The Panthers host Moncton Saturday at 7 p.m. in Montague. They travel to the United States for games with Boston University and the University of Massachusetts Lowell on Oct. 1 and 2.
Typically the AUS season doesn’t start until the middle of October, but this year’s schedule has the Panthers travelling to Moncton on Oct. 5.
The UPEI Panthers have too many players to fit in one dressing room at this point.
It means the roster will soon be cut by a handful of players as it prepares for the upcoming Atlantic University Sport (AUS) men’s hockey season. The team can only dress 22 skaters for a game this season.
“We have a lot of bodies on the ice right now,” head coach Forbes MacPherson said Saturday. “There’s no question, they’re tough decisions, but for the health of the team, the decisions have to be made. They’ll be made next week.”
The Panthers had one of its best recruiting classes in recent memory, adding size and skill up front. The defence and goaltending appear all but set.
“We have a great group of guys here this year. Everyone is pushing the pace,” said second-year forward Stephen MacInnis. “I think having this many guys around keeps everyone on their toes and keeps everyone honest.”
Beni Berisha joined the Panthers midway through last season. He said there’s always pressure, whether it is internal or external pressure.
“Whether you’re battling each other for spots in the lineup or . . . trying to push yourself, there’s always something kind of pushing you,” he said.
The Panthers get a chance to show the coaching staff what they have learned in the first few practices when they play the UNB Varsity Reds, the defending Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) champs, in their first AUS exhibition game tonight at 7 p.m. in Fredericton, N.B.
“It’s nice to not have to beat up on each other for once,” Berisha said. UNB is “always a tough test. I think it sets a tone for the season. You know what to expect and all the new guys coming in kind of get a taste of the league really quickly.”
MacPherson said each player brings a different piece to the puzzle and the coaching staff is trying to determine how it all fits together. He said there’s a lot of excitement within the group, particularly the returning players.
“They see the additions that we’ve made and some of the new faces within the program,” he said. “They’re all real excited to get going.”
The Panthers host Moncton Saturday at 7 p.m. in Montague. They travel to the United States for games with Boston University and the University of Massachusetts Lowell on Oct. 1 and 2.
Typically the AUS season doesn’t start until the middle of October, but this year’s schedule has the Panthers travelling to Moncton on Oct. 5.
