There are high expectations for a team that returns practically its entire roster and came within one win of competing in the ACHA National Semi-Final game last season.
The DCB Lumberjacks Men's Hockey team will be a favorite to return to the ACHA Division II National Tournament again in 2022.
The team returns top point getter Ryan Patterson of Boissevain, Manitoba Canada (31 points in 27 games) and top goal scorer Zane MacDonald of Minnedosa, Manitoba (17 goals in 26 games) as well as number one goalie Matt Trulsen of Maple Ridge, British Columbia Canada who sported a 3.81 GAA and a .906 save percentage. Phillip Parisien of Grand Forks, ND adds some scoring form the back end as he finished with 17 points in 2020-21, tops on the team for defensman.
With 24 skaters and three top quality goaltenders not everyone will be able to make the line-up each night. "With a lot of bodies there is good competition going on everyday, that alone will make us a better team. With some very skilled newcomers, ice time will be hard to juggle but that is a good problem to have," stated Head Coach Travis Rybchinski. There are always injuries and this year's team looks like they are deep enough to handle any setbacks.
The Jacks just completed their once postponed Green and White scrimmage on Tuesday Oct. 12th and the quality of players was obvious to anyone in attendance. "We are very fortunate to have so many quality people apart of our program right now. We are so happy with our leadership and maturity. They are pushing each other to get better everyday," added Rybchinski. As a team with so many returning players there will be a lot of fans expecting big things this season. "The returners have a lot of expectations as do I. We will work to get to our end goal and hopefully that will be in St. Louis in March."
s for now the Jacks will open their season this Saturday Oct. 16th against Waldorf University, a tough ACHA Division I team. Waldorf is currently 2-4 while the Jacks will be making their debut. Game time is 7:30pm. The same teams will go at it the next day starting at 1:00pm. Waldorf plays their home games in Albert Lea, Minnesota. Games may be broadcast on Waldorf's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/School/Waldorf-University-Hockey-142106245827584/