JORDAN PATTERSON
News Editor
The drought is over.
Last week, the Fredonia Blue Devils hockey team (13-10-2) broke a 3-year slump of not making SUNYAC playoffs. Since then, the Blue Devils have made a tonal shift and a type of course correction. A recurring message the team mentioned was that they were going to change the culture.
Freshman and SUNYAC player of the week last week Jimmy Morgan spoke about changing the culture.
“The hardest thing with almost anything in life is being consistent. When everyone is consistently doing their role and bringing the best game possible, results are likely positive,” Morgan wrote in an email interview. “That is the biggest difference in culture from last season, everyone’s game has been consistent.”
The young team finished out the season 2-2. The roster is comprised of eight freshmen and 11 sophomores, while the rest are a mix of five seniors and four juniors.
Coach Jeffrey Meredith mentioned that what had to change was the player’s belief, and that’s just what happened.
“Three years ago, we just had a real bad year,” Meredith said. “[The players’] number one priority was to change to culture back to the way it’s always been and I think they accomplished that.”
Meredith attributed this successful transition to leadership. He pointed out that with any team or organization that it depends upon the leadership and work ethic. According to him, that’s what his team has started to buy into.
According to sophomore biology major Eric Bogart, the program was heading down a dark path until last year’s seniors made a blatant attempt to reverse course.
“The biggest difference this year from last year is everyone is buying into the system,” Bogart said.
“Our seniors last year also made a huge difference they kind of turned the program around from a dark alley that it might’ve been headed towards,” Bogart added.
Bogart was very disappointed last year when the Blue Devils didn’t make playoffs. He mentioned that it was a weird feeling not playing into the month of February.
The team will face Buffalo State at home on Feb. 22 as their first opponent in the SUNYAC tournament. Home ice advantage was something the Blue Devils desperately wanted.
“It’s obviously great anytime you can secure a playoff spot because one thing I’ve learned over the last four years is just how tough of a conference the SUNYAC is,” goaltending coach John Cullen said. “So I am definitely proud of the guys and all their hard work to get to this point, but I think they all know there is more work to be done.”
The season is over but the SUNYAC tournament starts today. The team looks to take their recent success and capitalize on it in playoffs.
“As Coach mentioned, everyone is believing. That’s something really special because it’s not a switch you can just flip on over night. It starts day one, believing in the process,” Morgan said. “Once you have a group of people on the same page believing and buying into the process and everything that comes with that, success is right around the corner. We have a pretty special opportunity in front of us and we are getting hot at the right time. We could do something special.”