(Courtesy of yumacs.com) With less than four weeks until the second half of the season kicks off, the Yeshiva University roller hockey team is hard at work getting ready. Despite a solid first half, the boys are anxious to prove themselves and make big moves in the latter part of the season.
Ten games in, Superstar forward Daniel Bordan leads the team in points with 20. Offense prodigy Moshe Genuth leads the Macs with 15 goals (tied for ninth in the ECRHA) and is tied for the league lead in power play points with five. The offense is rounded out by Avi Edell and his respectable 6-8-14 split, Ami Rosenfeld and his two hattys and Sammy Smigel and his gritty, yet responsible play.
With captain Benjy Shulman leading the charge and playing around 30 minutes per game, the defense has looked strong even with just three full-timers. Standout rookie d-man Zev Markowitz’s 13 assists are tops on the team as well as eighth in the conference, and David Soffer’s strong defense and offensive upside (six points in seven games) have benefited the offense while making the goalies’ lives easier too.
Despite the inexperience, the goaltending duo of Scott Weissman and Josh Markowitz has been surprisingly sturdy. Markowitz is fourth in the league in goals against average with a 2.95 and fifth in save percentage at 0.853, while Weissman ranks eighth in GAA and ninth in save percentage. When Markowitz is in net, the ever-versatile Weissman has been able to help the team with his offensive talents and defense skills.
The first 10 have had their share of heartbreaks but the boys are excited for the final push the second half brings and are confident their hard work will pay off soon. Goalie coach Yosef Robin offered his two cents, explaining, “It’s like I’ve always said, hockey is a game of bounces and it’s our turn for some bounces.” Assistant coach Drazin agreed. “They call it roller hockey because it’s all about getting on a roll.” (Coach Elyashiv could not be reached for comment). With seven games left in the regular season, the Macs are looking to step it up and earn yet another trip to the Regional Tournament in Feasterville, Pennsylvania. and then another shot at the National Title in Rochester, New York.
