Season Preview:

After more than a year and a half off from a competitive hockey game, the Oakland University Golden Grizzlies DIII Hockey Program looks to start up right where they left off.  The coaching staff is returning in full and is looking forward to the additions the program has had over the past two off-seasons. 

“We feel we were able to move through the pandemic and get through the last year relatively smoothly.  With that, we couldn’t be more excited to get this season going and to see our team in action” Coach Stirling explained.

The program which is currently on a run of seven straight active National Tournaments has had the opportunity to welcome as many as 15 new faces to the program over the past off-seasons and will be looking to contend again this year.

“I look at our team and believe we have a lot of good returning players that got a taste of what it takes to make it to the National Tournament.  The new guys should be able to follow the returners and will provide a spark of their own as we begin the new season”.

Returning for the Golden Grizzlies are many key players from two years ago.  Goaltenders Domenico Munaco and mid-season addition Michael Zeleney return for the Golden Grizzlies while goalies Caleb Godlewski (Rochester High School) and Tate Potteiger (Metro Jets) round out the goaltending picture.  The addition of goalie coach Clayton Brown to the staff will provide technical skills for these guys throughout the season as Oakland looks to lower their Goals Against Average of 4.07 per game from two years ago.

On defense, the Golden Grizzlies return a core group of players that are comfortable in the systems that are in place under Coach Stirling.  In addition to the players, Oakland adds defensive coach Tyler Lampman to the staff to help provide knowledge and expertise from the defensive side of the ice.

Leading the blueline is junior defenseman Josh Konczak and senior defenseman Donnie Wood.  Other key pieces returning include Luke Pastor, Diego Fernandez, Chandler Schneider, and Colin Parquette.  With the additions of defensive pieces added this off-season in Thomas Monte (L’Anse Creuse), Ryan Kotchi (Utica-Ford), Michael Lau (Xavier DII), and Duncan McLeod (Port Huron), the defensive group will be a well balanced and competitive group come October for the Golden Grizzlies. 

Lastly, on offense, the Golden Grizzlies look to improve in an area that saw the most amount of turnover in the last few off-seasons.  Assistant coach Robert Lauro returns to the Grizzlies for his 5th season and will be looking to help provide new concepts and skills to the mix of forwards.  With seven returning forwards, the Grizzlies see most of their new additions coming with the offensive side of the puck.  Additions including Dominic Ruiz (Port Huron Northern), Matthew Phaneuf (Clarkston), Brody Plant (Anchor Bay), Evan Prill (Anchor Bay), JP Ayar (West Bloomfield), and Trevor Zelenock (Grand Blanc) will provide Oakland with a much different look than in past years. 

Oakland, who plays out of Detroit Skating Club, looks to start the year on September 24th and 25th against a new opponent: Miami of Ohio.  The Grizzlies look forward to another successful campaign and can’t wait to get the season started!

Please Note: Oakland University DIII Hockey will be moving to a new website mid-season.  Please look for a notice going forward on this later in the season.