By Kelly Morgan

Whetstone staff writer

Photo of Wesley ice hockey gameRachel Nissim/The Whetstone

Ice Hockey

Wesley’s Ice Hockey Club is looking to score its first playoff spot.

“Our goal is to make the playoffs and to be in Hershey, Pa., on Feb. 11,” said head coach Charlie Pens.

“This would be the highlight of my career, to win a championship for Wesley hockey.”

Wesley’s record is 8-3-1-1. Their playoff spot will be determined after they play Susquehanna in a rival conference match-up, Feb. 6.

Danny Triesler, freshman and alternate captain, is confident the team will make the playoffs.

“As long as we stay on top of our game, we can do anything we want,” he said. “Our mind is on the playoffs. I’m pretty sure we’ll end up with a ring on our finger at the end of the season.”

Wesley, which competes in the Mason Dixon Collegiate Hockey Association, is placed in the Dixon Division with John Hopkins, American and Maryland. The top three teams make the playoffs.

Four games remain in the Wolverines’ schedule. Two of those games are against teams in their conference.

“The rest of our games are against tough teams,” said Matt Bartalini, a freshman and team goalie. “But, I don’t see why we can’t win them all. I’ll be disappointed if we don’t go to the championship.”

Michael Hickey, sophomore and forward, gives credit to Pens for a lot of the team’s success this season.

“I think Coach Pens should be coach of the year,” Hickey said. “He has so much experience and he knows the game. You can hand him any player and he’ll turn them into a winner.”

Caitlyn Pierce, freshman and head manager of the hockey club, knows how much Pens wants to win.

“He doesn’t know how to lose,” she said. “He enjoys a win for about 30 seconds then he’s like, ‘on to the next one.’”

The team’s success gives hope for recruits from other schools to play at Wesley next season.

“Once [the recruits] see how professional our program is, they’ll see we are a high level program,” Triesler said. “I’ve played all over the world and this program is one of the hardest working programs I’ve worked at. Next year is going to be an amazing year.”

Pens is looking forward to the ice hockey club’s new recruits for next season.

“I’m looking for new players coming in that are sound academically, athletically and socially,” he said. “That’ll bring a new energy and enthusiasm for our program. We’re looking at about 50 new recruits for next season.”