Josh
Ciocco ranked third among UNH skaters with a plus/minus
rating of +15.
Key
Statistics: Ciocco found the back of the net nine
times last year for the third-ranked scoring offense, good
for seventh on the Wildcats. He added 11 assists, and his
20 points tied him for ninth on the squad. Perhaps more notable
was that he played in each of UNH’s 42 games last year,
compared to just 17 appearances during his freshman campaign.
What
He Does: The first thing that sticks out about Ciocco
(pronounced sea-AH-koh) is his speed, a priceless
asset for a player on the large ice sheet at the Whittemore
Center. He matches that speed with aggressiveness and his
tenacious forecheck is a big reason why the coaching staff
didn’t hesitate to put him on the ice in shorthanded
situations. He was paired with freshmen Matt Fornataro and
Mike Radja on UNH's third line last season, but still compiled
the third-best plus/minus ratio on the Wildcats at +15.
The
Bigger Picture: Sean Collins and Preston Callander
combined for 44 goals and 110 points last season, but the
two anchors of the offense that dominated Lake Whitt last
year will test the waters in professional arenas this season.
Returnees Jacob Micflikier, Brett Hemingway and Daniel Winnik
can obviously still score goals at a high rate, but if the
Wildcats are to duplicate the level of success they've enjoyed
over the last six years, Ciocco must grow into a player capable
of keeping offensive pressure on opposing netminders.
UNH
coach Richard Umile on Ciocco: “His role is
going to expand this year. We’re going to need to replace
the goal production, and I think he is one of the players
who can do that for us. One thing that stands out to me is
the fact that he can score goals...he is someone who can get
the crowd going with his aggressiveness in forechecking. He
can change the direction of the game.”
