Bellmore-Merrick Bulldogs Hockey Preview

2009-10 Record: 10-8-1 (Lost in second round to Long Beach)

Head Coach: Chris Patten (3rd season)

Assistant Coaches: Mike Hagens; Lee Mattes

Top Players: James Bobb (senior captain), C/W; James Karp (junior), C/W; Jacob Smart (junior), G

Patten said he expects all 25 players on the roster to contribute this season, but he is looking for big seasons, both on and off the ice, from Bobb, Karp and Smart.

"Two of them [Bobb and Karp] are returning players from last year and I think they represent everything that's good about Bellmore-Merrick," Patten said. "They symbolize all of the values that we have in the Bulldog organization and they're the people we look to conduct themselves in a positive matter on and off the ice."

Smart is a new arrival for the Bulldogs, who have welcomed him with open arms in between the pipes.

"He's a newcomer, former travel goaltender, AP student, just an all-around good boy and he can stop the puck; that's a dangerous package in anyone's eyes," said Patten of his new goalie. "We're excited about seeing what kind of leadership he brings to the locker room and the kind of cool tone he's already set on the ice."

Expectations: In the Bulldogs' first season as a school-sponsored team they finished fifth overall and were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. Last season, the Bulldogs finished fourth overall and were bounced form the playoffs in the second round by Long Beach, who will be playing in Suffolk County this season.

With each year Bellmore-Merrick has improved and Patten said he expects the same out of his team this season.

"With our third year of being school-sponsored, every year we've improved," he said. "… This year I see no reason why this team can't be a top-two team and compete for a championship; we've made that perfectly clear to the boys that I think these are not only the expectations that we have as a staff, but these are the expectations that these boys should have."

The players certainly agreed with Patten's assessment of the upcoming season.

"We want to go far," said Aidan Cooper, a senior defenseman. "…We want to go to the championship."

Bobb added: "Each year we're trying to go farther. This year, hopefully, it continues and we get to the championship. With Long Beach out, that's a big contender missing, so it gives us a nice spot. We've got a lot of seniors this year so it should be good."

Big Games: 12/8 @ Massapequa (Cantiague Park); 12/13 @ Wantagh/Seaford (Newbridge); 1/19 vs. Massapequa (Cantiague Park); 1/31 vs. Wantagh/Seaford (Newbridge)

Patten acknowledged the fact that the Bulldogs are not underestimating any team in the league, but the four games that stand out on the schedule are against the Massapequa Chiefs and Wantagh/Seaford Baymen. Both teams swept the Bulldogs last season. The Baymen have won four of the last five championships as well.

Patten said if the Bulldogs want to be a top-two team, they are going to have to take down the Chiefs and the Baymen this season.

News & Notes: The Bulldogs have a little bit of everything this season: skill, speed and size. After the last two seasons, expectations are certainly a little higher this year.

"We've got 25 solid players this year, so we're really excited about our expectations and our chances this year," Patten said.

The general consensus on the ice is that this could be the year that the Bulldogs take home the championship.

"They're going to be as good as they want to play," Patten said. "So if they want to play together, if they want to compete and play into the systems and play the kind of team game that we want to, I feel like this could be a very competitive team."

Roster