Last year’s tumultuous season is one that Frontier is ready to leave in the past.
“Last season was kind of a frustrating season,” head coach Bob Klimowicz said. “We had some guys that just didn’t want to follow some of the team policies that were talented players, so when they were removed from the team, it kind of left us shorthanded.”
The Falcons finished with a 3-11-1-1 record, and goaltender Ryan Kaska, who was a junior least season, was disappointed.
“I think we had quite a bit of talent, but I just don’t think we put it together,” Kaska said.
The loss of players two-thirds of the way into the season benefited the team in one way — it gave younger players a chance to play and develop the rest of the year that they wouldn’t have had otherwise. And Klimowicz was happy with the improvement he saw from his team by the end of the season.
“It gave some of the kids that didn’t get a lot of playing time early in the year some opportunities, and they came through in the playoffs,” he said. “Two kids scored their first goal of the season in the playoffs, so sometimes when one door closes, another door opens for someone else. So it was disappointing losing to Orchard Park [in the playoffs], but if you look at the first game we played to them, we lost 10 to 2, second time we tied them 3-3, and then in the playoffs, nobody gave us a chance, and it was basically a 2-2 game going into the third period. So it just shows that we had a lot of improvement over the course of the year, which is what any coach wants. They want to see that improvement.”
“Last year we were kind of back and forth a little bit,” said defenseman Ryan Piniewski, who was also a junior last season. “Rough but we worked through it. We did our best, we did what we could, and hopefully we can do that this year.”
Kaska and Piniewski are two of the seniors returning this season after the team lost several to graduation after last year, including number one defenseman Michael Hughes, number one forward Matt Kelley, and goaltender Connor Harman. Both Kaska and Piniewski worked hard through the ups and downs of last season.
“I thought I played pretty good,” Piniewski said. “Just had fun, did my best. It was tough being a junior with the seniors, but the seniors are gone now from last year. We lost a lot of seniors, so we’re gonna have to fight back and do our best.”
Kaska split time in the net with Harman but was satisfied with his playing time and quality of play before a broken finger ended his season.
“I think I played as much as I wanted to,” Kaska said. “I got hurt at the end of the year, but for myself, I was content with how I played.”
Klimowicz expects Piniewski to step up and take a leadership role this season as a senior.
“Ryan Piniewski is gonna be expected to be one of the leaders on the back end,” Klimowicz said. “I look at him to be a leader on the ice, and that’s the most important thing I see in that leadership role.”
Piniewski expects hard work from everyone around him, and he’s not afraid to speak up if he sees something he doesn’t like.
“I’m gonna get all the underclassmen used to varsity, get them into it, hopefully get them to like it; it’s tough, but I’m sure they’re all capable of doing it,” Piniewski said. “I like to bring the intensity, I like fast pace, I don’t like people that slack off, I don’t like that … I’m gonna have to bust some chops because we’ve had a little bit of slacking so far, but that can change.”
Kaska also expects to be a leader on the ice as he sets an example of hard work for the younger players on the team.
“I think as a senior and one of the guys that’s been on the team for the longest time, I think I need to take more of a leadership role and play for my team every game and do what I have to do to help them win,” Kaska said. “We have a lot of young kids. Just coming out every night and playing my best, I think that will help.”
With both Piniewski and Kaska in the back as well as junior Devin Doyle returning on defense, Jonathan Baker returning from playing with the Regals, and Logan Warner returning from the Jr. Sabres, Klimowicz expects the defense and goaltending to be this year’s strength. Baker is a defenseman, and Warner was a defenseman with the Jr. Sabres but will play up front for the Falcons.
“Strength is defense, and I would say our goalies could be a strength too,” Klimowicz said. “I know what Ryan can do. Ryan Kaska — I saw him play. He stole a game against Niagara Wheatfield last year, who was one of the best teams in the league. We beat them 2-1. Ryan stole the game for us, so we know what he’s capable of.”
Jim Brophy and Connor King will also be competing with Kaska for time in the net. Klimowicz expects Kaska to earn most of the playing time, but he’s confident in all three goaltenders as well. Brophy is a senior, and King is a junior and the biggest of the three; he played for the JV Frontier team last season.
Piniewski will lead a strong physical defense, while Klimowicz hopes that Warner will provide some leadership among the forwards. But everything will start from the back.
“I think on the defensive side, we’re gonna be physical,” Klimowicz said. “On the forward side, I think, it’s not gonna be pretty. We’re not gonna get those fancy goals, those highlight goals. They’re gonna have to be the dirty goals, the deflections and rebounds in front of the net. I’m trying to get these guys to work hard and go to the net. Don’t be afraid of attacking the net. They have to do that. Otherwise, you’re not gonna score. Most talented players are on the back end of this team, and they’re the best shots on the team.”
Aside from Warner, there could very well be a season-long competition among the team’s young quiet forwards. Klimowicz wants to see them speak up and step up.
“They’re very quiet type of people, so the competition on this team is gonna very tough,” he said. “It’s the forward positions that might change on a daily basis, on a weekly basis, who’s getting more playing time basis. Competition is good, so hopefully that will make these guys hungry to do better and do what we’re asking.”
Piniewski thinks the forwards have the potential to develop quickly, and he thinks that once that happens, Frontier has the ability to go far this season.
“I actually have high expectations,” he said. “We have solid defense. Forwards need a little bit of work, but it’s still early. We have a lot of time, so hopefully they pull through.”
And he’ll give his all in his senior year.
“I hope to just play as solid as I played last year, hopefully even better,” Piniewski said. “As a senior, I’m expected to play better. Hopefully that’s what happens.”
Kaska will do the same.
“I like to work hard every time I’m out there because you never know who’s watching,” Kaska said. “And just hopefully I can bring some consistency, come up big when my team needs it.”
Kaska would also like to be selected to the Bowman Cup team this season. Piniewski was last year, and Kaska felt that he himself was deserving of the honor as well. But more than anything, his focus is on the team and what he and his teammates need to do to be successful.
“I think we need to work on chemistry,” Kaska said. “There’s a lot of young guys. We need to kind of mesh together and get working together, and I think we can be successful.”
Frontier is scheduled to open its season Nov. 30 against Kenmore West at 8 pm at the HarborCenter.