October 8, 2023
by Joshua Seguin/Staff Writer (@JoshSeguin24)
Brown
Head Coach: Brendan Whittet (15th year)
2022-2023 Record: 9-18-3, 5-13-1-3 (11th ECAC)
Changes: The last couple of years, Brown has been held together by goaltender Mathieu Caron. This season Caron transferred to Boston University. Despite a struggle in other positions, Caron had a .921 save percentage and a 2.49 GAA in 26 games. The Bears added Michigan transfer Tyler Shea, but he didn’t play a game for the Wolverines.
Brown, statistically and ratings wise, has one of the better recruiting classes in the ECAC this season. Whittet has high expectations for his program and it seems it could finally be back on the right track.
Strength: There is a lot of experience up and down the lineup for the Bears, except at the goaltending position. The Bears added a class of just five first-year players and have a lot of players that were able to gain valuable experience over the last couple years. The Bears return three of their top four scorers and will look to improve in that area. But at the end of the day, Brown is known for its toughness and it should have the players to play this style.
Weakness: Brown has multiple weaknesses, but the biggest is ultimately in goal. The three goaltenders on the roster have seen a combined seven games, with Shea and freshman Stephen Chen having never stepped on the ice at the collegiate level. Given how critical Caron was to his team last season, this is a serious concern. Now sophomore Jacob Zacharewicz saw just seven games in his freshman year as the backup to Caron. His numbers weren’t great, at a 4.19 GAA and a .868 save percentage. Someone will have to step up.
“Goaltending is such a key part of hockey,” Whittet said. “I feel good about the guys we have here and the guys we have brought in. I am just looking for someone to make the first save and I believe, systematically, we will keep pucks to the outside. Of course you want it to be solidified, but I think it will be but we have to defend a certain but I do like we have. I think we could be better there than we have been in some time. We also want people that want to be here.”
Outlook: Brown, like Dartmouth, has struggled to recoup losses since the Ivy League schools have returned to action from COVID. The Bears, although they have experience, haven’t developed scorers the…
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