Offense Loaded Tommies Ready for 2022-23 Campaign

The 2022-23 St. Thomas University Tommies' Women's hockey team begin their Atlantic University Sport season Friday, October 7. They'll play the host role as their cross-campus rivals and defending AUS champions, the University of New Brunswick Reds visit the Grant-Harvey Centre in the season opener.

This season won't feature a sweater with the letter "C" but will have four alternate captains. Brooke Stanford (Whitby, ON), Aislynn Byers (Melancthon, ON), Erin Arsenault (Oakvillie, ON) and Ekaterina Pelowich (Stouffville, ON). Goalie Caroline Pietroski (Etobicoke, ON) will also act as an alternate captain but will not have the letter "A" on her uniform, as goalies cannot wear letters.

This season's Tommies finished their preseason campaign with a 3-2 record - a pair of wins over the Mount Allison University Mounties and one against the Université de Moncton Aigles Bleus. They begin their regular season with six rookeis, all impressing Tommies' head coach Peter Murphy in their preseason play.

"They showed their capabilities," he said. "I've been pleased with all of them from what I've seen so far."

Trinity Webber (Brampton, ON) is part of the rookie group, scoring two goals in her preseason debut, followed up with an assist in her next game. Webber has been playing along fellow rookie Amy Dvernichuk (Regina, SK) and last season's highest scoring forward for the Tommies, Emma Wilson (Midhurst, ON). Dvernichuk had a fine preseason, tallying six points in ger five games while the third year veteran Wilson is coming off a season which saw her score six goals and tally six assists in 18 games.

Murphy said the three have turned into a good trio, but knows it doesn't count until Friday's puck drop. He said that will be the line most look to because of how dynamic they are offensivly, but he's got four lines that can score any given night. 

"It will be up to them to decide who's going to be the line of the night," Murphy said. "We've got a good amount of offense on each line."

Not only have the rookies impressed, but this season's returning players have Murphy happy as well. 15 Tommies from the 2021-'22 season have come back to lace up the skate for another season, including Jacey Dane (Aurora, ON) and Stephanie Goertzen (Caledon, ON), who were key in the Tommies second ranked penalty kill in the country. Murphy has some holes to fill in the penalty kill and said he'll continue to try different players to fill them.

"We'll sort through to see who does it best," Murphy said.

Part of the penalty kill comes from Pietroski, a member of the AUS All-Second team last season. Pietroski enters her third season in net for the Tommies and has had a marvelous AUS career thus far. Last season, she posted a .911 save percentage and 2.14 goals agasint average. She's been an off the ice leader as well, Murphy said, as she'll act as an alternate captain this season.

"Her leadership is very well known on the team ... when she says something, it's something that needs to be said."

This season's Tommies bring more of what they've always brang - fast paced hockey with the potential of any line scoring and All-Star level goaltending.