With the start of the winter sports season, our LM Boys’ Ice Hockey Team has been putting in the work and overcoming adversity—which has certainly translated into their performance during games. During their preseason, the team had some summer skates and athletes prepared themselves by getting on the ice more and more. The focus was to get back in shape and get familiar with positioning and systems again.
Normally, daily practices consist of drills that tie into a specific play or mimic an aspect of the game. Brady Murnane ’26 stated, “We start with a warm up and then work on things we need to improve on, like our breakouts and power play, almost every practice.” Regarding the different strengths that athletes bring to the team, he explains, “Certain athletes bring things to the table like speed and agility, which is very useful to hockey, while others bring size and strength, which also helps the team.” Beyond these physical attributes, what truly sets this team apart from the rest is their exceptional dedication to relentless effort and adaptability. Matthew Wool ’25 says, “the qualities that really stand out in this talented and hardworking team is the willingness to work hard and coachability” When it comes to being an athlete on the team, player Aiden O’Quinn ’27 said, “I really like the atmosphere during our games… especially the student section.” Although this team has so much skill and joy, they’ve had to face adversity and overcome it to succeed. Due to several obstacles, such as injuries and players not making games, the team has a smaller bench compared to most varsity teams. Despite the fact that running a short bench leaves them tired, they’ve persevered and won some hard fought games.
In an exhilarating and tight game on November 20, the boys defeated Marple Newtown 5-4 in overtime. Three goals were scored: one by alternate captain Noam Nisimi ’24, one from Murnane, and alternate captain Sam Flood ’26 scored the game winning goal. This was one of the big highlights of the season because the Aces were on a three game losing streak, and Marple Newtown used to be the best team in the league. On the night of November 22, the Aces dominated Harriton, winning 10-2. Flood and Nisimi each scored three goals, Brody Zavodnick ’27 scored two goals, and both Murnane and Captain Remy Kagan ’24 scored one goal. “Goaltending is a major contributor to the team’s success,” says Wool. “Both Lucas Yenal ‘26 and Will Zeger ’25 are very talented in the net and none of the team’s other strengths would be possible without them.” In addition, Kagan, Flood, Nisimi, and Myers have all stepped up as leaders by hyping the team up and making sure everyone stays responsible on and off the ice.
Some of the big games coming up will be against Haverford on January 5 and Penncrest on January 26 (who the Aces lost to in the championship last year). All things considered, these boys have clearly proven their desire to excel and their ability to play their best under fire. The expectations are high, but our Aces ice hockey team is eager to rise to the challenge and go above and beyond.
