Missouri’s club hockey team began its regular season against the Illinois State Redbirds in Jefferson City, Missouri, on Sept. 15, losing both games. For a team that finished with a 7-15-2 record last year, the Tigers look for a fresh start this season.
One of the biggest changes for Missouri this season is that Cory Cannon will be behind the bench as the club’s new head coach. The Mizzou hockey alumnus played on the team for four years and concluded his playing career last season with seven goals and seven assists. Joining Cannon is Ryan Hodges as assistant coach, another alumnus and a previous line mate of Cannon’s.
Cannon is excited about his transition from the ice to the bench and feels ready to guide the team he played for just months ago.
“As some one [sic] who was able to play for this team as well, it is a great honor to be named head coach,” Cannon said in a statement on the team’s website. “I look forward to getting to work this season and building on some of the successes the team had last year.”
Mizzou had several wins against its Mid American Collegiate Hockey Association rivals Illinois State, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and Iowa last season.
Cannon isn’t the only person with high hopes for the season; second-year player and winger Zachary Pierucci believes his team is going to have a much stronger year.
“We have a lot of really, really good rookies,” Pierucci said. “Most teams will have like two, three really strong lines and then a weak fourth line; it’s looking like we’re having all four really good lines. Each line is evened out so that there’s no weak line, and there’s a lot of skill on each one.”
The Tigers already played their first two games this past weekend against Illinois State, but fell short in both, losing the first 4-5 and the second 4-5 in a shootout. The team is now 0-1-1 and will look for its first win on Sept. 29, when division rival Southern Illinois University Edwardsville comes to Jefferson City.
To keep up with the latest news and scores, you can follow the team on Twitter @mizzouhockey or visit its website, mizzouhockey.wordpress.com.
_Edited by Eli Lederman | elederman@themaneater.com_