Burrell hockey has sights set on Penguins Cup playoff run

By: Antonio Rossetti
Monday, October 28, 2024 | 10:05 AM

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The Burrell hockey team won 11 straight regular-season games heading into the playoffs last season. The Bucs fought their way to the final but came up one goal short against Neshannock.

The Bucs have one thing on their mind this season and that is to make it back to the Penguins Cup final and bring the trophy to Burrell.

One of those players back in the fold is alternate captain Mike Morazcyck, who netted 21 goals and notched 20 assists for 41 points in 19 games.

“Me, (Julian) Kemp and (Landon) Johnson, we were just reminding the guys that we can do this, and we can make this run,” Morazcyck said. “Everyone is buying in and trusting us. We’re all just working hard every game, and we’re not giving up in games either. From last year, we know it’s possible, so I think everyone just has that vision that we can get there.”

Kemp, who scored 18 points last season, and Johnson, who missed all of last season because of an ACL tear, return to the team.

Drew Burkett was named coach this season after being an assistant coach last season. Chantz Watkins, who played for the Bucs last year, also joins the staff. Burkett is a 2019 graduate who played for Burrell. He also played for Pitt-Johnstown in college.

“I have a full group of 20 guys that are really coming to get better every day, and really all have the same goal of trying to win that Pens Cup this year and to go to Nationals,” Burkett said.

Johnson, who has three points so far this season, was pleased to see Burkett move up as head coach.

“He’s a really good coach,” Johnson said. “We’re trying to get the basics right now. We’re trying to just get the simple stuff so we can just run our systems and practices. We do a bunch of drills we know we’re going to need in game time situations.”

The Bucs roster 20 players. Burrell lost leading scorer Aidan Petroff, who is heading to juniors, and Tyler Danko and John Lukac, who graduated. However, Morazcyck sees a team filled with depth.

“I would say we have three, four solid lines, honestly, and six solid ‘D,’ ” Morazcyck said. “Any time that they’re good to go, we’re going to have fresh guys out there. No matter how good their best players are, they’re going to get worn down by us by the end of the game. It’s definitely a huge factor.”

Morazcyck leads the way for the Bucs.

“I’m happy for him, and he’s really stepped up as a leader on the team,” Burkett said. “He’ll really do whatever I asked him, and I’ve definitely asked him a lot so far.”

Morazcyck is honored to be one of the team leaders and he feels like the role is perfect for him.

“I definitely embraced it,” Morazcyck said. “I like being in that role. The team looks up to me and looks at me for scoring. I’ve loved the season so far, and I’m happy to be one of those guys that can win you a game.”

Johnson, who attends Riverview with Morazcyck, highlighted his teammate’s work ethic.

“Him and I know each other really well,” Johnson said. “We go to the same school, so we used to see each other a lot at school, and we’re both captains on this team. He’s a very vocal leader and he likes to lead by example. He is a really good hockey player overall and he’s a good kid.”

Johnson, who was named captain this year, is grateful for the opportunity to be a leader for the team.

“I’d still be a vocal leader even if I didn’t have the ‘C’ on my jersey, and I’d just try and do whatever I could do to make the team the best that it could be,” Johnson said. “As a captain, I just try to lead by example and just show them the goal, and that goal is to win.”

Burkett has liked what he’s seen so far from the nucleus of the team.

“Landon’s been really helpful, motivating the guys every day at practice and before games,” Burkett said. “We have Julian Kemp, who’s another assistant captain, and he really motivates them by showing them what they should do. He helps in practice, by showing the newer guys drills. We have Kooper Price, who was our goalie last year, and he’s been really stepping up so far this year.”

Price was 16-3 with a 2.58 goals-against average, stopping 87% of shots on goal. In three games, Price carries a 1.94 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage.

A few of those players who Morazcyck has hopes for are Luke Mink, who tallied 30 points in 19 games last season; Jared Wall, who scored 10 points last season; and Forest Baird, who tallied 12 points last year.

The Bucs have a third line of juniors Ryan Burkett, Dante Taliani and Wall that has combined for five points.

“We have depth everywhere, and if we have depth everywhere, we can just keep rolling lines and keep them shorter,” Johnson said. “We can keep our momentum and just keep dominating our games and just playing like how we do and play our systems.”

The team also three defense pairings. Kemp and Aaron Holm are the first line, and Brayden Snyder and Adam Scheftic and Michael Ulyas and Harry Hensel make up the second and third lines respectively.

“Kemp’s really taking a great leadership role on the defense,” Morazcyck said. “I think he really leads the defense well.”

The Bucs can play a dump and chase style of hockey against a team with a shorter bench, but playing a 2-1-2, keeping a center high that can also backcheck to help the defense, is Burrell’s strength.

“Burkett is huge about the third guy high,” Morazcyck said. “I think it’s been working well to have a forward back helping the D. I think we’re doing good with zone entries. … Burkett is big on getting pucks deep and getting it back and also getting shots on net.”

Whatever style the Bucs play, Johnson knows the team is ready and has bought in to Burkett’s teachings.

“I think they all have a really good understanding, a very good hockey IQ,” Johnson said of his teammates. “It’s really simple for him to draw something up on the board, and we get a grasp of it. … We have a really good understanding of just being able to change and adapt.”

The Bucs started 3-0, and Johnson wants to keep up their momentum.

“I didn’t know if I’d be able to play this year after blowing out my knee last year, and I missed the entire hockey season,” Johnson said. “Coming back this year, We have a mission, and all of us are on board with that, so we all know when it’s practice time we got to show up to practice and when it’s game time to show up to play our best game and just execute.”

Burkett, as a player, made it to the Pens Cup his senior year in 2019, and the Bucs fell short.

With a lot of the team back, he knows that since they have another chance, they are determined to win it all.

“It’s hard to not have another chance to go back to it,” Burkett said. “I think they’re going pedal to the metal this year, and really don’t want to have it come back.

“It’s become less selfless hockey, which is what you really need in high school. It’s awesome how you can get kids of all different ages and skill levels and put them together on one team and see it really work out.”

Tags: Burrell