True or false: The St. Louis Blues are the only hockey team in town.
False. The Saint Louis University Billikens Club Hockey Team has been playing competitive hockey for 12 seasons as a member of the American Collegiate Hockey Association. As a part of this organization, the team offers high caliber hockey from high caliber players, all of whom are students at SLU.
“SLU was always first on my list academically, and once I found out about how competitive the hockey team was, I was sold,” sophomore forward Johnny Moore said.
The team has been successful at both the Division I and Division II levels. Over the past 12 seasons, the Billikens have been to three ACHA National Tournaments. The team tries to play between 30-35 games a year while practicing two to three times a week.
But the club does not have an on-campus ice rink. The team practices and plays its home games 15 minutes away from campus at Webster Groves Ice Arena, located south of I-44.
“The nice thing about playing at Webster Groves is that we have our own locker room that we use for game day operations,” sophomore forward and club treasurer Eric Wendt said. “It is nice being able to keep all of our equipment at the rink and not [have] to transport it back and forth.”
The club operates just like any other student organization funded by SLU’s Student Government Association. They have a president, secretary and treasurer, all of whom are players. The team also staffs a team physician, athletic trainer and equipment manager.
But perhaps the most shocking aspect of the organization is the Stanley Cup champion on its staff.
Head coach Todd Ewen played 11 seasons in the NHL, including seasons with the St. Louis Blues, San Jose Sharks, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and Montreal Canadians. He was known as an “enforcer” in the league, with his most memorable fight coming against Bob Probert as a member of the Blues.
Ewen currently ranks 58th on the NHL’s penalty minutes list, with 1,911 minutes in the box.
His proudest moment in the league unquestionably came in the spring of 1993, when Ewen lifted the Stanley Cup as a part of the Montreal Canadians.
But today, his focus has shifted. Ewen coaches SLU’s club hockey team and works hand-in-hand with the students who make the organization tick.
“Heading into the season, our goal was to win the league championship, which is still in reach,” senior goaltender and President Jason Magusiak said. “After that, we hope to perform well in our regional and sectional tournaments, and qualify for the national championship.”
The team has had an extremely successful season thus far. The Billikens began their season with a two-game home stand against McKendree University in September. In the first game, freshman Brent Wingerter led the team with two goals and an assist on the way to a 5-5 tie. In the second game, Wendt scored a hat trick, leading Billikens to a win over the Bearcats.
The next weekend, the Billikens traveled to the University of Illinois Ice Arena to faceoff against the Fighting Illini for two matches. On Friday, Sept. 17, the Billikens scored three second-period goals and took the Illini to overtime. Wingerter scored an overtime goal to win the game. Junior Charlie Garavaglia scored two goals and had an assist on Friday night in Champaign. The next day, it was the Illini who responded with an overtime win of their own.
The Billikens returned home for a two-game series against Augustana the following weekend.
The team took advantage of Augustana’s poor defense and goaltending and had their best offensive game of the season in the first match. Graduate student Justin Petruska had a hat trick for the Billikens, leading SLU to a 10-1 victory.
The next day, the Billikens picked up where they left off, scoring 13 goals and only allowing two. Senior Phil Blackwood scored a team record four goals and had an assist in the game. After sweeping the Vikings, the Billikens move to 4-1-1, with a goal advantage of 38-17.
Perhaps the most important game on the 2010 schedule took place on Oct. 1, as the Billikens took on rival SIU-Edwardsville at Webster Groves Ice Arena. The Billikens were put in a quick hole down 4-0 at the end of the first period. Despite a late- game charge, the Cougars held off SLU’s attack to hold on to a 6-4 win.
Senior captain Phil Blackwood said that the team “has played well thus far, but has a lot of room for improvement, like any other competitive hockey team.”
Looking forward, the Billikens will travel to the Chicago area this weekend to face the Northern Illinois Huskies. On the remaining winter schedule, games are at home against Lindenwood, Eastern Illinois and Loyola Chicago. The team has remaining games on the road against Iowa, SIUE, DePaul and Missouri State.
“The next couple of weeks will show where this team will finish,” Ewen said. “We can win any game we want. [I tell the guys] every game is ours to lose.”
