Seasoned Warriors have strength
With eight 1993 birth-year skaters and 16 veterans in total, the Michigan Warriors were built for this 2013-2014 North American Hockey League season.
Just ask coach-general manager Bruno Bragagnolo of the Soo Eagles, who are a North Division rival of the Warriors.
“You can tell the guys that have the experience on that team,” Bragagnolo said of the Warriors on a recent edition of the Hockey North Show on ESPN 1400 Radio. “They are stronger on the stick. You see that with the 19-and-20-year olds who have been around the league for a while. That’s a really good Michigan team with a lot of guys who have experience in our league.”
The NAHL’s hottest team, the Warriors have won eight straight games — the last three of which have been against the visiting Eagles from the Soo.
Of the eight last-year juniors on the Warriors, three are their top scorers — forwards Zack Szajner, Colin Larkin and Jake Hopfner.
Another 20-year old Warrior is all-purpose forward Connor Lyons, a strong skater who plays bigger than his 5-foot-9, 180 pound size.
Notably, Szajner, Larkin, Hopfner and Lyons are all Michigan products.
The Warriors head into action this weekend just two points behind the first-place Port Huron Fighting Falcons in the North Division standings.
PHOTO: Warriors scoring leader Zack Szajner. (NAHL photo.)
Warriors peeking at a good time!