By Bill Alden

Patrick Donoghue and his teammates on the Hun School boys’ hockey team were primed to get off to a good start in 2025 when they hosted Notre Dame last Wednesday in their first action of the new year.

“We were ready,” said senior goalie Donoghue. “We had practice yesterday and were fired up for our first game. We came in guns blazing.”

In the first period, Donoghue was on fire between the pipes, making 12 saves as Hun jumped out to a 1-0 lead on a goal from Bailey Cook assisted by Ezra Broomer and Andrew Darst.

“I was feeling it, I was ready to go straight from the start,” said Donoghue. “I am always sharp. I will do everything for the guys to win every game and try my best out there.”

After Notre Dame knotted that game at 1-1 early in the second period, Hun bounced back with a strong finish as it carried play in the latter stages of regulation.

“We were just trying to keep the momentum and keep up the energy,” said Donoghue. “The first period was a little clumsy but we started playing better in the second.”

In the waning moments of the third period, Donoghue was under the gun as Notre Dame tried to break the 1-1 tie, generating several shots which he turned aside.

“As a goaltender, I don’t really think about it,” said Donoghue, referring to dealing with late flurry by the Irish. “You just stop the puck, that is my thing.”

The game went into overtime and the foes ended up skating to a 1-1 tie.

“I like overtime, there is a little more on the line,” said Donoghue, who recorded 42 saves in the contest. “You know you can give your team the chance to win the game.”

Donoghue patiently waited for his chance to start this winter along with post-graduate Elliot Wong after serving as a backup last winter in his first season with program.

“I played club last year with the [Mercer] Chiefs,” said Donoghue, who is still playing with the Chiefs. “There were two seniors on the team, I was the backup. I didn’t play that much. You have to support the guys at practice, that is not a problem for me.”

Having come to Hun from Finland, Donoghue has gotten support at the school on and off the ice.

“I have been here for two years,” said Donoghue. “I came here for hockey, my dream is to play college. As a senior, I love being at Hun. I love these two years here, I can’t complain.”

Hun head coach Eric Szeker loves having Donoghue on the squad.

“Patrick is an awesome, awesome young man, he comes to the rink every day with a great attitude,” said Szeker. “He competes nonstop. He is a great addition to our school and our locker room. He is intense. He loves being out on the ice, and he always gives us performances like that.”

The Raiders brought some intensity to ice as they faced Notre Dame to get things rolling in 2025.

“We were excited, this is the best sport in the world,” said Szeker. “They love coming to the rink every day and wearing the Hun logo. We are looking forward to getting healthy here over the couple of days. We are missing four or five guys. It is tough but that is the game, that is life. People get sick, people get hurt and you just have to adjust.”

Although the Raiders took a 1-0 lead, Szeker acknowledged that his team wasn’t at its sharpest in the return to action.

“I think we came out a little bit slow,” said Szeker. “When you are missing some of your leaders, it can be tough to get the energy going. Guys are in new roles that they are not used to.”

Szeker gave his players a pep talk after the second period.

“We just have to try harder,” said Szeker, reflecting on his message. “We are a younger group so knowing that you have to show up every day at this level and play as hard as you can to be successful is something different for these guys. You are playing against older players, more mature players and we have to be ready to perform.”

The Raiders responded, outshooting the Irish 13-7 in the third period.

“I love my group; we have so much skill and we have a lot of potential,” said Szeker. “It is just a matter of getting them to realize how good they are. They are awesome people and they know that. It is a matter of getting them to know how good they are in hockey and well and getting them together to work as one big group.”

A number of Hun players produced some good work in the game.

“Jimmy Dolan is a freshman, he is undersized but he plays like he is 7 feet tall,” said Szeker. “He has a great attitude, he comes and works hard every day. I thought Jake Beck looked great out there. Justin Bibeau was awesome. Anders Van Raalte was really good. Nate Trawinski and Jake O’Connell were good. We had a lot of guys who did really well today. I was proud of the group today.”

With Hun hosting Holy Ghost Prep (Pa.) on January 15 and the Salesianum School (Del.) on January 17 before facing Pope John XXIII Regional High on January 20 at Skylands Ice World in Stockholm, Szeker believes his group is headed in the right direction.

“I think you can build off of everything, whether it is really good or it is bad,” said Szeker, whose team fell 3-1 to Seton Hall Prep last Friday in moving to 1-7-2. “You have to find what you did wrong and what you did right and learn from both and try to come back better the next day. We are missing some guys that play heavy minutes for us. It has been great opportunity for younger guys to step up and have some opportunities that you don’t usually have. We are definitely improving and getting those opportunities. Experience comes with time so we are getting there.”

Donoghue, for his part, is determined to make the most out of his final weeks with the Hun program.

“It is just play the best I can and hopefully continue forward with hockey if possible,” said Donoghue. “As for the team it is just do our best and win every game we can. The guys have a lot on the line.”