SHAKE AND BLAKE: Hun School boys’ hockey player Blake Brown cruises up the ice in a game last year. Senior co-captain and star forward Brown is being depended on to be the offensive catalyst this season for the Raiders. Hun is scheduled to open its 2016-17 season by playing at Holy Ghost (Pa.) on November 30. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Over the last few years, the Hun School boys’ hockey team thrived on a freewheeling approach, featuring some talented performers whose offensive flair could overcome mistakes.

But hit by graduation losses, transfers, and Jon Bendorf heading to Wichita Falls of the NAHL with Evan Barratt having departed two years ago to join the U.S. national program, Hun will be playing closer to the vest this winter.

“In the past we could outscore people, this year we are going to have to learn to win 2-1 games against strong teams,” said Hun head coach Ian McNally, who guided the Raiders to a 17-8-2 record and the program’s third straight Mercer County Tournament title last season.

“That is an overall commitment, that is not just having a good goalie or good defense, it is everybody deciding that this is the way we are going to play and everyone agreeing that is the way we are going to play and doing your own job.”

Hun will be depending on senior star and co-captain Tanner Preston to spearhead the defense.

“I think Tanner is going to greatly benefit from wearing a letter this year,” said McNally, whose team opens its season with a game at Holy Ghost (Pa.) on November 30.

“He is smooth with the puck. He is not someone you want to get off the ice. He calms things down out there and you feel safe when he is out there. He has got offense abilities, he can shoot, he can score. He is going to get a ton of time for us. Maybe he can’t join the rush every single time but he will play in all situations.”

Senior Liam Fitzgerald figures to log a lot of time along the blue line this winter.

“Liam Fitzgerald is going to get his shot this year, he has been waiting around,” said McNally.

“He has got a pretty mature approach to athletics in general because he is a lacrosse player, he knows he is going to school for that so he can enjoy his hockey season.”

In goal, freshman Jackson Cole will be looking to follow in the footsteps of graduated star Diesel Pelke, a force of stability for the Raiders over the last three seasons.

“I didn’t know much about him actually but having seen him the first couple of weeks here I think we are very fortunate that he is here,” said McNally of Cole.

“He looks very calm in net, he is not overly big but he plays bigger than he is. For the first couple of weeks playing exhibition games and practicing, he was definitely a bright spot. It is good news for us, we are going to throw him right into the line of fire.”

The return of senior star forward Blake Brown is also good news for Hun. “Some guys go up and down or they change the way they are, Blake has been very solid in what he brings,” said McNally of the top returning scorer with 42 points on 18 goals and 24 assists last winter who will serve as a co-captain along with Preston.

“We know what we are getting from him. He has got to score for us to win, he knows that. We will be leaning on him, that is exciting for him. Not that he has been in anyone’s shadow but he has had running mates along the way.”

McNally is hoping that powerful 6’4, 230-pound sophomore Kyle Mandleur can be a good running mate for Brown this season.

“Last year he was a little kid in a big body, this year he is a big kid in a big body,” said McNally, who is also looking for battle-tested senior Griffin Ferrara to add some scoring punch.

“He has a different approach when he is on the ice; he is skating better and  he is in better shape. Over the next couple of years he is going to become a very good hockey player. He can shoot the puck like a cannon. The difference between this year and last year is that he is able to get himself to places where he can get shots off instead of having to battle guys the whole time.”

In McNally’s view, the roster turnover has infused an excitement into the preseason.

“With all the new guys, I think there is a different energy,” said McNally.

“We are going to be different in terms of who we are throwing out on the power play, a couple of pretty skilled kids that we had are no longer around. We have a pretty positive vibe right now. It is fun and exciting to see how we are going to go win games.”

While Hun will have a decidedly different look this winter, the bottom line hasn’t changed.

“This year I think the potential for us is the same as it has been, we want to compete with everybody that we play,” said McNally, noting that the Raiders are now a full-fledged member of the high-powered MAHL (Mid-Atlantic Hockey League).

“We will have to do it a different way, it is going to have to be a whole team effort every night and a little more concentration on details of playing the game and not just having the best players.”