Hampton hockey claws back after slow start

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, December 13, 2018 | 11:24 PM

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Staring at a 4-5 record against playoff contender Latrobe, Hampton’s hockey team was trying to shake off the sting after the Wildcats scored three goals in the first five minutes.

“We didn’t call a timeout or panic,” first-year coach Luke Leya said. “We just got everybody to relax. That’s the big thing. Just getting everyone on board to buy in. Because we know we’re capable of being a contender.”

After the third period, the Talbots felt like a contender with a 6-3 victory in their back pocket. And the win might have been the turning point in a season where the Allison Park boys didn’t start out looking like one.

Facing a difficult early schedule, including top Class AA teams Pine-Richland and Mars, the Talbots stumbled out the gate, going 2-4.

“I think the biggest thing right now is we’re coming together as a unit,” Leya said. “We had spurts of good offense and defense sporadically the first couple games of the year … but we were short of putting it all together.”

Leya’s decision to combine Justin Adamski, Matt Commendatore and Michael Orban on a line after a one-goal loss to Moon was a major source of the team’s recent surge, as it went on a three-game win streak to move over .500.

“It was a big wake-up call,” Adamski said of the win over Latrobe, despite last Monday’s 8-6 setback to Penn-Trafford. “That we’re right there with the best teams in the league. We all rallied together, put three goals in right away and kept rolling.”

With all three players in the top six in Class AA in points as of last week — Adamski (26), Orban (23) and Commendatore (21) — it represents the most potent line in Class AA.

“I’ve put them together for the last three or four games, and they’ve moved it to an entire different level,” Leya said. “They’re definitely by far the most productive guys we’ve got right now.”

Commendatore and Orban log extra ice time together as teammates on the Armstrong Arrows amateur club. Adamski feels a more natural fit on the wing, which he plays for his amateur squad, Penguins Elite.

“We all read off each other really well,” Adamski said. “We support each other with the puck, and somebody’s always open. We communicate well. It’s kind of like a working machine.”

Junior goalie Jake McGee also is starting to play to his potential. McGee, who has been splitting time with freshman J.T. Nelligan, carries a 4-1 record with a 2.98 goals-against average as of last week.

“We wanted to give them a fair crack,” said Leya, who sees McGee getting the bulk of the starts moving forward for now.

“Jake is starting to resurge as far as what we know he’s capable of. J.T. is playing well, too. We have two pretty strong goaltenders.”

If Hampton is to make a deep playoff run, it’s the secondary scoring that needs to step up. Outside the top line, eight players were tied for fourth on the team in scoring, with two points each.

“It’s no secret there’s a dropoff,” Leya said. “We have to get the guys in the bottom six to produce. … I think the guys have been chipping in other ways, but we’ve gotta get pucks to the net.”

Devon Moore is a freelance writer.

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