Podolski Looks to Top Line to Produce for Boy's Hockey

Veterans and a few transfers have boy's hockey coach hoping for high production from his forwards to help the Marauders reach the postseason again.

Dedham will return Jeff Durham, Connor Fitzgerald and Jason Riley will lead the Marauders on the first line and most likely will net most of the team's goals, Podolski said.

"We think that we can be competitive. We have returning veterans and we'll be in the games," coach Paul Podolski said. "There's no doubt that we'll be able to steal some games [in the Bay State]."

Riley, a senior, registered 29 points a season ago with 16 goals and 13 assists as a right wing. Fitzgerald will center the first line with Durham, a senior, playing left wing.

After that top line, however, Podolski's team will need senior captain Kevin Mawe help sophomore Tim Buttlar and freshman Ron Pucci live up to expectations.

"We'd like to develop some depth at scoring, which on paper we don't seem to have right now," Podolski said. "But we'll get our chances to score."

Typically, Dedham is strong between the pipes, but with the loss of Matt Baron to graduation, Podolski will start senior Jimmy Riley, a fourth-year player and the "heir-apparent" to the crease.

Three sophomores will rotate between backing up Jimmy Riley and playing on junior varsity.

"Our collective defense - the back-checking, ability to block shots at the appropriate time and cover well in front of our net and our ability to get consistency in goal [...] those are the things that are crucial, especially early on," Podolski said.

Dedham will have three Division 2 games, which will go a long way in determining whether they make the playoffs as Podolski knows the tough task of pulling off a .500 record in the Division 1-heavy Bay State League.

"We have a tought start. [Our goal] is to be competitive in our first few games," Podolski said. 

That schedule doesn't start light either as Dedham will play Needham Wednesday evening at at 6:15 p.m.