|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
W. Springfield's Surge |
|
|
West Springfield took control in the Northern Virginia Scholastic Hockey League and improved to 5-0 by defeating previously undefeated Osbourn Park on Thursday. The unblemished start to the Spartans' season is a vast improvement from last year's 3-7 record in the Maryland Scholastic Hockey League, in which West Springfield was an also-ran in the Fairfax Division. |
|
With little change in the roster from last season's squad, Coach Brad Surdam credits much of the turnaround to the play of senior goaltender Marc Dudzinski. Last year, the Spartans yielded 54 goals in 10 games with Dudzinski in goal, but this season West Springfield has given up only nine goals through five games. |
|
"He's really coming into his own this year, the guys really feel confident with him in goal," Surdam said. "He's a Dominik Hasek kind of goaltender. He doesn't really rely on positioning. He's a flashy goaltender with great reflexes." |
|
Dudzinski, the NVSHL's player of the month for December, has piled up impressive statistics despite facing a lot of shots each game, Surdam said. Dudzinski's save percentage stands at a stellar 93 percent, and he has nearly halved his goals against average to 1.8 this season. Behind Dudzinski's play, the Spartans lead the NVSHL's Eastern Conference and have the inside track to the conference's top seed. |
 |
|