Monday Morning Quarterback: UC Men's Hockey Season Recap

With experience you gain knowledge.  And Coach Gary Heenan has the experience and the knowledge to know when his team is good. This year The Pioneers were up to the challenge but fell just short.

Four years in a row now, Neumann University has ended The Pioneers season. And this year an overtime loss in the quarterfinals brought the 2012 campaign to a close.

Coach Gary Heenan says, "You know here we are you know really not satisfied at all with how the year went and like I said disappointed. We've got to get better we just don't like being an 8,9,10 team, we want to get over that last hump and so know it's figuring out what we've got to do to get over it."

The season may be finished but veteran guys like Evan Chlanda know this year's team made significant progress.

Chlanda added, "We're looking forward to next season for sure but you know I think we took another step this year as getting more mature as a team and stuff like that even though we are a veteran group as it is but a lot of freshman turning sophomores still maturing and learning the college game because it's a new thing every single day and every single team you play."

The wounds of the overtime loss are still fresh and the guys say it will be motivation during off season work outs.

The wounds of the overtime loss are still fresh and the guys say it will be motivation during off season work outs.

Morton says, "You know guys are still thinking about it, you its always in the back of your head when you go through a loss like that especially when we had such high expectations this year also, so yeah it does kind of leave a bad taste in your mouth."

From a coaching perspective tough losses don't get any easier.

"It tears the heart right out of you, you know it really does because you're playing good hockey, you just didn't get it done. You know it's very bitter sweet and we had a good year but we want great years here so the work goes on."