Photo Credit: LSSU Athletics

While it is true that the Chargers’ Hockey team has played in only eight games, it is also true that Alabama Huntsville’s power play, heading into another WCHA showdown against Northern Michigan, is statistically the best in the nation, clocking in at 29.6 percent. This team has been made over from top to bottom, and its biggest improvement to date is on the power play. For context, through eight games last year this team had a power play clip of 8.3 percent.

Why is this team doing better on the power play this year?

Well, the top two lines of UAH, lead by Tyrone Bronte are most commonly featured on the power play for Lance West’s team.

With that and Bronte’s speed you get some different looks from this UAH team, some improvement was expected, but a 21 percent jump over an equal amount of games not many people around the country would have expected, outside of,well, the Chargers of course. a player who had no offers until June to play Division One Hockey is leading the positive effort for this team. His speed draws attention, and provides openings for whomever else is on the ice.

Bronte is the leading scorer for this Chargers side on the power play putting up all of his goals on it. More than that, his ability to direct traffic and set his teammates up on the power play cannot be understated. Last year, the Chargers did not have a person with the speed of Bronte, but there’s also more that goes into this power play worthy of menton.

First off, Lucas Bahn is one of the leaders in defense for this team. Three of his four points have come on the power play through making strong passes and leading a power play unit of his own. He is a cerebral player capable of making the needed pass at any time, and one that will continue to get better over the next few years. Do not forget about Dayne Finnson as well. All of his points have come with an extra skater on the ice. He possesses a rocket shot for this team, as fans saw when he won the game in overtime against Ferris State. He also uses that shot to create offense elsewhere.

In addition, this team all has a role in its power play sucess through its effort. As Karlis Zirnis notes on his penalty kill, the goal is to outwork the power play, and arguably the power play has the same basic role, all centered around effort. That is the biggest common variable around how this team has changed its narritive and redefined what it can be, effort.

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