Wisconsin connections run deep for freshman forward Mark Zengerle.
His high school, Northwood Prep in Lake Placid, NY produced a number of Badgers including goaltender Mark Richter and center Tony Granato. Also, current Badgers’ goaltender Scott Gudmandson, forward Derek Lee, and Zengerle’s tour guide from last year, former Badger forward Ben Street, played in the BCHL for the Salmon Arm Silverbacks where Zengerle skated from 2008-2010.
“It’s the only place I visited,” Zengrle said of his decision to play for the Badgers. “And when I got here, I watched two games. The coaches knew me and I also knew [Justin] Schultz and Lee. They’re good friends of mine and I think that helped so I think everything, the rink, the coaches and the whole school [played into the decision].”
The loss of big name players such as forwards Derek Stepan and Michael Davies led many to question the strength of the Badgers current youthful roster in which 17 of Wisconsin’s 26 student-athletes are either freshmen or sophomores. Zengerle’s addition has not only produced direct results, but also helped boost the performance of the players around him.
“He slows the play down,” sophomore forward and assistant captain Craig Smith noted. “That’s what he’s best at doing and for a fast guy like me it’s really easy to find ice when you back the defenseman off so it’s been really easy.”
Communication on the ice and camaraderie with the team are also skills that, according to Smith, come naturally to Zengerle, who called him “one of the nicest guys on the team.”
Even off the ice Zengerle tabbed his favorite hobby as hanging out with his teammates.
“There’s a tone of us all living together. We kind of just hang around. Give each other hard times and stuff like that so that’s probably my hobby, just messing with everyone.”
With sixteen points, Zengerle leads the Badgers and shares the top spot among all WCHA players this year so far. Head coach Mark Eaves praised his forward for his early season success.
“He is one of those guys, the puck finds him, and good things will happen,” Eaves said. “He’s going to be on the score sheet more times than not. That’s one of his gifts.”
Eaves also noted how Zengerle’s game continues to develop, and discussed how one of the most difficult transitions for a player coming from the junior hockey leagues into college is learning to skate with the expanded rink, as the collegiate game utilizes a full 200 foot rink similar to that of the NHL.
“What’s pleasing is that as we’ve been teaching [him] about our systems play and what our definition of heart is, he’s adapting, he’s buying in,” Eaves said. “So if he does those things and brings his natural skill that’s going to be a nice combination for us.”
Zengerle considers his father his greatest influence and discussed how his dad used to make rinks for him and his two older brothers in their backyard when they were growing up in Rochester, NY.
“He comes out to the games, and he did when I was playing in British Columbia and was always watching it,” said Zengerle.
Coach Eaves linked his young group of forwards to Zengerle’s toughness, something he displayed against Minnesota Saturday night.
“His two brothers are wrestlers, so he’s growing up in, that’s a tough environment and so he’s willing to battle through things and willing to work hard and play hurt,” Eaves said. “He got dinged up on Saturday night and he played the whole game and had three assists. He’s showing us a lot of different sides to himself.”
At 5-foot-11, 178 pounds, Zengerle is not one of the biggest or strongest guys on the team, but his tenacity and natural skating ability have led him to success. Zengerle is off to one of the best starts by a Badger freshman ever, posting five multi-point efforts in his first ten games.
For his play against Minnesota Nov. 5 and 6, he received the WCHA Rookie of the Week Award, the first award for Wisconsin in their 2010-2011 campaign. However, it certainly will not be the last for either the Badgers or Zengerle if the freshman can maintain his current level of production.
