MARSHALL TWP, Pa. — It’s amazing what one can accomplish with a little motivation and a lot of hard work. Wyatt George is a prime example.
The 2015-16 season was the first time George laced up his skates for Mt. Lebanon varsity hockey. In his inital season, he was third on the team in scoring, registering five goals and 12 assists, with all of his goals coming in the first half of the campaign. The Blue Devils sat in sixth place in the Western division, missing the postseason by a single point.
Thirteen games into the 2016-17 campaign, George has scored 18 goals and added five helpers to help lead the Blue Devils to a 10-3 record, good enough for second in the West Conference, one point behind of first-place Moon.
Until a loss to Bishop Canevin on Monday, he was in the midst of an eight-game goal scoring streak that coincided with an eight-game winning streak for the Blue Devils. During that streak, George tallied 14 of his 18 goals on the season.
He attests that the sudden outburst is a byproduct of hard work at an unusual time for hockey players — the summer.
“Just by growing, not only by age but maturity, I stepped up my game over the summer by preparing with my coach to be ready for the season” Wyatt said after a game against Quaker Valley. “[Head coach Gary Klapkowski] really showed me how to use my speed more and use my body even though I’m not a big player. I’ve got to use my body to protect the puck.”
Klapkowski agrees with his winger’s sentiments.
“[George] is putting in the work off-ice in the summertime,” Klapkowski said. “I know what he does, and that’s what it takes when you want to make the jump from five goals in a full season last year to eighteen halfway through the season.”
Wyatt George carries the puck against Quaker Valley. — BRIAN MITCHELL
Speaking to what specifically he improved on in the offseason, the head coach spoke praises of his vision.
“He sees the play. Just like his [game tying goal against Quaker Valley], he intercepted the puck, and takes it in and scores. He puts the puck on the net into good areas, and thats what makes a good goal scorer.”
It’s not all about the star winger’s offensive prowess, though. The coach attributes his team’s hot start to something that most coaches would agree with: defensive coverage.
“Wyatt does what he needs to do in the defensive zone to make sure things are shored up,” Klapkowski said. “It comes to defense first, if you take care of your defensive zone and the neutral zone and people are doing their jobs, that’s whats going to take us to the next level. [Goaltender Maxim Clouser] has been doing a great job. We’re taking away those second shots for him. Everybody is working hard. Everybody is doing their job. Its a team effort.”
George agreed with his coach’s assessment, and it seems to be working for the young winger.
“I’m not trying to change anything,” he said. “I come into each game with the mindset of being dominant and showing who I am. I work hard and understand that whatever happens, happens.”
The Blue Devils have six games remaining the in 2016-17 season, and if they’re hot play and George’s scoring continue the way they have been, they could not only qualify for the playoffs, but wrest the conference lead away from first-place Moon.
Circle Jan. 30 on the calendar, as Mt. Lebanon and Moon will play one another that night at Baierl Ice Complex in Warrendale.
