by Brian Germinaro | AHL On The Beat
Bridgeport Islanders teammates Marc Gatcomb and Wyatt Newpower have a bond that goes far past Whole Mortgage Enviornment.
However on the identical time, it’s a singular relationship rooted and nurtured nicely inside the Nutmeg State.
Gatcomb and Newpower gamers signed with the Islanders group this previous summer time and each walked into a brand new atmosphere throughout coaching camp, not understanding many faces. However they knew one another. The pair performed two seasons collectively up the highway in Storrs, Connecticut, residence to the UConn Huskies. Newpower was a junior defenseman when Gatcomb, a ahead, entered this system as an 18-year-old freshman for the 2018-19 season.
“It’s completely a bond,” Newpower stated. “It’s humorous, Marc and I had been shut enjoying collectively for 2 years and our households even acquired shut too. Once I first signed with the Islanders, I heard he had additionally just lately signed, so I known as him straight away. There was loads of pleasure.”
“It was good to have a well-recognized face at camp, particularly not understanding anybody straight away,” Gatcomb stated. “I really like enjoying with him – he was my captain at UConn and remains to be a extremely shut good friend.”
Whereas they grew up in separate components of the nation, the state of Connecticut and the sport of hockey supplied frequent floor to construct upon. Underneath long-time Huskies head coach Mike Cavanaugh, they rapidly realized that each performed the same model of bodily, hard-nosed hockey: not shying away from contact, prepared to dam pictures, and manning the penalty kill.
“You’re all the time trying so as to add toughness, and we knew coming into the season that their video games mirrored one another,” stated Bridgeport head coach Rick Kowalsky. “They’re nice youngsters who do extra for our staff than simply what you see on the ice. They each have distinctive management qualities and are energetic in the neighborhood.”
Gatcomb moved down from his childhood residence in Woburn, Massachusetts. Newpower is initially from Hugo, Minnesota. However each now name Connecticut residence.
Whereas the pair ended up at UConn, the paths to get there have been a lot completely different. Gatcomb went to prep college in Connecticut and ultimately visited the Huskies’ campus, understanding from the second he first stepped foot there that his determination was made.
“Once I toured the varsity, it actually felt like residence,” Gatcomb stated. “I really like the campus and the teaching workers made an unbelievable impression.”
Newpower wasn’t as satisfied straight away. He didn’t have a lot curiosity from faculties; in truth, UConn was the one college that provided him a scholarship.
“Once I graduated highschool in Minnesota, I had each intention of going to play junior hockey,” Newpower stated. “[UConn] gave me a name and stated they wanted me straight away. I used to be the one right-handed freshman defenseman, so it was a superb match.”
Though their paths to Storrs had been completely different, one factor they agreed on was that it ready them for the skilled recreation.
“I went by some onerous instances in faculty,” Newpower defined. “My sophomore yr, I didn’t play loads of video games, but it surely’s after I discovered essentially the most about hockey and what you must undergo in life when issues will not be going your means – coping with adversity. I sat down with my coach and had a troublesome dialog. That’s after I totally moved to Connecticut and spent the summers coaching with the UConn power coach, who I nonetheless practice with right now.”
The dedication paid off. Newpower appeared in all 34 video games throughout his junior marketing campaign, recording three objectives and 11 assists for 14 factors to steer all Huskies defensemen. Nonetheless, his greatest accomplishment got here throughout his senior season when he was voted captain by his teammates. He racked up a career-high 22 factors, which was the report for many factors by a UConn defenseman on the time.
For Gatcomb, UConn ready him for the model of play he would expertise as a professional.
“We performed a hard-nosed recreation, which helped me in my transition,” he famous. “Our power coach was nice as nicely, and I acquired into actually fine condition.”
Gatcomb’s onerous work on the ice and within the health club paid off as in his senior yr he was voted as an assistant captain and produced profession highs in objectives (8), assists (13) and factors (21) in 36 video games. Underneath his management, the Huskies had considered one of their greatest seasons in program historical past, making it to the Hockey East championship.
Each gamers carry a blue-collar work ethic and robust management qualities to a Bridgeport squad that is stuffed with youth. However because the staff continues to construct chemistry by the primary quarter of the common season, Gatcomb and Newpower have already constructed lots, which they hope rubs off on their new teammates.
“From my perspective, the fellows I performed with in faculty are nonetheless my greatest associates, and Marc is correct on the high of that checklist,” Newpower stated. “Who would have thought hockey would carry us again?”
