by Brian Germinaro | AHL On The Beat
Bridgeport Islanders teammates Marc Gatcomb and Wyatt Newpower have a bond that goes far past Whole Mortgage Area.
However on the identical time, it’s a novel relationship rooted and nurtured properly throughout 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, dwelling 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 have been shut enjoying collectively for 2 years and our households even received shut too. After I first signed with the Islanders, I heard he had additionally not too long ago signed, so I known as him immediately. There was numerous pleasure.”
“It was good to have a well-known face at camp, particularly not understanding anybody immediately,” Gatcomb stated. “I really like enjoying with him – he was my captain at UConn and remains to be a extremely shut pal.”
Whereas they grew up in separate elements of the nation, the state of Connecticut and the sport of hockey offered widespread 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, keen to dam photographs, and manning the penalty kill.
“You’re all the time wanting 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 group than simply what you see on the ice. They each have distinctive management qualities and are energetic locally.”
Gatcomb moved down from his childhood dwelling in Woburn, Massachusetts. Newpower is initially from Hugo, Minnesota. However each now name Connecticut dwelling.
Whereas the pair ended up at UConn, the paths to get there have been a lot totally different. Gatcomb went to prep college in Connecticut and finally visited the Huskies’ campus, understanding from the second he first stepped foot there that his determination was made.
“After I toured the college, it actually felt like dwelling,” Gatcomb stated. “I really like the campus and the teaching employees made an unimaginable impression.”
Newpower wasn’t as satisfied immediately. He didn’t have a lot curiosity from faculties; the truth is, UConn was the one college that supplied him a scholarship.
“After 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 immediately. I used to be the one right-handed freshman defenseman, so it was a great match.”
Though their paths to Storrs have been totally different, one factor they agreed on was that it ready them for the skilled sport.
“I went by means of some arduous instances in faculty,” Newpower defined. “My sophomore 12 months, I didn’t play numerous video games, nevertheless it’s once I discovered probably the most about hockey and what you must undergo in life when issues aren’t going your method – coping with adversity. I sat down with my coach and had a troublesome dialog. That’s once I totally moved to Connecticut and spent the summers coaching with the UConn energy coach, who I nonetheless practice with at present.”
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 guide all Huskies defensemen. Nonetheless, his largest 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 file for many factors by a UConn defenseman on the time.
For Gatcomb, UConn ready him for the type of play he would expertise as a professional.
“We performed a hard-nosed sport, which helped me in my transition,” he famous. “Our energy coach was nice as properly, and I received into actually fine condition.”
Gatcomb’s arduous work on the ice and within the health club paid off as in his senior 12 months 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 certainly 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 powerful management qualities to a Bridgeport squad that is filled with youth. However because the group continues to construct chemistry by means of the primary quarter of the common season, Gatcomb and Newpower have already constructed loads, which they hope rubs off on their new teammates.
“From my perspective, the blokes I performed with in faculty are nonetheless my greatest mates, and Marc is correct on the high of that record,” Newpower stated. “Who would have thought hockey would carry us again?”
