Change brings opportunity (and success) for Rookie of the Year

By Andrew Hoenig

Nicole Amato faced perhaps the toughest challenge of her freshman season in the Ravens’ final game, a playoff match up with Holy Cross to decide third-place in the NEWHA Open Tournament.

“The last game was crazy. We really wanted to beat Holy Cross and even had Sacred Heart cheering us on,” Amato said. “It was exciting with the environment and the atmosphere; it definitely felt like a championship game.”

Amato had an assist on the Ravens’ first goal by senior Alex Brolsma, which put the game at 1-0. But after three periods at Sullivan Arena in Manchester, NH, both teams were tied 3-3.

In the first overtime of a double OT thriller, Amato got hit on a Holy Cross checking penalty. “It hurt and I was in a lot of pain,” said Amato.

Amato skated back out onto the ice for the second overtime, which finally saw the end of the game with Haley Parker scoring the game-winning goal, giving the Ravens a 4-3 victory.

“I just didn’t want to not be on the ice for the second OT. I didn’t really know what was wrong and just went back out there,” Amato said.

After the thrilling win, Amato found out she had possibly torn her rotator cuff. “They aren’t sure. They assume [right now] that I just strained most of the muscles in my right shoulder especially around the scapula,” said Amato. The final diagnosis will be given within the next two weeks on whether or not it was a complete muscle tear.

“I remember Coach Stockdale just saying if you can’t do it for yourself, do it for the seniors,” Amato said.

For Amato, changing her skill set helped her become a key building block in the Ravens’ women’s ice hockey program.

Following her impressive rookie season in the Ravens’ colors, Amato was named Co-Rookie of the Year in the New England Women’s Hockey Alliance (NEWHA). But her journey until this point took an interesting turn back in her sophomore year of high school.

“I moved from defenseman to forward that year after this Russian player left to join the IIHF(International Ice Hockey Federation) and play for the Russian national team,” said Amato. “Everyone says a defenseman can play forward, but that a forward can’t play defenseman.”

Amato’s transition from defenseman to forward paid big dividends as she was named 1st Team All-Conference and League MVP while playing for the East Coast Wizards in her senior year at Arlington Catholic High School.

“My sophomore year in 2015 we were actually State and National Champions,” Amato said.

But after all this success with her high school team, Amato was still uncertain about her future in the sport she had loved since she was a kid, even recalling a memory of chipping her tooth playing mini sticks with her cousin while they were just having fun.

“I didn’t even think about playing hockey in college, I actually just wanted to go to school for dentistry,” said Amato who is majoring in Health Sciences. “I’ve always had an interest in teeth.”

But her accomplishments caught the eye of Ravens’ head coach David Stockdale.

“Coach Stockdale sent me an e-mail and recruited me. I actually saw him before while my team was in the National Championship [in 2015],” said Amato.

Before Stockdale reached out to Amato, she says she was just looking for the right school to study in her field. “I just wanted to pursue my dream and I was kind of set on UNH as my dream school. I even looked at Post [University], but it just didn’t seem to fit,” Amato said.

After seeing Stockdale’s interest and realizing she had a chance to play hockey again, Amato committed in May of 2017 to play for the Ravens.

“College hockey is a lot different as far as lifts, team meetings, videos, and practices,” Amato said. “I said to myself I don’t care if I don’t play as long as I have fun with it.”

Amato got her chance faster than she expected and made the most of it leading the Ravens by season’s end with 38 points (19 goals, 19 assists). Amato played in all 30 games and had 25 of her points come in the last two months of the season in January and February and even had a couple hat tricks against Post this season.

“It was definitely a culture shock being on the ice for that first game of the season,” said Amato.

After ending her first year on a high note with the team, Amato isn’t letting her new injury get her down.

“I loved it. It was really close knit with it being a small school environment. I feel like I’m part of a family,” said Amato with a smile. “I’m enjoying myself and I can’t wait for another three years.”