By: Brayden Peters
BROCKPORT, N.Y. - Brockport Golden Eagles hockey freshman forward Joseph Nikac earned recognition from the UCHC as he was named Rookie of the Week. This was after he posted four points (one + three) across Brockport's two-game series against the Geneseo Knights last Friday and Saturday. The Golden Eagles would lose at home on Friday 7-2 and fall 5-2 on the road Saturday.
"It felt good for sure," Nikac said. "It was tough losing those two games because I thought we played well for a lot of those games. But, I couldn't have done it without my teammates and my linemates."
Nikac entered the series with just six points (two + four) after appearing in 17 games. He now is tied for the team lead in points with 10 (three + seven). His seven assists are the most on the team.
"First semester, I was just getting used to everything, coming to a new country, new school," Nikac said. "I put in a lot of work during the Christmas break and felt like I came out flying during the start of the second semester. I've really found my game as of late, and I'm just trying my best to contribute to the team in ways I know best, which is offensively. Hopefully, I can continue to do that throughout this last little stretch here."
To Brockport head coach Brian Dickinson, Nikac has stepped up for the team and has improved.
"He has really picked up his game," Dickinson said. "He's getting more pucks to the net, he's working a little bit better without the puck to get to areas where he can receive it and be a factor...he's been working hard on his shot in terms of shooting a little bit further out...earlier in the year, he was just trying to rely on his natural instincts and his natural abilities and he was still playing kind of junior hockey a little bit," Dickinson said. "Now I think he's playing what we call 'big boy hockey'...really the biggest thing is he's becoming a better defender."
The Mississauga native joins freshman forward Aidan Taylor and freshman goalie Dax Easter as one of the few Canadians on the team. Last season, Brockport's roster consisted of only American players.
"They just have a different mindset," Dickinson said. "Just the way they're brought up and the way they've trained their whole lives, it just for whatever reason feels different...obviously we want to recruit the best players and the best academic players...but ultimately we have paid a little bit more attention to get some guys out of the CCHL (Central Canada Hockey League) where Dax played last year or the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL)," Dickinson said. "They kind of just up the ante so to speak with the way they want to be on the rink on a daily basis and work on their individual skills. When they match their individual skills to your team's concepts, that's usually when you have success and it rubs off on the rest of the guys."
Nikac finished last season with 40 points (11 + 29) in 54 games played in the OJHL. His first 18 games were with the Burlington Cougars before joining the St. Michael's Buzzers to finish the rest of the 2023-2024 season.
The Golden Eagles and Nikac will continue regular season play when they head off to take on Nazareth Friday. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m.
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