Canton, NY – Josh Sova (Oswego, NY), Kyle Dora (Saranac Lake, NY) and Thomas Crabtree (Knoxville, TN) will lead the SUNY Canton men's hockey team as captains during the 2016-17 season, Head Men's Hockey Coach Alex Boak announced on Thursday.

Sova will captain the Roos this season, while Dora and Crabtree will serve as assistant captains.

"We are excited to have these three guys serve as our team captains this season," Boak said. "Throughout last season and this offseason they have earned the privilege to wear a letter and have gained the respect throughout our locker room. This group can help Coach Pietrangelo and myself communicate our message and are extremely eager to help us reach our goals this coming season."

Sova, a junior from Oswego, led the Roos in points (23) and goals (10) while finishing second with 13 assists during the 2015-16 season. He scored two goals on the power play and netted game-winners in a 5-2 win against Skidmore College on October 30th at Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid and January 16th in a 4-2 victory v. Stonehill College. Sova has also been a role model in the classroom as he earned the SUNY Chancellor's award for excellence.

Dora, a senior from Saranac Lake, appeared in 24 of 27 contests for the Roos at defense during the 2015-16 season. While serving as a leader for the defensive unit he also tallied three points registering assists against Middlebury College (1/2/16) and Plattsburgh State (1/9/16), while scoring a goal against Daniel Webster College (2/26/16).

Crabtree, a junior from Knoxville, Tennessee, appeared in 25 contests as a sophomore also posting three points on a goal and two assists. He scored his lone goal of the season in a 2-2 overtime tie with SUNY Potsdam on January 22nd, while recording assists against Stonehill College (1/16/16) and Fredonia (2/6/16).

We sat down to discuss the captains' new roles and what they expect from not only themselves but the team during the upcoming season.

Q & A

Sova
Q: What does it mean to be named captain of the 2016-17 Roos men's hockey team?
A: It is truly an honor to be named captain. As a relatively new NCAA program our team has to be ready for the ups and downs of the season and I'm happy to be part of something as special as building this program.

Q: What can you say about your fellow captains in Kyle Dora and Thomas Crabtree?
A: Both of these guys are great leaders on and off the ice and truly deserve to be captains on our squad.

Q: What are some traits that you think will identify this year's team?
A: Speed is always one of the traits that identifies our team. We have the ability to surprise a lot of teams with our speed alone. Another, is our competitive nature – we have a lot of upper classmen that are looking to help our team take the next step.

Q: Returning as the leading scorer and a former SUNY Chancellor Award winner how will you go about leading the guys on and off the ice?
A: I plan on leading mostly by example especially for the younger players. Like I said before we have a lot of upperclassmen so I don't always have to be the voice in the locker room because of the experience we have in our locker room.

Dora
Q: What does it mean to be named captain of the 2016-17 Roos men's hockey team?
A: It means a lot, this year we have a great group of guys that will make our leadership roles easier.

Q: What can you say about your fellow captains in Josh Sova and Thomas Crabtree?
A: Sova and Crabber are two guys that are great at motivating others. I feel that the three of us can bring a motivating factor to our team this year and help us do great things throughout this season.

Q: As the lone senior captain how will your experience help to lead the team this season?
A: I think that just knowing what it takes to be a student-athlete will help immensely with a large group of freshman. I think leading by example by both Nicky Vasilopoulos and myself will really mature a lot of my teammates throughout their time here at Canton.

Crabtree
Q: What does it mean to be named captain of the 2016-17 Roos men's hockey team?
A: It is one of the highest honors you can receive as a hockey player to be seen as a leader by both your teammates and coaching staff. I am very excited about the upcoming season with Coach Boak and Coach Pietrangelo in charge. We have a great group of freshman this year to add to the mix of returning players to give us a great chance at being successful this year.

Q: What can you say about your fellow captains in Josh Sova and Kyle Dora?
A: Sova and Dora are the two guys who deserve to be captains more than anyone. They are professionals on and off the ice, and I am honored to help lead this team alongside them.

Q: What are some traits that you think will identify this year's team?
A: I think we are a much more skilled and deep team this year from top to bottom, and also a very close group as well. Coach Boak did a great job of not only recruiting solid hockey players but great guys as well.

The men's hockey team opens the 2016-17 season with a home weekend series against SUNY Cortland on October 28th and 29th. Puck drops both nights at 7 p.m. in the Roos House. Stay up to date with the latest news directly from the SUNY Canton Athletics department by "liking" us on Facebook and "following" our Twitter, Instagram and YouTube accounts.
 
About SUNY Canton
SUNY Canton is Northern New York's premier college for career-driven bachelor's degrees, associate degrees and certificate programs. The college delivers quality hands-on programs in engineering technology, health, management and public service. Faculty members are noted for their professional real-world experience in addition to outstanding academic credentials. SUNY Canton OnLine offers hundreds of flexible and convenient courses, as well as 10 exclusively online bachelor's degrees. The college's 15 athletic teams compete as members of the NCAA Division III and the USCAA.