In late August, Bryan Hince leaves for Plattsburgh State University in upstate New York, where he will join the Cardinals men's hockey team. The 21-year-old Kapuskasing native received a partial scholarship at the Division 3 School after being recruited by Cardinals' assistant coach Steve Moffat.
Hince, who played his final two years of Junior hockey with the Lincs, is excited about becoming a member of the Plattsburgh State team and wearing the Cardinals' red and white colours.
"It's one of the top schools in the state, so I'm really happy," Hince told the Journal Argus last week.
"I had heard about (Plattsburgh) earlier on in the (2006-07) season, and (Moffat) told me that he was going to take a look at me during the season."
Hince received the Plattsburgh offer in late May, and came away "really impressed" when he visited the city and school shortly afterwards.
Moffat said he was actually scouting another Lincoln when Hince caught his attention two years ago.
"This (past) year, I kept an eye on him, and his stats were great, and the timing was good that we needed another goalie," Moffat said.
"We're really happy to get him. He really wants to continue his education and his hockey, and it's just a great fit for us. We think we're getting a Division 1 goalie," the assistant coach added.
Hince stressed that he enjoyed his two seasons with the Lincolns.
"I really liked the way everything went for me. I enjoyed playing for the Lincs, and I enjoyed the people around the hockey team. It was just an all-round good experience," he said.
Plattsburgh State, meanwhile, belongs to the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC). Other schools in the conference include: Potsdam, Fredonia, Buffalo State, Geneseo, Brockport, Elmira, Middlebury, Norwich, Cortland and Oswego.
The conference champion gains automatic entry into the NCAA championship tournament.
Cardinals have won seven of the last 10 SUNYAC championships, including a six-year string from 1997 to 2002.
Last season, Plattsburgh State had a record of 14-8-6 overall.
Head coach Bob Emery has guided the Plattsburgh men's team for the past 17 years.
Cardinals play in the 3,500-seat Stafford Ice Arena, one of the finest facilities for NCAA College Division Hockey in the U.S. The team regularly draws over 2,000 fans per game, has established 10 record-setting attendance marks, and Plattsburgh has led the nation in total attendance six times since 1996.
Since the men's hockey team started in 1975, Cardinals have won two national championships (1992, 2001).
Notes-
Bryan Hince will be enrolled in a Sports and Wellness program at Plattsburgh State. Classes start Aug. 27.
Hince turned 21 in April. He posted an incredible 72 wins (including 18 victories in the playoffs) in a stellar two-year career in St. Marys (2005-07). Hince was often referred to as the best netminder in the WOHL last season.
Three members of the current Cardinals also once played for Western Jr. B teams. They are defencemen Ward Smith and Nick Rolls (Sarnia), and Ryan Burke (Chatham).
There were 12 Canadians on last year's Plattsburgh men's team.
During their exhibition schedule, Cardinals play Division 1 U.S. teams and the U.S. Under-18 national team.
The city of Plattsburgh has a population of approximately 20,000, and is located on Lake Champlain in Clinton County. It's about a 45-minute drive from Montreal.
Sources:
The Lincolns Online
Journal Argus
