Bubela getting on track for Engineers
TROY >> Milos Bubela made a big impact on Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute hockey during his freshman season of 2012-13.
The Slovakian native totaled 19 points on eight goals and 11 assists, had a +3 plus-minus rating and gave an indication he could be a big scorer for the remainder of his career.
Solid play in the defensive zone and neutral-ice areas are his biggest strengths, though, as RPI coach Seth Appert asserted that “other teams despise him and he’s a real shutdown defensive centerman.”
Over the past two seasons, the 6-foot-2, 192-pound Bubela was beset with a series of injuries that cut his offensive output. In the meantime, the Banska Bys-
kia native became one of the more popular players with RPI fans.
“He’s not going to be a 40-point scorer,” Appert said. “But he can be a 20-point scorer and should be.”
Speaking with his constant smile, Bubela says he loves being a part of the RPI hockey community.
“Yeah, I love it here,” he said.
Bubela is a top penalty killer and has spent much time on the RPI power play and, at times, has been the team’s top faceoff man.
“Right now, I don’t think we have a best faceoff man,” Appert said. “Should he be — yes.”
Despite his high value to the team, Bubela accentuates the student part of ‘student athlete.’
His major in business and management and is perpetually on the Dean’s List.
Bubela and the Engineers (8-5-2 overall) return to ECAC Hockey action on Friday night when they host Dartmouth, then on Saturday night they meet Harvard, who ended their ninegame unbeaten streak (7-02) last weekend.
Appert says he and his staff first saw Bubela at the 2012 World Junior Championships where he competed for Slovakia.
“We knew about him beforehand, had some contact with him, then recruited him from the World Junior Championships.
“Big, fast, strong — first things you noticed,” Appert said.
Bubela thought back to that time.
“I didn’t know anything about college hockey, I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t meet anyone from RPI hockey then. My family advisor told me I had an opportunity to go there.”
It was suggested that Bubela play a year in junior hockey, which he did, for the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the United States Hockey League, coached by former RPI assistant, former University of Maine All-American and former NHL star Jim Montgomery.
Bubela got a taste of American hockey, adjusted to the cultural differences and came to RPI.
“We were happy to get him,” Appert said.
What’s Bubela’s biggest value to the team?
“His defensive ability and his penalty killing,” Appert said. “How well he matches up against the other team’s best players. He can chew up ice time, chew up time off the clock. He can dominate winning puck battles and he can dominate territorially. Other teams despise him because he makes the other teams’ top line play a lot of defense because he and his linemates have the puck so much of the time. When he’s at his best, he’s a being a tough, physical shutdown centerman.”
Why did he choose RPI, Bubela was asked.
“I really didn’t know anything about RPI or any other college,” he said. “So it was just a blind guess, go for it, try out, explore the world, see what’s out there.”
Bubela’s accent is still quite thick but he’s easy to understand and his English is expert. He laughed. “It’s much better than Day 1 when I got here,” he said.
Bubela had a pair of game-winners among his eight goals in his freshman year.
He missed five-six games in each of the next two seasons with back and shoulder injuries and often played hurt. He totaled just four goals and six assists during his sophomore season but was effective last season when healthy, totaling 15 points on eight goals, seven assists. iel) Buie,” Hurley said. “I thought we did a better job at the end of the third and all of the fourth, but then you’re playing with urgency. If we play like that the whole game we win the game.”
The Flying Horses were able to cut Colonie’s lead down to six points — 4741 — heading into the final six minutes.
Troy went on an 11-5 run to open the fourth quarter.
After McLaren was able to put one in from underneath the basket, cutting Colonie’s lead to 56-52, Buie stole the ball as the Garnet Raiders brought the basketball up the court.
The Flying Horses got the loose ball, and as senior guard Darius HolmesHines scrambled on the floor for the basketball he was fouled and sent to the line for free throws.
The senior sunk both, cutting Colonie’s lead to two points with 43 seconds remaining.
After alternating baskets and a Troy foul on the inbound, Colonie’s Bryce Waterman stood at the foul line with an oneand-one with just 16 seconds remaining.
Waterman missed his first shot but got his own rebound and was fouled again.
After sinking the first and missing the second, Carmello brought the ball up the court with just 15 seconds to go.
As Carmello crossed halfcourt and time was ticking down the junior put up a desperation 3-pointer, and was fouled.
After sinking all three of his field goals, he made it 60-59 with eight seconds remaining.
The Flying Horses fouled Will Aybar two seconds later, and the sophomore made both shots to
“Congratulations to Colonie. They made the plays down the stretch when it mattered most. We didn’t guard in the first half and that’s what I said to my team. If we don’t play defense (we can’t win), and we didn’t play defense at all in the first half.”
give Colonie a 62-59 lead. Troy had one last shot. The Flying Horses got the ball inbounds and into Buie’s hands, who was Troy’s hottest shooter and had nine points in the quarter.
Buie found himself with some room on the right side of the floor and took a contested three. From the time Buie released the ball it looked good, but the basketball went in and rimmed out as time expired.
“We put up a good fight, we just fell short,” McLaren said. “We had some bad defensive plays but we fought to the end and really picked it up, but we just fell short.”
The Flying Horses will look to rebound when they take on Columbia Friday at home.