Former Natives captain enjoying tenure with Saint Mary's

Details

Published on Monday, November 25, 2013

By: Lanny Stewart

myWestman.ca

Former Neepawa Natives captain Dylan Dock says he's enjoying his current tenure with the Saint Mary's Cardinals men's hockey team.

Dock spent the 2011-2012 season with the Natives after a trade that saw the forward from River Falls, Wisconsin get shipped to Neepawa from the Winkler Flyers. After netting 15 goals and 47 points in 58 regular games for the Natives, Dock's Manitoba Junior Hockey League career came to a close and it was time for him to make a decision on where to continue his hockey career.

Dock wound up committing to the Cardinals Division III men's hockey program located in Winona, Minnesota where he is now in the midst of his second season with the team, which plays in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

After failing to make the playoffs last season, Dock, 22, believes this year's version of the Cardinals are an overall better squad and is optimistic the club will be able to clinch a postseason berth. The Cardinals currently sit with a 1-3 conference record -- their lone win however was against last year's conference champion St. John's.

"I'm having a pretty good time here," said Dock. "The guys are great. We have 11 seniors this year, so we have lots of leadership on the team which is great as well."

It's been well documented the sports rivalry between Wisconsin and Minnesota as both states continually look to grab an edge on the other, whether it's football, basketball or in this case: hockey.

Asked why he chose a Minnesota school over an institution in his home state, Dock said it wasn't that difficult of choice to make.

"It wasn't too bad of a change," he said. "I chose Saint Mary's over a few Wisconsin Division III teams. It would've been a different story if I would've been choosing between Division I schools Minnesota or Wisconsin," he continued with a smile.

Dock says he loved his time in Neepawa and credited current Natives general manager Myles Cathcart, director of player personnel and head scout Byron Billett and former head coach Ken Brooks for his continued development as a player as well as his billet family and former teammates.

"The community support was great and it made it easy to come to the rink every day and play hard," he said.

He vividly remembers the 'community night' game against Swan Valley that season -- a game in which Neepawa came out on top.

Dock has played in all seven games with the Cardinals squad this season (including non-conference) and has seen time on every forward line. Although he's yet to accumulate any points thus far this year, he feels like his time will come when he begins to put up points.

"All I can do is keeping working hard and good things will happen," he concluded.

For more info on the Saint Mary's hockey program and to stay up-to-date on the Cardinals this season, click here.

Photo of Dock courtesy of St. Mary's Cardinals athletics