KEARNEY, Neb. – Although he’s still in his first season playing hockey in the United States, Tri-City Storm defenseman Mattias Goransson has made up his mind. He wants to stay.
Goransson has committed to play collegiately at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell with the River Hawks in the Hockey East conference.
A native of Grums, Sweden, Goransson visited the school’s campus last week and said it was all he needed to see.
“It was a great visit,” Goransson said “I really liked the campus and the rink was awesome. The players showed me around where they lived, and I really liked that everything was close.”
The defenseman has appeared in all 52 games this season for the Storm, scoring six goals and adding 19 assists for 25 points.
It has been an adjustment for the six-foot, three-inch blueliner, who had to learn to play on a smaller ice surface than what he was used to in Sweden. Goransson credited Tri-City assistant coach JB Bittner with helping him make the necessary changes.
“I’ve worked with JB almost every day it’s helped me improve my skills,” Goransson said. “The rink was new for me. It took time to get used to playing on the smaller ice but he’s really helped me get comfortable, be in the right position with my gap control, and protect myself when I get hit.
“You don’t have as much time here, but I can use my size here much more than I could on the bigger ice.”
Goransson, who played for Brynas J20 in Sweden during the 2013-14 season, said he values the chance to play at the next level while attending classes.
“It’s a big opportunity for me to combine school and hockey,” Goransson said. “You don’t have that opportunity in Sweden on a high level. It feels great to secure the next couple years, knowing what I’m going to do. I’m feeling good with it.”
Joining Storm forward Nick Master, who is already committed to play at UML, the two will become the fifth and sixth players in Storm history to move on to Lowell, and the first to wear a Redhawks sweater since Bill Eiserman in 2012. Bobby Robins, who made his NHL debut earlier this season with the Boston Bruins, played in Lowell from 2002-06 after spending the 2001-02 season in Kearney.
Including Goransson, Tri-City now has 19 players committed to play Division I college hockey.
Goransson is the sixth player on the roster to commit to a school in the Hockey East, joining Master, Tory Dello and Bobby Nardella (Notre Dame), Garrett Gamez (Providence College), and Christopher Brown (Boston College).
Tri-City leads the Western Conference with 70 points, and is one point behind the Youngstown Phantoms for the USHL lead with eight games remaining in the regular season.
“We want to win the Anderson Cup,” Goransson said. “We’re still in the race there. That’s exciting; we still have much to play for. We’re trying to make the best of it and get a good spot in the playoffs.”
The Storm will have a chance to clinch a playoff berth this weekend, hosting Des Moines for two games. Friday’s contest begins at 7:30 p.m., whileSaturday’s is at 7:05.
For more information and to purchase tickets, contact the Viaero Event Center Box Office at 308.338.8011 or visit www.stormhockey.com.