INCH A to Z: St. Lawrence's Shawn Fensel

The following article featuring St. Lawrence defenseman Shawn Fensel appeared August 6 on the InsideCollegeHockey.com Web site as part College Hockey A to Z.

You can't learn how to spell before you've mastered your A-B-Cs. Turns out that's the best way to preview the college hockey season as well. For the fifth year in a row we present Inside College Hockey A to Z, an alphabetical look at a player you need to know from all 58 colleges in Division I.

Two of the best defensemen in ECAC Hockey just so happen to land conveniently adjacent to each other in today's Inside College Hockey A to Z profiles. While their last names start with F, they'll get a passing grade from all evaluators. Learn more about Taylor Fedun of Princeton and Shawn Fensel of St. Lawrence.

SHAWN FENSEL
St. Lawrence
Sr. | D | Nepean, Ontario

Key Statistics: Shawn Fensel of St. Lawrence has averaged just about one point for every three games he's played through his first three seasons of college hockey, and had his best offensive performance of his career last season, with three goals and 15 points in 34 games. But, as you'll read, Fensel's game isn't about points.

What He Does: The best comparable for Fensel - and one that ECAC Hockey fans can relate to - is former Vermont defenseman Jaime Sifers. Fensel is a true leader, as evidenced by the fact that he served as a Saint co-captain as a junior, and has a similar stocky build to Sifers. The other comparisons also ring true. He's great in his own end, makes excellent reads on plays in all three zones, and has enough offensive ability to contribute on the scoresheet.

The Bigger Picture: With just 39 career points in 111 career games, Fensel doesn't often find his name on the scoring side of the scoresheet. What's even more impressive, and more important to St. Lawrence, is that you won't find his name on the penalty side of the scoresheet either. Fensel was whistled for just six minor penalties as a freshman, seven as a sophomore, and 13 as a junior. All of them were minor penalties, and that discipline is even more remarkable when you factor the amount of ice time that Fensel logs and the fact that he's often matched against the opposition's best forwards.

- Joe Gladziszewski

Complete article can be accessed via the INCH Web site by clicking here.