by Brian Germinaro | AHL On The Beat
Bridgeport Islanders teammates Marc Gatcomb and Wyatt Newpower have a bond that goes far beyond Total Mortgage Arena.
But at the same time, it’s a unique relationship rooted and nurtured well within the Nutmeg State.
Gatcomb and Newpower players signed with the Islanders organization this past summer and both walked into a new environment during training camp, not knowing many faces. But they knew each other. The pair played two seasons together up the road in Storrs, Connecticut, home to the UConn Huskies. Newpower was a junior defenseman when Gatcomb, a forward, entered the program as an 18-year-old freshman for the 2018-19 season.
“It’s absolutely a bond,” Newpower said. “It’s funny, Marc and I were close playing together for two years and our families even got close too. When I first signed with the Islanders, I heard he had also recently signed, so I called him right away. There was a lot of excitement.”
“It was good to have a familiar face at camp, especially not knowing anyone right away,” Gatcomb said. “I love playing with him – he was my captain at UConn and is still a really close friend.”
While they grew up in separate parts of the country, the state of Connecticut and the game of hockey provided common ground to build upon. Under long-time Huskies head coach Mike Cavanaugh, they quickly realized that both played a similar brand of physical, hard-nosed hockey: not shying away from contact, willing to block shots, and manning the penalty kill.
“You’re always looking to add toughness, and we knew coming into the season that their games mirrored each other,” said Bridgeport head coach Rick Kowalsky. “They’re great kids who do more for our team than just what you see on the ice. They both have exceptional leadership qualities and are active in the community.”
Gatcomb moved down from his childhood home in Woburn, Massachusetts. Newpower is originally from Hugo, Minnesota. But both now call Connecticut home.
While the pair ended up at UConn, the paths to get there were much different. Gatcomb went to prep school in Connecticut and eventually visited the Huskies’ campus, knowing from the moment he first stepped foot there that his decision was made.
“When I toured the school, it really felt like home,” Gatcomb said. “I love the campus and the coaching staff made an incredible impression.”
Newpower wasn’t as convinced right away. He didn’t have much interest from colleges; in fact, UConn was the only university that offered him a scholarship.
“When I graduated high school in Minnesota, I had every intention of going to play junior hockey,” Newpower said. “[UConn] gave me a call and said they needed me right away. I was the only right-handed freshman defenseman, so it was a good fit.”
Although their paths to Storrs were different, one thing they agreed on was that it prepared them for the professional game.
“I went through some hard times in college,” Newpower explained. “My sophomore year, I didn’t play a lot of games, but it’s when I learned the most about hockey and what you have to go through in life when things are not going your way – dealing with adversity. I sat down with my coach and had a tough conversation. That’s when I fully moved to Connecticut and spent the summers training with the UConn strength coach, who I still train with today.”
The commitment paid off. Newpower appeared in all 34 games during his junior campaign, recording three goals and 11 assists for 14 points to lead all Huskies defensemen. However, his biggest accomplishment came during his senior season when he was voted captain by his teammates. He racked up a career-high 22 points, which was the record for most points by a UConn defenseman at the time.
For Gatcomb, UConn prepared him for the style of play he would experience as a pro.
“We played a hard-nosed game, which helped me in my transition,” he noted. “Our strength coach was great as well, and I got into really good shape.”
Gatcomb’s hard work on the ice and in the gym paid off as in his senior year he was voted as an assistant captain and produced career highs in goals (8), assists (13) and points (21) in 36 games. Under his leadership, the Huskies had one of their best seasons in program history, making it to the Hockey East championship.
Both players bring a blue-collar work ethic and strong leadership qualities to a Bridgeport squad that is full of youth. But as the team continues to build chemistry through the first quarter of the regular season, Gatcomb and Newpower have already built plenty, which they hope rubs off on their new teammates.
“From my perspective, the guys I played with in college are still my best friends, and Marc is right at the top of that list,” Newpower said. “Who would have thought hockey would bring us back?”