Scituate’s Whitney rediscovers his game with Cornell hockey program

Sean Whitney, his fellow blue liners on the Cornell men’s hockey team, and the Big Red coaching staff settled in for a film session last October. The highlight reel: Game 7 of the NHL’s Western Conference semifinals last May between Detroit and San Jose, in which the Sharks pulled out a thrilling 3-2 win.

The pace was quick, the decision making quicker. Every mistake could potentially mark the early end of an eight-month journey.

And finally, the light bulb went on for Whitney, a 6-foot-4, 210-pound senior defenseman from Scituate via Cushing Academy who was struggling a bit with his game. The film session changed the way he viewed the game.

“I thought that was unbelievable,’’ Whitney said. “All the coaches are always saying to keep it simple. It’s something I’ve struggled with. Watching that film, I saw that keeping it simple doesn’t mean dumping [the puck] in every time you get to the blue line, or just shoving it up the boards.

“It’s just making the right plays quickly. Especially in a playoff game, those guys get the puck and move it as quickly as they can, tape to tape, up the ice. I’ve tried to incorporate that.’’

Like many defensemen, those quick, make-or-break decisions have challenged Whitney. The result has been a collegiate career that both he and coach Mike Schafer refer to as a “roller coaster.’’

Whitney saw limited ice time as a freshman, appearing in 14 games, including two in the NCAA Division 1 Midwest Regional. All in all, it was a fairly routine season for a freshman defenseman.

His sophomore year was far from routine. Whitney played in 25 games, tallying three goals and eight assists. He worked extensively on the Big Red’s top power-play unit, which converted at a 20.6-percent clip for the season. He scored his first career goal in Madison Square Garden as Cornell tied Boston University, 3-3, in the second Red Hot Hockey event.

“Every year, roles change, especially in college hockey with guys signing or graduating,’’ Whitney said. “My sophomore year, I was lucky enough to be on the power play with four incredible players. It really worked well for me. We just clicked.’’

Last season was a step back. He appeared in 27 games, but was taken off the power play. His minutes diminished, as did his production (two goals, three assists).

“He’s always wanted to have a huge impact on the team,’’ Schafer said. “Like a lot of guys, they think they have to create something or make something happen. I think Sean struggled with that. Every time the puck was on his stick, he wanted to make something big out of it.’’

It’s a temptation that weighs on many young defensemen. Playmaking enticed Whitney more than most in part because of his familiarity with the style. His older brother, Ryan, a 28-year-old rearguard with the Edmonton Oilers, is one of the more skilled blue liners in the National Hockey League (229 points in 406 games).

“He’s great on the power play and a great skater, and I think I’ve always wanted to be that player,’’ the younger Whitney said. “I never felt pressure per se because he’s a power-play guy always getting points, but it’s something I wanted. I found the more you press for those points, the harder it is to play the game.’’

Whitney dedicated the offseason to returning to form. He spent the summer on campus, working with the team’s athletic trainers, focusing on his conditioning.

Just as important, he adjusted his approach, with the Sharks-Red Wings game tape playing a key role.

“We wanted to show how effective their defensemen were, and emphasize what we wanted them to do,’’ Schafer said.

“With [Whitney’s] commitment and seeing that at the NHL level, how well the defensemen keep pucks moving and making simple decisions, he’s done that for us now. He’s playing the best hockey of his career at Cornell.’’

Whitney has taken regular reps with Braden Birch, a junior who was selected in the sixth round by Chicago in the 2008 NHL draft. The duo has stymied opposing skaters all season in an 8-4-1 start for the Big Red, who played a two-game set at Colorado College the last two nights.

Opponents are yet to score a five-on-five goal when the pair is on the ice together this season.

“It’s weird how your role can change, but that happens with different teams,’’ said Whitney, who has three assists in 13 games. “I’ve found my own role on this team.’’

Christine Duffy second in assists

Southern New Hampshire senior guard Christine Duffy is making her mark nationally. The Archbishop Williams grad from South Boston currently ranks second in the NCAA Division 2 in assists per game (6.8).

Duffy’s been effective and consistent, dishing out at least five assists in 11 of the team’s 14 games, including a career-best 12 handouts in a 77-58 win over C.W. Post on Dec. 17. Her 463 career assists rank third in program history, 83 shy of Diana Odoardi’s program record of 546 with 12 games left.

“She has really good court vision on the open floor,’’ SNHU coach Karen Pinkos said. “She just goes, goes, goes. We have some good post players that run the floor well, and she does a great job finding those kids.’’

Battista takes her game to new level

Lauren Battista arrived at Bentley last year amid a flurry of expectations, after the 6-foot guard/forward was named the state’s Player of the Year as a senior at Oliver Ames.

Battista put together a stellar first season in the Falcons’ flight to the Elite 8, but her game has really taken off as a sophomore.

She reeled off four consecutive 20-plus point games entering this weekend, highlighted by a 29-point performance in an 83-66 win over the hosts at the Bridgeport Holiday Classic to earn Player of the Week honors in the Northeast-10.

In 28 minutes per game, she is averaging a team-high 19.8 points and 8.1 rebounds per game for the Falcons (12-1), ranked fourth in Division 2.

“She’s so talented, and she’s versatile,’’ Bentley coach Barbara Stevens said. “At any point in the game, you can see her handling the ball against pressure, you’ll see her posting up, or you’ll see her playing out on the perimeter. . . . She just understands what needs to be done throughout the course of the game. . . . She’s a really good, cerebral player, if you will.’’

Jake Seiner can be reached at jseiner24@gmail.com.