Megariotis playing his part in Fighting Falcons’ turnaround
By Matt Mackinder –
Last month, Peter Megariotis drove more than 2,300 miles from his home in California to play for last season’s worst team in the North American Hockey League.
The Port Huron Fighting Falcons had a troubled first season and won all of six games in 2010-2011. Megariotis was acquired by Port Huron midway through the season from the Fresno Monsters and was one of few bright spots for the Falcons the rest of the way facing a ton of rubber between the pipes.
This season, Megariotis hopes, is different. If the team’s six wins through mid-October is any indication, it already is.
“We have a really good team and I think we have a good mix of younger and older players,” said Megariotis, one of just three returning players with Port Huron. “I feel really good about this year and I truly believe we can put it together and go for it this year. Having (head coach) Bill (Warren) back is also huge. He came in last season and really got us organized and ready to play on a daily basis.
“When Bill came in last year, this really wasn’t his team and to be honest, a lot of times we were just going through the motions.”
Megariotis has extra motivation this year as having just turned 20, his junior hockey eligibility is exhausted at the end of the season. He’s hoping he can continue playing beyond this season.
“I’ve had a couple Division III schools talk to me, but I’m really hoping for a D-I chance,” said Megariotis, who earned three wins all of last year before picking up win
No. 3 this year on Oct. 12. “When I came here from Fresno, I saw that we had scouts at our games and I can’t remember a time where we had one in Fresno. Being in Port Huron, we’re right in the middle of so many colleges and it’s not far for any of them to come by to one of our games.”
Neither Megariotis or rookie Max Milosek has formally been named Port Huron’s No. 1 goalie and Megariotis doesn’t expect one to be any time soon.
“I have the mindset that I can be a No. 1, but Max is a really good goalie in his own right,” said Megariotis. “Max and I push each other on and off the ice, we joke around with each other and we correct mistakes the other makes. There is really good chemistry.”
And if Megariotis and his father didn’t already have the typical father-son bond before, driving cross-country certainly solidified their relationship.
“It took about 36 hours and we drove through I don’t know how many different states,” laughed Megariotis. “It was a lot of fun, that’s for sure. Once we got to Port Huron, he flew back to California and I kept the car.”
Megariotis is also hoping that with a strong season, the Port Huron community can continue to embrace NAHL hockey after decades of pro hockey.
“I think more and more people are starting to embrace us here,” explained Megariotis. “We have a lot of diehard fans and we’re really starting to connect with the community. For a lot of these people, they will come and watch hockey regardless of what level it is.”
Coming back to Port Huron was just one option Megariotis had after last season with the other playing hockey in Belarus. Ultimately, he and his parents decided playing out his NAHL career with the Fighting Falcons was the most sensible decision.
“I’m pushing myself harder everyday and I’m hoping to play hockey as long as I can,” said Megariotis. “Obviously, I’d like to play pro hockey someday after college, but really, all I can do is be the best I can be and see what happens.”