Apr. 13, 2019

By Fred Liggett
FredL@lstribune.net

A fan favorite and team captain Rocco Carzo is ready to lead the Kansas City Mavericks into the 2019 Kelly Cup Playoffs. Carzo has been a hit with Mavs fans since joining the team but this season he elevated his status by playing in all 72 regular season games the team played.

The veteran forward says he “put in time during the off season, team trainer Nick Potter went above and beyond his position keeping after him on getting ready for the season.” Getting to play in all 72 games is something Carzo “takes pride in that.” On the 2018-19 season Carzo admits he has “been lucky, had a few bumps and bruises, just played through it.” Being able to play every night is something Rocco enjoys “after sitting out much of last year due to a knee injury” and the surgery that followed.

Now that the post season is here Carzo will continue to play and help the Mavericks overcome Mountain Divison top seed Tulsa Oilers. Rocco says the playoffs “are a whole new season, games are tougher but it’s what we play for.” With Utah and Idaho playing in the other Mountain Division semi-final series Carzo sized up the division playoffs. “Don’t look far ahead, but this division is the toughest one in the league.” To advance in the playoffs Carzo says “it won’t be easy, but not impossible.”

For the 28 year old Carzo, the Mavericks is not the only post-season hockey he is keeping his eye on. This weekend is the annual Frozen Four being held in Buffalo, NY. One of the four teams playing in it is UMASS, Rocco’s alma mater. Carzo says, “UMASS is my school, I follow them, rooting for them. Coach has them rolling.” The NCAA Championship game will be played Saturday at 7 p.m.

Speaking of NCAA March Madness, the hoops kind also took up some of Rocco’s time this past month. Carzo admits, “I had a bracket, like many others, mine was shot pretty early. I am more a football fan than basketball.” There is a lot of talk this month about the new Avengers movie coming out on Apr. 26. Rocco says about the Avengers movie series, “I watch them, not a hard core fan, but watch it at some point.”

Check out the Captain Rocco Carzo and the rest of the Mavericks when the team returns home on Wednesday, Apr., 17 for game 3 of their Kelly Cup playoff series against the Tulsa Oilers. The fun begins inside the Silverstein Eye Centers Arena when the puck drops at 7:05 p.m.

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