USHL: Rising star Barbolini spurring on rejuvenated Lincoln

Matthew Barbolini has been a key contributor for the Lincoln Stars this season. (Lincoln Stars)

Three months ago, a weight was lifted off Matthew Barbolini’s shoulders. The 19-year-old forward from Williamsville, N.Y., finally committed to a college, choosing to matriculate to Miami (Ohio) University, starting with the 2020-21 season.

“It was a long time coming, but I wanted to wait and make sure that I found the right school for me and was somewhere I felt I belonged,” Barbolini said. “Head coach Chris Bergeron and his staff made me feel like it’s going to be a perfect fit for me. I’m really excited.”

Barbolini, 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, already has proven to be an ideal skater for his rejuvenated Lincoln Stars squad.

Last season, Barbolini’s first in the United States Hockey League, he totaled 22 points (7-15-22) in 55 games for the Stars, who finished last in the circuit with 12 wins and 32 points in 62 games. However, by the halfway point of this season, both Lincoln and Barbolini had already equaled their respective point totals from a year ago.

“As a person and a player, you learn a lot from a year like last season,” said Barbolini, who had 16 goals and 15 assists for 31 points in 45 games. “You can’t just take negatives out of it; you have to find positives. I’d say the positives would be realizing how difficult it is to win in the USHL and that you’re not going to get an easy night, any night. It was good for me. I played a lot, played in every situation, and was given a lot of opportunity. It was good for me from a development standpoint. You definitely have a chip on your shoulder after a year like that, and you go into your second year with more motivation.”

From his debut in the USHL to now, Barbolini feels he’s upgraded his hockey sense more than any other skill.

“The more games you play, the more confidence you have in yourself, and you start thinking the game a little differently,” he said. “You start simplifying it and taking what the game gives you more because you have to be smart and roll with the punches sometimes and just make the right play, the simple play. You become a more mature player and realize those little details, and that helps you.”

One of those details is scoring when he finds himself with an opportunity, which Barbolini has learned are harder to come by each time he advances to a higher level.

“You don’t get many of them in this league,” the left-handed shooter said. “When you do, you must make sure you capitalize on them.”

What’s also helped Barbolini this season is being more comfortable off the ice. He readily admits that one of the toughest challenges he’s had to overcome so far in his hockey journey was moving away from home, which he did before the 2017-18 season, when he played in the North American Hockey League with the Janesville Jets.

“Living in a different state so far from my family was difficult for me,” saisd Barbolini, who notched 10 points (4-6-10) in 49 games with the Jets that season. “You get homesick every once in a while and it can get a little lonely, but you always hear from your family and you realize that you have their love and support. It’s a sacrifice you need to make to follow your dream.”

Despite the initial challenges, there’s one particular positive of living away from home that made Barbolini smile as soon as he made the move.

“It felt like I was becoming a pro kind of, living on my own and playing hockey,” he said.

In addition to adapting to life away from the comforts of the Empire State, Barbolini’s one season in Janesville also allowed him to acclimate to junior hockey, which benefited him when it was time to make the leap to the USHL.

“It was tough being a younger guy in such an older league like the NAHL, but you learn a lot about having to mature as a person and a player,” he said. “You learn that not everything is going to be given to you; you must earn it. You also have to learn how to play the right way when you take that step. It was an amazing first year of juniors, though. That team means a lot to that community, and being able to play for them and their fans was great.”

The fact that Barbolini is playing the ice game instead of a different one is a credit to his grandpa, Carl Seager. While many of Barbolini’s relatives played soccer, Carl was a passionate hockey fan.

“He wanted to get me on the ice and see me play, and I started playing when I was 4 years old,” Barbolini said. “We talk hockey all the time. I’m definitely glad that he put me in skates.”

Once it became clear growing up in suburban Buffalo that Barbolini was going to be a hockey aficionado like Carl, he was placed in youth hockey programs, starting with the Amherst Knights. He later played for the West Seneca Wings, Buffalo Regals and Buffalo Junior Sabres.

While with the Junior Sabres, he was coached by 14-year National Hockey League center and former Buffalo Sabres captain Michael Peca.

“He’s such a legend in the game and handles himself like a pro,” Barbolini said. “It was amazing having him coaching me and teaching me the little things. There are a lot of things that you learn, such as what he’s thinking during the game and what your options are on the ice. I tried to absorb everything I could from him. You take what he tells you to heart because you know he’s trying to help you. It was really beneficial for me to have him around when I was developing.”

What’s beneficial for Barbolini today is being able to play with a clear mind since his college destination has been decided. And with that concern behind him, he wants other players seeking their college commitment to have no fear about it.

“At the end of the day, you’re playing hockey, focusing on winning and how your team is doing, and everything you can do to control the game,” he said. “With that said, earning that college commitment is definitely in the back of your mind. You want to have it. It motivates you and you try to prove yourself every time you’re out there.

“But when you get it, it’s really not much different. You still have something to prove. If I had any advice for someone who isn’t committed, I’d say it’s coming. Just keep working and don’t even think about it. Just keep playing.”

@LeoScaglioneJr

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