The Fanscotian recently sat down with the three junior girls who serve as statisticians for the Raider Ice Hockey team, Brianna Provenzano, Ciera Gano, and Samantha Schuster. Here's what we found out.

I am a stat girl for the hockey team because...
SS: Hockey is my life. I have been a hockey fan for as long as a can remember... I just can't get enough of it. Ever since my dad brought me to my first Devils game, I just wanted more and more.
CG: I enjoy watching hockey and I love the idea of having a front row seat at every game.
BP: I like being there to show my support and I enjoy getting a ride to every game.

The best part about being a stat girl is...
CG: Being able to support the team by going to every game.
BP: Missing some school every once in a while to go to early games. It's like you're a member of the team, you just don't have to play.
SS: Spending time with the guys. I'm friends with most of them, so it makes the job easier. I do wrestling stats as well, but I feel like hockey makes more sense to me, and it's a lot more fun to watch!

Every stat girl must be able to...
BP: Multitask, since there are so many different parts of the game to focus on. You don't realize how complicated and intense the sport really is until you watch it really carefully.
SS: Keep up with the fast pace of the game. It's challenging to get everything down when there are constant line and possession changes happening among other things.
CG: Keep up with the action by knowing the players and keeping up with the action on the ice.

Taking the bus with the hockey team can best be described as...
SS: ROAD TRIP! When you know most of the team, it's just like traveling anywhere else...
CG: Hilarious. It's just like taking a family vacation with all your crazy cousins.
BP: A road trip. Whether they're listening to music, laughing at each other or focusing on the game coming up, you realize the chemistry of the team off the ice.

The hardest thing I'd have to learn to play hockey would be...
CG: Figuring out how to handle the stick and the puck at the same time.
SS: Skating backwards and stopping. I have my own skates and I can skate, but I'm still having some difficulty in those areas. I think I would have the fighting and the sitting in the penalty box part down pretty good though!

The most interesting thing I've learned through my job is...
CG: How many things you have to keep track of while taking stats. Sometimes I get caught up in watching the game and the next thing you know, I missed writing down the statistics.
BP: What a great sport hockey is. I was never a hockey fan, but you don't realize how hard it is to play until you have to keep track of every move the guys make on the ice. It's really fast paced and exciting.
SS: There's a lot more to hockey stats than just recording goals. We have to know the +/- system, goalie stats and shots on goal, too.

If I were the hockey coach , I would...
BP: Probably get fired. I don't know a lot about hockey but I'm learning!

The secret to being a stat girl is...
BP: To stay focused and really pay attention to the action on the ice. Oh, and to always sit next to Sam, because she actually knows what she's talking about.
SS: Knowing what you're doing and keeping up with the game. If you don't pay attention, you can miss a lot. I know sometimes going to games or even watching hockey on TV, I miss a lot. It's something you definitely have to keep a close watch on.
CG: Knowing the game and loving the game.