Looking back on BU hockey this decade

The decade started with a bang, when the Terriers saw rookie Rick Dipietro emerge as one of the best goalies, not only BU has seen but the NCAA has seen The '99-00 Terriers won the Hockey East regular season title but than lost to Maine 4-2 in the semi final of the Hockey East tournament. The season ended in a game that will go down as one of the longest game in NCAA hockey history. The Terriers lost to St. Lawrence in the fourth overtime of the Northeast Regional final.
Photo of Rick Dipietro after the loss to St. Lawrence


'00-2001: The Terriers lose a lot of players from the year before including Rick Dipietro as the first over all pick in the draft. The record showed as BU went 14-20-3. The two best games of the season came in tournament play when Terriers upset number three North Dakota 4-3 in the Badger Showdown and beat Northeastern in the first round of the Beanpot. Once again the Terriers lost a thrilling long game to end their season when Providence College downed BU 4-3 in double overtime in the quarterfinals of the Hockey East play-offs.


'01-2002: BU turns things around and goes 25-10-3. During the season the Terriers had a nine game win streak starting with a win over Merrimack and ennding with a lost to Maine. Maine proved to be a problem for the Terriers the entire season when they beat BU 4-3 in consecutive game. One comming in the Hockey East semi finals and the other in the NCAA tournament. On the season the Terriers went 1-3-1 against Maine.


'02-2003: The Terriers started the season off on the right foot, when they won the Icebreaker tournament in October. Rookie Brad Zancanaro won the first game in a shootout over Northern Michigan. In the Icebreaker final the Terriers beat RPI 5-1. BU would win another in season tournament, this time coming in the Great Lakes Invitational. BU downed Michigan state in the opening round and then beat Michigan in the final. The Terriers would win their third in season tournament when they beat Boston College 3-2 in the Beanpot final. Even with all the tournament success BU finished in 5th place in Hockey East. With that BU had to go to #4 Providence and there the Terriers won two games and moved on to the semi finals in the Boston Garden. There, BU won a thriller over Boston College in two overtimes. Second year man, Justin Maiser scored a hat trick, including the game tieing (video) and game winning (video) goals. The Terriers would lose the Hockey East Championship game in  overtime to New Hampshire 1-0. Terrier goalie Sean Fields stopped 40 of 41 shots that he faced and was named tournament MVP. The season ended in the NCAA playoffs when the Terriers fell to New Hampshire 3-o. 


'03-2004: BU had their worst season of the decade, when they went just 12-17-9 and finished 8th (the final spot to get in the playoffs) in the Hockey East regular season standings. To finish 8th BU had to beat New Hampshire in their rink, in the last game of the regular season. BU won the game 4-3 in overtime when David Van Der Gulik scored (video of the goal) off a rebound. In the Hockey East playoffs BU beat #1 Boston College three games to two. Once BU reached the Garden they face Maine and lost 1-0 and the Terriers season was over.


'04-2005: Terrier head coach Jack Parker locked up his 700th win on December 3rd 2004, when the Terriers beat arch rival Boston College 3-2 (video highlights). The '04-'05 season saw the closing of Walter Brown Arena and the opening of Agganis Arena, when the Terriers took on the #1 Minnesota. BU lost the final game at Walter Brown 2-1 (video highlights) but then won the opener at Agganis 2-1 as well (video highlights). Brad Zancanaro scored the last goal at Walter Brown and the first goal at Agganis. Later in the season the Terriers would win the Beanpot in yet and other thrilling game. BU beat Northeastern in overtime of the championship game when Chris Bourque dove across the crees and nocked home a rebound (video highlights). The season ended after a 5-2 lose to New Hampshire in the Hockey East semi final and a 4-0 lost to North Dakota in the NCAA playoffs. 
Photo of the opening night at Agganis arena


'05-2006: The season stared slow, but did it ever pick up. After the winter break the Terriers rolled and went on a 14-2 run. In that came the beanpot championship when the Terrier downed Boston College 3-2 in the final. In the Hockey East playoffs BU faced Umass in the quarterfinals and won the series two games to none. In the Garden BU destroyed New Hampshire 9-2 to move on to the final. There, they once again met arch rival Boston College, and the game lived up to is hype. BU won their first Hockey East Championship sine 1997 when Brandon Yip scored on a pass from Chris Higgins with about six minutes left in overtime (video highlights). After winning the that game BU had locked up the number one overall seed in the NCAA tournament. There the Terriers played Nebraska-Omaha in the first round. BU fell down 1-0 but after that it was all Terriers. BU would go on to score nine goals including three from Chris Higgins. The BU season would end  the next night, when they met Boston College for the sixth time. BC blanked the Terriers 5-0 in the North East Regional Final.
photo of the Terriers celebrating Brandon Yips overtime winner to beat BC 


'06-2007: BU started the season as the number 4 ranked team in the country. They did not stay that way for long thought, when they failed to win a game in five straight games. The season was not a total loss thought, BU did win the Beanpot, yet again over Boston College in overtime, when Brain McGuirk picked a conner on Boston College goalie Corey Schneider (video highlight). In the Hockey East playoffs BU beat Vermont 3 games to 2 and the third came in over time when Brandon Yip wristed home the game winner to send BU to the Garden. In the semis the Terriers faced Boston College and got waxed 6-2. The season ended the week later in the NCAA tournament as Michigan State rolled past the Terrier on their way to the National Title.
Photo of the Terrier celebrating the Beanpot championship  

'07-2008: BU started slow once again, not winning their first game till the first of November when they beat Providence 5-3 at home. The Terriers did turn things around and claimed the second seed in the Hockey East playoffs. To get the number two seed, BU had to go on 9-1 streak, starting on the 8th of February and ending on the 7th of March with a win over Providence (video highlight of the PC game). The next week was the first round of the Hockey East playoffs, where the Terriers faced the River Hawks of Umass Lowell. BU beat Lowell 3-2 in three game to move on to the semis (video highlight of the third game vs Lowell). In the Garden the Terrier fell to Vermont 3-1 ending any hope of going to the NCAA tournament and also ending the Terrier 2008 season. 

'08-2009: This season did not start slowly  for the Terriers, it started with a bang. Week one saw the Terriers win the Ice Breaker Invitational with a 2-1 win over Michigan State. Two weeks later BU waxed then #3 Michigan 7-2 at home. The Terriers went on a impressive unbeaten streak starting with a win over Merrimack on January 16. With that win over Merrimack BU head coach Jack Parker claimed his 800th win, all coming at BU. The unbeaten streak ended when the Terrier fell to Maine in quarterfinal, game two of the Hockey East playoffs. The Terrier rebounded and beat Maine (video highlight) the next night to move on the semi final round, where they once again faced Boston College. BU found them selves down a goal in the third but it only took 44 seconds for the Terrier to have a two goal lead (video highlight). BU went on to win the game 3-2 and move on to the Hockey East Championship game. There BU Beat Lowell 1-0 (video highlights part 1/part 2) on the back of goalie Keiran Millan who stopped every shot the River Hawks through his way. BU was the number one overall seed in the NCAA playoffs, where they faced Ohio State in the first round. BU rolled past the Buckeyes beating them 8-3. The next night the Terriers played Hockey East foe New Hampshire. BU won the game with 14 seconds left when Jason Lawrence tried to pass the puck over to an open Colin Wilson.
Instead of the puck getting to Wilson it deflected UNH forward Jerry Pollastrone and in to the back of the net. With the win the Terriers moved on to the Frozen Four for the first time since 1997. There, they faced Vermont in the first round on the Final Four. BU beat Vermont 5-4 in one of the best game I have ever seen. To days later Bu played Miami University for the National Title. BU was down two goals with less than a minute left when Zach Cohen scored off his one rebound to cut the Red Hawk lead to one. Just over 30 seconds later Hobey Backer winner, Matt Gilroy made a perfect pass to a wide open Nick Bonino who found the back of the net with 17.4 seconds left in regulation. In overtime it was Coly Cohen,, who took a slap shot that was deflected and then floated over the shoulder of Miami goalie Cody Reichard and into the back of the net, giving BU their 5th National Title in school history.     

First photo is of John McCarthy (15) and Matt Gilroy (97) hoisting the NCAA Championship Trophy.

Second photo is of the puck sliding in to the UNH goal off of Jerry Pollastrone  

The top 5 games from the last decade


2/27/09 The Terriers found them selves down 3-0 to unranked Umass going into the second period. Once the second period began it was all Terriers, scoring six unanswered goals and sending home once a loud Umass crowed, very disappointed. 


#4: 3/6/04 BU avoids not making the Hockey East Playoffs when David Van Der Gulik scored off his rebound in overtime to beat New Hampshire. (video highlights)


#3: 3/18/06 BU claims the Hockey East Championship in overtime when an all freshman line of Chris Higgins, Brandon Yip, and Jason Lawrence, has a 3 on 2 and Yip scores the game winner. (video highlight)


#2 3/14/03 Terrier forward Justin Maiser posts a hat trick, including the game tieing goal and game winning goal in double overtime to beat Boston College, to move on to the final against UNH. (video highlight Tieing goal, winning goal


#1 4/11/09 BU wins its 5th National title in school history when, Colby Cohen took a slap shot that went in the net with 8:54 left in the first overtime. (video highlights) 


BU Hockey All Decade Team
Defense: Matt Gilroy (AM '08 '09) (career stats)
                    Freedy Meyer (AM '03) (career stats)
              
Offense: Peter MacArthur (career stats)
                    Brandon Yip (career stats)
                    Chris Higgins (career stats)
                    Colin Wilson (career stats)
                    David Van Der Gulik (career stats)
                    Brad Zancanaro (career stats)  


Goalies:John Curry (career stats)
               Sean Fields (career stats) 

Heard, Myers provide spark for Whalers

Good teams have a way of finding energy to continue to be successful, whether it’s a big hit, effective forecheck, big save, or a goal at the right time.

Like that first cup of coffee in the morning, a jolt of energy can go a long way to a successful day.

Although the Plymouth Whalers don’t have the injury problems of the Detroit Red Wings, the truth is Plymouth hasn’t played with a fully healthy lineup all season long. Facing a stretch of games where AJ Jenks, Michal Jordan and Garrett Meurs were all missing time due to the World Junior Championship and World Under-17 Challenge – and with RJ Mahalak and JR Marsden rehabbing injuries – Plymouth coach-GM Mike Vellucci and associate coach Joe Stefan decided to find some energy.

They decided to bring up Mitchell Heard (pictured above) and Sean Myers (pictured left).

Both players made Plymouth out of training camp, but were sent back down during the season – Heard to the Bowmanville Eagles and Myers to Chatham of the Greater Ontario Hockey League.

Like that good first cup of coffee in the morning, Heard and Myers brought some energy – and more – back to the Whalers.

Recalled before Plymouth’s game on December 18 in Oshawa, Heard scored a goal early in the game and was a factor in the Whalers’ 2-1 win over the Generals. Heard played the game in front of 400 people from his hometown of Bowmanville, not far from Oshawa.

When Heard scored to give the Whalers a 1-0 lead in the first period, he jumped into the glass, right in front of his sister and the cheering group from Bowmanville. Later, the Rogers television crew interviewed Heard after the game as the hometown hero.

Heard will be back in the lineup for Plymouth in Kitchener on January 1.

"I love to bring energy to the rink any time I can," Heard said before the Oshawa game. "I want to get the odd goal and work hard, do what the coaches say and go from there."

Myers had a smile on his face as he strolled into the Whalers’ locker room Tuesday in Sarnia. He was given a warm welcome by his teammates – even though he was just playing in Sarnia and then go back to Chatham.

“It’s great to be back,” Myers said on Tuesday. “It feels like I belong here. You never know, you just work hard and see how it goes.”

Sure enough, Myers figured in on the first Whalers goal, digging the puck from behind the Sarnia net and jamming it towards the goal. The puck caromed to Stefan Noesen, who drilled it into the net from just outside the blue crease to give the Whalers a 1-0 lead.

Plymouth went on the defeat Sarnia, 5-2.

Although Heard and Myers may be back in Bowmanville and Chatham in the short-term, they fit in the long-range plan of the Whalers.

“Both are good young talents and they have a future with the club down the road,” said Stefan. “With our injuries and a few of the guys going away to the various junior tournaments over Christmas, we needed some bodies. They’ve come in and have provided some spark and helped us out with some offense.”

Stefan wasn’t totally surprised by Heard’s and Myers’ contributions.

“Both players can contribute that way,” he said. “They have good offensive skills and fit in real well in terms of chemistry. They are a good fit for our team and hopefully we’ll see them a few more games during the rest of the year.”

Myers currently has six goals and 12 assists for 18 points in 17 games for Chatham. Heard – who often plays on a line with another Whaler rookie, Peter Neal - has five goals with two assists for seven points and is +5 in six games in Bowmanville.

Perhaps just as important, Myers and Heard come to the rink with a smile of their face. They love playing the game and look to make Plymouth a more permanent stop.

“They’re both great kids,” Stefan said. When they were here at the start of the year, they fit in real well with the guys. We were all sad to see them go back, but I think they both know they have a future with us. I think they both have a chance to be offensive providers for us in the years to come.”

Courtesy Plymouth Whalers

Photos courtesy Walt Dmoch

Milnamow named to ECHL All-Star team

Just a few days after former classmate Lane Caffaro scored his first professional goal, Brendan Milnamow '09 was named to the ECHL All-Star team in his first professional season. He has spent this season with the Idaho Steelheads where has tallied two goals and 12 assists in 31 games along with 20 penalty minutes. The Steelheads are currently the second best team in the ECHL. You can read about Milnamow and his all-star selection on ECACHockey.com.

Milan blanks UConn in Leaman's 100th win

As expected the Dutchmen spanked the Huskies 7-0. It was an all around effort with six different players scoring goals and 13 of the 18 skaters registering a point. It's nice to see Adam Presizniuk tally two goals, and hopefully this could be the game to get him out of his long scoring slump. It's also great to see Corey Milan get the shutout even though he was relatively untested. Also note that Union went 3-for-7 on the power-play, and captain Mike Wakita scored his first goal of the season. And a special congratulations to Coach Nate Leaman on his 100th career win. He has done a great job with this program with the small amount of resources he has and deserves a ton of credit. You can read summaries about the game on USCHO.com, UnionAthletics.com, and UConnHuskies.com.

The Dutchmen now turn their calenders to 2010 as they closed out 2009 with a 9-4-5 record and an undefeated record in ECAC play. Their first test of 2010 will be on Saturday against Army at West Point. I will be there sitting in Section 11, Row A just like I've been doing since I was five years old, but this time I'll be rooting for the visiting team.

In other ECAC news Princeton topped Cornell 3-2 in the consolation game of the Flordia College Classic, and RPI was demolished by Michigan State 6-1 in the championship game of the Great Lakes Invitational.

I hope everybody has a happy and a healthy New Year! Be sure to watch the NHL Winter Classic on New Years Day!

The Aughts Have It

I created the image above for The Stranger's end-of-the-decade issue...specifically, about regrettable developments in music over the last ten years. The illo focuses on the death of browsing...going into a cool record shop and checking out different records versus sampling tracks online in the solitude of your home (in this case, in your bathrobe). I can't say I'm not guilty of this very thing...at some point, thanks both to the cheapness of eMusic.com and my never-ending battle against additional clutter in my house, I began buying 80% of my music digitally.

If there was a big change in my musical routine, that was it, as the types of music I listen to tended to pretty much stay the same. The same most definitely could not be said for the previous decade...back in 1990 when I was a senior in high school, I occasionally still listened to Def Leppard and Whitesnake, God help me!

Anyway, just for kicks, here's a list I made of my 20 favorite records of The Aughts. By no means meant to be a high-falutin' critical assessment (or in order), but just to recognize some of the amazing tunes that have provided the soundtrack for the last ten years of my life.

1. The Dismemberment Plan - Change
Not long after this came out in 2002 the Plan broke up for good. I didn't make it to nearly as many shows this decade as I did in the previous one, but I am SO glad I got to see these guys a couple times. Just a blast.

2. New Pornographers - Twin Cinema
The best of an extremely strong catalog...the Pornos released four records during this decade, and all of 'em could've made the list.

3. Ken Stringfellow - Soft Commands
If only for one song "When U Find Someone", which posits GWB as Saddam Hussein's biggest stalker. Utterly hilarious. The rest of the record is a beautiful gem of a.m. radio gold.

4. Tortoise - Beacons of Ancestorship
I had a hard time deciding between this and 2001's Standards...but I give Beacons the nod because I think it'll prove to be as classic. Also, there really isn't anything else released in the last couple years on my list!

5. Elliott Smith - Figure 8
Beautiful songs and arrangements...I loved hearing what Smith could do with all those musical tools at his disposal. Then just like that, he was gone.

6. Pernice Brothers - The World Won't End
From first to fifth, the strongest lineup since the '75 Reds. Unbeatable.

7. Death Cab for Cutie - We Have The Facts and We're Voting Yes"
Bogs down at the end with a few plodding tracks (always a problem for DCFC), but really sounded fresh when I first heard it back in spring of 2000. They get slagged a lot, but I think they've done some amazing work this decade, and I still enjoy 'em. Besides, anyone over the age of 15 who uses the term "sellout" with any degree of seriousness is an idiot.

8. The Shins - Chutes Too Narrow
This one didn't leave the CD player in my car for about a month...just played it over and over and over.

9. Destroyer - Destroyer's Rubies
As much as I like Dan Bejar's contributions to the New Pornographers, his solo stuff never really caught on with me until this record, which I adore!

10. Sufjan Stevens - Illinoise
"Casimir Pulaski Day" has always made me tear up...now that I have a daughter, it practically make me sob.

11. Sloan - Never Hear the End of It
This might be my overall favorite. I love it so much that I almost can't even think of what to say about it!

12. Apples in Stereo - New Magnetic Wonder
I loved these guys' earlier tunes, but I always kinda considered 'em a novelty act. Wasn't prepared for what a serious and magical record this would be, but it is. It's also notable as being able to survive having two of it's songs ("Energy" for Pepsi and "Sun is Out" for...Dodge, maybe, in the 2008 NHL playoffs?) way overplayed in commercials without my getting completely tired of 'em.

13. Fountains of Wayne - Welcome Interstate Managers
I wanted to pick 2007's Traffic and Weather for this list, just because it was so critically and unfairly maligned. But Managers gets the nod, with FoW at the top of their game.

14. Broken Social Scene - You Forgot It In People
One of several Pitchfork recommendations that I really ended up liking...purchased in NYC at Other Music too, just to add to my indie cachet.

15. Arcade Fire - Funeral
Revered, but deserving...defines epic. Can you listen to the first minute of "Wake Up" and not want to stand up and fly?

16. Interpol - Turn on the Bright Lights What can you say about Interpol? You either like 'em or you don't. Put me in the yes column.

17. They Might Be Giants - Here Come the 123s I wish kids' records had been this good when I was one. Evie loved this thing all summer, and we probably heard it three times a day. Never got sick of it...in fact, half the time it was my idea to play it! You don't have to have little ones to enjoy this stuff!

18. Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will KIck Your Ass By the time 2006 rolled around, I thought I had YLT figured out...mellow and atmospheric, I liked 'em a lot. But I was totally not prepared for how catchy and upbeat this record turned out to be. "Mr. Tough" was my ringtone for a good six months,

19. Sam Prekop - Sam Prekop Okay, it actually came out in 1999, but I didn;t get my hands on it til 2000. This is one of the most perfect records I've ever heard...my pal Craig kinda oversold it to me in his initial recommendation, but it lived up to the hype...since then, I've oversold it to others who've dug it as well. So SEEK IT OUT...you won't be sorry.

20. Archer Prewitt - Three Maybe the only "grower" on this list...It took me about a year to really get into it. Worth the effort.

Hooker an 'impact player' for Jets

The Metro Jets sure would have loved to have Tim Hooker on the ice the first half of the season, but with the way he’s played the last nine games, they’ll take him for the second half.

Hooker, a 19-year-old White Lake native, missed about 20 games this year recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. He made his season debut Dec. 5 at Queen City and since then has averaged a point a game for the Jets on six goals and three assists. Four of those goals came in the CSHL Showcase Dec. 18-21.

While some may be hesitant to go all-out after major surgery, Hooker has been anything but that so far for Metro.

“The shoulder definitely made a full recovery and I try not to worry about anything on the ice except playing my game,” Hooker said. “It took me awhile to get my wheels back and adjusting to the games, but I feel like I am improving every game and practice.”

Having Hooker in the lineup makes an impact, according to Jets coach Ryan Skop.

“Hook's an impact player for sure,” Skop said. “When he's on the ice, you can't help but notice. He's got great offensive skills, he's quick, he's got great vision, he shoots the puck well, and he's one of those guys who have a knack for putting the puck in the net.”

Hooker is a player the coaching staff is banking on to replace former captain Adam Novack, who wound up scoring 28 goals last season.

“Hook's been on our radar for a while now,” added Skop. “He's good friends with Woody (Metro defenseman Steve Lockwood) and last year, he was over at Ferris State, wanted to come back and play some hockey, so he signed with us and was ready to go, but for whatever reason, it didn’t work out. He did a good job keeping in contact with us all summer long and let us know he wanted to come back and play. That was big for us because we were looking for a real offensive guy to replace Novy after he moved on.

“A few weeks back in Cincinnati (Queen City), Hook was ready to go, and got his first game action of the season. He had a couple points that first weekend, but you could tell he was still kind of getting his legs back under him, getting his timing back, everything like that. A few weeks later, Hook's doing exactly what we expected him to do. He’s a power-play quarterback, he’s killing penalties and above all, he's putting up points.”

Currently centering a line with two other White Lake natives, Mike Denston and David Merkle, Hooker said the chemistry with that line was apparent from the first shift together.

“I've played with Merk since I was about 12, so the chemistry is always flowing there, and Denny has some good vision on the ice, too, so we fit perfect,” explained the 5-foot-8, 155-pound Hooker. “I've also played with Lockwood since I was about 10, so we can read each other on the ice real good, which helps when you have a defenseman like that to move the puck up on a rush.”

Speaking of moving up, that’s what Hooker intends on doing after this season.

“I hope to use this season to have as much fun as possible,” Hooker said. “I would definitely like to continue my hockey career at the next level, either playing another year of juniors or going to a university team.”

Still, with nine points in nine games, one wonders how many spots north in the standings the Jets might be had Hooker been healthy all season.

LOOKING BACK, LOOKING AHEAD

The Jets played in the annual league showcase two weeks ago down in the Quad Cities and came up short with two losses each to Toledo and Chicago.

“We definitely had a disappointing performance,” said Skop. “We played well enough to win on Friday (vs. Toledo) and Saturday (vs. Chicago) when we had third period leads in both games and blew them. We simply didn't get the job done when it came time to play lockdown hockey and it cost us four points. Sunday and Monday we were just out-classed. (Goaltender Ian) Mercer stood on his head Monday and gave us a chance to win, but we just didn't put enough pucks in Chicago's net.”

Fri. Dec. 18 – Toledo 6, Metro 4 (Brett Grech two goals)
Sat. Dec. 19 – Chicago 7, Metro 4 (Hooker two goals, assist)
Sun. Dec. 20 – Toledo 7, Metro 1 (Mercer 39 saves)
Mon. Dec. 21 – Chicago 4, Metro 1 (Mercer 56 saves)

The Jets (7-21-0-3) are off this weekend before hosting Chicago next Saturday (7:40 p.m.) and Sunday (1:20 p.m.) at Lakeland Arena.

JET FUEL

Metro released forward Brian Fox last week.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Alec Benson-Dunn, a member of Metro’s national championship team in 2002, where he was the team’s leading scorer and MVP, is now the head coach of the upstart Loyola Marymount University ACHA team in Los Angeles.

It was Benson-Dunn’s goal midway through the third period in the 2002 national finals in Blaine, Minn., against the Phoenix Polar Bears that stood as the game-winner and gave the Jets a 3-2 victory.

After leaving the Jets, Benson-Dunn played for Springfield, Chicago and Helena in the North American Hockey League.

Photo by Andy Grossman

Team USA destroys Latvia

Boston College's Chris Kreinder nets hat trick in 12-1 win


It only took three minutes for the US to get on the board, Danny Kristo (UND) took a wrist shot that went in on the glove side of Latvia goalie Janis Kalnins. From then on the US did not look back, scoring 11 more goals including a penalty shot goal that gave Kreinder his hat trick.

The Terrier's David Warsofsky did not score a gaol or register an assist but did get called for slashing and roughing in the second period

USA Hockey.com recap and photos

#15 UMass ends #18 Union's nine game unbeaten streak

Down 3-1 heading into the third period the Minutemen were able to score three goals to snatch victory away from the Dutchmen by the score of 4-3. Going into the game UMass was known for their third period play and proved it once again. They have now outscored their opponents 25-10 in the third period, and are 3-1 against ECAC opponents this season. This is an incredibly disappointing loss for Union considering they blew a two goal lead in the third period, and had a chance to prove to the nation that they can beat a Top 20 team. As noted in my game preview in order to stop UMass you needed to stop the nation's leading scorer James Marcou and Casey Wellman. The Dutchmen were unable to do this as Marcou registered three assists (including both of Wellman's goals), and Wellman tallied two goals (including the game-winner) and an assist. You can read recaps of the game on UnionAthletics.com and UMassAthletics.com. You can also read clips about the game on USCHO.com and TimesUnion.com.

After dropping this game the Dutchmen will play in the consolation game on Wednesday against host UConn (2-13-2) at 4pm. The Huskies dropped their opening game to Bentley 4-1. The Huskies are one of the worst teams in Division 1 College Hockey as they only have two wins, both of which game against AIC at their home rink early in the season. They haven't won since their last game against AIC on November 7th and are riding a nine game win-less streak. The Dutchmen should easily take care of the Huskies even though they only beat AIC by one goal and lost to Sacred Heart, another Atlantic Hockey team, in overtime. UConn's offense is led by freshman Sean Ambrosie (4g,5a) and junior Andrew Olson (6g,2a) who has four of his goals on the power-play. It will be interesting to see who Coach Leaman starts in goal against UConn considering the importance of the game. He could start Keith Kinkaid because you don't want to lose to a weak team since it would hurt you in the pair-wise rankings, or he could start Corey Milan or Rich 'Pudge' Sillery to give them some work. And once again I personally feel that Leaman should start 'Pudge' since he is a senior and deserves one start in his final collegiate season. If Sillery get the start and lets in a few early goals Leaman could always pull him just like he did against Army last season.

In other ECAC news Princeton came back to tie Maine 6-6, Harvard topped #8 Quinnipiac in a league game, #4 Cornell lost to #3 Colorado College 4-2, and RPI beat Michigan 4-3 in the opening game of the Great Lakes Invitational. Quinnipiac has fallen of late as after winning 12 of their first 13 games they have gone 1-3-1 with their only win coming against AIC.

Drink Healthy Champagne!

By Patrick Driessen

"I had taken two finger-bowls of champagne, and the scene had changed before my eyes into something significant, elemental, and profound.” - F. Scott Fitzgerald

"I only drink champagne when I'm happy, and when I'm sad. Sometimes I drink it when I'm alone.
When I have company, I consider it obligatory.
I trifle with it if I am not hungry and drink it when I am.
Otherwise, I never touch it..... unless I'm thirsty!" - Lily Bolloinger

My Life Lesson #37 is: ‘Drink Champagne for no reason at all’. The history behind this life lessons is that I was fortunate enough to be raised by parents who celebrated most occasions with Champagne and I inherited this habit from them. I love to open up a bottle of good Champagne at any kind of occasion. Because my Champagne intake is very regular (though limited in volume), years ago my mother gave me a pillow with the following quote on it: “Champagne spoken here!”. This is still true!

I really enjoy the smell, taste and feeling of Champagne and…. I have always know that a flute or two a day can be very healthy. Healthy? Yes, very healthy indeed! I have written an article about 'The Benefits of Red Wine for Men', but limited consumption of Champagne is healthy for both men and women!

About two thousand years ago various French’s monks - who developed and improved the Champagne production process - already had proof for the health effects of Champagne. Mireille Guilliano who is the former CEO of Clicquot, Inc. (the U.S. subsidiary of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin) and author of the #1 bestseller French Women Don't Get Fat, believes that many of Champagne's health benefits are due to its trace minerals such as magnesium, potassium, zinc, and lithium (a natural mood regulator).

In 2007 researchers from the University of Reading in the UK suggested that two flutes of Champagne per day may be good for your heart, brain and blood circulation. They also found that drinking Champagne everyday (in moderation, of course) improves the way blood vessels function.

According to their study, Champagne increases the availability of nitric oxide (a molecule which controls blood pressure). It is able to do this because it contains polyphenols, plant chemicals from both red and white grapes used in the production of Champagne. So when you drink Champagne, the polyphenols are absorbed into the circulation where they cast their magic on our vascular system (slowing down the removal of nitric oxide from the blood). With higher levels of nitric oxide in the body, the blood flow is increased and it helps to decrease both blood pressure and the likelihood of blood clots.

The study also concluded that Champagne may help protect the brain from the injuries common with Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, and stroke. Their discovery was that the group of neuron cells penetrated with Champagne extracts demonstrated a significant amount of protection against damage, while the group of neuron cells left alone was not able to fight off destruction. The reason for this, they concluded, was that caffeic acid and tyrosol, antioxidants found in polyphenols, contain anti-inflammatory characteristics. This keeps them from responding to injury and damage. Caffeic acid and tyrosol also possess the ability to remove toxic chemicals, expunging them from a person’s body. Both of these factors work together to help Champagne “top off” our well being.

These findings have now led to further investigation of Champagne’s influence on health and human lifespan, with a specific interest on its influence over aging. In the past, Champagne has always been thought of a drink you want in hand during times of glee. A spirit with a sparkling personality, Champagne seemed to find itself permanently fermented in a celebratory role. But, as more and more research is performed, Champagne has a chance to turn over a new leaf in medical science. With members of the health and science community raising its rank, Champagne is the new wine champion!

What kind of Champagne to drink? The best is the original and genuine French Champagne. However, Italian Prosecco, Spanish Cava and method champagnoise from countries like France, South Africa and Australia also have a healthy impact on your body.

How much to drink? When it comes to Champagne a maximum of two glasses (125ml each) is advised. Drinking too much of any form of alcoholic drink is bad for you - according to the Foods Standards Agency and various scientific studies, women can drink up to three units of alcohol a day and men up to four without a significant risk to their health. A unit is half a pint of standard strength beer or lager, a 25ml measure of spirit or a 125ml glass of wine. Now most bars and restaurants serve it in much larger glasses, so you better estimate your own intake!

The possible side-effects of Champagne. The feeling of light-headedness when drinking Champagne is because the bubbles mean you both inhale and drink alcohol. It may also be absorbed more quickly because the bubbles help the alcohol enter the blood. Champagne bubbles, together with the alcohol, can weaken the valve between the stomach and oesophagus, which could lead to reflux and heartburn. Especially when drinking more than two glasses of Champagne you could suffer from this possible side effect.

The calories. With our increased focus on how many calories we consume per day, our focus on liquid intake is often forgotten. The calories of a glass of champagne are 93 per 125ml glass. Compared to: white wine calories = 93 per 125ml glass / red wine calories = 85 per 125ml glass / Beer = 170 per pint.

When you celebrate the end of this challenging year or any kind of occassion with a glass of cool Champagne, you can have a very healthy toast! Cheers!

"Champagne, if you are seeking the truth, is better than a lie detector. It encourages a man to be expansive, even reckless, while lie detectors are only a challenge to tell lies successfully.” - Graham Greene

Thanks, warm regards & success,


Patrick

Caffaro scores first AHL goal

Former Union star defenseman Lane Caffaro '09 scored his first career AHL goal last night for the Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton Penguins in their 4-3 victory over the Adirondack Phantoms. He scored the first goal of the game and then assisted on a goal later in the game. In 13 games this year Caffaro has registered one goal and three assists and currently has a +3 rating and 14 penalty minutes.
You can read the game recap on WBSPenguins.com.

NAHL Top Prospects rosters announced

The North American Hockey League announced today the 20-man rosters for its third annual Top Prospects Tournament, which will be held January 18-20, 2010 at the Ice Cube in Ann Arbor.

The event will feature all-star teams from the NAHL's Central, North, South and West Divisions competing in a three-game, round-robin tournament.

"I give a lot of credit to our Top Prospects Tournament Selection Committee for their efforts in evaluating and selecting the best our league has to offer to compete in this prestigious event," said NAHL commissioner Mark Frankenfeld. "In short time, Top Prospects has evolved into one of North America's premier scouting showcases, and, like the previous two years, we expect a number of our student-athletes to receive deserved college opportunities following the event."

In the three five-team divisions - the Central, North and South - six players were selected from the first-place teams as of December 20 (Bismarck Bobcats, Marquette Rangers, St. Louis Bandits); five from the second-place teams (Owatonna Express, Janesville Jets, Topeka RoadRunners); three from the third- and fourth-place teams (North Iowa Outlaws/Alexandria Blizzard, Traverse City North Stars/Motor City Metal Jackets, Texas Tornado/Springfield Jr. Blues); and two from the fifth-place teams (Albert Lea Thunder, Alpena IceDiggers, Wichita Falls Wildcats).

One wildcard player was also selected from each of the three divisions (Owatonna/Marquette/Topeka).

In the four-team West Division, six players were chosen from the first-place team as of December 20 (Wenatchee Wild); five from the second-place team (Alaska Avalanche); and four from the third- and fourth-place teams (Fairbanks Ice Dogs/Kenai River Brown Bears).

One wildcard player was also selected from the division (Wenatchee).

Nearly 30 players who participated in last year's Top Prospects Tournament earned scholarships to Division I schools.

In conjunction with the Top Prospects Tournament, the fourth event of the North American Prospects Hockey League season will be played at the Ice Cube from January 15-18.

2010 NAHL Top Prospects Rosters

North Division (.pdf)
Central Division (.pdf)
South Division (.pdf)
West Division (.pdf)

Dutchmen open up UConn Toyota Classic against #15 Massachusetts

The last time the Dutchmen touched the ice was on December 11th when they beat the U.S. U-18 team 4-1 at Messa Rink in an exhibition match. Now 18 days later they head to Storrs, Connecticut to try and extend their nine game unbeaten streak in the UConn Toyota Classic. In order to extend the streak to 10 they have to face a very tough team in the #15 UMass-Amherst Minutemen (10-5-0, 6-4-0 Hockey East (4th Place)) on Tuesday. Depending on the outcome of the game they will play either host UConn or Bentley.

Here are some things to note heading into the game with the Minutemen:

• Union holds the second longest unbeaten streak in the nation (9)
• This is the first game the Dutchmen will face a ranked opponent since becoming ranked
• Coach Nate Leaman's next win will be his 100th
• Mario Valery-Trabucco leads Union's offensive attack with 10 goals and 11 assists. The Dutchmen are 5-1-2 when he scores a goal this season.
• Union goaltender Keith Kinkaid is 5-0-2 in his last seven games with a 2.08 GAA and a .921 save percentage. He faced RPI in his last start where he let up four goals. This was his weakest outing during his streak, which might have been due to fatigue. He should have plenty of rest heading into the tournament.
• The only Hockey East opponent the Dutchmen have faced this year is Maine. They faced the Black Bears in the opening weekend of the season where they took both games 4-1 and 6-3. Maine has improved since opening weekend and now sit in third place in Hockey East.
• UMass hold the advantage in the series with a 5-2-1 record against the Dutchmen. In their last meeting (11/25/07) the Minutemen won 5-2.
• UMass is a tremendous third period team as they have outscored their opponents 22-10 in the final frame.
• The Minutemen last played on December 12th where they beat Hockey East foe Merrimack 4-1 at the Mullins Center.
• UMass is 3-3-0 against ranked opponents this year with their wins coming against #2 Boston University (3-2, 10/16), #9 Yale (4-3(ot), 11/19), and #18 Vermont (6-2, 11/24). After winning their first three games against ranked opponents they lost the next three to #9 Quinnipiac (5-4 (ot), 11/28), #15 Boston College (3-1, 12/4), and #8 UMass-Lowell (5-3, 12/5).
• The Minutemen hold a 2-1 record over ECAC opponents this year with a 5-2 win over RPI (10/8), a 4-3 (0t) win over Yale (11/19), and a 5-4 (ot) loss against Quinnipiac.
• Junior James Marcou is one of the top forwards in the nation and leads the UMass offense. In 90 career games he has registered 105 points including his 32 assists last season which was a UMass single-season record. Last season as a sophomore Marcou was named a second team All-American. Marcou has kept up the pace this season as he leads the nation with 1.73 points per game and is a legitimate contender for the Hobey Baker award. His 26 points (5g, 21a in 15 games) is third most in the nation. He is only one point behind the nation's top scorers Cory Conacher (Canisus, 18 games) and Corey Tropp (Michigan State, 20 games). His 21 assists and 1.40 assists per game is tops in the country. Look for Marcou's speed and vision on the ice to standout.
• With Marcou setting up all these goals someone has to be the beneficiary. And the person reaping the benefits of Marcou's play is sophomore Casey Wellman. Wellman leads the Minutemen with 13 goals, seven power-play goals, and is second on the team with 22 points (13g, 9a). Of his 13 goals Marcou has assisted on 11 of them including all seven of his power-play goals. Wellman is tied for fourth in the nation in goals and power-play goals, sixth in points per game (1.47), and is 15th in points.
• Defenseman Justin Braun is also an offensive threat for UMass from the blueline. Braun, a 2008-09 Hockey East All-Conference selection and a draft pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins last year, is 13th in the nation in scoring with 13 points (3g, 10a).
• On the Minutemen power-play look out for defenseman Matthew Irwin who has scored four goals on the man advantage.
• In goal for the Minutemen is junior Paul Danton, who took over the starting job as a freshman when All-American Jon Quick graduated and went to the NHL where he is having a stellar season for the Los Angeles Kings. In 13 games (11 starts) Danton is 8-5 with a 2.61 GAA and a .922 save percentage.

The game will take place at 4pm at the Mark Edward Freitas Ice Forum. For more information on the Dutchmen and Minutemen check out UnionAthletics.com and UMassAthletics.com. You can also read the tournamnet preview on USCHO.com.

US blanks Switzerland in game two

Team USA picks up the second shut out of the WJC


Team USA got their first two goals from Chris Kreider (BC), Matt Donovan (DU). USA goalie Jack Campbell stopped all 22 shot that he faced and the Americans improved to 2-0 in the World Jr. Championships in Saskatoon.

“I thought we stuck to our game plan and eventually wore them down,” U.S. coach Dean Blais said in a press release.  “Both goaltenders played extremely well. I thought Jack really made some key saves in the first period to keep the game scoreless.” *WTBU*

Boston University and St. Louis Blues prospect, David Warsofsky notched his second assist of the WJC, on team USA's second goal. With the assist, Warsofsky is now tied for the plus minus lead with a +4.

USA.com recap and video highlights (coming later)
WTBU recap

Teams USA's next game is Wednesday at 4:00 ET against Latvia.

Welcome!

Welcome to the official Matrix softball blog!

Matrix is a 14-under softball team based out of the Murrieta area. Our team is made up of girls from the surrounding areas. We have a very talented core group of girls and are very excited about moving up to the 14-under level.

The girls at the 2009 Dynasty Toys for Tots in Riverside, where they ended up taking third place!

This team is coached by former collegiate level player Meghan Temple with the assistance of Rusty Rudolph and Mario Franco.

Check back often for updates on the girls and information on tryouts and tournaments!

North Stars host Rangers today, Tuesday

If nothing else, this week’s Monday-Tuesday afternoon series between the Traverse City North Stars and visiting Marquette Rangers will be an unveiling – of exactly what, Stars head coach-GM Anthony Palumbo is anxious to discover.

“It’s put up or shut up time,” said Palumbo, whose club has dropped seven of its last eight contests, sliding from first place into a second-place tie with Janesville. “We have to decide if we’re going to stay in this race or if we’re going to just get out of the way and let these other teams fight it out for the division (title).”

The Rangers come into the contests with a two-point cushion in the NAHL North Division standings over the North Stars and Jets, and have a game in hand against TC. Marquette claimed two out of three games in an early-December series in the U.P. after the Stars swept a Centre ICE homestand from the Rangers in late October.

“They have a good team, no doubt about it, and we’ll have to come prepared to play at a fairly high level,” Palumbo asserted. “For us, simply playing well is the most important thing. I don’t think we’re coming in looking for two or four points or anything like that – we just need to play a solid 60-minute game and see where that can get us.”

Traverse City will field a revamped lineup for Monday’s series opener, getting back all-star defenseman and team captain Travis White, who missed the past 10 games with an upper-body injury. Kelin Ainsworth will also suit up after being sidelined for the last six contests, while Matt Zaremba will make his NAHL debut on Monday, skating on a line between Ainsworth and Taylor Burden. Zaremba, who previously starred for the Gaylord High squad, was fifth among Central States Hockey League skaters this season, scoring 17 goals and assisting on 30 others through 29 games with Cleveland. He had more than 100 points in his distinguished prep career with the Blue Devils that ended last spring.

“We’re looking at different guys, different combinations of guys, trying to find where the pieces best fit,” Palumbo explained. “It’s a results-oriented business, and we’re going to find the guys that give us the best chance to succeed.”

Chris Paliafito will make his first Centre ICE arena start since March 22, 2008 on Monday, with Drew Strandberg tentatively slated for Tuesday afternoon duty. Strandberg, who is returning from a lower-body injury that held him out of the Stars’ last series in Janesville, was stranded in an Ontario airport this week while en route to Traverse City.

With the holiday break behind them, Palumbo says his team’s focus can now shift to the three-month, 28-game stretch run to the Robertson Cup playoffs.

“We’d better be ready because there are no easy nights in the North Division,” he said. “Maximum effort, energy and execution for 60 minutes is the way to be successful, and it starts on Monday.”

The Stars and Rangers will drop the puck at 3 p.m. on both Monday and Tuesday, contests which precede the Traverse City Central Holiday Hockey Tournament at Centre ICE arena. The Trojans, TC West High Titans and Grand Traverse Bay Reps are among the participants in that three-day, eight-school event.

White photo by RJ Meyer/NAHL

Eagles name Formolo team captain

The Soo Eagles are pleased to announce their team captain and assistant captains for the 2009-2010 season.

Wearing the 'C' will be Pete Formolo, a Sault Ste. Marie native.

“Pete has been a solid contributor on our team the past couple seasons and has shown leadership both on and off the ice,” said Eagles head coach Paul Theriault. “He brings a lot of experience to our lineup and is an excellent role model in our dressing room and also in the community. Pete is actively involved in local minor sports as a coach in football, baseball and hockey.”

The Eagles' assistant captains will be Anthony Raymond (Grosse Pointe Woods), Aaron Leonard (Allen Park) and Kevin Michelcavage (Sterling Heights).

“All three players have been key to our program in a short period of time and bring a lot of playing experience and positive energy to our lineup,” said Theriault. "I look for these guys to be impact players this season as we look to make it back to the playoffs.”

Information provided by Randy Russon for the Soo Eagles

Team USA wins round one of the WJC

Team USA defeated Slovakia 7-3 on Saturday night in Saskatoon 
The Americans found them selfs down two goals early in the first. Team USA bounced back and scored four second period goals and ended any chance of a Slovak comeback.

"I was happy with our resiliancy after falling behind early," said Dean Blais, head coach of the U.S. National Junior Team. "We created a lot of scoring chances, and showed a lot of poise after those two quick goals." -USA Hockey.com- 

Terrier D-man, David Warsofsky played well and worked the Americans power play. Warsofsky did not make the score card but had a solid game. Also in the game Warsofsky served as the alternate captain

Team USA's next game is tomorrow against Switzerland at 4:00.

Click Here for a full recap from USA hockey.com

Telegin named to Russian WJHC squad

Saginaw Spirit forward Ivan Telegin has been named to Team Russia’s roster for the 2010 World Junior Hockey Championships taking place in Saskatchewan.

Telegin has tallied 18 goals and 13 assists in 32 games with the Spirit this season and will re-join the Spirit following the tournament.

The Ontario Hockey League is well represented in the tournament, with 20 of its players representing their countries on the international stage. Telegin is joined on the Team Russia roster by goalie Ramis Sadikov (Erie Otters) and forward Alexander Burmistrov (Barrie Colts).

It's Time For Reflection

"By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest." - Confucius

By Patrick Driessen
The year 2009 is almost over. This year has been very challenging, included many unexpected turns, and various steep ups and downs for most of us. For me it also has been an exceptional, exciting and rewarding year, in which I have achieved a lot, built new relationships with some great people, have gotten to know myself a bit better, learned many new things and had lots of fun with many friends, family, team members, clients and business partners. A special and sincere thanks to all whom supported and helped me to succeed and have fun this year!

Looking ahead to a new year is always inspiring. Thinking of new ideas, setting new goals and stretching your creative mind on what to do differently, will give you a lot of positive energy! Now before you look ahead, the challenge is to first look back and reflect on the things you have done, experienced, learned and achieved.

If you sit down with pen and paper and spend some quality time on (self)reflection, it will allow you to deepen your learning’s and optimize your goal setting and planning when you look ahead at the new year. To help you stretch your mind, below are some questions you can ask yourself. I’m sure you can think of many more, allowing you to write down some very useful learning’s and conclusions.

• What are the 3 key achievements of this past year? What did it allow you to do and what did you learn from it?
• Who are the people who provided you with the best support, most fun and most love? How can you strengthen your valuable relationship with them?
• Who are the people you have learned most of? How can you learn more from them and how can you build new relationships with more people like them?
• Which people had a negative impact on you and/or the people close to you? How can you avoid them in the future?
• Which goals had you set for 2009? Which ones did you achieve? What was the impact on you? What did you learn from it?
• Which goals for 2009 didn’t you achieve? Why not? What can you do differently to achieve these in 2010?
• What kind of new skills have you developed at work and how did you improve your personal unique value proposition? How can you utilize this value to improve your career next year?
• What was the best book you have read and which learning’s and insights did you take from it?
• What did you do to improve your health and well-being? What can you do to further improve it?
• What was the best investment you have made? What kind of unique value did it give to you?
• Which new things or skills did you think of to further develop? What do you need to succeed in doing so?
• What kind of legacy will you leave behind this year?
• What were the 3 worst experiences this past year and how can you prevent these from happening in the future?
• What is the single one thing you can change as of today, which will have a positive impact on all the other things you do and want to achieve?
• ....
• ....

Have fun and enjoy your self-reflection exercise! It’s very rewarding to do and allows you to close off the year with a rich feeling and a sharp look ahead!

From the tropical & sunny island of Langkawi (Malaysia), I would like to wish you all a very positive, fruitful, healthy, entrepreneurial, creative and inspiring new year in which you’ll all succeed in many ways!

"Knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is enlightenment!" - Lao Tzu

Thanks, warmest regards & success,


Patrick