Troy Grosenick Interview 4/2/12

Troy was kind enough to take some time on Monday to chat with Kevin and I about very pressing issues such as stick tape and nicknames. We caught him just as he was finishing attempting to get Dan Carr to crack up during an interview.

G.R.O.S.E.N.I.C.K System In Action

Troy was in the top 10 for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award and put up amazing numbers this season (22- 5 - 3, a save percentage of .936%, and a goals against average of 1.64 goals per game). If you haven't seen it already, here is just one of his highlight reel goals that he made last weekend. Dude's real good.

UHB: How does the system in front of you benefit you as a goaltender?

Troy: Playing behind a defensive system like we have, guys keep shots to the outside. They stress blocking shots from the point, D Men fronting shots. Our D Men are great at clearing shots. All of that really makes my job way easier.

UHB: How do you explain your ability to make clutch reflexive saves?

Troy: It comes down to battling, doing whatever you can to keep it out of the net. You always have to live by the motto that you’d rather get hit by a bus than let one in. You do whatever it takes to keep it out of the net and sometimes that means making some crazy looking saves.

UHB: Do you think spending a year not starting in goal helped you develop better?

Troy: Definitely. Going into it, you never realize, going into it, what you can gain. For me, it was the first time I was ever a backup, so it took some time to adjust from that. Learning from Corey and Keith helped me realize what it was going to take to be successful at the college level. Knowing that you probably won’t be playing on the weekend, you can do so much more work both on the ice and in the weight room. You don’t really need to manage your energy as much. On a thursday, even if you feel your legs being taxed, you know that you don’t really have much to save it for, so you can work that much harder. When you’re a starter, on a thursday, you really need to watch how your legs feel and make sure you’re ready to go for Friday night.

UHB: Do you have any go to pregame meal or ritual?

Troy: Meals: Whatever the team is eating, which is usually chicken or pasta, maybe some veggies. Ritual: Not too much out of the ordinary. My roommates, Ikkala and Jooris, and I always walk the same route from our dorm to the rink. We have a little dance party on our way up just keeping it loose. Once I get to the rink, I stretch out, juggle a little bit, visualize, and then get back to team warmups.

UHB: Would you say you thrive under pressure or do you not let pressure get to you?

Troy: I try to approach things the same way no matter what. To me, pressure is built up by the media. Playoffs are win or go home but I try to approach every game the same way. I think that helps with consistency mainly. Knowing that if you stick with what has gotten you there makes you successful in the long run.

UHB: How do you stay focused in a game? Do crowds like the UMass fans at Bridgeport get under your skin?

Troy: No. I try to keep it between the boards during the game. As far as staying focused, I have some key words: Challenge, check puck, big chest and those things allow me to focus on what I think it takes to play well and that’s really all I’m focused on; to play well and the puck. You’ve got to keep in all within the glass.




UHB: Why is it that the majority of goaltenders wear white pads and what do you think about black tape on a white goalie stick?

Troy: Black stick tape on a white stick is just awful style. I’ve never done black tape just because I feel like when the puck is at your feet, you can lose it in the black tape so I think that’s why most goalies use the white tape. As for the white goalie pads, I think there has been a study, I don’t know how scientific it was but, I think white pads look bigger than predominantly colored pads. I know that’s why Marc Andre-Fleury switched from gold pads to white pads. People told him he looked bigger, so he kept with them so I think that’s why goalies have been doing it.

UHB: Opinion on puck playing goalies?

Troy: If you can do it, and do it well, I think it adds a huge element to your game. Defensemen always like a guy that’s playing the puck well because it makes life easier on them. They don’t have to go head for a puck in the corner when they can’t really see what’s behind them. A good puck playing goalie is huge but at the same time, if you’re playing the puck and you’re not really good at it, you can get the team into a lot of trouble really quickly.

UHB: What exercise or practice is the best thing for a young, aspiring goaltender?

Troy: Make sure you’re stretching every day. That’s huge for goalies, flexibility. That, and a lot of foot quickness off the ice as well as juggling and any hand eye coordination. Those are the biggest off ice things I can recommend.

UHB: Who is the best goaltender in the NHL?

Troy: Henrik Lundqvist is hard to argue with. I think that there are so many guys out there that are good for so many different reasons. Timmy Thomas has the greatest battle level. There is something to be said about that. The guy is just a diehard competitor. As far as a goalie that I like to emulate the most, I’d go with Pekka Rinne. He’s a stud.

UHB: Favorite movie/book?

Troy: Book: I don’t know. There are so many. (Struggle) The Game by Ken Dryden is probably the one that made the biggest impact in my life.

Movie: Step Brothers is up there with me so I’ll go with that

UHB: What is being played a lot in the locker room right now?

Troy: I’m not a DJ. A lot of Avicii, deadmau5.

UHB: How have your saves being on SportsCenter changed the amount of Facebook friends you have?

Troy: Facebook, not so much. Twitter, that one blew up. That one, I got a lot of request in the past couple of days.

UHB: Who has the best nickname on the team?

Troy: Jooris. He’s got Ja-booooonnnnneeee. I’d go with Jooris.

UHB: Favorite off-ice activity (a whole day without obligations, what would you do?)

Troy: Relax. Sit on the couch and watch TV with the guys. Maybe do some facebook creeping. Maybe play some video games.

UHB: Favorite hockey themed band?

Troy: Five for fighting. Easy.

Thanks to Troy for the interview.

Mat Bodie Interview 4/2/12

Heavy lifting at Fenway

My good friend Kevin Giron and I stopped by the rink on Monday to chat with some of the men in uniform before they ship off over there (Tampa). Kev took the reigns on this interview here, formulating and asking the questions, so this is a guest interview, so to speak.

If this is your first time, Mat helps quarterback the very dangerous powerplay and has 30 points in 37 games. Mat is a spectacularly sound defensemen in all areas of play and fits the mold of the new era of defensemen that now entering the NHL.

Forever pensive: Mat Bodie

UHB: You’ve been throwing around the body a lot more than I remember. Is that a conscious change in your defensive style?

Mat: I guess it’s something I worked on with Coach Bennett a little bit. He’s always saying finish the shooter, especially after he takes a shot or makes a play. I guess, in the heat of the moment, you’re more willing to sacrifice the body a little more.

UHB: Do you prefer being the left D-Man in your pairing or the right D-Man, or does something like that really not matter?

Mat: I’ve played right all this year and all last year with Brock [Matheson]. We’re a pretty left-handed heavy defensive core so, obviously a few will have to go to the right side. I’ve been playing this was for a couple of years now so it’s becoming more natural.

UHB: Does having the team Captain, Nolan Julseth-White, as a defenseman help other D-Men in particular mature and develop their game?
Mat: A little bit. I think Juice is a great captain but we’ve got a pretty mature group of guys back there. We have 3 juniors that play every game and Juice is a senior, so we’ve got a pretty mature group of guys back there, so it helps a little bit.

UHB: With Juice leaving next year, do you anticipate taking on a leadership role in the defensive core, or would you say everyone knows how to handle themselves?

Mat: I think there will be guys stepping into that leadership role. We have a lot of guys capable of doing that. Cobes [Coburn], Stuie [Stuart], Foogs [Forgaard], they’re all guys that have been here for a while. I think we’ll have a pretty mature D-core for the next couple of years.

UHB: Who’s your favorite team to play against in the ECAC?
Mat: I guess I’ll go with the rivalry game; RPI. They’re always fun. They always seem to play us really hard and the crowds are always good. It’s always a fun game to look forward to.

UHB: Your brother, Kyle, has become a more prominent figure in this year’s lineup, is it surprising to see or is it something you kind of expected all along?

Mat: I expected this. He was a great player in junior, he was one of our team leader in points and a leader as well off the ice. He didn’t have quite the chance he was given this year in the past but Coach Bennett gave him some chances. It’s kind of like a new lease on life and he’s making the most of it.

UHB: When did you start skating?


Mat: I think I was about 4 when I started skating lessons. Quite a while.

UHB: As a team without the biggest guys on the blue-line how have you guys managed to put up such good defensive numbers?

Mat: It starts with our goalie, Troy Grosenick. He’s able to bail us out quite a bit. We preach good positioning, good team defense. D-men are always having stick on puck and the forwards are always coming back, so it makes it a lot easier on us.

Mat and Troy, pre-hug

UHB: How’s practice been this week? Light skates? Skill skates? Or just the normal grind?

Mat: It’s been pretty regular. Coach doesn’t want to change too many things up. We’ve been sticking to the process and we’re just really excited to get going to Tampa.

UHB: Do the guys in the locker room feel any jitters? Has the fact you’re in the final four hit you guys yet?

Mat: I don’t think anyone has jitters. We’re all pretty excited. Obviously, you’re going to get some pre-game butterflies but after the first shift or so, those will go away.

UHB: Has it hit you yet that you’re going down to Tampa for the frozen four?

Mat: We’re still treating this like another weekend. Obviously, there is a lot more hype and a lot more fan reaction coming into this. I think it’ll probably hit us when we step on the plane or once we get down to Tampa.

UHB: So you’re from Peg City... how excited are you about the Jets?

Mat: Well... they didn’t make playoffs so that kind of sucks. I got to go to a couple of games when I was back home for Christmas. It’s really helping the city out and the MTS center is packed. It’s good to see for the city.

UHB: If you had a chance to play in the show... would you want to play in Winnipeg or would you really care what team you were on?

Mat: You take it where you can get it. It’s pretty competitive at that level. You can’t be too picky.

UHB: Who was your favorite childhood hockey player?

Mat: I started as a forward and my favorite forward was Joe Sakic. Once I moved back to D, Scott Niedermayer, he’s just the ultimate D-man, I thought.

UHB: Have you ever been on a road trip in a car that had no business going on a road trip? [Cue the sound of wind rushing over Mat's head as it did mine. If you have no idea what this question is referring to, go to 0:36 in this clip.]

Mat: Uhh...... I guess so. I have a ‘99 ford taurus at home. When I was playing in Powell River, I actually drove it out to Powell River. Going through the mountains in Canada, I got pretty lucky to get there. I had to replace the brakes as soon as I got there.

UHB: What’s your favorite line from Sean William-Scott’s new hockey movie, “Goon?”
Mat: That’s a new movie, so I don’t know if everyone has seen that. It’s a good movie so I suggest everyone to go out and watch it.

Thanks to Mat for taking some time to chat.

College Hockey Video of the Week (4/25/11): 1985 National Championship Game Broadcast - RPI vs. Providence

Since Coach Leaman announced that he will be leaving Union for Providence, I figured I'd show Providence videos this week.

These three videos are actual footage from the last time the Friars made the Frozen Four and National Championship game.

The 1985 Frozen Four sounds like it was a classic with both semifinal games being decided in triple overtime, and the championship game was a 2-1 affair won by RPI.

You got to love the old school TV broadcast, the Hannibal Lecter-like facemasks, and definitely the Providence full hockey pants. I think Leaman should definitely bring back the full pants.

Also, take a look at #7 for RPI (1:20 mark of third video). It's Mark Jooris, who is the father of Union freshman forward Josh Jooris. It's definitely a little weird seeing a #7 and the name Jooris on the back of a RPI jersey. And look out for Tim Army, who is the coach that Leaman is replacing at Providence.

Enjoy!

Intro


First Period play


Final Seconds

Frozen Four: Day 3

I know this is VERY late, but I figured I post these pictures and videos anyways.

Congrats to UMD on winning the national championship. I guess it was the best case scenario after Union's season ended. Even though a part of me thinks that it could have been Union. The Bulldogs had a very easy route to the championship (2 ECAC teams, no  Boston College or North Dakota, etc.), but you still have to win.

Anyways, enjoy these pictures and videos from my final day in Minnesota:

Inside the Mall of America... It had an amusement park!

The mall had a store dedicated to Minnesota (and North Dakota) college hockey

On a ride in the MOA with my brother Adam

Mickey's Dining Car... like in the Mighty Ducks movies

Inside Mickey's... it was an "interesting "experience"

Outside the Xcel Energy Center



At the Frozen Four fan fest



There was live music, and lots of food and beer

The Frozen Four banners hanging throughout St. Paul

A jersey from Harvard's national championship in 1989... the last time an ECAC team won the tournament

UMD's skating cheerleaders and mascot... we need to get some!

UMD celebrates the national championship

More celebration with the trophy

UMD player celebrates with the fans

College Hockey Video of the Week (4/11/11): Minnesota-Duluth Wins First National Championship

Well, the 2010-2011 college hockey season has officially come to an end. The final game of the season was classic as the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs beat the Michigan Wolverines 3-2 in overtime for the national championship. The season finale was a classic and very emotional for both teams. It was definitely one of the most memorable college hockey games I ever attended.

Here are highlights from the game including interviews from UMD players Justin Faulk (who was my favorite player of the tournament), Jack "Peroxide Jesus" Connolly, and Kyle Schmidt (who scored the GWG):









Also, to find out why Schmidt was the only Bulldog not to bleach his hair click here.

Frozen Four 2011: Day 2

Today was the "off day" of the Frozen Four weekend, so all the hockey fans had a free day to do what they pleased. We, along with many other college hockey fans, decided to attend Opening Day for the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. I saw a decent amount of North Dakota and Minnesota-Duluth fan, and one RPI an RIT fan.

I'm a huge baseball junky (I wrote my senior thesis on the Montreal Expos), and have attend a ton of baseball games throughout the country so I had a great time checking out a new stadium and just watching the game. Target Fied opened up last year and is considered to be one of the best stadiums in baseball. I thought the stadium was nice. I really liked all the granite and some of the touches around the stadium, but I still think stadiums such as Citizens Bank Park (Philadelphia) and Comerica Park (Detroit) were better. I also wasn't too impressed with the food selection. Maybe I'm just spoiled by the awesome food at CitiField (NY Mets). It was a boring games as the A's scored the first run of the game in the top of the first inning and held on to the 1-0 lead until the bottom of the 8th when the Twins scored two runs before Joe Nathan secured the 2-1 victory for the home team in the 9th. I had never been to an Opening Day before, so I thought there would be a festive feeling at the stadium, but that was not the case. The team did honor some legends and did some ceremonies, but besides that it really didn't feel like Opening Day.

For a late dinner tonight we went to Joe Senser's, which is a sports bar/restaurant right down the street from our hotel in Bloomington (click here). They had some interesting burgers and a decent beer selection. I enjoyed watching the end of the Wild-Oilers game on the big TVs.

Today was also a big day in college hockey as the Hobey Baker and Humanitarian Awards were announced. Miami's Andy Miele won the Hobey (click here), while Boston College's Brooks Dyroff won the Humanitarian Award (click here). Also, as reported before, the All-American teams were announced (click here).

Tomorrow is the last full day of the Frozen Four. Our plan is to head to the Mall of America for a bit and then stop at Mickey's Dining Car before heading to the championship game. It should be an interesting game. I have no idea who I think will win.

Here are some pictures and videos I took at Target Field today:

Outside Target Field

Statue of Rod Carew

View from Right Field

Another view from Right Field

The view from our seats

The Opening Day ceremonies

College Hockey Video of the Week (4/4/11): Last Frozen Four in St. Paul

This Thursday, the Frozen Four returns to St. Paul, Minnesota for the first time since 2002. The 2002 Frozen Four was my third ever Frozen Four, and was the first one where I had to fly to go see the games. I remember having such a great time at this site because I liked the rink, we went to Mickey's Dining Car (like in the Mighty Ducks), had a great time at the Frozen Fest, and just had an overall great time.

But, probably the most memorable part of that tournament was the University of Minnesota's come-from-behind overtime win over Maine in the championship game in front of a crowd that was pretty much 99% Gopher fans. The crowd was electric and when Grant Potulny (who I think was the only player on the Minnesota roster not from Minnesota) scored the game-winning goal the place went absolutely insane. I still remember sitting next to (or behind) a group of older Maine fans and how disappointed they were.

So, here is a video with all the goals from that game with music (I thought it was a nice touch). Hopefully this year's Frozen Four can reciprocate the same feelings I had the last time I was there. I'm really not going to cheer for any team because I really don't like rooting for teams besides my own, but I hope the UMD Bulldogs do well.

Anyways, am I going to be the only Union fan at the Frozen Four this year? I will definitely be wearing my Union jersey with pride, and I'm sure plenty of people will want to take pictures of me with the jersey to see if they can find every college hockey jersey at the tournament (since that's what Frozen Four people tend to do). I'll keep you all posted throughout the week in what I'm doing in St. Paul.

Have a good week Union fans, and enjoy my favorite day of the year: SEMIFINAL THURSDAY!

Pennsylvania gets 2013 and 2014 Frozen Fours

The NCAA has announced that the 2013 Frozen Four has been awarded to Pittsburgh and the brand new Consol Energy Center, while Philadelphia and the Wachovia Center was awarded the 2014 Frozen Four. This is the first time that either site has received a bid. 2012-2014 will mark a three year span where the Frozen Four will take place in a non-traditional college hockey city (2012 Frozen Four will be in Tampa).

While these Pennsylvania cities are not college hockey hotbeds they should be good venues. Both rinks are top notch and host NHL teams. I've been to Philly plenty of times for Phillies games and the NCAA Lacrosse Final Four and I have to say that it is a fun city with plenty to do... especially if you love cheesesteaks! I'm definitely going to Gino's and/or Pat's for some steaks in 2014. I've never been to Pittsburgh, but I bet it's a half decent city (I'm sure Kevin Zalaznik is very excited and can fill us in on some fun things to do in the city). Hopefully for both weekends the Pirates and Phillies will be in town. Citizens Bank is one of my favorite stadiums to watch a game (even though I'm a Mets fan), and PNC is supposed to be a very nice park as well.

Even though Philly and P-Burgh are not guaranteed to be successful venues I like where the NCAA is going with this experiment. Hey, at least it won't be in half of an indoor football stadium like this past year in Detroit!

Oh and just so you know it takes around five hours and 300 miles to get from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia.

For more check out USCHO.com.

NCAA Committee Chair Bill Bellerose addresses 2010 Frozen Four and Ford Field

In an open letter, which can be seen here, Bill Bellerose talks about the 2010 Frozen Four and Ford Field. While he does say how more people were able to see the games and it was an overall friendly experience, there were some faults. He was definitely favoring the venue, but I think deep down inside he realizes it was lacking. Personally, I hated the venue and would be against going back to Ford Field or anything like it.

Bellerose finishes off by saying, "In my opinion, college hockey is the greatest sport and the Frozen Four is the greatest show on ice." Here, I do agree with him.

Frozen Four Fan Fest

If you were curious what the Frozen Four Fan Fest looked like check out AmericaJR.com (the fourth video on the page). It gives you a great visual of the fest at the Renaissance Center and features an interview with my dad, little brother, and myself (about one minute into the video).

Boston College wins National Championship

For the third year in a row, a Boston school as won the Frozen Four. BU won last year and BC won the year before that. The championship game was the closest of all the Frozen Four games, as the Eagles were up 1-0 after two periods. But, the speed of the Eagles was just too much for the Wisconsin defenders as they ran away with a 5-0 victory. BC's Ben Smith won the Most Outstanding Player Award and was a member of the All-Tournament team. Teammate Cam Atkinson led the offense with two third period goals. For more on the game check out USCHO.com for a game summary and post-game reactions.

While not the most memorable championship game, it was still fun and there was a pretty good atmosphere. Surprisingly, the people that created the great atmosphere were the RIT fans. They were probably the best group of fans I've ever seen at a college hockey game. They were loud, creative, and always cheering... but their team wasn't even playing! They heckled both Wisconsin and BC fans, and cheered for RIT. I was lucky enough to be near them to hear all of their awesome cheers. They might have been my most favorite part of the tournament considering the venue stunk and the games were blowouts.

Before the game we went to see the Tigers at Comerica Park, which is one of the nicest ballparks I've ever been to. It's definitely a Top 5 ballpark in the MLB, and surprisingly it was built in 2000. There a lot of great touches that many ballparks don't have. The Tigers beat the Indians 4-2 by the way. After that we walked around Detroit and checked out local spots such as Cheli's Chili Bar and Joe Louis Arena, the home of the Detroit Red Wings.

So, here's the end to the 2009-2010 college hockey season --- the greatest in the history of Union College. Hopefully the Dutchmen can make it to the NCAA tournament and maybe even make it to the 2011 Frozen Four in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Frozen Four: Day 2

Today, my family and I enjoyed our off day. It started off with some glow-in-the-dark mini golf and then we headed to the Frozen Four Fan Fest, which was in the Renaissance Center. The fest was cool as it had some interactive hockey games and a time line of NCAA Hockey. I also got interviewed by a local website about the Frozen Four. After that we headed over to Windsor, Canada for a few drinks and then headed back to the States for the Skills Competition.

The competition was nice as always, but the only bad thing about it was that you couldn't get right up to the boards. I also miss Barry Melrose hosting the whole thing. Union's Jason Walters was a member of the East squad, who lost to the West once again. Even though it doesn't matter at all, Wally was pretty disappointing and was probably the worst player on the ice statistically (but once again who cares). He put his team behind in the puck control relay, didn't score once in the rapid fire shootout, and failed to get a shot off in the penalty shot competition. At least he wasn't as embarrassed as former Union goaltender Jason Mrazek was two years ago when he took part in the competition (see video here). Other ECAC representatives included Harvard's Alex Biega and Cornell's Ben Scrivens. Also, at the competiton I saw my first Union jersey (besides mine) at the Frozen Four. It was a vintage Josh Coyle jersey.

Friday was also the day when the Hobey Baker Award was given out and the All-American teams were announced. Sadly, no Union player was awarded. The Hobey went to Wisconsin's Blake Geoffrion, who will be playing for the national championship tomorrow. He is the first Badger to win the award.

You can check out the All-American teams here. Cornell's Ben Scrivens and Brendon Nash, along with RPI's Chase Polacek were named to the East First Team, while Yale's Broc Little and Sean Backman were named to the Second Team.

Tomorrow we will be heading to Comerica Park to see the Detroit Tigers take on the Cleveland Indians. The ballpark looks awesome from the outside and I'm really excited to see the inside. After that we might head to Cheli's Chili Bar (owned by NHL legend Chris Chelios) and then on to the national championship game. Hopefully, the final game of the Frozen Four will be a good one (it can't be any worse than either semifinal game). I think it's going to be a high scoring affair as each the Eagles and Badgers sport top ranked offenses. I'm going to go with Wisconsin 5-3 because BC has lately been prone to let up a ton of goals to top ranked offenses. They let up six goals to Maine (#4 offense) in the Hockey East championship game and allowed seven goals to Yale (#1 offense) in the regional final. The Eagles won both of those games, but I think that streak will come to an end. Either way, I just want to see an awesome hockey game and wouldn't mind a 50t game.

Wisconsin and BC advance to championship game; each by blowout

Well, today might have been the least exciting day of the Frozen Four I've ever been a part of. I've been to nine Frozen Fours over that past 11 years and I have never seen two boring games in one day. In the first game Wisconsin ran away with it early and eventually beat RIT 8-1, which was then followed by BC's 7-1 win over top ranked Miami. The day started off well though as my dad, little brothers, and I went to HockeyTown, which is a very cool sports bar/restaurant with a Detroit Red Wings and Tigers theme..

I think I was the only Union fan in the building. I even had a Cornell fan take a picture of me because I was the only one wearing a Union jersey. ECAC fans weren't well represented. I saw a handful of RPI fans, a decent amount of Cornell fans, two Yale fans, and a Clarkson fan.

Within the first few minutes of the Wisconsin-RIT game you knew the game was over. Wisconsin was just too big for the Tigers, and the Tiger defense couldn't handle the balanced Badger attack. It just seemed that RIT went into the game knowing that there was no way they could win. The one bright part for the Tigers were their fans. Even though the game was over early, they were still loud and supportive. They even stayed around for the Miami-BC game and did some RIT chants. My choice for top player of the game was Wisconsin defenseman Brendan Smith, who picked up five assists in the game. He is tops in the nation among defensemen with 15 goals, 37 assists, and 52 points.

I was really hoping the second game was going to be a lot better. After the first game ended I kept reassuring myself that both games couldn't be duds, and after the first period it felt like it was going to be that way. But, once the second period came around the flood gates opened and the slaughter was on. I was completely shocked how the nation's top ranked defense could allow seven goals, even if it is the second ranked offense in the nation (I had a similar feeling when I watched Cornell allow six goals against New Hampshire). I am a big believer that a great defense beats a great offense, but I was proved wrong tonight as the Eagle offense kept on rolling. In seven playoff games (including Hockey East Playoffs) , BC has scored 40 goals (5.7 goals per game). I was really impressed with the BC forwards who were very, very quick and created a lot of exciting rushes down the ice.

Even though the games were uneventful, it was not my biggest gripe. I was extremely disappointed with the venue: Ford Field. Let's just say hockey should not be played in a football field... it's like trying to put a cube in a circle hole. You could easily see the turf of the football field, and it was weird seeing all the empty seats on the other side of the stadium. The sight lines were awful, the glass wasn't seamless, and the fans were WAY too far from the ice. There was no big scoreboard to look to and the stadium announcers/crew fell asleep at some times (didn't announce the ending of some periods, kinda messed up the starting line up introductions, forgot to put up shots on the scoreboard, etc.). It just didn't feel like the Frozen Four... it just felt like a gimmick. The crowd was totally subdued even though it was a record setting crowd for the Frozen Four. I'm sure the players hated the atmosphere. The bands were on the "field" behind the nets and had to have microphones in front of them so you could hear them. The food was ok (had a decent $7 gyro) and there were no lines for the bathroom, but the concourses were extremely crowded which was surprising for a football stadium.

I remember thinking when Ford Field was announced as a venue that it was going to stink... and it has. How could the NCAA possibly think they could fill up an entire football stadium for college hockey? College hockey has a loyal following, but its not the NCAA Basketball Final Four. The only way they could have sold out Ford Field was if Michigan and Michigan State met in one of the games. I really, really hope the Frozen Four is never put in a football stadium ever again.

Tomorrow is the off day. We will definitely be heading to the Skill Competition (and cheering for Union's Jason Walters of course). Before that we will be doing some combination of mini golf, heading to Windsor (Canada) for some brews (remember I'm still 20 years old), truck factory, going to Ann Arbor to see the Big House, or heading to the Frozen Four fan fest.

Players to watch during Frozen Four

RIT: The Tigers are the surprise of the tournament and are the first Atlantic Hockey team to make the Frozen Four. They have hot goaltending on their side, which might be the only way they can win the championship. Also, RIT is fifth in the nation with 3.60 goals scored per game, and third in the nation with 2.05 goals allowed per game.

Cameron Burt: the sophomore forward has been on fire for the second half of the season as he has registered a point in 13 of his last 15 games (7 goals, 22 assists), including six straight (3 goals, 8 assists). Burt leads the Tigers with 16 goals, 9 power-play goals, and 47 points.

Dan Ringwald: the senior captain is considered to be one of the top offensive defensemen in the country. Ringwald has tallied a goal and seven assists in his past six games. He is tied for fourth on the team with 11 goals, and third with 25 assists and 36 points.

Jared DeMichiel: the senior goaltender was excellent during the regionals as he stopped 63 of the 66 shots against him. DeMichiel has won 12 straight decisions where he registered four shutouts and let up 3+ goals only twice. He is fourth in the nation with a 1.98 GAA.

Wisconsin: The Badgers feature a high-flying offense that has scored 3.98 goals per game this season (tied for second in the nation). They have four players with at least 47 points and seven players with at least 10 goals.

Blake Geoffrion: the Hobey Baker finalist has putting lighting up the lamp during the playoffs. Geoffrion has scored six goals in his past five games, along with four assists. He is also the grandson of Hall of Fame forward Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion. Geoffrion leads the Badgers with 27 goals (tied for second in the nation), and 14 power-play goals (tied for first in the nation with Quinnipiac's Brandon Wong).

Derek Stepan: the sophomore forward is an assists machine! He has tallied 40 assists in 39 games, which is tied for second in the nation. Stepan has registered a goal and four assists in his past three games.

Scott Gudmanson: the Badger goaltender has been very solid in net in the latter half of the season. In his past 10 games he is 9-1-0, and has not let up more than three goals during that stretch. His only loss came on 3/19 against St. Cloud where he only allowed one goal.

Boston College: The Eagles have scored 19 goals in their past three games, but have also allowed 14 during that span. Their 3.98 goals per game is tied for second in the nation with Wisconsin.

Cam Atkinson: the pint-sized (5'8", 165 lbs.) sophomore forward leads the Eagles with 27 goals (tied for second in the nation), 23 assists, and 50 goals. Atkinson has only scored in three of his past 10 games, but in those three games he recorded a hat trick. He recorded a hat trick in his last game against Yale in the regional final.

Matt Lombardi: when you look at Lombardi's stats over his collegiate career you might be wondering why I'm putting him on this list. This year he has only tallied seven goals and seven assists, but he has scored six goals and two assists in his past eight games. Lombardi has also proven to be a clutch player this year as he scored a the game-winning goal, which was his third goal of the game, against Maine in the Hockey East Championship game, and scored a short-handed goal in BC's 3-1 win over Alaska in the first round of the NCAA tournament. If the Eagles are in a tight game make sure you keep an eye on this guy.

John Muse: the junior goaltender hasn't been good lately as he has allowed 14 goals in his past three games. But, Muse was in between the pipes when BC beat Notre Dame 4-1 for the national championship two years ago.

Miami: the Redhawks are hungry to avenge their heartbreaking loss in the championship game last season. They returned all of their big players from last season, so the loss to Boston University in Washington D.C. should be very fresh in their minds. Miami also has the top ranked defense in the country. The one thing they cannot do is take too many penalties. The Redhawks are second in the nation with 19.60 penalty minutes per game, but luckily they have the nation's fifth best penalty kill (86.8%).

Patt Cannone: the junior forward scored two goals in Miami's 3-2 overtime win in the regional final. He also leads the team with 10 power-play goals, so look for him on the power-play.

Tommy Wingels: Wingels was stellar last Frozen Four as he picked up three goals and an assist and will hope to replicate that performance. After registering a point in four straight games, he has gone pointless in his last three... maybe he's due?

Cody Reichard and Connor Knapp: the sophomore goaltending tandem is the best in the nation as they are #1 and #2 in the nation in GAA (Reichard: 1.76, Knapp: 1.85). Reichard has made seven more starts than Knapp and has a slightly better GAA. But, Knapp had a stellar performance in the regional final against Michigan where he made 55 saves in the Redhawks' 2-1 win. Reichard is the more athletic goaltender, while the 6'5"Knapp is more of a standup specialist.

Predictions: In the first game I think Wisconsin will end RIT's Cinderella run. Wisconsin has more experience in the tournament and I assume they will have more fans. I say the score with be 4-1, Badgers. I feel the second game between Miami and Boston College will be the best game of the tournament as it features the tournament's best two teams. I'm still going to go with Miami because I feel that they want to win so badly, and have won tight games lately. I think the final score will be 3-2, Miami in double overtime.

Off to the Frozen Four!

I'm in the midst of getting ready to leave for the Frozen Four in Detroit. I'm trying to find as much Union Hockey gear in my closet before my flight at 7pm... I've got to represent the U! I'll try my best to do some blogging from the tournament, but I'm sure that I'll be busy. As of now I'm planning on going to a Detroit Tigers game and up to Canada for a bit.

Are there any other Union fans heading to the Frozen Four?

Miami, BC, Wisconsin, and RIT all advance to Frozen Four

This was a crazy post-season for college hockey, but it's almost over as we are finally down to our final four teams. On Sunday, Miami advanced with a 3-2 double overtime win over Michigan in the Midwest Regional, while in the Northeast Regional Boston College topped Yale in a wild 9-7 affair. The day prior, Wisconsin defeated St. Cloud 5-3 in the West Regional, and underdog RIT shocked New Hampshire with a 6-2 win in Albany.

I'm pretty much a lock to win my family bracket challenge as I picked three of the four teams that are in the Frozen Four (I doubt anyone picked RIT to make it anyways). Even though I picked Miami to win the tournament, I will be rooting for the RIT Tigers. Not only are they the underdog and from New York, but they play in Atlantic Hockey and because of my ties to Army I have to support them.

I think the Miami-BC matchup will be the most interesting. The Red Hawks are the #1 team in the nation and have a lot of momentum heading to Detroit. They also have the hunger to win the whole thing after last year's devastating loss in the championship game to BU. The Eagles will are also a very good team. The thing that keeps me interested in them is how they have won the Hockey East tournament and the Northeast Regional. They won the HE Tourney 7-6 and won 9-7 to win the regional. That type of firepower by the offense could be lethal in the playoffs. Also, BC is a program that is used to playing late into the season and won the national championship two years ago.

It will also be very interesting to see if RIT can extend their Cinderella season even further against Wisconsin. I watched their regional games and they are very capable of winning the championship, especially if their goaltender Jared DeMichiel keeps up his stellar play.

All in all, I am as excited to go the Frozen Four as I am any year. This weekend is basically Christmas for me. I'm still going to say that Miami will win it all, but if they don't I'll pick BC. But who knows. Who though RIT would win a game in the tournament? (besides me of course!)

Walters to participate in Frozen Four Skills Challenge

Senior forward Jason Walters will be participating at the NCAA Frozen Four Skills Challenge at Ford Field in Detroit Michigan on April 9th. He was originally selected as an alternate, but will now be replacing Boston College's Ben Smith who will be playing against Miami the day prior. The last Dutchmen to play in the skills competition was Jason Mrazek two years ago, which did not turn out too well for him. We all remember Air Force's Eric Ehn incredible shootout move which beat Mrazek.

For more on Walters and the Skills Challenge check out Union Athletics.com.

I'm excited that I'll actually have someone to cheer for in Detroit this year.