by Ryan Fay
Boston College men's hockey head coach Jerry York participated in a conference call with the media on Tuesday. York, the winningest college hockey coach of all-time with 935 wins, talks about Saturday's East regional matchup against Union and much more.
Listen to York via the player below or click here.
Showing posts with label union hockey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label union hockey. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Sunday, March 24, 2013
An old friend is willing to help
by Ryan Fay
If Union ends up facing North Dakota in the NCAA tournament, they can count on help from an old friend.
But that old friend, former Union player Luke Cain, doesn't expect to be getting a call.
Cain, back playing college hockey for the University of Manitoba, played an exhibition against North Dakota on October 6th. North Dakota won, 5-3.
"I don't expect Rick Bennett to call me for a scouting report if they do end up playing North Dakota," Cain said. "The video analysis that the Union staff does would be far superior to the scouting report that I would be able to give them. However, if Rick does reach out to me, I would be more than willing to help him in any way that I could."
"They were a fast team with a tremendous amount of skill," he recalled. "The place that I found them vulnerable was their arrogance on the ice. Some of their players seemed unwilling to make the simple or easy play and would instead try something fancy.
If Union ends up facing North Dakota in the NCAA tournament, they can count on help from an old friend.
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| Cain (Manitoba) |
Cain, back playing college hockey for the University of Manitoba, played an exhibition against North Dakota on October 6th. North Dakota won, 5-3.
"I don't expect Rick Bennett to call me for a scouting report if they do end up playing North Dakota," Cain said. "The video analysis that the Union staff does would be far superior to the scouting report that I would be able to give them. However, if Rick does reach out to me, I would be more than willing to help him in any way that I could."
Cain admits North Dakota may be a different team than they were in October, but has vivid recollections of what he saw from the Fighting Sioux earlier this season.
"This led to turnovers and scoring chances. They are a good team, with extremely fast, dynamic, players who have the ability to score if you give them the chances. A smart, structured, strong defensive game is needed to beat them."
In 24 games for Manitoba, Cain has five goals and three assists.
In 24 games for Manitoba, Cain has five goals and three assists.
I'll have much more from Cain in the near future.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
ECAC Hockey in the polls (3/4/13)
by Ryan Fay
Union returned to the USCHO top 20 poll following a one week absence.
After a 5-1 win over St. Lawrence on Friday and a 4-0 blanking of Clarkson on Saturday, the Dutchmen were ranked 20th while receiving 105 poll points. Three other ECAC teams cracked the top 20 as Quinnipiac remained first, Yale was up two spots to 13th, and RPI joined the poll at 15th. Union has been ranked in the USCHO poll in 20 of 22 possible weeks this season.
The Dutchmen remain unranked in the USA Today / USA Hockey Magazine poll, though Union did receive 17 poll points after receiving none a week ago. Around the league, Quinnipiac held onto the top ranking while Yale edged up a spot to 13th. RPI entered the poll at 15th.
Union sits at 17th in the Pairwise.
Union returned to the USCHO top 20 poll following a one week absence.
After a 5-1 win over St. Lawrence on Friday and a 4-0 blanking of Clarkson on Saturday, the Dutchmen were ranked 20th while receiving 105 poll points. Three other ECAC teams cracked the top 20 as Quinnipiac remained first, Yale was up two spots to 13th, and RPI joined the poll at 15th. Union has been ranked in the USCHO poll in 20 of 22 possible weeks this season.
The Dutchmen remain unranked in the USA Today / USA Hockey Magazine poll, though Union did receive 17 poll points after receiving none a week ago. Around the league, Quinnipiac held onto the top ranking while Yale edged up a spot to 13th. RPI entered the poll at 15th.
Union sits at 17th in the Pairwise.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
AUDIO: Former Union goalie Kris Mayotte
by Ryan Fay
In advance of Friday's game against St. Lawrence, I chatted with Saints assistant coach Kris Mayotte, a goaltender at Union from 2002-2006.
In his four years between the pipes for Union, Mayotte won 46 games, a number still unsurpassed in the program's Division I era. Prior to joining St. Lawrence's staff this season, he spent a year as a volunteer assistant coach at Cornell.
Mayotte discusses his budding coaching career, his time at Union, St. Lawrence star Greg Carey, Friday's tilt, and more.
Listen/download via the player below or click here if you can't see the player.
The interview, which was conducted yesterday afternoon, runs just under 12 minutes.
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| Mayotte in his Union days |
In his four years between the pipes for Union, Mayotte won 46 games, a number still unsurpassed in the program's Division I era. Prior to joining St. Lawrence's staff this season, he spent a year as a volunteer assistant coach at Cornell.
Mayotte discusses his budding coaching career, his time at Union, St. Lawrence star Greg Carey, Friday's tilt, and more.
Listen/download via the player below or click here if you can't see the player.
The interview, which was conducted yesterday afternoon, runs just under 12 minutes.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
#9/10 Yale at Union pregame notes
by Ryan Fay
Union hosts #9/10 Yale tomorrow night at 7 pm at Messa Rink.
Yale (13-7-6, 9-6-1 ECAC) is looking to solidify its hold on second place while sixth-place Union (13-10-5, 6-6-4) is looking to get back in the top four with eyes on a first round bye.
In advance of the game, parties from both sides weighed in on a few story lines that could impact the game.
SCORING STRUGGLES
Union enters the game struggling on offense. The Dutchmen have scored more than three goals in a game just once since the calendar flipped to 2013 (four vs last place Harvard on Jan. 22). In that span, the Dutchmen are 4-6-1.
"Sometimes we just sit back too much," senior Wayne Simpson said when describing the offensive woes. "We're playing in our zone too much and it's hard to create chances doing that."
At least the forward had solutions.
"We have to keep it simple so we can get pucks deep," he said. "Forcing turnovers from our forecheck is important as is getting pucks to the net. We've done it at times and we've seen how it works. But we have to do it more often."
Yale can sympathize with an offensive slump. The Bulldogs have lost three of its past four games and failed to score more than two goals in any of the three losses. The Bulldogs were shutout 1-0 on Tuesday despite firing 44 shots at Brown's Anthony Borelli.
"We have to score more goals," Yale head coach Keith Allain said via a phone interview. "We scored two goals in the previous game we lost and we scored zero goals on Tuesday. You can't win hockey games at any level when you're averaging one goal a game. We have to get our lines going and produce more offense."
GETTING KILLED BY THE KILL
Union has spent most of the season as one of the toughest penalty killing teams in the country.
But the unit has become leaky of late, operating at a 6-for-13 clip in the past three games. St. Lawrence scored three power play goals against Union last Saturday, the most Union had given up in nearly a calendar year.
"It's just a matter of getting some bounces," said junior defenseman Mat Bodie. "A couple bounces against St. Lawrence last Saturday were generous for them.
"Other than that, it's a matter of bearing down. We've been letting a couple shots get through from the point. We haven't been tying up sticks in front. It's the little things that add up. We've been successful in the past and I'm sure we can get back on track."
Union's penalty kill went 8-for-8 during a 3-3 draw at Yale on Dec. 8th.
LAGANIERE ONE TO WATCH
When Union skated to that tie at Yale in early December, no Bulldog stood out more than senior Antoine Laganiere.
"He's very big, skates and controls the puck extremely well, and Union simply didn't have an answer for him," Union play by play man Matt DuBrey told me in a December interview.
The 6-foot-4 forward picked up an assist in the tie against Union and his 23 points (12 goals, 11 assists) are tied with Andrew Miller for second most on the club.
"He's a young man who came in here with a little bit of offensive skill," Allain said of Laganiere. "It's gratifying to see a guy who has gotten better each and every year. He has gotten stronger, faster, and more confident. When he came here, he was 6-foot-4, 170-something pounds. Now he's 6-foot-4, 220-something pounds. He has added elements to his offensive game. He's a testament to what a kid can accomplish with dedication and hard work."
SAINT NICK
When starting lineups are announced, Yale's goaltender probably won't be Jeff Malcolm.
Allain said on Wednesday that there's "no" timetable for Malcolm's return. The senior, who has a 2.48 goals against average and a .918 save percentage, has not played since suffering an injury early in a 4-2 win against Princeton on Feb. 1.
Nick Maricic, another senior, has picked up the slack between the pipes.
"I think Nick has played well," Allain said. "I thought he played well when he came in relief against Princeton. I thought he struggled a bit against Quinnipiac. But he was solid on Tuesday against Brown."
ETC
With 79 career points, Bodie is one away from setting the program record for points by a defenseman.... the junior is tied with Lane Caffaro.... if you can't make it to the game, it will be aired live on Time Warner Cable Sports... the program is holding a "bookraiser" by Project: Cameron's Story at both games this weekend... for more information, click here.
Union hosts #9/10 Yale tomorrow night at 7 pm at Messa Rink.
Yale (13-7-6, 9-6-1 ECAC) is looking to solidify its hold on second place while sixth-place Union (13-10-5, 6-6-4) is looking to get back in the top four with eyes on a first round bye.
In advance of the game, parties from both sides weighed in on a few story lines that could impact the game.
SCORING STRUGGLES
Union enters the game struggling on offense. The Dutchmen have scored more than three goals in a game just once since the calendar flipped to 2013 (four vs last place Harvard on Jan. 22). In that span, the Dutchmen are 4-6-1.
"Sometimes we just sit back too much," senior Wayne Simpson said when describing the offensive woes. "We're playing in our zone too much and it's hard to create chances doing that."
At least the forward had solutions.
 |
| Allain (Yale) |
Yale can sympathize with an offensive slump. The Bulldogs have lost three of its past four games and failed to score more than two goals in any of the three losses. The Bulldogs were shutout 1-0 on Tuesday despite firing 44 shots at Brown's Anthony Borelli.
"We have to score more goals," Yale head coach Keith Allain said via a phone interview. "We scored two goals in the previous game we lost and we scored zero goals on Tuesday. You can't win hockey games at any level when you're averaging one goal a game. We have to get our lines going and produce more offense."
GETTING KILLED BY THE KILL
Union has spent most of the season as one of the toughest penalty killing teams in the country.
But the unit has become leaky of late, operating at a 6-for-13 clip in the past three games. St. Lawrence scored three power play goals against Union last Saturday, the most Union had given up in nearly a calendar year.
"It's just a matter of getting some bounces," said junior defenseman Mat Bodie. "A couple bounces against St. Lawrence last Saturday were generous for them.
"Other than that, it's a matter of bearing down. We've been letting a couple shots get through from the point. We haven't been tying up sticks in front. It's the little things that add up. We've been successful in the past and I'm sure we can get back on track."
Union's penalty kill went 8-for-8 during a 3-3 draw at Yale on Dec. 8th.
LAGANIERE ONE TO WATCH
When Union skated to that tie at Yale in early December, no Bulldog stood out more than senior Antoine Laganiere.
"He's very big, skates and controls the puck extremely well, and Union simply didn't have an answer for him," Union play by play man Matt DuBrey told me in a December interview.
The 6-foot-4 forward picked up an assist in the tie against Union and his 23 points (12 goals, 11 assists) are tied with Andrew Miller for second most on the club.
"He's a young man who came in here with a little bit of offensive skill," Allain said of Laganiere. "It's gratifying to see a guy who has gotten better each and every year. He has gotten stronger, faster, and more confident. When he came here, he was 6-foot-4, 170-something pounds. Now he's 6-foot-4, 220-something pounds. He has added elements to his offensive game. He's a testament to what a kid can accomplish with dedication and hard work."
SAINT NICK
When starting lineups are announced, Yale's goaltender probably won't be Jeff Malcolm.
Allain said on Wednesday that there's "no" timetable for Malcolm's return. The senior, who has a 2.48 goals against average and a .918 save percentage, has not played since suffering an injury early in a 4-2 win against Princeton on Feb. 1.
Nick Maricic, another senior, has picked up the slack between the pipes.
"I think Nick has played well," Allain said. "I thought he played well when he came in relief against Princeton. I thought he struggled a bit against Quinnipiac. But he was solid on Tuesday against Brown."
ETC
With 79 career points, Bodie is one away from setting the program record for points by a defenseman.... the junior is tied with Lane Caffaro.... if you can't make it to the game, it will be aired live on Time Warner Cable Sports... the program is holding a "bookraiser" by Project: Cameron's Story at both games this weekend... for more information, click here.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Q&A with Brown associate head coach Mark White
by Ryan Fay
Fresh off a 1-0 shutout of #9/10 Yale, surging Brown (9-9-5, 5-6-5) comes in for a pivotal stretch run game Saturday night at Messa Rink. The Bears enter the weekend just one point behind Union (13-10-5, 6-6-4) in the league standings and both teams are fighting for a first-round bye.
In advance of the game, I chatted with Brown associate head coach Mark White. He discussed what he saw from Yale last night, breakout players like Matt Lorito and Anthony Borelli, his impressions of Union, and more.
UNION HOCKEY NEWS (UHN): Yale comes here on Friday. What were your impressions of them last night?
MARK WHITE (MW): They transition really well. They're going to be poised for a playoff run. It's a typical Yale team. They have a couple elite level players and they're a fast team. Yale has a defense that can move the puck. There were some questions about their goaltending with Jeff Malcolm out but I thought Nick Maricic (31 saves) looked pretty solid.
UHN: What can you say about the way Anthony Borelli has been playing in goal for you? His numbers (1.42 goals against average, .951 save percentage) rank him as one of the best in the country since he took over for Marco DeFilippo in early December.
MW: Anthony has taken the opportunity he was given and ran with it. He's been fantastic and very competitive in net for us. You look for a senior or two every year to step up and he's been that guy for us. You're usually only as good as your senior class. We've had a couple guys step up and he's been one of them. We had Mike Clemente getting the bulk of the starts the past couple years, but Anthony has proven he can play at a very high level.
UHN: Matt Lorito is breaking out in his sophomore season. His 14 goals leads the team and rank second among ECAC players. What's spurring his improvement?
MW: Matt missed the first seven or eight games with a wrist injury last year. To miss those games as a freshman made it tough to get off to a good start. He's a dynamic skater, has a knack for scoring, and he uses his speed to get into scoring situations. He played with senior Jack McClellan (15 goals) last year and that may have taken the load off him a bit. This year he's taken it more on himself to do some of that scoring. We're not a team that scores a lot, but he's doing the bulk of our scoring.
UHN: Your club is 3-0-1 over the past four games. What's clicking?
MW: Our goaltending is very strong. We play a strong defensive game and we don't give up a lot of "grade A" chances and second chances off rebounds. Beyond that, there's a belief in the locker room that we can win hockey games any way, any how. We're blocking a lot of shots and doing the little things that lead to wins. Guys are playing with a lot of grit right now. It's a small little stretch of wins, but we need to keep that going. It's crazy how tight the standings are.
UHN: Brown is riding a three game unbeaten streak against Union (2-0-1). Most other league teams haven't been as successful against them lately. Why do your guys match up so well against them?
MW: We've gotten good goaltending against them be it this year or last year. Union is usually ranked pretty high when we play them and the guys get up to play a nationally ranked opponent. Union has proven that they're an elite level program the past couple years. It's no different than any other ranked team that we play. We want to play everyone hard.
UHN: What were your impressions of Union when your guys skated to a 3-3 tie with them in December?
MW: They're a good team. Union has what you need in the special teams department. That's something that hurt us earlier in the year, but we have corrected that a bit. 33% of the game is played on special teams and Union excels in that area. They're not a team that beats themselves a whole lot. They have an identity, they stick with that identity, and they're disciplined in how they play.
UHN: Other than special teams, what are a couple other keys to the game from your end?
MW: We need to find a way to get traffic and pucks to the net. We pride ourselves on eliminating as many odd man rushes as possible and that tends to eliminate a lot of "grade A" chances for our opponent. If we work through the middle of the ice, we'll have a good chance to compete.
Fresh off a 1-0 shutout of #9/10 Yale, surging Brown (9-9-5, 5-6-5) comes in for a pivotal stretch run game Saturday night at Messa Rink. The Bears enter the weekend just one point behind Union (13-10-5, 6-6-4) in the league standings and both teams are fighting for a first-round bye.
In advance of the game, I chatted with Brown associate head coach Mark White. He discussed what he saw from Yale last night, breakout players like Matt Lorito and Anthony Borelli, his impressions of Union, and more.
UNION HOCKEY NEWS (UHN): Yale comes here on Friday. What were your impressions of them last night?
MARK WHITE (MW): They transition really well. They're going to be poised for a playoff run. It's a typical Yale team. They have a couple elite level players and they're a fast team. Yale has a defense that can move the puck. There were some questions about their goaltending with Jeff Malcolm out but I thought Nick Maricic (31 saves) looked pretty solid.
UHN: What can you say about the way Anthony Borelli has been playing in goal for you? His numbers (1.42 goals against average, .951 save percentage) rank him as one of the best in the country since he took over for Marco DeFilippo in early December.
 |
| Borelli (Brown) |
MW: Anthony has taken the opportunity he was given and ran with it. He's been fantastic and very competitive in net for us. You look for a senior or two every year to step up and he's been that guy for us. You're usually only as good as your senior class. We've had a couple guys step up and he's been one of them. We had Mike Clemente getting the bulk of the starts the past couple years, but Anthony has proven he can play at a very high level.
UHN: Matt Lorito is breaking out in his sophomore season. His 14 goals leads the team and rank second among ECAC players. What's spurring his improvement?
MW: Matt missed the first seven or eight games with a wrist injury last year. To miss those games as a freshman made it tough to get off to a good start. He's a dynamic skater, has a knack for scoring, and he uses his speed to get into scoring situations. He played with senior Jack McClellan (15 goals) last year and that may have taken the load off him a bit. This year he's taken it more on himself to do some of that scoring. We're not a team that scores a lot, but he's doing the bulk of our scoring.
UHN: Your club is 3-0-1 over the past four games. What's clicking?
MW: Our goaltending is very strong. We play a strong defensive game and we don't give up a lot of "grade A" chances and second chances off rebounds. Beyond that, there's a belief in the locker room that we can win hockey games any way, any how. We're blocking a lot of shots and doing the little things that lead to wins. Guys are playing with a lot of grit right now. It's a small little stretch of wins, but we need to keep that going. It's crazy how tight the standings are.
UHN: Brown is riding a three game unbeaten streak against Union (2-0-1). Most other league teams haven't been as successful against them lately. Why do your guys match up so well against them?
MW: We've gotten good goaltending against them be it this year or last year. Union is usually ranked pretty high when we play them and the guys get up to play a nationally ranked opponent. Union has proven that they're an elite level program the past couple years. It's no different than any other ranked team that we play. We want to play everyone hard.
UHN: What were your impressions of Union when your guys skated to a 3-3 tie with them in December?
MW: They're a good team. Union has what you need in the special teams department. That's something that hurt us earlier in the year, but we have corrected that a bit. 33% of the game is played on special teams and Union excels in that area. They're not a team that beats themselves a whole lot. They have an identity, they stick with that identity, and they're disciplined in how they play.
UHN: Other than special teams, what are a couple other keys to the game from your end?
MW: We need to find a way to get traffic and pucks to the net. We pride ourselves on eliminating as many odd man rushes as possible and that tends to eliminate a lot of "grade A" chances for our opponent. If we work through the middle of the ice, we'll have a good chance to compete.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
AUDIO: Recalling Rick Bennett's college career with Mike McShane
by Ryan Fay
We all know Rick Bennett as the head coach who has had more success in less than two seasons than most previous Union coaches had over several years.
But back in the day, Rick Bennett was a standout college player. He played at Providence from 1986-1990 and scored 134 points in 128 games. During his time at Providence, he collected several accolades. Among them were a Hockey East All-Rookie selection in 1987, a second-team All-American nod in 1989, two team MVP awards, and Hobey Baker consideration in 1990.
A third round draft choice of the old Minnesota North Stars in 1986, Bennett would eventually get traded to the New York Rangers and ended up playing 15 games in the NHL during parts of three seasons. His playing days ended after the 1998-1999 season and he played in over 600 minor league games. Prior to arriving at Union, Bennett was an assistant coach at Providence from 2000-2005.
On Tuesday, I chatted with Mike McShane, Bennett's coach for the length of his playing career at Providence. Now the head coach at Division III power Norwich, McShane recalls recruiting Bennett, if he thought Bennett would end up coaching, why his pro career may have been hindered, memorable games, and more.
Listen via the embedded player below or click here.
We all know Rick Bennett as the head coach who has had more success in less than two seasons than most previous Union coaches had over several years.
 |
| Bennett as a Ranger |
A third round draft choice of the old Minnesota North Stars in 1986, Bennett would eventually get traded to the New York Rangers and ended up playing 15 games in the NHL during parts of three seasons. His playing days ended after the 1998-1999 season and he played in over 600 minor league games. Prior to arriving at Union, Bennett was an assistant coach at Providence from 2000-2005.
On Tuesday, I chatted with Mike McShane, Bennett's coach for the length of his playing career at Providence. Now the head coach at Division III power Norwich, McShane recalls recruiting Bennett, if he thought Bennett would end up coaching, why his pro career may have been hindered, memorable games, and more.
Listen via the embedded player below or click here.
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Friday night in Union Hockey (with video)
by Ryan Fay
It wasn't a banner night for the Union hockey programs. Neither the Dutchmen or Dutchwomen pulled out a win Friday night.
WOMEN'S HOCKEY
The Dutchwomen remain in search of their first league win of the year following a 3-1 setback to St. Lawrence (16-11-2, 11-5-1) Friday night at Messa Rink.
The game was scoreless into the second period when St. Lawrence's Jacqueline Wand opened the scoring at the 4:47 mark with an assist from Ellie Williams.
But the lead didn't last long. Forty one seconds later, a tripping penalty on Abbey McRae gave the Dutchwomen a power play opportunity. Rihanna Kurio cashed in a mere 18 seconds into the man advantage to tie the game at one.
There was some drama when the goal was briefly reviewed, but Union head coach Claudia Asano Barcomb said after the game the review was due to the goal judge neglecting to turn the light on.
It remained a 1-1 game until 8:01 of the third period when Rylee Smith put St. Lawrence up for good with an unassisted goal. A little more than four minutes later, Dayle Wilkinson made it a 3-1 game when she tacked on an insurance goal with assists from Amanda Boulier and Kayla Raniwsky.
The Dutchwomen (7-19-3, 0-14-3) were outshot 30-26 and return home at 4 pm today to host 6th-ranked Clarkson (22-7-0, 14-3-0). The Golden Knights beat RPI, 3-1, on Friday night.
This afternoon's game marks the sixth annual Pink at the Rink game and admission is free with a donation at the door to Kristin's Kause.
After the game, I caught up with Barcomb. She discussed tonight's loss and looked ahead to tomorrow's Pink at the Rink game against Clarkson.
Box Score
MEN'S HOCKEY
Clarkson (7-13-7, 6-6-3) snapped a nine game losing streak against the Dutchmen and held on for a 2-1 victory Friday night in Potsdam.
The Golden Knights scored one goal in each of the first two periods. Sam Labrecque led off the scoring at 7:46 of the opening period and Allen McPherson increased Clarkson's lead to 2-0 with a power play goal at 6:38 of the second period.
The Union offense was shutout until the 13:37 mark of the final period when Josh Jooris lit the lamp with an assist from Charlie Vasaturo. It was Jooris' first goal since a two goal game at Brown on December 7th and Vasaturo's first point since a goal at Harvard on November 9th.
After allowing two goals on seven shots, Troy Grosenick was pulled in the second period in favor of Colin Stevens. The sophomore, seeing his first action since January 5th at Lake Superior State, proceeded to stop all 11 shots that came his way.
Greg Lewis stopped 27 of 28 shots for Clarkson, which was outshot 28-18.
Union (13-9-5, 6-5-4) will look to rebound tonight at St. Lawrence, which dropped a 4-3 overtime decision to RPI on Friday.
Box Score
It wasn't a banner night for the Union hockey programs. Neither the Dutchmen or Dutchwomen pulled out a win Friday night.
WOMEN'S HOCKEY
The Dutchwomen remain in search of their first league win of the year following a 3-1 setback to St. Lawrence (16-11-2, 11-5-1) Friday night at Messa Rink.
The game was scoreless into the second period when St. Lawrence's Jacqueline Wand opened the scoring at the 4:47 mark with an assist from Ellie Williams.
But the lead didn't last long. Forty one seconds later, a tripping penalty on Abbey McRae gave the Dutchwomen a power play opportunity. Rihanna Kurio cashed in a mere 18 seconds into the man advantage to tie the game at one.
There was some drama when the goal was briefly reviewed, but Union head coach Claudia Asano Barcomb said after the game the review was due to the goal judge neglecting to turn the light on.
It remained a 1-1 game until 8:01 of the third period when Rylee Smith put St. Lawrence up for good with an unassisted goal. A little more than four minutes later, Dayle Wilkinson made it a 3-1 game when she tacked on an insurance goal with assists from Amanda Boulier and Kayla Raniwsky.
The Dutchwomen (7-19-3, 0-14-3) were outshot 30-26 and return home at 4 pm today to host 6th-ranked Clarkson (22-7-0, 14-3-0). The Golden Knights beat RPI, 3-1, on Friday night.
This afternoon's game marks the sixth annual Pink at the Rink game and admission is free with a donation at the door to Kristin's Kause.
After the game, I caught up with Barcomb. She discussed tonight's loss and looked ahead to tomorrow's Pink at the Rink game against Clarkson.
Box Score
MEN'S HOCKEY
Clarkson (7-13-7, 6-6-3) snapped a nine game losing streak against the Dutchmen and held on for a 2-1 victory Friday night in Potsdam.
The Golden Knights scored one goal in each of the first two periods. Sam Labrecque led off the scoring at 7:46 of the opening period and Allen McPherson increased Clarkson's lead to 2-0 with a power play goal at 6:38 of the second period.
The Union offense was shutout until the 13:37 mark of the final period when Josh Jooris lit the lamp with an assist from Charlie Vasaturo. It was Jooris' first goal since a two goal game at Brown on December 7th and Vasaturo's first point since a goal at Harvard on November 9th.
After allowing two goals on seven shots, Troy Grosenick was pulled in the second period in favor of Colin Stevens. The sophomore, seeing his first action since January 5th at Lake Superior State, proceeded to stop all 11 shots that came his way.
Greg Lewis stopped 27 of 28 shots for Clarkson, which was outshot 28-18.
Union (13-9-5, 6-5-4) will look to rebound tonight at St. Lawrence, which dropped a 4-3 overtime decision to RPI on Friday.
Box Score
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Defenseman Bodie nears school record
by Ryan Fay
This weekend's road trip to Clarkson and St. Lawrence could be a record-breaking one for Mat Bodie.
With 77 career points, including 16 this season, the junior defenseman is three points away from ousting Lane Caffaro as the highest scoring defenseman in the program's Division I era.
"That's not something I've put a lot of thought into," Bodie recently admitted. "The way I get my points with a lot of assists is a tribute to the talent I've played with. It's guys like Jeremy Welsh, Wayne Simpson, Adam Presizniuk, just to name a few. They've been really good goal scorers here, so I have to credit a lot to them."
Second-year head coach Rick Bennett isn't surprised that Bodie is nearing the record.
"Some people have the ability to put up points and him and his brother [Kyle] have that ability," Bennett said. "It's a God given talent because not a lot of people can say that. It's basically his hard work and pride in the game that has given him a chance to break the record."
Bennett was an assistant coach under Nate Leaman when the younger Bodie was being recruited and the process is still fresh on his mind.
"Mat stuck out on a visit and our staff really liked him. It was a slam dunk in that all three coaches -- Leaman, Ben Barr, and myself -- liked him," Bennett said. "It was a matter of trying to get him away from the North Dakota's of the world. But with his brother here, that helped out a lot. Mat's a pretty independent thinker and he kept us at bay for awhile. It was a touch and go process, but we won out."
While some players need time to adjust to the rigors of college hockey, that wasn't the case with Bodie. The native of East St. Paul, Manitoba played in all 40 games during his freshman season and his 32 points broke Mike Schreiber's single season school record for points by a defenseman. Those totals placed him second among all ECAC defenseman and earned him a spot on the league's all-rookie team.
"Part of it was having my brother here," Bodie said of his quick transition to the college game. "He helped me get adjusted to living in the dorms and living away from home."
"I also have to thank Brock Matheson quite a bit," he added. "He was the captain of the team at the time and my partner on defense. I had a couple tough games, but he really showed me the ropes. Third would be the coaching staff. They knew I was a freshman and I would make mistakes. But they created confidence in me and it started off from that."
The 18th-ranked Dutchmen (13-8-5, 6-4-4) face off at Clarkson (6-13-7, 5-6-3) tomorrow at 7 pm ahead of a matchup with St. Lawrence (12-10-4, 5-5-4) the next night.
This weekend's road trip to Clarkson and St. Lawrence could be a record-breaking one for Mat Bodie.
With 77 career points, including 16 this season, the junior defenseman is three points away from ousting Lane Caffaro as the highest scoring defenseman in the program's Division I era.
"That's not something I've put a lot of thought into," Bodie recently admitted. "The way I get my points with a lot of assists is a tribute to the talent I've played with. It's guys like Jeremy Welsh, Wayne Simpson, Adam Presizniuk, just to name a few. They've been really good goal scorers here, so I have to credit a lot to them."
 |
| Mat Bodie (Times Union) |
"Some people have the ability to put up points and him and his brother [Kyle] have that ability," Bennett said. "It's a God given talent because not a lot of people can say that. It's basically his hard work and pride in the game that has given him a chance to break the record."
Bennett was an assistant coach under Nate Leaman when the younger Bodie was being recruited and the process is still fresh on his mind.
"Mat stuck out on a visit and our staff really liked him. It was a slam dunk in that all three coaches -- Leaman, Ben Barr, and myself -- liked him," Bennett said. "It was a matter of trying to get him away from the North Dakota's of the world. But with his brother here, that helped out a lot. Mat's a pretty independent thinker and he kept us at bay for awhile. It was a touch and go process, but we won out."
While some players need time to adjust to the rigors of college hockey, that wasn't the case with Bodie. The native of East St. Paul, Manitoba played in all 40 games during his freshman season and his 32 points broke Mike Schreiber's single season school record for points by a defenseman. Those totals placed him second among all ECAC defenseman and earned him a spot on the league's all-rookie team.
"Part of it was having my brother here," Bodie said of his quick transition to the college game. "He helped me get adjusted to living in the dorms and living away from home."
"I also have to thank Brock Matheson quite a bit," he added. "He was the captain of the team at the time and my partner on defense. I had a couple tough games, but he really showed me the ropes. Third would be the coaching staff. They knew I was a freshman and I would make mistakes. But they created confidence in me and it started off from that."
The 18th-ranked Dutchmen (13-8-5, 6-4-4) face off at Clarkson (6-13-7, 5-6-3) tomorrow at 7 pm ahead of a matchup with St. Lawrence (12-10-4, 5-5-4) the next night.
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Whatever happened to... Drew Brown?
by Ryan Fay
When Union received a commitment from Drew Brown in the fall of 2010 for the following season, it was considered a big get.
Brown was from Grass Lakes, Michigan and Union had beaten out a storied program in Michigan for the services of one of their home state kids. It happened before the Cleary Cups, the Whitelaw Cup, and the Frozen Four appearance. It was all the more impressive when one considers Union couldn't offer an athletic scholarship while Michigan could have.
"Michigan wanted him," Brown's prep school coach, Matt Herr, told the United States Hockey Report at the time. "They were pushing him hard to come there. But coach [Nate] Leaman at Union showed him that he would have a chance to be a top-two line guy with them."
Brown's arrival would have been at an important time for the program, which was then bracing for the loss of seven seniors, including the program's Division I era points leader, Adam Presizniuk, and a solid point producer in John Simpson.
In his final season of prep school hockey, Brown showed considerable offensive potential by amassing 51 points (22 goals, 29 assists) in just 27 games for Kent School in Connecticut.
The reports on Brown were as glowing as the statistics would suggest.
"The thing that Drew brings to the table is he's a pure goal-scorer, a natural. He has a really good release with his shot," Herr told Mark Divver of the Providence Journal in May 2011. "He's a hard-working kid. He's a kid that'll work for everything he gets."
However, dreams of Brown bringing that scoring touch to Union came to an end when Leaman and assistant coach Ben Barr bolted for the same jobs at Providence.
Brown decommitted and followed the pair to Rhode Island. It didn't hurt that Noel Acciari, a prep school teammate of Brown's, had previously committed to Providence for former Friars coach Tim Army.
The 20-year-old Brown ranked fifth on the Friars in scoring during his freshman season with 18 points (4 goals, 14 assists) in 38 games. The freshman showed discipline with just 8 penalty minutes all season.
But his sophomore season hasn't been an improvement. He's been in and out of the lineup for the last couple months and only has six points (3 goals, 3 assists) in 16 games.
Touted as a "pure goal scorer," Brown has just seven goals in 54 career games with Providence.
"The hype about Brown probably outraced the reality," one Providence insider said. "Yes, he had very good numbers but that was in prep hockey. A year in the USHL might have given a better read on his future in Division I. However, I wouldn't call him a disappointment. He is a solid player who still has a chance as a junior and senior to put up some decent numbers."
Brown isn't the only near Union player that now plays for Providence.
"Two kids who play a prominent role and many more minutes than Brown -- Ross Mauermann and Stefan Demopulos -- likely would have ended up at Union if Leaman and Barr hadn't decided to move on to Providence.
"Both were pretty much unknowns coming out of the NAHL and USHL, yet they have emerged as very important players at Providence. Their success certainly speaks to Leaman's and Barr's ability to identify talent," the insider said.
Mauermann is second on the Friars with 18 points (9 goals, 9 assists) in 25 games. Demopulos, currently out with an upper-body injury, is tied for third on the club with five goals in 12 games.
Though he would never officially play at Providence, goaltending recruit Julien Laplante also went to Providence with Leaman and Barr in the wake of an NCAA violation levied on him. See a related story on Laplante here.
When Union received a commitment from Drew Brown in the fall of 2010 for the following season, it was considered a big get.
Brown was from Grass Lakes, Michigan and Union had beaten out a storied program in Michigan for the services of one of their home state kids. It happened before the Cleary Cups, the Whitelaw Cup, and the Frozen Four appearance. It was all the more impressive when one considers Union couldn't offer an athletic scholarship while Michigan could have.
"Michigan wanted him," Brown's prep school coach, Matt Herr, told the United States Hockey Report at the time. "They were pushing him hard to come there. But coach [Nate] Leaman at Union showed him that he would have a chance to be a top-two line guy with them."
Brown's arrival would have been at an important time for the program, which was then bracing for the loss of seven seniors, including the program's Division I era points leader, Adam Presizniuk, and a solid point producer in John Simpson.
In his final season of prep school hockey, Brown showed considerable offensive potential by amassing 51 points (22 goals, 29 assists) in just 27 games for Kent School in Connecticut.
The reports on Brown were as glowing as the statistics would suggest.
 |
| Brown (Providence) |
"The thing that Drew brings to the table is he's a pure goal-scorer, a natural. He has a really good release with his shot," Herr told Mark Divver of the Providence Journal in May 2011. "He's a hard-working kid. He's a kid that'll work for everything he gets."
However, dreams of Brown bringing that scoring touch to Union came to an end when Leaman and assistant coach Ben Barr bolted for the same jobs at Providence.
Brown decommitted and followed the pair to Rhode Island. It didn't hurt that Noel Acciari, a prep school teammate of Brown's, had previously committed to Providence for former Friars coach Tim Army.
The 20-year-old Brown ranked fifth on the Friars in scoring during his freshman season with 18 points (4 goals, 14 assists) in 38 games. The freshman showed discipline with just 8 penalty minutes all season.
But his sophomore season hasn't been an improvement. He's been in and out of the lineup for the last couple months and only has six points (3 goals, 3 assists) in 16 games.
Touted as a "pure goal scorer," Brown has just seven goals in 54 career games with Providence.
"The hype about Brown probably outraced the reality," one Providence insider said. "Yes, he had very good numbers but that was in prep hockey. A year in the USHL might have given a better read on his future in Division I. However, I wouldn't call him a disappointment. He is a solid player who still has a chance as a junior and senior to put up some decent numbers."
Brown isn't the only near Union player that now plays for Providence.
"Two kids who play a prominent role and many more minutes than Brown -- Ross Mauermann and Stefan Demopulos -- likely would have ended up at Union if Leaman and Barr hadn't decided to move on to Providence.
"Both were pretty much unknowns coming out of the NAHL and USHL, yet they have emerged as very important players at Providence. Their success certainly speaks to Leaman's and Barr's ability to identify talent," the insider said.
Mauermann is second on the Friars with 18 points (9 goals, 9 assists) in 25 games. Demopulos, currently out with an upper-body injury, is tied for third on the club with five goals in 12 games.
Though he would never officially play at Providence, goaltending recruit Julien Laplante also went to Providence with Leaman and Barr in the wake of an NCAA violation levied on him. See a related story on Laplante here.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Dutchmen Meet the Media
by Ryan Fay
The 18th-ranked Union Dutchmen host the 16th-ranked Dartmouth Big Green tomorrow at 7:30 pm on the NBC Sports Network.
Before Thursday's practice, defenseman Mat Bodie, head coach Rick Bennett, goaltender Troy Grosenick, and forward Daniel Carr met with the local media. To see what they had to say about the game (and more), watch the videos below.
If you can't see the embedded players, click here to watch.
The 18th-ranked Union Dutchmen host the 16th-ranked Dartmouth Big Green tomorrow at 7:30 pm on the NBC Sports Network.
Before Thursday's practice, defenseman Mat Bodie, head coach Rick Bennett, goaltender Troy Grosenick, and forward Daniel Carr met with the local media. To see what they had to say about the game (and more), watch the videos below.
If you can't see the embedded players, click here to watch.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Mayor's Cup Highlights
Here are the highlights from last night's dramatic 3-2 win over RPI in the inaugural Mayor's Cup game. From "GoUnionAthletics" on YouTube.
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Dutchwomen fall to RPI, 2-1 (with video)
by Ryan Fay
SCHENECTADY -- The Dutchwomen dropped a 2-1 decision to RPI Friday night at Messa Rink.
The game was tied at one going into the third period, but Taylor Horton's second goal of the night at 5:24 proved to be the game winner for RPI (7-15-3, 5-7-1). Horton also opened the scoring with a powerplay tally at 15:35 of the first period.
"We had a breakdown and I think it hit off a kid," Union head coach Claudia Asano Barcomb said of the game winning goal. "We didn't have [someone] on the back door. We usually don't have those kind of breakdowns, but that shouldn't be the game-winner. We should have answered back and put another one in."
The Dutchwomen (7-15-3, 0-10-3) nearly did when they strung together a few good chances at the end of the game.
"I wish we had a couple more minutes because I thought we really put pressure on them at the end," Barcomb said.
The comeback attempt was hampered when the team was forced to kill a tripping penalty on Nicole Bartlett with 24 seconds left in regulation.
"It was tough," Barcomb said of the penalty. "She was trying and making all the efforts to try to help us put the puck in the net. You can't blame a kid for trying."
Kelly McGrath notched Union's lone goal with a game-tying powerplay tally at 14:09 of the second period. Aside from the powerplay goal, Union's special teams killed four of five RPI powerplays, including back to back chances in the second period.
The Dutchwomen, who were outshot 30-24, picked up 28 saves from Shenae Lundberg.
The two schools meet for the third time this season at RPI at 3:00 pm. The winner will take the season series as Union won the first game, 3-2, on October 20th. That game was a non-league affair.
For more from Barcomb, watch my postgame interview with her. If you can't see the embedded player below, click here to watch.
SCHENECTADY -- The Dutchwomen dropped a 2-1 decision to RPI Friday night at Messa Rink.
The game was tied at one going into the third period, but Taylor Horton's second goal of the night at 5:24 proved to be the game winner for RPI (7-15-3, 5-7-1). Horton also opened the scoring with a powerplay tally at 15:35 of the first period.
"We had a breakdown and I think it hit off a kid," Union head coach Claudia Asano Barcomb said of the game winning goal. "We didn't have [someone] on the back door. We usually don't have those kind of breakdowns, but that shouldn't be the game-winner. We should have answered back and put another one in."
The Dutchwomen (7-15-3, 0-10-3) nearly did when they strung together a few good chances at the end of the game.
"I wish we had a couple more minutes because I thought we really put pressure on them at the end," Barcomb said.
The comeback attempt was hampered when the team was forced to kill a tripping penalty on Nicole Bartlett with 24 seconds left in regulation.
"It was tough," Barcomb said of the penalty. "She was trying and making all the efforts to try to help us put the puck in the net. You can't blame a kid for trying."
Kelly McGrath notched Union's lone goal with a game-tying powerplay tally at 14:09 of the second period. Aside from the powerplay goal, Union's special teams killed four of five RPI powerplays, including back to back chances in the second period.
The Dutchwomen, who were outshot 30-24, picked up 28 saves from Shenae Lundberg.
The two schools meet for the third time this season at RPI at 3:00 pm. The winner will take the season series as Union won the first game, 3-2, on October 20th. That game was a non-league affair.
For more from Barcomb, watch my postgame interview with her. If you can't see the embedded player below, click here to watch.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
AUDIO: Rick Bennett pre-practice 1/24/13
by Ryan Fay
Prior to Thursday's practice, Union men's hockey head coach Rick Bennett spoke with the media.
The second-year head coach talked about Saturday's game with RPI and offered health updates on Shawn Stuart and Josh Jooris.
Stuart has missed the past three games with an upper-body injury. Jooris, who got on the ice today, sat out Tuesday's game against Harvard after taking a stick to the facemask in last Saturday's win over Colgate.
To listen, click here or listen via the player below.
Prior to Thursday's practice, Union men's hockey head coach Rick Bennett spoke with the media.
The second-year head coach talked about Saturday's game with RPI and offered health updates on Shawn Stuart and Josh Jooris.
Stuart has missed the past three games with an upper-body injury. Jooris, who got on the ice today, sat out Tuesday's game against Harvard after taking a stick to the facemask in last Saturday's win over Colgate.
To listen, click here or listen via the player below.
Q&A with RPI men's hockey head coach Seth Appert
by Ryan Fay
Union and RPI are set to renew their heated rivalry with Saturday's 7:30 pm "Mayor's Cup" game at the Times Union Center.
It will be the third meeting between the schools this season and the first since Union's 7-3 win on November 3rd. Union has a seven game winning streak against their Route 7 rivals, but RPI still has the all-time series lead in Division I play at 29-26-9. RPI last beat Union, 4-3 in overtime, on November 13th 2010.
On Tuesday afternoon, I conducted a phone interview with RPI men's hockey head coach Seth Appert. The coach dissects the recent improvement of his team, Union's success against RPI, a few of his players who could loom large in Saturday's game, and more.
UNION HOCKEY NEWS (UHN): If someone hasn't seen your team play yet this season, what style of team will they see on Saturday?
SETH APPERT (SA): What we try to be is a hard, fast, disciplined team. We've been turning into a very good defensive team. I think we're doing that not by being passive and sitting back, but by being aggressive, forechecking well, and being physical. We're at our best when we're playing fast, hard, and physical -- taking time and space away from our opponents when we don't have the puck so we can get it back.
UHN: Your team has won or tied five of its past six league games, including handing Quinnipiac its only non-win in league play this year (a 1-1 tie on Jan. 11). You also split a non-league series at now #16 St. Cloud State in late December. What's fueling the improvement?
SA: We're playing pretty good hockey these past two months in league and out of league. Even in the games we have lost, we've played very well either for large portions or all of the game. Day in and day out, and game in and game out, we've been real committed to playing the right way and doing little things that give us a chance to win hockey games.
UHN: After the first game with Union earlier this season, you thought your team showed a lack of maturity. Has more maturity been another factor in the recent improvement?
SA: We're growing up slowly. We still show some moments of immaturity as evidenced by being a little sloppy in the first period against Princeton but we had a dominant 40 minutes after that. Our captain, C.J Lee, is doing a fantastic job of getting the guys on the same page. Lee and I are in sync in terms of how we see things and what we value. That consistency is starting to take hold a little bit. We were immature in that Union series and we continued that immaturity the next weekend at Harvard and Dartmouth, but since then, we've been a real good hockey team. We've done a lot of things the right way. We're not perfect, and we still have things to improve upon, but we are slowly turning into a very physical, disciplined, tough hockey team.
UHN: Union has been successful against a lot of teams in the past few years, including yours. What's made them especially dangerous in the games against your team?
SA: They've kept their composure better. We've taken some ill-advised penalties against them and they have an absolutely lethal power play. They have very good combined special teams (power play and penalty kill) and they receive very good goaltending. You combine those things together and they've found their way to quite a bit of success against us these past few seasons.
UHN: Union has had its share of struggles in the past couple months. Is it fair to say you could be getting them at the right time?
SA: I'm more concerned with our team. It looks like Union played pretty well last weekend, having a lead on Cornell late in the game and beating a pretty good Colgate team the next night. Union has a very good team and I still believe they're a top 15 team in the country. Every team goes through ups and downs at some point of the season. In terms of getting them at the right time, the schedule is what it is, and all you worry about is the next day of practice and the next game in front of you.
UHN: What can you say about your freshman goaltender, Jason Kasdorf? A sixth round pick of Winnipeg in the 2011 NHL draft, he's played in nine games and has a 4-1-2 record.
SA: He's given us a good swagger and a good belief in ourselves. We have three very good goalies, but he's been able to separate a bit, and the numbers bear that out. His winning percentage (.714) and save percentage (.943) are higher [than our other goaltenders]. All goalies at this level have very good athleticism and ability to make big saves. What he's done a good job of in his freshman year is limiting the number of soft rebounds and soft goals. Bad rebounds lead to goals and goals deflate a team. He's done a good job at making big saves when necessary and taking care of the little details that add up to big things.
UHN: Milos Bubela, a native of Slovakia, is tied for second on your team in goals (seven) despite being a freshman. What has stood out about him?
SA: We were pretty excited about him with his international background (he played in the World Junior Championships last year). It's been a big transition -- he's coming to college hockey, he's coming to college, he's learning another language, and a different style of play compared to what experienced in Europe. What Bubela has done a good job of is quickly buying into the more physical play of North American hockey. He's had a willingness to compete for loose pucks, to be physical, to finish checks, and to win battles. When you do those things, you have the puck more. When Bubela has the puck, like most good offensive players, he's very dangerous and can do a lot of great things. Where some offensive players struggle is that they don't work hard enough to get the puck. Bubela has done a good job in the past few months of understanding that and getting the puck more through his efforts. Because of that, he's been rewarded with more offensive opportunities.
UHN: Matt Neal, Ryan Haggerty, and Jacob Laliberte, have (at times) formed what's known as your "N-H-L" line. They all came to your program with big expectations, but now in year two, they're your top three scorers. What can you say about their development?
SA: They're all making steps in their sophomore year. They all have a lot of growth left to go - not only the rest of this season, but into the future. They've shown a good willingness to buy into the coaching and a desire to get better. A big jump from your freshman to sophomore year is how hard you train in the summer because now you know what it takes to be a Division I hockey player. All three had good summers in the weight room and showed a high level of commitment and discipline towards their offseason training. They have a little more maturity and understanding of their abilities.
UHN: How do you see the game going on Saturday night?
SA: As a coach, you never predict those things. All you do is prepare your team the way it needs to be prepared to give your young men a chance to go ahead and have success. We're really focused on having good practices and getting guys back into the swing of things academically with school starting up this week. We're just making sure we continue to take steps forward as a team like we have the past two months. We'll put the guys out there Saturday night and they'll dictate it from there.
Special thanks to Kevin Beattie and to Coach Appert.
Union and RPI are set to renew their heated rivalry with Saturday's 7:30 pm "Mayor's Cup" game at the Times Union Center.
It will be the third meeting between the schools this season and the first since Union's 7-3 win on November 3rd. Union has a seven game winning streak against their Route 7 rivals, but RPI still has the all-time series lead in Division I play at 29-26-9. RPI last beat Union, 4-3 in overtime, on November 13th 2010.
On Tuesday afternoon, I conducted a phone interview with RPI men's hockey head coach Seth Appert. The coach dissects the recent improvement of his team, Union's success against RPI, a few of his players who could loom large in Saturday's game, and more.
UNION HOCKEY NEWS (UHN): If someone hasn't seen your team play yet this season, what style of team will they see on Saturday?
SETH APPERT (SA): What we try to be is a hard, fast, disciplined team. We've been turning into a very good defensive team. I think we're doing that not by being passive and sitting back, but by being aggressive, forechecking well, and being physical. We're at our best when we're playing fast, hard, and physical -- taking time and space away from our opponents when we don't have the puck so we can get it back.
UHN: Your team has won or tied five of its past six league games, including handing Quinnipiac its only non-win in league play this year (a 1-1 tie on Jan. 11). You also split a non-league series at now #16 St. Cloud State in late December. What's fueling the improvement?
SA: We're playing pretty good hockey these past two months in league and out of league. Even in the games we have lost, we've played very well either for large portions or all of the game. Day in and day out, and game in and game out, we've been real committed to playing the right way and doing little things that give us a chance to win hockey games.
UHN: After the first game with Union earlier this season, you thought your team showed a lack of maturity. Has more maturity been another factor in the recent improvement?
 |
| Appert (RPI Athletics) |
UHN: Union has been successful against a lot of teams in the past few years, including yours. What's made them especially dangerous in the games against your team?
SA: They've kept their composure better. We've taken some ill-advised penalties against them and they have an absolutely lethal power play. They have very good combined special teams (power play and penalty kill) and they receive very good goaltending. You combine those things together and they've found their way to quite a bit of success against us these past few seasons.
UHN: Union has had its share of struggles in the past couple months. Is it fair to say you could be getting them at the right time?
SA: I'm more concerned with our team. It looks like Union played pretty well last weekend, having a lead on Cornell late in the game and beating a pretty good Colgate team the next night. Union has a very good team and I still believe they're a top 15 team in the country. Every team goes through ups and downs at some point of the season. In terms of getting them at the right time, the schedule is what it is, and all you worry about is the next day of practice and the next game in front of you.
UHN: What can you say about your freshman goaltender, Jason Kasdorf? A sixth round pick of Winnipeg in the 2011 NHL draft, he's played in nine games and has a 4-1-2 record.
SA: He's given us a good swagger and a good belief in ourselves. We have three very good goalies, but he's been able to separate a bit, and the numbers bear that out. His winning percentage (.714) and save percentage (.943) are higher [than our other goaltenders]. All goalies at this level have very good athleticism and ability to make big saves. What he's done a good job of in his freshman year is limiting the number of soft rebounds and soft goals. Bad rebounds lead to goals and goals deflate a team. He's done a good job at making big saves when necessary and taking care of the little details that add up to big things.
UHN: Milos Bubela, a native of Slovakia, is tied for second on your team in goals (seven) despite being a freshman. What has stood out about him?
SA: We were pretty excited about him with his international background (he played in the World Junior Championships last year). It's been a big transition -- he's coming to college hockey, he's coming to college, he's learning another language, and a different style of play compared to what experienced in Europe. What Bubela has done a good job of is quickly buying into the more physical play of North American hockey. He's had a willingness to compete for loose pucks, to be physical, to finish checks, and to win battles. When you do those things, you have the puck more. When Bubela has the puck, like most good offensive players, he's very dangerous and can do a lot of great things. Where some offensive players struggle is that they don't work hard enough to get the puck. Bubela has done a good job in the past few months of understanding that and getting the puck more through his efforts. Because of that, he's been rewarded with more offensive opportunities.
UHN: Matt Neal, Ryan Haggerty, and Jacob Laliberte, have (at times) formed what's known as your "N-H-L" line. They all came to your program with big expectations, but now in year two, they're your top three scorers. What can you say about their development?
SA: They're all making steps in their sophomore year. They all have a lot of growth left to go - not only the rest of this season, but into the future. They've shown a good willingness to buy into the coaching and a desire to get better. A big jump from your freshman to sophomore year is how hard you train in the summer because now you know what it takes to be a Division I hockey player. All three had good summers in the weight room and showed a high level of commitment and discipline towards their offseason training. They have a little more maturity and understanding of their abilities.
UHN: How do you see the game going on Saturday night?
SA: As a coach, you never predict those things. All you do is prepare your team the way it needs to be prepared to give your young men a chance to go ahead and have success. We're really focused on having good practices and getting guys back into the swing of things academically with school starting up this week. We're just making sure we continue to take steps forward as a team like we have the past two months. We'll put the guys out there Saturday night and they'll dictate it from there.
Special thanks to Kevin Beattie and to Coach Appert.
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