The first Monday in February means that the semi-final games of the Beanpot took place at TD Garden, and as has happened a few times before it was snowing (though hopefully it was not turning into an unexpected blizzard).
The take away from this game was that both Harvard and Northeastern may want to brush up on what constitutes a penalty, or perhaps the on-ice officials do. By the end of the second period the combined penalties for the two teams was 49 minutes and the tallying of penalties would continue as the teams got underway in third.
Unfortunately for Northeastern this meant the ejection of captain Josh Manson at 14:12 of the first period for a contact to the head penalty, forcing his team to play with just five defensemen, something that could have spelled trouble. However, the team seemed up to the challenge, and in addition, they did have redshirted junior Clay Witt in between the pipes, making some incredible saves once Harvard got their skating legs going.
It was hard to tell if Harvard just felt beat down after Northeastern scored twice in the first period. Despite having fewer shots on goal during the second than Harvard, Northeastern managed to sting the Crimson just 31 seconds into the second period with their third goal scored on Raphael Girard, followed by their fourth just about four minutes later.
Perhaps it was the never-ending disruption of play as penalty after penalty was called, or the simple fact that Northeastern’s team is strong this season. Regardless, the Huskies managed to again catch the Crimson unaware just 14 seconds into third period to score their fifth goal (prompting another taunting by the Northeastern student body in attendance, as seen below), which resulted in Harvard’s head coach Ted Donato making a goalie change – replacing Girard with Steve Michalek for the remainder of the third period.
Donato later said that Northeastern’s “guys are dangerous.” He referred to them as a confident team, mentioning Kevin Roy, Michael Szmatula and Braden Pimm by name.
“They played a strong simple game,” Donato said. “Szmatula’s dangerous. [Matt] Benning is an excellent quarterback on the power play at the blue line.”
With all the penalties it was difficult for Harvard to get going. And when they did manage to have a power play, they would end up negating it by taking a penalty of their own. By the end of the game the two teams had combined for a total of 75 minutes in penalties. However Huskies’ goalie Witt no doubt will remember it as his fourth career shutout as the Huskies beat the Crimson 6-0.
Northeastern’s head coach, Jim Madigan, said the loss of Manson in the first was a big concern. With Jarrett Fennell, who has not played much this season, having been put in to replace the injured Dustin Darou, the bulk of the defensive play was on the shoulders of the remaining four defensemen: Mike Gunn, Dax Lauwers, Matt Benning and Colton Saucerman. And during one of the Huskies’ penalty kills, when three of their defensemen were in the box, Benning was taking double shifts.
As Madigan put it, “It was like youth hockey – stay on until we tell you to come off.”
And forward John Stevens was prepared to play defense. And yet as all of this was taking place, the Huskies continued to exude confidence.
This will be the third time that Northeastern has made it to the Championship game in the past four years, and the second time in as many years. When asked what the team would need to win, Madigan ticked off the three most important aspects: goaltending, specialty teams and disciplined hockey—the latter of which he said they hadn’t had during the semi-final game.
Boston College Eagles vs. Boston University Terriers
The second game of the semi-finals was by far the loudest, which is not surprising, when you consider it is the Battle of Comm Ave. To say that there is animosity between Boston College and Boston University is an understatement.
And if the play between Northeastern and Harvard looked outmatched, the placement of Boston College (first in HockeyEast) and Boston University (tenth in HockeyEast) shows a definite mismatch this season. Usually the two teams are right around the same rankings, but the BU Terriers have definitely struggled this season and they are now having to finish the season without one of there best players, Matt Grzelcyk who was injured in January.
One of the problems that was showing during the game was trouble the Terriers had finding each other when passing, causing them to lose possession of the puck. With players such as Johnny “Johnny Hockey” Gaudreau (23-28-51 in 26 games) and Bill Arnold (8-28-36 in 26 games) and Kevin Hayes (19-26-45 in 26 games) playing together on a line, the Terriers needed to keep control of the puck whenever that line was out on the ice.
The Terriers have a young team this season and a new coach, who is still getting to know his team and what makes them tick. However, watching them continue to battle, striving to keep the Eagles to the perimeters as the game continued, showed the grit that with maturity could make them a truly difficult team as their freshmen get a little older.
And though there were much fewer penalties during this second game (different on-ice officials), there was yet another major penalty and game misconduct. This one was called on BU’s Doyle Somerby for boarding Kevin Hayes, who stayed down on the ice for awhile before slowly getting up and making his way across to the bench. What was nice to see was that despite the constant badgering of each other among the student bodies of the two schools, the BU students clapped just as loudly as the BC students when Hayes got up.
The caliber of perseverance displayed by the Terriers as they killed off the five-minute major penalty to Somerby speaks volumes of the resolve and strength that the teams has. Now all head coach David Quinn has to do is to harness it and focus it.
The most winning coach in NCAA, Jerry York, leads Boston College and they have been a powerhouse for some time now, winning many a championship, including the last four Beanpots. However, after killing off the major penalty, an energetic BU team came out and began to make things happen, and they managed to score on Thatcher Demko, to ensure there would not be another shutout on the night. After that, the momentum seemed to be largely in BU’s favor, despite the score.
Boston College could be seen making some uncharacteristic mistakes and plays that were also allowing the Terriers to continue to dominate on the ice. However, in the end the Eagles would be victorious, beating the Terriers 3-1.
Terriers coach Quinn was pleased with the strong efforts of his team commenting on how they need to take the solid 60-minute effort they displayed and carry it on to the next game, when they meet UMass-Lowell on Friday night. Eagles coach York had high praise for the Terriers as well, commenting on how they continued to battle back.
Perhaps coach Quinn summed it up best when he mentioned that the rivalry between BU and BC just makes both teams better. And though many suspected that the Eagles would obliterate the Terriers, such was not the case.
Monday, February 10, will see the Boston University Terriers going against the Harvard Crimson during the consolation game beginning at 4:30 in the afternoon. The Championship game between the Boston College Eagles and the Northeastern University Huskies will begin at 7:30pm. And may the best Boston team win.
It’s been awhile since we threw a DIY your way and our Beaded Safety Pin Team Bracelet is a fun project that can be easily altered to match the color scheme of whatever team you root for. It’s also a project that is kid (5 and up with adult supervision) friendly and can be worked on while watching a game on TV. We decided to represent Team Pink and use pink metallic beads, but imagine how great a Team (USA, Canada, Insert country here) or Olympic Rings color scheme would look — we’re betting pretty awesome!
Do we have you hooked yet? What are you waiting for, let’s go!
You’ll need:
Glass beads in team of choice colors
Box of safety pins
1 package 1mm thin stringing elastic
Directions:
1. Measure two pieces of elastic around your wrist, leaving approximately an inch excess for tying purposes. Triple knot 1 end of each of the two pieces, place your knot about 1/2 inch from the end, so you have a small tail of elastic, you’ll need this for securing the two ends of the bracelet to each other. You’ll knot the other opposing end after you’ve strung them. Put aside.
2. Start beading your safety pins, leaving enough space at the top of the pin to secure it back together. It’s much easier to bead the majority of the safety pins first before stringing them. Wrists sizes vary, so you may use more or less – but we used around 55 safety pins.
3. Once you’ve beaded your pins, it’s time to string them. You’ll need to alternate the pins, first string pin string through the top hole of the enclosure, next pin through the bottom loop – alternating so you’ll be making a pattern with the pins. We found the easiest method being to string all of the pins to one piece of elastic and then begin the same process through the second piece of elastic. *Stringing tip (see photo below) – We struggled a bit with trying to thread the elastic through the top hole on the pin, but if you pop it open, hold the beads with your thumb and pull the elastic into the hole, then re-secure, it’s much easier. For those of you that need a comparison, the motion is similar to flossing your teeth.
4. Once you’ve looped your pins onto both pieces of elastic, be sure to wrap it around your wrist, checking to see if you need more or less pins to complete the bracelet. Obviously, add more or remove some until the bracelet fits nicely on your wrist.
5. Next you’ll need to triple knot the ends of the bracelet to secure it. Similar to step one, you should have roughly 1/4 – 1/2 inch tail of elastic.
6. With the beads face down, grab your strings, tie the two top ends together, then the two bottom ends together to secure.
7. Turn your bracelet inside out, so the beads are on the inside. This is an easier method to make sure your knots are pulled tightly together, you can also trim the excess elastic.
8. Flip your bracelet so the beads are facing outward and you’re ready to wear!
Equipment (Equipment, a Players Best Friend) is dominated by preference, for many a player, once you find a brand you love, skating from the path of comfort when it comes to gear is almost unheard of.
But what happens when you take the plunge and try something new? You could be pleasantly surprised with the results.
Many of you are probably familiar with the brand Shock Doctor, and many of you have probably had a mouth guard made by the company during some point in your on-ice career. The company is famous for the mouthpiece that has saved numerous teeth over the years — I know that I’m thankful for them preserving my smile and my mother and dentist are as well.
While the company has made a name for itself in mouth gear, its a growing brand with much more to offer than dental protection. With a slogan of “Hardcore Protection, Fearless Performance”, it begs the question, what else does the major manufacturer offer?
Well, the Pink Puck made it an on-ice mission to expand our knowledge of the product base and we were pleasantly surprised with the results. As is customary when it comes to hockey gear, most companies hold a wide variety of performance apparel geared towards players of the male variety. Women play hockey too, and Shock Doctor provides key pieces of protection in a women’s line of apparel that’s affordable to the average consumer. Key pieces we can trust, that are comfortable and won’t break the bank is a strong component in our new found love for the performance pieces we put through the paces during a week of women’s hockey games.
Core Women’s Hockey Short
First up, Core Women’s Hockey Short with Pelvic Protector, they also offer a pant option. We all know the importance of pants or shorts and the pelvic protector. Personally, like many players, shorts are a go-to over pants, pants are just too hot — but it’s all personal preference. These shorts feature anti-microbial moisture wicking fabric, which is key when you’re skating shifts for an hour plus, staying as dry as possible is necessary. With other brands, the shorts themselves have ridden up while skating and no one wants to be trying to re-adjust on the bench, these shorts stayed in place for the duration.
Next, the Shock Doctor Skate Insole. Now, in all honesty, the idea to use a skate insole has never lit the lamp. I’ve skated with my beloved Bauer Supreme’s for many years and I’d like to think that they have reached their optimal molding potential, so why mess with perfection? Well, adding an insole to your skates is a comfort that everyone should try.
“The Shock Doctor Skate Insole is specifically engineered to reduce the stress on athlete’s feet and lower body joints so they can move quickly, make quick cuts & never lose an edge.”
Skate Insoles
My biggest concern was that the insoles would drastically alter the feeling of my skates, add a heavy layer of padding and potentially make them feel too tight. However, I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of support the insole added without being too bulky. My only complaint was that the pad didn’t fit my skate perfectly at the toe, but of course, everyone has different preferences and a simple trim to the top of the insole with a pair of scissors remedied the situation. Perhaps I didn’t notice any drastic change in my play the first few times I used them, but as of late, I find myself pushing off with a bit more intensity because I have the extra support to back up my skate strides.
While you may find yourself secured to the comforts of a specific company for products such as skates, sticks, etc. Don’t feel as though you need to be locked down when it comes to performance enhancing apparel. In a day in age where a player will do almost anything to improve their game, trying something as simple as a skate insole, or a new pair of shorts may be just the small tweak that you need.
While game days are reserved for outfits that are more media friendly, practice days harbor an easy going, anything goes vibe. The Bruins practice facility in Wilmington, MA is one of the colder rinks that I’ve spent time at; it just has that arctic bite that you don’t get at some of the other rinks in the area. So layers are a key component in a practice ensemble.
Breakdown:
Grey tank top, TJMaxx, $7.99
White sweater, Marshalls, $19.99
Dark wash jeans, Forever 21, $7.80
Leather jacket, Germany, price unknown
Grey checkered scarf, H&M, $5.99
Gray and tan wedge ankle boots, Aldo, clearance, $19.99
Replica stone Stanley Cup, priceless
Media Tip: Bring a hot beverage of choice, it’ll keep you warm through the practice drills!
The Stockton Thunder faced off against the Colorado Eagles for a Saturday night matchup at the Stockton Arena. The Thunder were looking for a win after being defeated at home by the Ontario Reign 5-2 last weekend and the Colorado Eagles came in to the game with a loss to the league-leading Reign earlier in the week, seeking redemption. The Eagles would come out on top after the Thunder came out of the gates on fire, scoring 3 goals in the first frame, only to let it all slip away in the second period, Colorado defeating Stockton 7-5.
“We were two different teams in the first period and the second period, ” said Thunder Head Coach Rich Kromm. “In the third period, they capitalized on the power plays. They are a very skilled team offensively and we knew that if we gave them opportunities, which we did, they could capitalize.”
The game followed a similar path for the Thunder with a strong first period and a slumping second, something that was apparent in last weekend’s matchup against the Ontario Reign. The Thunder came out strong in the first frame, but then let the momentum slip away in the second, and then did not push back hard enough in the third to get the win against Ontario. In last night’s contest against the Eagles, the game was a back and forth battle in the third period as both teams pushed for the win, with Colorado taking advantage of Stockton’s loose play in the neutral zone.
“We have to get pucks in deep all the time we can’t turn pucks over inside the bluelines,” said Kromm. “Colorado is a very skilled team, they thrive on transition opportunities and we gave them transition opportunities when we weren’t playing smart. Every time we got it deep and worked the back of net, good things happened. When we didn’t do that we end up playing in our end.”
The Colorado Eagles benefited from the return of forward Jesse Mychan (1g-0a), who just returned from a stint with the AHL Portland Pirates, and a strong game by Trent Daavettila (2g-1a), Kevin Ulanski (1g-1a) and Kyle Ostrow (3g-2a). Ostrow garnered 5 points in the contest and netted his first hat trick with the Eagles. They capitalized on two out of three power play opportunities and successfully shut down the Thunder’s league leading power play, killing 2 for 2.
Thunder Captain Garet Hunt opened the scoring just 40 seconds into the first period, finding the back of the Eagles net off a feed from Bergland, who took a big hit at the blueline before passing to Miller, who then found Hunt in the slot. It marked a career high for Hunt for goals in a season at 14 and he leads Stockton in goal scoring and also has a career-best in points in a single season with 32.
“It’s a good personal milestone to achieve and I’m happy to surpass my old season high,” said Hunt. “It would have been that much sweeter if we could have gotten the win tonight. I always say that you can’t always focus on points, it’s a team game.”
James Henry put the Thunder ahead 2-0 a little over a minute later with Sean Escobedo collecting a rebound after Henry shot right off the faceoff. Escobedo would then go on to score his first professional goal putting Stockton ahead 3-0.
“It was a great feeling to score and to help the team out in the first period,” said Escobedo. “We had a really good first period and my goal just started with Miller on the faceoff and ended in the net.”
The second period marked the Eagles offensive dominance as they racked up 3 goals by Mychan and Ostrow to tie the game by the end of the frame. The Thunder wouldn’t go out without a fight, however as Stockton’s blueliner Mike Dalhuisen stirred things up with Eagles’ Jesse Mychan. The flying fists energized the fans and seemed to boost the resolve of the Thunder, who were flatlining in the middle of the period.
The third period went back and forth as goals came in quick succession. J.P Burkemper would put one away for the Thunder first off a rebound from Eagles’ netminder Brown. Colorado’s Kevin Ulanski then tied it up at 4 on the power play. Stockton’s Henry would score his second of the night to put the Thunder up 5-4, but Colorado’s Trent Daavettila tallied another power play goal to tie the game once more 5-5.
Kyle Ostrow put the game away and got the hat trick off a flukey play, the puck going off the net on a clear attempt by Thunder goaltender Parker Milner. Ostrow collected it behind the net to send it back on net, and the puck bounced off Milner’s skate and in. Daavettila sealed the deal with an empty net goal, the Eagles with the win over the Thunder 7-5.
The Colorado Eagles will finish up their road trip when they face the Las Vegas Wranglers for a two game series and then head to Idaho to take on the Steelheads for a 2 game weekend series. They will have a new offensive powerhouse as Reign sniper Kyle Kraemer was traded over the weekend for forward Dylan Hood and defenceman Jason Beatty.
“Kyle has the ability to take over a hockey game and is a proven scorer at this level,” said Eagles head coach and general manager Chris Stewart. “I feel that this is one of the pieces that we needed to put in place in order to help us achieve our ultimate goal of winning the Kelly Cup this season.”
The Thunder head out for a long road trip visiting the Bakersfield Condors and Ontario Reign before heading to Alaska for an extended 5 game series. The Thunder will be missing blueline powerhouse Nathan Deck as he left for Germany to join the Ravensburg Towerstars. Coach Kromm said that it was difficult to lose him but that it was something that Deck had wanted to pursue, playing at the elite level in Germany.
“Nathan was arguably one of our top two defensemen and he’s a tough guy to replace at this point,” said Kromm. “We’ve got enough guys, and somebody else is gonna have to step up.”
It’s that time of year again in Boston. The first two Monday’s in February mean only one thing in hockey to Boston College, Boston University, Harvard University, and Northeastern University: Beanpot.
The first Beanpot was played in December 1952. There was no game played in 1953, and the next two (1954 and 1955) were played in January. Since 1956 the games have been played the first and second Monday in February, with the exception of 1978. The Blizzard of 1978, which actually struck during the first Monday of February—in which the teams played not realizing just how much snow was coming—delayed the consolation and championship games until March 1, which was a Wednesday.
During the 1980 Winter Olympics, those men on the Gold Medal-winning U.S. Olympic Men’s Hockey team who were from Boston had a little distraction from the stress of trying to beat the Russians when they discovered that Northeastern University had won the Beanpot. Of course, their fellow teammates from Minnesota and elsewhere had no idea what the big deal was. However, Northeastern University has only won the Beanpot four times in the 61-year history of the tournament, and the 1980 win was their first ever.
Last year’s winner, the Boston College Eagles, will play against the Boston University Terriers in the second semi-final game, and the rivalry between these two teams is legendary. It is often referred to as the Battle of Comm Ave, as the two schools are separated by less than five miles. They also have the distinction of being the third most played college hockey rivalry series after the Michigan-Michigan State Rivalry and the Battle for the Gold Pan (which is the Colorado College Tigers and the University of Denver Pioneers).
Usually these two teams are closer in rankings than they are this year. Boston University is certainly having some difficulties this season, currently ranked tenth in the HockeyEast Conference. One of their best players, defenseman Matt Grzelcyk, is out for the remainder of the season, having sustained a shoulder injury in early January. They also have a new coach this season in David Quinn, who was chosen to replace the retiring Jack Parker at the end of last season. However, they certainly shouldn’t be counted out. Emotion in a game can take a struggling team quite far.
The first of the semi-final games will pit the Northeastern University Huskies against the Harvard University Crimson. The Huskies have had quite a good run this season with the infusion of a number of impressive freshmen over the summer. Northeastern is currently ranked second in HockeyEast and tenth in the nation, a feat many are calling a Cinderella Story. Huskie’s head coach, Jim Madigan, disagrees with this, saying that his team has earned their position through hard work. Three of the freshmen Michael Szmatula, John Stevens and Matt Benning come from the 2013 USHL Clark Cup-winning Dubuque Fighting Saints.
Their competition, the Crimson, the only Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference member in the Beanpot, will certainly bring some stiff play to the Huskies.. Among the Crimson’s players can be found Jimmy Vesey who represented the United States in the International Ice Hockey Federation’s World Junior Championships in 2013, and as a sophomore currently has 11 goals and 6 assists for 17 points in 20 games.
For those in the Boston area, the Beanpot is always an exciting time. Not only for the players, who get the opportunity to play on the big stage, when they will take the ice at TD Garden (the home of the NHL Boston Bruins) but also for alumni of these four schools, many of whom still live and work locally.
This past week USA Hockey announced that members of the U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team sent 300 complete sets of OneGoal starter equipment to youth hockey associations of their choice. Those associations, in many cases, were the programs that helped shape and inspire their own hockey dreams.
Each of the American players was supplied with 12 sets of equipment to donate. The sets include shin pads, shoulder pads, elbow pads, pants, gloves, a helmet with a cage, and a bag.
As of this announcement more than 40,000 OneGoal starter equipment sets have been donated to arenas and youth hockey associations nationwide to assist families in getting started in hockey without having the barrier of purchasing equipment. Total Hockey is a key partner with USA Hockey in the OneGoal equipment initiative.
“The Olympic dream began in many of these local hockey associations for our athletes and they never forget it,” said Dave Ogrean, executive director of USA Hockey.
Three-time U.S. Olympian Julie Chu donated to her childhood rink in Connecticut.
“It’s truly my home rink, where I grew up and developed a love for the game,” she said. “I’m grateful for the time I spent playing there, and I love that I can give back to a place that has meant so much to me.”
The love of playing hockey is discovered in childhood. With the cost of equipment in addition to skates and team fees, it is often out of reach for some children who could become the next Olympian if just given the opportunity. The OneGoal program helps offer that opportunity.
“With the OneGoal program, [the women’s team] have an opportunity to help inspire a new generation of kids, while also saluting the people who helped them chase their Olympic dream,” explained Ogrean.
First-time Olympian, Anne Schleper, from Minnesota, has chosen an urban youth hockey association for which she volunteered.
“Every time I had the opportunity to volunteer there, I was immediately filled with laughter and joy,” Schleper said. “Hockey gave me a way and a voice; all these kids need is an opportunity for the same.”
Hockey gave me a way and a voice.
The list of locations receiving equipment goes from the East Coast to the West:
Kacey Bellamy – New England Junior Falcons Girls (Enfield, Conn.)
Megan Bozek – Chicago Blackhawks Youth Hawkey (Chicago, Ill.)
Kate Buesser – Back Bay Indians (Wolfeboro, N.H.)
Alex Carpenter – New Jersey Colonials (Morristown, N.J.)
Lisa Chesson – Tomahawks Special Hockey (Chicago, Ill.)
We’ve had the opportunity to interview many great hockey stars in our Growing up Hockey series, some of which are highlighting the Olympic rosters in Sochi.
Once in a while, we all do it. We get embarrassed. We wear the lamp shade over our heads way too long! In the morning we try to forget last nights party tricks, as we walk with dignity into work.
Picture sitting in the stands at your local rink. It is around January 23rd, 2014 and the game is the NAHL’s Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees playing against Corpus Christi’s Ice Rays. The game is great and the crowd roars with delight as the players skate with power and devotion.
What is this? You notice something odd on the Killer Bee’s jerseys. You strain your eyes trying to focus on one single shirt but, you cannot. You ask your friend if he notices anything odd or out-of-place with the team and their jerseys but, he looks at you with a smile and a short sigh.
Then it hits you! They are wearing their opponent’s jerseys. It comes out in the paper the next day that the Killer Bee’s equipment staff forgot their jerseys at home. The Ice Rays let them wear their jerseys so they can play the game.
I bet the equipment staff would have loved to wear a lamp shade over their heads during this game! Yes, the Killer Bees wore their opponent’s jerseys but they wore them with dignity and a hint of redness on their cheeks (not due to the ice rink temperature!) I think it was fantastic for the teams to help each other out. It brings out what is good in the game.
For the equipment staff of the Killer Bees- I see in their future a lot of embarrassing moments still to come!
Last night the Boston Bruins Foundation hosted their annual casino night at the Westin Boston Waterfront hotel. It was, as always a well supported affair — with fans flooding the game tables for a chance to gamble with their favorite players.
“It’s going well I think,” said defenseman Dougie Hamilton. “A lot of fun people here, it’s fun to be able to do this, and I think more fun after a win.”
It’s an event unlike any other held during the season and a chance for not only the fans to interact with the players; but it gives the players a chance to get to know their fans. All the proceeds benefit the Boston Bruins Foundation. This years event featured a special tribute to Sam Berns, a vibrant teen and close friend of the team, who lost his battle with Progeria earlier this month. A portion of the casino night proceeds will benefit the Progeria Research Foundation.
“It’s good, it’s a lot of fun,” said defenseman Torey Krug. “It’s nice to be able to come out and have conversation with some fans, it’s enjoyable.”
The evening allowed the Bruins a night of fun following their impressive 4-0 win against he Edmonton Oilers earlier that afternoon.
Adam McQuaid, Jarome Iginla and Brad Marchand took a few moments away from the tables to speak candidly about casino night and the importance of the Boston Bruins Foundation.
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