Tag: Ice Hockey
End Games in Overtime, Not Shootouts
by The Cowl Editor on March 1, 2018
Professional Sports
No Need to End Big Games in a Shootout
by Meaghan Cahill ’20
Sports Co-editor
On the anniversary of the 1980 Olympics’ “Miracle on Ice,” the United States Women’s Hockey Team made history of their own by winning their first Gold Medal in 20 years. The team achieved victory in a dramatic shootout on Feb. 22, beating rival Canada 3-2. And while the women’s team played phenomenally in all of their games in PyeongChang, their win brings up the much debated argument on shootouts.
There is no denying that shootouts, especially in hockey, can be extremely entertaining to watch. However, despite the entertainment factor, shootouts should not be a determining factor on which team gets to win the game, especially in a game as big as a gold medal game.
During regular season games shootouts are not much of a problem because not much is at stake. Yet, for a gold medal game to be decided by what is essentially a coin flip, that is just not okay. In the National Hockey League, all playoff games are played out until there is a game-winning goal scored, no matter how many over-time periods it takes. That should not be any different for the Olympics.
That is not to take away from the Americans’ win, because it was a remarkable feat all around that was very exciting to watch. However, choosing to end the game with a shootout because it was getting to be too long was not fair to either team. They should have been allowed the opportunity to play until t
he very end because up until that point, those athletes had given everything to come that far in the games, and to let it end like that was not fair to them.
Three sports currently use shootouts as a final determination for who wins the game: soccer, ice hockey, and field hockey. The biggest problem with shootouts is that they do not fairly represent the 60+ minutes played by both teams. There is no denying that teams are giving everything they have in games that go over the standard 60 minutes of hockey and still be tied. Team effort and perseverance drives the entire game and for that game to be decided in a shootout diminishes those aspects of it.
Shootouts come down to a single player and a goalie and there can only be two outcomes: either the puck goes into the net or it is saved. There is really no play involved and it is nothing more than a trivial way to end a game, especially in games of high importance. It denies players the opportunity to contribute to their team win, because ultimately, it is a single player that gets to be the hero of the game.
In conclusion, shootouts should not be used to determine an outcome of a game that so heavily involves team effort. Shootouts ultimately rest on the luck of a single player and in the case of high stakes games such as the Olympics, it does not provide a satisfying ending worthy enough of the two teams fighting for the win.
Senior Night in Friartown
by The Cowl Editor on February 16, 2018
Friar Sports
Last Class of the 2015 NCAA Championship Hockey Team Celebrate Senior Night
by Sam Scanlon ’19
Sports Staff
When the Class of 2018 first stepped on the ice at Schneider Arena four years ago, they would never have expected their college careers at Providence College to go the way they did. This year’s senior class celebrated their Senior Night in style last Friday as they defeated the University of Maine 3-2 in overtime. As their season draws to its end, along with their college hockey careers, the 2015 national championship banner still hangs high in the rafters. The final wave of National Champions will soon take their last strides with the Skating Friar proudly on their chest, but their legacy will forever remain.
This year’s class is tightly knit and collectively a great group of leaders in the locker room. Captain Brian Pinho ’18 commended those who came before him, such as National Hockey League players Noel Acciari ’15 and Mark Jankowski ’16, saying, “They did a good job of taking us under their wings and showing us the ropes, while reinforcing the culture of our team. The upperclassmen on the team now have done a good job of bringing our young team along.” Pinho also described their journey together saying, “These past four years have been unbelievable, and it’s been awesome to play with my best friends for four years. We are such a close group, and we love being with each other.”
Perhaps the biggest underdog story of this class is goaltender Jake Beaton ’18. Beaton joined the squad this season as the team’s emergency goalie. Last year, he was stopping pucks for the College’s club team but was granted the incredible opportunity to play Division I hockey for his senior year. The Falmouth, Massachusets native made his first collegiate appearance late in the third period against Arizona State University at PPG Paints Arena on Dec. 30. Although it was just a few minutes on the ice, he got the experience of a lifetime for a team so close to home compared to some of his teammates, who live much farther away.
For example, hailing all the way from Anchorage, Alaska, Truman Reed ’18 found a home 4,500 miles away in Providence, Rhode Island. Standing at 6’2” and 212 lbs., he is one of the biggest defensemen on the team. Reed made his collegiate debut last season versus Hockey East foe Northeastern University. He plays a physical role when on the ice- a role that is sometimes lacking on the Friars’ roster. Thus, in games with Reed in the lineup, the Friars physicality has been enhanced.
Texas is not exactly considered a hockey hotbed, but Alex Cromwell ’18, a McKinney, Texas native, defied the odds and became a part of the Providence College hockey program. Like Reed, Cromwell stands tall and uses his large frame as a power forward. As one of the program’s best students, Cromwell won the John Ferguson Award, which recognizes the player with the highest GPA on the team, two years in a row.
The Friars’ firecracker is forward Robbie Hennessey ’18 out of Garnet Valley, Pennsylvania. Standing at 5’10” Hennessey is one of the smaller players on the team. Despite his small size, he is always buzzing all over the ice. Hennessey has embraced his role as a grinder as he loves to play the body and block shots. As another top scholar on the team, Hennessey has made the Hockey East All-Academic Team in each of his first three seasons and is well on his way to a fourth. Hennessey has appeared in 95 games as a Friar, posting 15 points on four goals and 11 assists. His high speed and energy on the ice will be missed.
Friar superstar and team captain Pinho was the last honoree this past Friday night. Pinho has been nothing short of spectacular throughout his four year career at PC. He has appeared in 144 games thus far and has registered 108 points on 38 goals and 70 assists. Among his many awards and other accolades, he was named the 2016-2017 Team MVP.
Along with his dominant play on the ice, Pinho has demonstrated his outstanding leadership qualities as captain of this year’s team and assistant captain last year as a junior. “I think being a leader of this team is a great honor, but also a huge responsibility” Pinho said. “I try to keep everything fun at the rink, while also bringing some intensity and competing hard everyday.” His leadership has allowed a young team to excel and exceed all expectations.
Now that his four years have come and gone, Pinho offered some advice for the underclassmen and future Friars. He said, “My advice to the younger guys is to cherish their time here because it flies by. Also, I would tell them to never take anything for granted because this has been the best four years of my life.”
Congratulations and best of luck to the Class of 2018, but before you go, bring back another championship.
PCI: Hockey is the Best Intramural Sport
by The Cowl Editor on February 8, 2018
PCI
by Jeremy Perrigo ’18
Sports Staff
Providence College has a host of intramural sports for students to play all year-long, no matter the season. Those sports include ping-pong, five-on-five basketball, water polo, and ultimate frisbee to name a few. However, one intramural sport stands out among the rest: intramural hockey.
If you have been looking for a place to show up your buddies with some sweet dangles, look no further.
Maybe you dabbled in junior hockey, or simply got by as an Average Joe on your high school team. It could be that you just decided to strap on a pair of skates last week thinking to yourself “Hockey looks easy, let me give it a shot.” Sign up, there is a place for you.
Over the span of four to five games, PC’s finest are given the opportunity to blur the line between the glory days and men’s league as they compete against fellow classmates (both male and female) for the chance to win a coveted intramural T-shirt.
Whistles are blown infrequently, giving players the ability to expand their creativity, or simply realize that they should probably go to the gym one or two more times a week to work on cardio.
Goaltenders, be ready to face a barrage of shots, as offense is prioritized over defense. This means lots of two-on-ones, three-on-ones, and straight up breakaways.
There are few feelings as satisfying as gliding over a freshly resurfaced sheet of ice in Schneider Arena. As you float seamlessly over the reflective surface, you begin to imagine thousands of fans roaring your name from the stands as you cut through opposing players from one end to the other, all while doing your best impression of Bobby Orr.
Playing intramural hockey at PC means getting a glimpse into the exhilarating life of a perennial NCAA Championship men’s hockey team which won it all back in 2015.
You may not have what it takes to dangle, snipe, and celly with the best of them. You might not even be one of the top three fastest players on your team. But those 40 minutes of running clock tick by ever so slowly when you find yourself alone on a breakaway with a goaltender you know has been giving you an earful all night long. You are living in the moment.
In short, it is a great idea to be a well-rounded athlete that finds enjoyment in a variety of different sports and athletic activities. Just do not pass on the opportunity to lace up a pair of skates with a few of your closest puck junkies. Be sure to participate in PC’s intramural hockey league.
Hockey Mid-Season Review
by The Cowl Editor on December 7, 2017
Friar Sports
by Jeremy Perrigo ’18
Sports Staff
The Providence College Men’s Ice Hockey Team has played 16 games thus far in the 2017-18 season, posting an overall record of 9-6-1. The Friars are 6-4-1 against conference opponents, good for third place in the Hockey East behind only Boston College (9-2-0) and Northeastern University (7-3-0).
Nationally, the team is ranked ninth overall by USCHO.com. At the top of the list are the University of Denver, St. Cloud State University, and Clarkson University. The Friars dropped both decisions against Clarkson this season, 4-0 back on Oct. 21, and 4-2 on Nov. 25 in Belfast, Northern Ireland, as part of the 2017 Friendship Four.
This past weekend, the team faced off against the University of New Hampshire Wildcats, first at home on Friday, December 1 and then again Saturday night at the Whittemore Center in Durham, New Hampshire. Providence split the two games with UNH, taking a 5-2 victory at home before being shut out 1-0 on the road by the No. 13 ranked Wildcats, according to USCHO.com.
There was a lot to like about the Friars’ effort at home on Friday. They saw goal scoring from three different players. Erik Foley ‘19 had two for the night including one goal on a nice shot from the right circle. Kasper Bjorkqvist ‘20 opened the scoring just 1:01 into the game, streaking down the left wall before charging to the front of the net to beat UNH goaltender Danny Tirone with a shot up high.
Foley is a 2015 draft pick of the Winnipeg Jets (78th overall), and he leads the team in scoring with nine goals and 18 points in 14 games on the season. Bjorkqvist, a 2016 draft selection of the Pittsburgh Penguins (61st overall), is fifth on the team in scoring with six goals and eight points.
Tied with Bjorkqvist in points on the season is Vimal Sukumaran ‘20, one of the Friars’ undrafted players who has been stepping up for the team in a big way, scoring two goals Friday night in convincing fashion. Sukumaran would score the game-winning goal on the night, along with the Friars’ fifth goal to solidify the win after a late push by the Wildcats to cut the lead to two points.
Looking ahead at the men’s hockey schedule, there are still many important games to be played. On Jan. 13 the Friars travel to Agganis Arena to take on the Boston University Terriers, who are currently in fourth place with a record of 5-5-1. In late January the Friars will participate in a home-and-home with the Northeastern Huskies, who sit directly above them in the standings. The Friars will take on the University of Massachusetts-Lowell River Hawks in mid February, toward the end of the regular season. The River Hawks are currently fifth in the Hockey East with a record of 5-5-0 in the conference.
With still a significant stretch of games ahead, leadership and perseverance will be key. Garrett Gamez ‘19 now plays the role of student assistant coach role with the team after abruptly retiring from hockey following an incident on March 11 where he collapsed on the bench during the first period of the second game of the Hockey East Quarterfinals against the Univesity of Notre Dame. When asked about how he feels the team has played in the first two months of the year, Gamez referenced the ability of the younger players to step into key roles as part of the team’s success thus far.
He also mentioned the role of leadership on the team as an important factor saying, “You always look up to the guys that are playing before you or ahead of you. Guys like Brian Pinho, who is our captain now.” Gamez went on to say more about Brian Pinho ’18 commenting, “I’ve always looked to guys like him who know the situations, and as time goes on you grow a close bond with those guys and they are able to lead you and help you regardless of if it is on the ice or in school.”
The team has raised the expectations of fans after taking home the National Championship in 2015. While they have returned to the tournament in both years since, they have failed to make it past the first round. Currently the Friars are on track for another appearance in College Hockey’s championship contest, as they attempt to repeat their success from the past three years previous.
The Providence College Women’s Hockey Team has seen success this season as well, with a record of 10-5-4 overall. The team boasts a record of 7-1-2 in the Hockey East, good for second in the conference, behind the 7-0-3 Boston College Eagles.
With 15 games left in the regular season, the Friars still have two games to play against UNH on Jan. 19 and 20, who sit at third in the conference with a record of 5-3-3. The following weekend of Jan. 26 and 27 the women’s team faces the first place Eagles for a home-and-home. The Friars lost their only game against Boston College thus far back on Nov. 3 in a 7-4 decision.
This season’s early results already bring hope for a Friars team that put up an overall record of 17-17-3 in the 2016-17 campaign, finishing fourth in Hockey East with a record of 11-10-3.
This year Christina Putigna ‘19 and Cassidy MacPherson ‘19 lead the team in scoring with 17 points each. Maureen Murphy ‘21 leads the team in goals with 12. Look for these three to continue their point-producing ways as the team enters the back-half of the season.
Why Hockey is the Hardest Sport to Officiate
by The Cowl Editor on November 16, 2017
PCI
By Jeremy Perrigo ’18
Sports Staff
Hockey has traditionally, and somewhat sarcastically, been called “the fastest game on ice.” While none of the other three major American sports (football, baseball, and basketball) take place on the same type of playing field, hockey still may be considered the fastest of the four, making it an incredibly difficult game to officiate.
Over the last several years, the National Hockey League (NHL), has implemented various changes to its rulebook in order to make more accurate calls and to protect its players from dangerous hits. The addition of video review has created controversy in many sports, and hockey is no exception. Just before the 2015-16 season, the league agreed to implement a coach’s challenge specifically related to goaltender interference and offside calls resulting in goals.
This was deemed necessary because despite how sharp NHL linesmen and referees are. The sheer speed of the game, along with its ability to be played continuously without regular stoppages, makes it extremely difficult to officiate. During a professional game there are two referees who are responsible for calling penalties, and two linesmen who are responsible for calling line infractions, such as offsides and icing.
Even though there are two officials assigned to each category, there have been various instances within NHL games where wrong calls have been made on the ice that ultimately have had an impact on the outcome of the game. Video review is an attempt to assist officials, who work in collaboration with Hockey Operations in Toronto, to make the most accurate call possible.
This factor, along with restricting the amount of legal checks and altering how players are allowed to use their stick to impede an opposing player, makes hockey an extremely complex game to officiate.
Forever a Teammate: Garrett Gamez
by The Cowl Editor on September 28, 2017
Friar Sports
photo courtesy of Providence College Hockey
By Sam Scanlon ’19
Sports Staff
A scary moment in the 2017 Men’s Hockey East Quarterfinals left everyone at the Compton Family Ice Arena at the University of Notre Dame in a state of confusion and shock. In the middle of the game, Providence College Men’s Ice Hockey forward Garrett Gamez ’19 collapsed on the bench. After being released the following day, the next few months were a waiting game for Gamez.
After consulting with doctors and looking over the test results, Gamez unfortunately announced that continuing to play hockey would be too much of a risk for his health. Gamez played in 57 games in his two seasons with the Friars, registering 16 points on eight goals and eight assists. His physical presence on the ice, crucial goal scoring ability, and perfect dose of leadership are attributes that are going to be incredibly missed on the Friars’ roster. However, Gamez is not done contributing to the men’s ice hockey team at the College.
Although his career as a player was cut short, Gamez is sticking with the program and is entering this season as a student assistant coach. In this new role, Gamez said that he believes he will be able to “talk to [the coaching staff] about my experience here as a player and let them know what they did that really helped me grow.” As a recent player and classmate of current players on the roster, Gamez’s voice is going to be vital in the communication process between players and coaches.
Gamez is also planning on helping out by serving as an extra resource and mentor for his teammates.
He explained that he vows to help his teammates with any “difficult challenges they may face here at PC, whether that be with school, on the ice, or with family.” These are conversations that may not happen with coaches, so Gamez’s vision is to help his teammates in any way that the coaching staff may not be able to. This role with his teammates will allow the team to develop further cohesiveness and benefit their play on the ice.
Obviously, these past few months have been difficult for Gamez. However, continuing his journey as a member of the men’s ice hockey team is something that he is extremely excited about and grateful for. “In the athletic department, from Mr. Driscoll down, everyone has made an amazing effort to keep me involved with the team and I can’t describe how thankful I am for them to do that.”
With his junior and senior years ahead of him, Gamez still has plenty of time to put his stamp on this program. He had nothing but praise and kind words for the outpour and support from his teammates, the staff, and the entire PC community.
He concludes, “I look forward to all of the opportunities that I will have to help the team out. Those guys on that team are all brothers to me and I am very grateful that I get to be by their side for the next two years and be a part of such an amazing program.”
Don’t miss Gamez and the Friars this season as their road to a National Championship begins Oct. 6 at Miami University (OH).