Tag: PCI
Providence College Investigates
by The Cowl Editor on November 8, 2018
Sports
The Men’s Ice Hockey Team Will Have The Best Record This Season
By Liza Sisk ’19
Sports Staff
The Providence College Men’s Ice Hockey Team is speeding towards what already looks like an incredibly successful season. The Friars are currently ranked third in the United States College Hockey online polls, and are dominating with a 5-1-1 record.
PC has been able to dominate its competition to this point in the season as their only loss was against the #2 nationally-ranked University of Notre Dame early in the season. The Friars have crushed Hockey East rivals such as Boston University and the University of Connecticut by scores of 5-0 and 7-2 respectively.
If these scores are any indication for the future, the Friars will have a good chance to find themselves on top of the Hockey East standings.
The Friars only graduated five players last year, leaving their underclassmen powerhouses and strong goaltending to carry on the legacy. The team is led by six seniors this year and welcomed six freshmen to the squad.
This team is loaded with talent at every position and the team’s strong depth separates themselves from the rest of the league. The Friars have multiple players who can score at any moment as 13 have already found the back of the net.
Assistant Captain, Vincent Desharnais ’19, will be the leader on the defensive side of the ice and is one of the top defenders in the conference. Desharnais currently is tied for third in the Hockey East with 14 blocked shots. The 2016 NHL Draft pick, has played in at least 19 games in every season during career at PC.
An asset that separates PC Hockey from other teams is the consistent goaltending of Hayden Hawkey ’19. Hawkey just claimed his third shut-out of the season in a 3-0 victory over the College of the Holy Cross on Nov. 3 in Worcester, Massachusetts. Hawkey tallied 27 saves contributing to his 0.955 save percentage this season. Hawkey’s consistency allows for the Friars to excel both defensively and offensively. He leads from the crease and can be relied on to perform in every game.
In addition to their competitive goal tending, the strength of the freshman class is solidifying the season for the Friars. Jack Dugan ’22 was named Hockey East Rookie of the Month for October. Dugan is the first Friar to earn this honor since Anthony Florentino ’17 in March 2014. He is a fifth-round draft pick for the Las Vegas Golden Knights, and has already proven himself to be an incredible asset to the Friars.
The Friars will continue their legacy of success and make a competitive run for the NCAA Frozen Four Championship title, largely because of the reliable goaltending and strong underclassmen assets. Providence men’s ice hockey will be the most successful team this season, and will hopefully bring a championship back to Friartown.
Providence College Investigates: Should PC Offer Student Season Tickets For Men’s Hockey
by The Cowl Editor on November 1, 2018
Sports
New System Would Eliminate Hassle
By Meaghan Cahill ’20
Sports Co-Editor
It is a well known fact that students at Providence College are able to purchase season tickets for men’s basketball games and not men’s hockey games. In the words of Claire Woods ’21, “[It’s] not fair.”
Students at PC should be given the opportunity to purchase season tickets each hockey season. I believe that it would increase attendance at games. More students may attend the men’s basketball games simply because they have the ability to do so without having to pay each week. And while students are only being asked to pay a game fee of $4, consistently having to pay for a ticket can become not only annoying, but also a hassle. Therefore, if students had the opportunity to purchase season tickets at the beginning of the school year, students might be more inclined to go and watch the hockey games on a more consistent basis.
Secondly, on PC’s campus, men’s hockey is just as popular and valued in terms of national press. By offering season tickets for one and not the other shows which sport the athletic department favors more. Giving students the opportunity to buy a pass that gets them into every basketball game, but not every hockey game, is just a visual way of showing that they wish to see more students at the basketball games than the hockey games.
“It’s a matter of equality. Hockey also has a strong fan-base and they should be rewarded as well,” said Woods.
Lastly, as minor as it may seem, the current method of having to purchase a ticket for each game creates a sense of unease amongst ticket buyers because there is no cash option when paying for tickets. Therefore, for every game that students want to go to, they have to input their credit card information.
In today’s day and age, inputting any type of bank information online can lead to accounts being hacked. Students may not want to attend games because they are not comfortable paying online with credit cards. Therefore, if they had a season ticket that they had the chance to pay for at the beginning of the year (like they do for basketball), then they would not have to worry and be able to attend more games.
It is not only a matter of equality, but implementing a season ticket system for hockey would not only decrease the annoyance with having to pay per game, but also make attending games more secure and accessible. This is a matter that the PC athletic department should definitely work on with the start of basketball and hockey seasons upon us.
Providence College Investigates: Should PC Offer Student Season Tickets For Men’s Hockey
by The Cowl Editor on November 1, 2018
Sports
Current System Forces Attendance
By Scott Jarosz ’21
Sports Staff
There has been a lot of debate at Providence College over why students do not have the option to purchase a season ticket package for men’s ice hockey games. Currently, students who wish to attend games must purchase tickets for each game individually at price of $4. However, just a couple of years prior, students were able to reserve an individual seat at hockey games on the PC app at no charge.
While allowing students to attend hockey games for free may seem like it would attract more fans, what occurred was the opposite. Because students could reserve seats for free, they would often reserve their seat but not attend the game, as there were no consequences for not attending. The current frustration that students are having is not about having to pay for tickets, but rather not being able to buy season tickets. This raises the question: should students be able to purchase season tickets for men’s hockey?
The answer to this question is no—the current system that is being used for hockey tickets has worked well, and there is no real reason to change it. The main complaint that students have about the current system is that it is an inconvenience to have to enter credit card information and purchase a ticket for each game.
However, this is a minor downside to an otherwise great system for purchasing tickets. Beginning with pricing, $4 per game is a very low rate to pay to watch Division I hockey, especially when compared to the price the general public must pay. According to the PC Athletics website, the cost for an individual game ticket for non-students is $20. The website also notes that the price of season tickets for non-students is $250, which is far more than what a student would have to pay if they attend every game.
The current system also allows students to purchase tickets whenever they please. Students have the option to wait until the day of a game to decide if they want to purchase a ticket. This way, if students have a last-minute conflict, they will not have to waste money on a game they cannot attend.
Overall, the current system in place for purchasing hockey tickets works well. Students are able to decide on a game-by-game basis whether they wish to attend, and this leads to higher attendance and higher satisfaction.
Providence College Investigates
by The Cowl Editor on October 25, 2018
Sports
Winter Sports Should Not Start Before Fall Sports Finish
By Meaghan Cahill ’20
Sports Co-Editor
Ice hockey and basketball are without a doubt two of the biggest sports on the Providence College campus. Both seasons take up a majority of the school year, running from mid-October, through March and into April, depending on playoffs. However, due to the longevity of the two seasons, they interrupt and overlap with many of the fall sports on campus. It is because of that interruption that I believe that winter sports should wait to start until after fall sports are finished.
Fall sports typically last from the end of August all the way through mid-November. However, with winter sports starting in October, there is a big overlap between the seasons. Because ice hockey and basketball are two popular sports, students are always more apt to want to attend these games over, say, those soccer or volleyball. With winter sports starting before the fall sports finish, the fall sports become overshadowed and, in a sense, forgotten on campus.
This is especially unfair to the fall sports because around the time that the winter sports start, they enter playoffs. Due to the popularity of the winter sports, the overlap between games causes a smaller audience to attend any fall sport playoff events.
Another reason that winter sports should wait for fall sports to finish is because, in the cases of two-sport athletes, there can be no rest in between seasons. When one sporting season switches to another, two-sport athletes have to then either divide their time between both sports or pick up with the second sport immediately following the end of the fall season. There is no rest for them and this is often the case for runners if they run in more than one season. They have to go from their fall season of cross country, to indoor track, to outdoor track once the spring season hits. There is no time for recuperation and the lack of a break between seasons can increase the risk for injury.
In conclusion, fall sports should have the chance to finish out their seasons before winter sports start. It would not only allow for students to show more support towards fall sports teams during the most important part of their season, but it would also give two-sport athletes a chance to rest in between their different seasons. Plus, with the overlap into the spring season as well, it would be nice to experience one sport season on campus that is not interrupted.
Providence College Investigates
by The Cowl Editor on October 25, 2018
Sports
Winter Sports Should Start Before Fall Sports Finish
By Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
Two of the most popular sports at Providence College occur in the winter: basketball and hockey. Every year at PC, these sports begin their season as the fall sports seasons, including volleyball, soccer, and field hockey, come to an end.
Some students believe that winter sports should start after the fall season has officially ended, like many high school sports. However, the truth of the matter is that it is best for the winter sports to begin as they normally have, before the fall sports are finished.
Hockey and basketball, games start between the middle of October and the beginning of November. Teams need this time to develop and practice their games. The expectations for our sports teams are usually high, so in order for them to play as expected, they need as much practice as they can get.
One of the biggest aspects of being on a team is balancing sports and school. When starting the sports season early, the student athlete is able to adjust faster to balance both heavy school work and training.
Another aspect these student athletes need to experience is the game day vibe on campus, and how to successfully perform in front of bigger crowds where many people are relying on them to bring honor and bragging rights to the school.
Lastly, students also like having multiple games to choose from throughout the week or day to attend and show off their Friar spirit. The idea of going to a soccer or volleyball game around noon, then attending a basketball game in the early evening, followed by a hockey game at night is exciting. Students are able to show support for all sports across all seasons, and be a true Friar Fanatic as they show consistent support for their school.
Winter sports should start before fall sports finish their season because it allows the athletes to train to the best of their abilities and help the school achieve numerous successes for their athletics program. This also brings excitement and spirit from fans.
Providence College Investigates
by The Cowl Editor on October 18, 2018
Sports
The Toronto Maple Leafs Will Finish This NHL Season With the Best Record
By Thomas Zinzarella ’21
Sports Staff
Fans in Toronto and Ontario have waited a long time to bring the cup back to Toronto. It has been 51 years but fans may not have to wait much longer.
The free agent signing of former New York Islander John Tavares is bringing a lot of cup fever to Toronto. Tavares, 28, inked a seven year $77 million contract to return to his home. Tavares, a native of nearby Mississauga, Ontario, looks to propel a Maple Leafs team that was bounced out of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs just one year ago.
Tavares joins a team that has a lot of young talent but has not won a playoff series since 2004. The Leafs have one of the most potent offenses in the Eastern Conference with three 30-goals scorers and Tavares is coming off a season where he scored 37 goals (T-12th in NHL) and had 47 assists. Tavares brings a lot of veteran experience to a team that has a young core of forwards.
Phenome Auston Matthews, 21, will look to stay on the ice this year after missing 20 games last year due to injuries. However, these injuries did not stop Matthews as he put up 21 goals and 34 assists in 62 games last seasons. Through seven games this season, he has 10 goals and 16 points, leading the league in both categories.
Besides Matthews, the Leafs have other offensive weapons with Patrick Marleau and Nazem Kadri. Kadri has put up back-to-back 32 goal seasons with the Maple Leafs.
On the other end of the ice, the Leafs have a good net minder in Frederik Anderson who is coming off a season in which he set the Maple Leafs record in wins. Anderson put up a 38-21-5 record with a 2.81 GAA. This success did not transfer over to the Stanley Cup Playoffs where Anderson went 3-3 with a 3.76 GAA. There is a lot of anticipation surrounding how much he will play this season. Last year Anderson played in 66 out of the 82-game schedule.
Another concern for this team is going to be the defense. The Leafs do not have a top tier level defense and will rely on the offense for most of the season. Moreover, how well the defense will perform this season remains a question, though defenceman Morgan Rielly has gotten off to a quick start. As of Oct. 17, he leads the NHL in assists with 10.
It may take a little bit of time for the Leafs to take off and look like themselves, as most new teams need some time to develop chemistry. The Leafs may start off slow, but Head Coach Mike Babcock will most likely play around with the lines. There is a ton of talent on offense and it should be exciting season north of the border in Toronto.
Providence College Investigates
by The Cowl Editor on October 18, 2018
Sports
The Tampa Bay Lightning Will Finish This NHL Season With the Best Record
By Scott Jarosz ’21
Sports Staff
As of Oct. 4, the National Hockey League’s 82-game regular season is officially underway. The anticipation to see which team comes out on top in the 2018-19 season is high after an exciting 2018 Stanley Cup Finals that featured a team in its inaugural season for the first time since the 1967-68 season. Although it would have been historic for the Las Vegas Golden Knights to win the Stanley Cup in its first season, the Washington Capitals ultimately prevailed in the series 4-1.
These teams proved that they were among the best in the league this past season, but there is one team that has shown great promise in recent years and is likely to continue performing at a high level. That team is the Tampa Bay Lightning, who will have the best record in the NHL at the end of the 2018-19 season.
The Lightning’s 2017-18 season ended on a sour note after reaching the Eastern Conference Finals, but ultimately falling to the Capitals in Game 7 by a score of 4-0 on home ice. The Lightning finished with the best record in the 2017-18 NHL season, but the team is surely not content with the way the season came to an end. After the team’s unsatisfactory finish this past season, the Lightning looks to come back stronger than ever. All signs point to the Lightning having just as much success as last season, if not more. The team has depth in every position and has showed that it has a winning mentality.
The Lightning has all the components necessary to be the best team in the NHL. Starting at defense, Victor Hedman was awarded the James Norris Memorial Trophy last season for the best defenseman in the league. In addition, both Hedman and right-winger Nikita Kucherov were named to last season’s First Team All Stars. The Lightning has re-signed forward J.T. Miller, who was acquired at last year’s trade deadline from the New York Rangers. While with the Lightning, Miller played in 19 games, netting 10 goals and recording 18 points. Over the offseason, the Lightning also decided to sign defenseman Ryan McDonagh to a seven-year, $47 million contract extension.
With key pieces, such as captain and forward Steven Stamkos and goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy also remaining with the team, I predict the Tampa Bay Lightning will boast the NHL’s best record for the 2018-19 season.
Through four games this season, Tampa Bay is a-1-0 with a plus-six goal differential. Vasilevskiy has been the major key for the team’s success with a spectacular 1.67 goals against average.
Providence College Investigates
by The Cowl Editor on October 4, 2018
Sports
Patriots Fans Should Not Be Concerned With Their 2-2 Record
By Scott Jarosz ’21
Sports Staff
After narrowly coming out on top in its week one contest against the Houston Texans by a score of 27-20, the New England Patriots dropped their next two games, falling to an overall record of 1-2. This lackluster start sparked frustration and concern from the Patriots’ fan base, as its two losses came from beatable teams, the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Detroit Lions. The Jaguars beat the Patriots in Jacksonville by a score of 31-20, as Tom Brady and the Patriots never quite found their footing and were unable come back from an early 14-0 deficit.
The following weekend in Detroit, the Patriots did not come ready to play, and suffered an embarrassing 26-10 loss to a less than stellar Lions team. However, things changed in week four, as the Patriots took care of the previously undefeated Miami Dolphins with a score of 38-7. In this game, the Patriots looked like the team its fans are used to seeing, and that is why Patriots fans should not be concerned with the team’s slow start.
This is not the first time the Patriots have had a slow start to the regular season. This past season, the Patriots also started 2-2, and still went on to play in a Super Bowl. The Patriots are a different team this season, as Danny Amendola signed with the Dolphins in the offseason, and Julian Edelman is suspended for the first four regular season games. During this time, Tom Brady has struggled to connect with his other wide receivers, and tight end, Rob Gronkowski, has been largely overwhelmed by defenders who focus on him as the Patriots’ primary target. With the lack of a true wide receiver threat, the Patriots have resorted to ground game, which has not been too effective.
After losing back-to-back games in weeks two and three, Patriots fans were likely to be nervous and eager to see what would happen with their team in week four against the Dolphins. Fans were also excited to see newly signed wide receiver, Josh Gordon, make his debut in New England. The Patriots looked determined to hand the Dolphins their first loss of the season in the friendly confines of Gillette Stadium, and racked up 38 points and nearly shut out the visiting Dolphins. The Patriots were firing on all cylinders and hushed anyone who speculated that the Patriots would have a subpar season.
With the Patriots carrying momentum into the Oct. 4 game against the Indianapolis Colts and Edelman also returning to the field, fans have no reason to be concerned with the team’s 2-2 start.
Providence College Investigates
by The Cowl Editor on October 4, 2018
Sports
Patriots Fans Should be Concerned With Their 2-2 Record
By Thomas Zinzarella ’21
Sports Staff
After the New England Patriots trounced the Miami Dolphins 38-7 this past weekend, many Pats fans have renewed faith again in their Super Bowl chances. They may be back at a five hundred record, but there is still a lot of work to be done.
The Patriots are at a 2-2 record in a division which they have dominated for all of Tom Brady’s tenure at quarterback. Yes, the Patriots can make the playoffs, but this year’s roster is not as talented of a team on either side of the ball as previous years. It’s going to be a tough road to make it to the Super Bowl a third year in a row.
Before this weekend’s blowout win, the Patriots avoided their first 1-3 record for the first time since 2001, which was the first season Brady was the starter. This Miami Dolphins team that the Patriots beat is a very talented one; however, it is expected for the Patriots to knock the Dolphins around. Before Sunday’s win, the Patriots were 83-20 against AFC opponents since 2009. New England has a near perfect 9-1 record against the Miami Dolphins in Foxborough while the Dolphins lone win in Foxborough came in 2008 when Brady barely played. If the Dolphins continue to play well, make sure to keep an eye on the matchup on Dec. 9 when the Pats head down to Miami.
The Patriots need to start cleaning up the defensive side of the ball. Coming into this week, the Patriots defense was ranked 12th in the League. The defense can fix itself as time goes on, but this has been an Achilles heel for the Patriots in past years. To many fans, the defense has looked soft and lazy. All fans have to do is look at the tape: from poor tackling technique, misreading plays, and so on. Against the Jaguars, the Patriots allowed 480 offensive yards and went 4 of 12 on third down. If New England wants to make another deep run in the playoffs, they are going to have to fix things quickly.
Through the first three weeks, the Patriots seemed to not have enough talent. The acquisition of Josh Gordon should help a lot in a receiving core that has been ‘sub-par’ to this point. As seen in a loss against Detroit, every time the Pats needed a big 3rd down play, they kept turning to their basketball player-sized tight end Rob Gronkowski, who was being double teamed. The wide receiver depth chart is not very appealing with Chris Hogan, Cordarrelle Patterson, and Phillip Dorsett. The Patriots rank 23rd in net yards per game on offense and with Gronk’s new ankle injury it can only make things worse.
Providence College Investigates
by The Cowl Editor on September 27, 2018
Sports
The Boston Red Sox Will Win the World Series
By Scott Jarosz ’21
Sports Staff
2018 has been a memorable year for America’s favorite pastime, and especially for Major League Baseball. Virtually every division in the National League is showing a tight race for the top spot. The Oakland Athletics continue to chase down the Houston Astros in the American League West as playoffs loom around the corner. There is one team, however, that has handily separated itself from the rest, and that team is the Boston Red Sox, who I predict will win the 2018 World Series.
Coming into the 2018 season with a brand-new manager, former MLB infielder Alex Cora, no one knew what to expect from the Red Sox. Cora had previously been a part of the Red Sox as a player from 2005-2008, and his only prior coaching experience was as a bench coach for the Houston Astros in 2017. Nonetheless, the Boston Red Sox offered Cora the position of manager after the Astros had just recently knocked the Red Sox out of the playoffs in the 2017 ALDS, and Cora accepted the offer, which lasts through 2020.
Despite a lack of previous experience as manager, Cora took the helm in Boston with confidence, and it has showed. The Red Sox have racked up 100 wins this season for the first time since 1946, and are still the only team to have reached 107 wins this season. The Red Sox clinched a playoff berth back on Sept. 11 with a win over the Toronto Blue Jays. On Sept. 20, they clinched the AL East title by beating the New York Yankees 11-6. As if this was not enough to cap off an incredible regular season, the Red Sox beat the Cleveland Indians on Sept. 21 to tie the franchise win record of 105 wins, which was set back in 1912.
While capturing the division title and tying the franchise win record are great accomplishments, one question remains: do the Red Sox have what it takes to be successful in the playoffs and ultimately bring a World Series title back to Boston? The Red Sox have one of the most dangerous lineups in all of baseball, led by the league’s batting average leader Mookie Betts, RBI leader J.D. Martinez, as well as shortstop Xander Bogaerts and leftfielder Andrew Benintendi, who have both proven to be integral parts of Boston’s lineup. The Red Sox also have a dominant starting rotation featuring Chris Sale, David Price, Rick Porcello, and Eduardo Rodriguez. If the Red Sox continue to play as they have since opening day and the bullpen is able to hold off playoff opponents late in games, the Boston Red Sox will be the 2018 World Series Champions.