Tag: Sam Scanlon’19
PC’s Erik Foley Goes Pro
by The Cowl Editor on April 12, 2018
Friar Sports
By Sam Scalon ’19
Sports Staff
Twenty-seven seconds is all that stood in the way of the Providence College Men’s Ice Hockey Team getting a chance to top the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the NCAA Tournament East Region Finals on March 24. Unfortunately, the end of another successful Friars Hockey season came to a crashing halt as Notre Dame stunned the Friars with a late third period goal to win the game 2-1.
With the conclusion of the season, PC not only says goodbye to the five graduating seniors, including Friar superstar Brian Pinho ’18 and the lone graduate transfer Tommy Davis, but we also lose a top forward in Erik Foley ’19. Foley has decided to forego his senior season with the Friars and sign an entry-level contract with the St. Louis Blues, but will report to the San Antonio Rampage, the AHL affiliate of St. Louis, on an Amateur Tryout (ATO). Foley’s three year entry-level deal with the Blues will be in effect at the start of the 2018-19 NHL season.
Foley was originally selected to the Winnipeg Jets in the third round of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, but his rights were shipped to St. Louis at this year’s trade deadline. Foley was a part of a package deal that included NHL veteran Paul Stasny and a handful of prospects and future draft picks.
The Mansfield, Massachusetts native and product of Tabor Academy in Marion, Massachusetts spent a year in Cedar Rapids, Iowa with the Cedar Rapids Roughriders of the USHL prior to his freshman year at Providence College. Foley has excelled in his three years as a Friar, as he has posted 88 points on 38 goals and 50 assists in his 110 games played as a Friar.
Foley’s production increased each year, as he posted career highs in points (35), goals (16), and tying his 2017 mark in assists (19) this past season. His efforts were enough to lead the team in points and tie for the team high in goals with Kasper Björkqvist ’20. Foley has emerged as one of the nation’s most dangerous scoring threats, and his offensive presence is going to be missed at the forefront of the Friar’s lineup.
His production this season did not go unnoticed, as he was named the Hockey East Player of the Month in November and had 14 points during a seven-game point streak throughout the month. Foley was also named as a Hockey East First Team All-Star for this season, joining teammate Jacob Bryson ’20 and four Northeastern Huskies.
In his three years, Foley was no stranger to winning, as he plotted a 73-31-13 record. Also, Foley was a part of the historic USA IIHF World Junior Championships team in the 2017 Tournament who won the Gold Medal in dramatic fashion over Canada.
His big physical presence on the ice as well as scoring touch are going to be missed at Schneider Arena next season. Nonetheless, congratulations to Erik Foley on both a fantastic collegiate career and the start of a successful professional career.
The Cowl Makes Its Pick
by The Cowl Editor on March 15, 2018
Friar Sports
by Jack Belanger ’21
Sports Co-Editor
Members of the Sports staff put their brains together to come up with the official 2018 March Madness Bracket for The Cowl. Thanks to Sam Scanlon ’19, Sullivan Burgess ’20, Thomas Zinzarella ’21 for helping contribute. Here is breakdown of each region, semifinals, and the championship.
South Region:
The University of Arizona looks poised to be the team to make it out of a tough South region. DeAndre Ayton is one of the best players in the country, averaging 20.3 points per game and 11.5 rebounds per game. Junior guard Allonzo Trier has been a great second option for this team all year, despite missing time for a failed drug test, averaging 18.4 points per game. This team has enough firepower to take down an inconsistent University of Kentucky Wildcats team and beat out University of Virginia, which has only scored 67.5 points per game as a team.
Loyola University Chicago is our Cinderella team in this region. This team was one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the country all year, shooting 39.8 percent behind the line, which makes them the 20th best in the country. The University of Miami is not a great defensive team, which could spell disaster for them early in the tournament.
Despite having a veteran coach in Rick Barnes, the University of Tennessee has not been to the tournament in four years, leaving the Volunteers inexperienced and suseptible to an underdog team like Loyola.
West Region:
It would not be a Providence College bracket without showing some love to the Friars. Kyron Cartwright ’18 was playing his best during the Big East Tournament. PC has a good chance of beating Texas A&M University and is certainly capable of pulling an upset over the University of North Carolina and winning in a rematch over the University of Houston (who will pull off their own upset over University of Michigan).
Ultimately, Gonzaga University is our pick to come out of the West. Coach Mark Few made it to the finals last year and knows what it takes to return to the Final Four. Gonzaga has six players who average over nine points per game currently, led by senior Johnathan Williams who is averaging 13.5 points per game.
East Region:
Despite many picking Villanova University as a favorite to win the whole tournament, PC would be much happier to see ’Nova lose in the Elite Eight. Purdue University is a solid choice to come out of a weak East Region. The Boilermakers shot 42 percent from the 3-point line which was second in the country. They can also beat teams underneath the hoop with two players in the rotation over seven feet tall in Isaac Haas and Matt Haarms.
Stephen F. Austin State University played tough in each of their last two tournament apperances and that should hold true again. The Lumberjacks force many turnovers and have a deep rotation. While Texas Tech University plays great defense, Stephen F. Austin has too many weapons to slow down. The Lumberjacks are another Cinderella team that can make it to the Sweet Sixteen as they will have an opportunity to play one of the last teams in between St. Bonaventure University and the University California, Los Angeles, who will upset an inconsistent University of Florida team.
Midwest Region:
Michigan State is not only our pick to win the Midwest region but also the whole tournament. The Spartans have two of the best players in the country in forwards, Miles Bridges and Jaren Jackson Jr., and one of the most respected coaches in Tom Izzo. Michigan State should have no issue making it to a Sweet Sixteen matchup versus Duke University where they could win in a close game.
Auburn University is a team that could easily lose their first round game if they are not careful, but they force enough turnovers and can get hot shooting to beat a better team like the University of Kansas.
Clemson University has not been the same since losing their best player, Donte Grantham, for the season due to injury. New Mexico State University has a player in Zach Lofton who has the ability to lead an upset. Lofton has averaged 19.8 points per game for the season, while the entire team plays tough defense.
Final Four Semifinals:
While Arizona has the better player in Ayton, Gonzaga has a more depth with a stronger bench and the motivation to get back to finals. Arizona has struggled playing defense all year and Gonzaga has too many scorers who shoot and take the ball to the rim.
In a matchup between two Big Ten powerhouses, Michigan State and Purdue face each other in a rematch that saw the Spartans beat the Boilermakers 68-65 back in February. Expect a smiliar result as Michigan State continues to ride with more talent.
Finals:
In a year where no team has stood head and shoulders above anyone else, choosing the finals was definitely not an unanimous choice. Both Gonzaga and Michigan State play well on both ends of the court and boast versatile players who can contribute in multiple ways. Few and Izzo are two of the best coaches in college basketball and certainly both teams will be prepared to compete. That being said, the combination of Bridges and Jackson will end up being the deciding factor and ultimately give the edge to the Spartans.
PCI: Providence College will Win the Hockey East Tourney
by The Cowl Editor on March 1, 2018
Friar Sports
PC Geared for Another Deep Run
by Sam Scanlon ’19
Sports Staff
It’s tourney time! The Hockey East is one of the most exciting and competitive conferences in the NCAA and is home to names like Adam Gaudette of Northeastern, 2018 Olympian Jordan Greenway of Boston University and, of course Providence College’s very own Erik Foley ’19. This year’s Hockey East Tournament is shaping up to be a good one.
Boston College, the 2017-2018 Hockey East regular season champion, has been playing extremely well against conference opponents, as they have won their last five Hockey East matchups. The No. 2 seed the Northeastern Huskies, fresh off of their first Beanpot Tournament Championship in 30 years, are finding a way to win games, which is vital in this tournament. However, the No. 3 seed Providence College Friars have an excellent chance to win the Hockey East Tournament, and they are my pick to go all the way.
Led by Foley and captain Brian Pinho ’18, the Friars are unstoppable on offense. Despite suffering an uncharacteristic 1-0 loss last weekend to UMass Amherst, expect the high powered Friars offense to find the back of the net plenty of times throughout the tournament. Kasper Björkqvist ’20 and Josh Wilkins ’20 have more than contributed to the Friars’ offensive onslaught this season, posting 13 goals each. Jacob Bryson ’20 has complimented the top goal scorers all year long, especially on the power play, and has notched 20 assists. With the top lines scoring goals, the Friars’ offensive is difficult to stop, making them an early favorite to take down some of the dilapidated defenses across the league.
Defensively, the Friars have a young core, with two freshmen and two sophomores carrying the bulk of the weight, along with a junior and senior. However, Ben Mirageas ’21 has found his place in the Friars lineup. The smooth skating, sizable D-man has held his ground and helped the Friars defense keep pucks out of their net and limit opponents’ scoring opportunities.
A significant reason why the Friars are able to limit shots on net from opponents is Vincent Desharnais ’19. The 6’6” 224 lbs. defenseman is virtually impossible to get around and has been able to shut down opponent’s top scorers with ease. Defense wins championships, and with Bryson, Desharnais, and Mirageas on the blue line for the Friars, a Hockey East Tournament Championship is surely within reach.
However, the backbone of every good team lies in its goaltender. Hayden Hawkey ’19 has carried the Friars so far this year, and a tough goalie is imperative for making a deep playoff run. Hawkey, who posted four shut outs this year, is 2nd in goaltending in the Hockey East, so he has proven to be one of the league’s best coming into the tournament.
Offensive firepower, a shutdown defense, and a top goalie are keys for the Friars to take home the Hockey East Tournament trophy. Their run starts March 9 at Schneider Arena.
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: Softball is the Best Intramural Sport at PC
by The Cowl Editor on February 8, 2018
PCI
by Sam Scanlon ’19
Sports Staff
Is there anything better than hitting a softball over the fence on Glay Field and off of the 5th floor of Suites? Intramural athletes long for the days when they were athletically relevant, so participating in the intramural softball league and reliving the glory days is just about the closest thing to it at this point. Softball stands alone as the best intramural sport due to the competitiveness surrounding it, as well as the pure excitement of playing softball on a state of the art field. It does not get much better than that for your typical washed up high school athlete.
Providence College has one of the nation’s most highly participated in intramural sports program, and that is mostly due to the large number of players that intramural softball attracts. With upwards of 30 teams participating in the league, softball can become extremely competitive as most of the student body competes to fight for the coveted intramural champion T-shirt for softball.
The high volume of students playing softball is a huge reason why it is the best intramural sport. The winners of this sport are truly some of the best players that the student body has to offer, so the satisfaction of winning the Championship makes it great. Everyone gives it their all on the softball field, usually resulting in extremely high scoring but close games. You will see a lot of jumping, yelling, screaming, smiling, and laughing on the softball field as emotions run high. You will really feel as if you are in a meaningful game and for us intramural hardos, there is nothing better than that.
Additionally, the participants are not only those who excelled in high school and gave up their dream upon coming to PC; since it is a spring sport that falls close to the end of the school year, the winter sports have ended and some varsity athletes create a team and join the league as well. If you are lucky, you have a chance to go up against some hockey and basketball players to prove that your team is in fact the best team at PC.
Baseball and softball are America’s pastimes, so coming together with your friends and hitting balls over the fence on your way to claiming PC’s most difficult T-shirt is what makes intramural softball far and away the best intramural sport to play.
Foley, Pinho Get Prestigious Nod
by The Cowl Editor on January 25, 2018
Friar Sports
Both Named Finalists for Hobey Baker Award
by Sam Scanlon ’19
Sports Staff
It is hard to think about the Providence College Men’s Ice Hockey Team without thinking of Brian Pinho ’18 and Erik Foley ’19. The two Friar superstars have been integral parts of the Friars’ offense since they joined the squad in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Their preliminary nominations for the Hobey Baker Award, which celebrates college hockey’s top player, should come as no surprise.
Senior captain Pinho, a North Andover, Massachusets native and product of the Catholic Conference’s St. John’s Preparatory School, has been a dominant force in all three phases of the game throughout his career. In an interview with New England Hockey Journal’s Jeff Cox, Foley spoke highly of his comrade Pinho, saying, “He’s a great player. He never makes a mistake. It’s hard to find a player like him.” A player like Pinho is certainly hard to find considering his roles on the top-line power-play and penalty-killing units, in addition to being the top line center.
As a sixth round draft pick in the 2013 NHL entry draft to the Washington Capitals and an offensive powerhouse, Pinho’s style of play is definitely a solid fit if he can work his way up to the big leagues after his graduation. His offense has been nothing short of outstanding over his four-year career; he recently surpassed the 100-point benchmark in his career for the Friars. So far this year, Pinho has notched 24 points on 11 goals and 13 assists, trailing only Foley for the team lead.
Currently heating up, Pinho has registered 11 points in the first eight games of the second half of the season, dating back to their matchup against Arizona State in the opening round of the Three Rivers Classic. His efforts during this span have earned him national recognition as the Hockey East Offensive Player of the Week, as well as the third Star of the Week for all of NCAA men’s hockey players.
Friars Head Coach Nate Leaman told Cox, “Pinho is really going right now. There’s no doubt about it. He’s come back after break and he really has his legs going.” Having the senior captain and first line center playing his best hockey right now is crucial for the Friars to make a deep playoff run.
Pinho is the type of player who excels all over the ice by getting into the dirty areas, making plays, and scoring goals. Speed kills, a fact Pinho certainly knows. Perhaps the fastest skater on the ice at all times, his size and speed has allowed him to be recognized as one of the nation’s best players, so his nomination is deserved.
Foley, the Friars’ other Hobey Baker Award nominee, has emerged as one of the nation’s best goal scorers as he is in the midst of his junior season for the Friars, seemingly always appearing on the scoresheet. Another Massachusetts native, hailing from Mansfield, has slid into the top scoring role for the Friars with 29 points in 24 games. His 29 points are from his team leading 13 goals and 16 assists.
The Winnipeg Jets’s 2015 third round pick has a heavy shot and a knack for getting into positions that allow him to score. His quick first step and long strides enable him to elude defenders and get time and space to get off an open shot, which he rarely misses.
Like Pinho, Foley is a force all over the ice and in the dirty areas. He concurred in that same interview with Cox admitting, “I’m trying to be heavy down low, take pucks to the net, and use my shot. I just want to make plays.” A natural playmaker and goal scorer, Foley seems to be doing his job perfectly.
In the second half of the season, the same eight game span as Pinho, Foley has picked up eight points on three goals and five assists. With 82 points thus far in his career, Foley is well on his way to join Pinho in the 100 club.
Foley has been heavily relied on for offensive production for the Friars since his career started here at PC, and he has certainly stepped up to his expectations. When the two of them start picking up their play simultaneously, it is an absolute nightmare for opposing teams.
As the Friars face off against another offensive powerhouse in the eighth-ranked Northeastern University Huskies this weekend, Foley and Pinho will be heavily relied on to match their weaponry in Northeastern’s lineup. After a Friday night game at Northeastern, the Huskies come to Schneider Arena on Saturday night. Support our Hobey Baker Award finalists by coming to the game, and vote for them at voteforhobey.com.
Men’s Hockey Goes 5-1 and Brings Home Mayor Cup
by The Cowl Editor on January 18, 2018
Friar Sports
Foley, Hawkey, and Pinho Help Team Find Success
By Sam Scanlon ’19
Sports Staff
What a winter break it was for the Providence College Men’s Ice Hockey Team.
After being shutout on home ice by Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), the Friars went undefeated with a record of 5-0-1 over winter break and brought home some hardware while they were at it.
First and foremost, the Friars welcomed a new member to the squad, Davis Bunz ’21, a defenseman hailing from Middleton, Wisconsin. Bunz joined the team in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania shortly after Christmas as they were a part of the Three Rivers Classic Tournament along with Arizona State, Robert Morris University, and Lake Superior State University.
The Friars opened up the tournament against Arizona State, a relatively new Division I program that has impressed in recent years. However, the Friars handled the Sun Devils with a 6-0 win with six different goal scorers, including Erik Foley ’19 and Brian Pinho ’18. Scott Conway ’18, Greg Printz ’21, Josh Wilkins ’20, and Ben Mirageas ’21, also provided offense for the Friars, and all three goaltenders made appearances in the combined shutout, including Jake Beaton ’18 who made his collegiate debut. With continued offensive production, Mirageas is seemingly filling the defensive goal scoring void left by the departure of Jake Walman at the conclusion of last season.
With the win over Arizona State University, the Friars were set to face off against Robert Morris University in the Three Rivers Classic Championship Game. Goaltender Hayden Hawkey ’19 impressed in the cage yet again, while Conway added another goal, and Kasper Björkqvist ’20 provided the game winning tally late in the second period allowing the Friars to scrape by RMU to claim the Three Rivers Classic Tournament title with a 2-1 win.
Due to his impressive performance, Pinho was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament, which also landed him a spot on the All-Tournament team where he was accompanied by Conway and Jacob Bryson ’20.
Hawkey was named Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week as he stopped 38 of 39 shots over the tournament.
The Friars returned home to Schneider Arena to claim yet another trophy to add to the case as they faced Brown University for the 32nd Annual Mayor’s Cup. This game went a lot like the Arizona State tilt as the Friars skated past Brown 5-0. Pinho tallied a goal and an assist in this game, notching career point 100 on his assist to Wilkins in the second frame.
Next up, the Friars welcomed Merrimack College for a big Hockey East matchup. Brandon Duhaime ’20 started off the scoring with a goal of the year candidate for the Friars. Pinho and Foley stayed hot and provided goals, as well as two goals off the stick of Björkqvist which lifted the Friars over the Warriors 5-2.
While Pinho’s name keeps appearing on the scoresheet, he earned Hockey East Player of the Week Honors as well as National Honors as college hockey’s third star of the week.
This past weekend was an extremely crucial one, as the Friars traveled to Boston to face both Boston College and Boston University in back to back nights. Björkqvist and Duhaime scored within eight seconds of each other, while Pinho and Wilkins provided empty net insurance as they defeated the Eagles 4-1.
Saturday night at BU was a typical game between the two teams. Foley and Wilkins struck the back of the net in this one, but were unable to break the 2-2 tie in the end, as the Friars go 1-1-1 against the Terriers this season.
With Foley’s team-leading 13th goal and Pinho’s dominance of late, the two Friar stars have earned Hobey Baker Award Nominations for the Friars in the preliminary stages.
Foley, Pinho, and the rest of the 10th ranked Friars are back this weekend with a series against University of Connecticut.
Friars Go to Ireland
by The Cowl Editor on November 30, 2017
Friar Sports
By Sam Scanlon ’19
Sports Staff
Last week, the Providence College Men’s Ice Hockey Team took a journey across the pond to participate in the 2017 Friendship Four Tournament in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Over the course of their weeklong trip, the Friars toured Dublin, Ireland, as well as Belfast Northern Ireland, including Northern Ireland’s Parliament building and Crumlin Road Gaol, an old prison in Belfast.
The Friars also made a visit to Dondonald Primary school where Head Coach Nate Leaman addressed the student body and some players answered questions in classrooms. It was a great week for the team to engage in various community service opportunities as well as experience foreign cities’ culture and learn the history behind them. With last names like Foley, Kavanagh, and O’Neill on the Friars’ roster, the team’s Irish history is deeply rooted.
However, there was still business to be taken care of. In their first game of the tournament, which served as the tournament semifinal, the Friars took on the University of Maine Black Bears in a Hockey East tilt. From the start of the game, the Friars controlled the play. Although the team generated several key scoring opportunities in the first period, they were unable to capitalize until the final five minutes of the second frame, as Ryan Tait ’19 buried a wraparound feed from Bryan Lemos ’19 after a battle in the corner to set the Friars up 1-0.
From there, the Friars did not look back. Captain Brian Pinho ’18, who had been wreaking havoc all game in the offensive zone, finally struck the back of the net on a power play off a great look by Erik Foley ’19. Foley and Pinho have been impossible to stop together on the power play once they get time and space to set up.
Goaltender Hayden Hawkey ’19 impressed in this contest, steering aside all 24 shots he faced to preserve his second shutout of the season. This performance was essential to restore his confidence after being pulled at the start of the second period the weekend before against Merrimack College.
The game was finally put out of reach as Tait registered his second goal of the game on an empty net tally from a long pass from Jacob Bryson ’20, who impressed all weekend with his playmaking ability. The Friars 3-0 score would stand as they moved on to face the fifth ranked Clarkson University Golden Knights in the Friendship Four Championship Game.
In the Clarkson game, the Friars jumped out to an early lead off the stick of Foley, for his team leading seventh mark of the season. His line, along with Pinho and Brandon Duhaime ’20, played extremely well in this tournament, leading the Friars offensively. Duhaime was a nuisance for defensemen and goaltenders throughout the tournament, making his presence felt down low in the offensive zone, helping goal scorers like Foley and Pinho to find more opportunities.
However, the next four goals all belonged to Clarkson, as they beat Hawkey twice in the second period and twice more in the third. However, Duhaime’s hard work in the offensive zone finally paid off as he snuck one into the back of the net from right in front. This effort was too little too late as the Friars fell to the Golden Knights and Clarkson University was crowned 2017 Friendship Four Champions as they hoisted the Belpot Trophy.
Despite falling short in the championship game, the Friars still played their style of hockey. The top line provided most of the offense, and spent the majority of their time on ice in the offensive zone. On top of that, the entire roster played their role, all the way down to the physicality of the fourth line and a game one shut out from Hawkey. Although they did not come out on top, the ninth-ranked Friars took a step in the right direction as they look forward to a home-and-home series the weekend against the University of New Hampshire.
2018 Olympics Preview
by The Cowl Editor on November 9, 2017
Professional Sports
By Sam Scanlon ’19
Sports Staff
Winter is coming. This winter will be a particularly exciting one, as all eyes will be on Pyeongchang, South Korea. The world’s best winter athletes will convene to represent their respective countries in the 2018 Winter Olympics with some big changes coming to the games this year.
Perhaps the biggest story surrounding this year’s winter games is the absence of the National Hockey League (NHL) players in the ice hockey event. The NHL announced earlier this year that it would prohibit its players from participating in the upcoming Olympics. The reasons were clear and understandable. NHL organizations are no longer interested in shutting down the season for a few weeks just so their players can go play for someone else.
Mid-February is the time of year where the NHL gets its most attention from viewers. The National Football League would have just culminated with the Super Bowl, and Major League Baseball would be in the middle of its off season, so the opportunity to grab new viewers is easiest at this time.
Another reason that NHL organizations are not having their players play somewhere else in the middle of the season is due the threat of injury. NHL players who participate in the Olympics are often times the most valuable and best players on their respective NHL rosters and cannot risk any injuries.
After five consecutive Winter Olympic Games with NHL involvement, the league and organizations decided that it is not worth it to send their players to the Olympics. So, they will look to draw players from the American Hockey League (AHL): the minor league affiliate for the NHL, the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL): Russia’s premiere league, the National
Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and other European professional leagues. Team USA’s roster is going to look a lot like the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” team with its college and other non-NHL players.
While ice hockey is gaining most of the attention now, other sports are going to start to get more focus as they are starting to think about finalizing rosters. The return of Lindsay Vonn is highly anticipated in the ski events. Vonn, who missed the 2014 Sochi Olympics due to a severe knee injury, has worked her way back to the top of the skiing world. Arguably the most famous and successful female skier in the world, her return is going to be vital for the success of Team USA in the alpine skiing events as she is no stranger to the podium; most notably, her gold medal performance in 2010 in the downhill event. In addition to downhill, Vonn also competes in the super-G, slalom, and super combined, where she has had tremendous success the past few years leading up to this Olympics.
Skiing has added a few new and exciting events in recent history, including the freestyle event. Team USA has multiple hopeful participants who are looking to stand atop the podium in February. Gus Kenworthy, who you may recognize from MTV’s “The Challenge: Champs vs. Pros”, is an electrifying freestyle skier who took home the silver medal in the 2014 games. He is someone to watch during this year’s Olympics. Freestyle skiing is something the United States dominates on the men’s side, as Joss Christensenn won gold and Nicholas Goepper completed the USA podium sweep in 2014 with a bronze medal. Look for USA to have extreme success in this event this winter as well.
Figure skating has always been a popular Winter Olympic event. Recently, Russia has dominated this event, but Team USA is looking toward young star Gracie Gold to win gold this winter and possibly avoid a Russian sweep. She helped Team USA capture a bronze medal in 2014 in the “Mixed Team” event.
Team USA had a disappointing showing in the snowboarding events in Sochi, but with gold medalist Jamie Anderson leading the charge, they look to get back to the podium this time around in Pyeongchang. In addition to snowboarding, Team USA’s bobsleigh and skeleton athletes will more than likely boost our medal count.
The United States’ top competition throughout this Olympics with be Russia in figure skating and hockey, Austria in alpine skiing, Sweden in cross country skiing, and the Netherlands in speed skating. Team USA has an estimated athlete count of 245, giving them a great chance to medal in each event.
Weekend Sweep for Men’s Hockey
by The Cowl Editor on November 3, 2017
Friar Sports
By Sam Scanlon ’19
Sports Staff
After a weekend in Upstate New York where the Friars grabbed one win and were handed a loss against St. Lawrence University and Clarkson University respectively, the Providence College Men’s Hockey Team returned home to Schneider Arena to face two nationally ranked Hockey East powerhouses.
Friday night brought the Eagles of Boston College back to Schneider Arena just 12 days after handing the Friars their first loss of the season with a stunning 4-3 overtime win. This time around, however, it would be the Friars who sealed a comeback win.
The 19th ranked Eagles would jump out to a first period lead on a rebound goal that they would ultimately take into the first intermission.Midway through the second period, Friars’ sniper Erik Foley ’19 scored a gorgeous goal over the shoulder of Eagles’ goaltender Joseph Woll.
Later in the period, Ben Mirageas ’21 tallied his first collegiate goal on a shot from the point. The New York Islanders third round draft pick is a smooth skating, playmaking defenseman who is dominant on both sides of the puck. Friar fans should be excited for his career here at PC and expect more offensive production from the freshman. His goal stood as the game-winner as the Friars held on to win 2-1.
Coming off a hard fought win against a Hockey East rival the previous night, the Friars were back at it again on Saturday night as they welcomed in Boston University. This game was an absolute dog fight.
The Terriers came into the game ranked sixth in the country, as they are loaded with offensive weaponry, some decent size, and arguably the best goaltender in the country. Despite all that, the Friars remained resilient and kept up with the speedy, talented Terriers squad.
After a scoreless first period, it did not take long for Vimal Sukumaran ’20 to take advantage of a BU miscue and bury the puck into an open net early in the second period. After a string of penalties, Foley notched his second goal of the weekend, beating the Terriers’ goalie to give the Friars a 2-0 advantage. Under a minute later, Brandon Duhaime ’20 found a way to sneak the puck across the goal line to extend the Friars’ lead to 3-0. Tensions would begin to rise and reach a breaking point in the second frame, culminating with a large scrap between everyone on the ice as the second period clock ran out. What else would you expect when these two teams face off?
The Friars shut down any shot of a third period Terriers’ comeback and held on to the shutout, completing a sweep of two of the toughest opponents in the Hockey East.
Even with Foley scoring two huge goals, the story of this weekend was undoubtedly goaltender Hayden Hawkey ’19. Hawkey stopped 46 of 47 shots this weekend, with that one blemish coming from a rebound goal in the first period of Friday night’s bout against the Eagles. A quick turnaround and a shut out of a top team in the country, stopping all 22 Terriers’ shots, would give Hawkey his fifth career shutout, and the first time Providence College has blanked the Terriers since a 2004 meeting. Needless to say, this massive weekend from Hawkey was the extra boost the Friars needed to pick up wins in these two games. His performance rightfully earned him Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week honors.
The Friars have now jumped up to be the sixth ranked team in the nation and are looking forward to a huge rematch at Agganis Arena this Friday to take on the Terriers once again in a crucial Hockey East tilt.