EMERSON HOCKEY BLOG

Music Video from the Past

2009-03-26T10:50:00.000-07:00

A while back there was a youtube video of an Emerson Hockey victory over Berklee. Youtube didn't like it and took it down but here it is for your viewing pleasure.

Enjoy

#33

"Playoffs... Here We Come"

2009-03-25T22:45:00.000-07:00

From the 1989 Emerson yearbook...

Don't feel like squinting? I'll do it for you. It reads:

"The mens hockey team enjoyed their most successful season to date. The Lions ended the season with a 5-10-1 record and advanced past season play for the first time in the team's history. They were the fourth seeded team and gave Salve Regina (#1) a tough game, losing 3-2. Key players on the team were freshman sensation Mike Pryor and goalie Crish Kinch. Co-captains were Jason Bourgauh and Eric Vanlandran. Right (above): Team huddles for pregame pep talk"

"Emerson Hockey News - Thursday, February 16, 1989

Playoffs... Here We Come

The Lions will face off against Salve Regina College on Saturday, February 18, 1989 in West Borough, Mass. This will be the first appearance in the Commonwealth Coast Conference playoffs for the Lions... and we want to take our fans with us! So... join us Saturday for the festive occasion."

Pre-game party at Crossroads? Fan bus? Times have certainly changed...

Photos with original captions

Photo #1: Jason Bourgault and Mike Sullivan break up a play in the defensive end.

Photo #2: Jaime Huth watches a developing play at the other end of the ice.

Photo #3: Watching from the bench.

Thanks to Zach Wilson, who found this in the LA student lounge.

Teammates off the ice, too

2009-01-31T16:54:00.000-08:00

When forward/journalism major Jesse Liebman needed an assist, he looked to see if his teammate/photographer Pete Keeling was open to shoot. Keeling was, and he snapped off the above photo for Liebman's story on local hockey figure Travis Roy, who was paralyzed from the neck down in his first shift for the Boston University Terriers.

It wasn't the first time a Lion called upon his teammate for help in an off-ice endeavor. Last month I enlisted my former defenseman Mike Sullivan to shoot the documentary I'm editing right now. Former Captain Matt Porter and I covered two years of Beanpot and Hockey East tournaments. Luke Hanlein, Jacob Migicovsky, Zach Wilson and Chris Collins have rallied and involved fellow players around their film projects.

These examples only form the tip of the iceberg. Though I don't yet have the luxury of being connected to Emerson hockey's past, I would not be surprised to learn of hundreds of instances in which Lions have parlayed their on-ice cameraderie into successful off-ice collaborations.

My Dad, a recreational hockey player himself, once said to me: "Hockey friends are the best kind to have. They always seem to stick around."

I think that's because we as hockey players and fans are passionate people. We care about the game we love enough to wake up for 6am ice slots, endure the unending costs of equipment maintenence, and get hit with a hard piece of rubber every once and a while. Here in the states, we fervently support our teams and our game in the face of a sports hegemony that often acts like we don't even exist.

We love a great game, and we will not go quietly when the naysayers cast their doubts. We soldier on and get back up from every hit. We drive the net until the final buzzer and settle for nothing less than a big win.

I think that applies to our interests outside of hockey as well. Whether we're aspiring journalists, filmmakers, photographers, sound technicians, actors, etc... a common passion for working together to win runs through our veins and unites us.

And that's a great recipe for success.

More Love from the Beacon for our own Casey Smith!

2008-11-21T09:44:00.000-08:00

Original Link:http://media.www.berkeleybeacon.com/media/storage/paper169/news/2008/11/20/Sports/Freshman.Smith.Stands.Out.For.Emerson.Hockey-3556020.shtml

Freshman Smith stands out for Emerson hockey
Phil Shore
Issue date: 11/20/08 Section: Sports
PrintEmail Article Tools Page 1 of 1
Media Credit: Greg Townsend
Freshman left winger Casey Smith, shown here during a Nov. 8 match against Berklee College of Music. Smith is the lone female player on the Emerson hockey team.

College coaches often judge new recruits on, among other things, whether they’ll fit in with the rest of the group. Freshman Casey Smith stands out from her teammates on Emerson’s hockey team, because she is its only female player.

In some ways, the differences are apparent. Smith stands at a small 5’3”. She has to shower separately from the men.

Still, Smith, a studio television production major, wants nothing more than to blend in with everyone else and play her favorite sport.

“It’s really crazy, I’m not trying making a feminist statement,” the left winger from West Haven, Conn. said “I just really love hockey.”

Smith first started playing in eighth grade, encouraged by her cousin, who was on the women’s high school team.

“She told me to check out some clinics, so I did, and I really got into it,” Smith said.

She kept going and played for the girls’ team at West Haven High School. Wins were few and far between, Smith said, but her coach motivated her to be the best on and off the ice.

When it came time to look for colleges, Smith said she was influenced by her career aspirations.

“I wanted to work on TV, I wanted to work at ESPN,” she said. “So my teacher told me to check out Emerson, and I really liked it.”

Smith came to Emerson with no intention of continuing her athletic career.

“I played soccer, hockey and lacrosse in high school, but the [soccer and lacrosse teams at Emerson] are too serious,” she said.

However, Smith received a Facebook message from Assistant Captain Pete Keeling asking if she would like to join the Emerson team.

“I sent out Facebook messages to anyone who had hockey as an interest on their profile,” junior film production major Keeling said. “It would suck to miss out on a potential player just because they didn’t know about the team, so I make sure anybody who publicly shows interest in the sport hears about us and is invited out to a practice.”

It was the first time Smith would be playing on a male team, and she knew things wouldn’t be easy.

“These guys have been playing since they were five, so I’m quite a few years behind,” she said.

The biggest change going from women’s hockey to men’s, Smith said, was the checking. “I never played in a hitting league,” she said.

“So to go out on the ice and have some dude hit you, it was like ‘Whoa, this is real hockey.’”

Smith said she has tried to take advantage of being allowed to hit, but has not connected any big shots.

Emerson previously had a female, junior Laura Page, play the past two years. Keeling said she did not return because of an intense amount of schoolwork. Opponents also include women on their rosters. This made it easy for the team to accept Smith.

“There is always an adjustment in the beginning of the year with new freshmen and new kids,” said sophomore studio television major Ryan Gray, a left winger on the Lions. “It really didn’t make a difference when she joined this year.”

Head coach John Sullivan has had experience working with women at camps and was not worried about Smith fitting in.

“She has a great attitude, and we haven’t had to treat her any differently,” he said. “You can’t ask for more from any player, male or female, than to go out there and do the best you can.”

The physicality is new to Smith, but Sullivan said her intelligence and attitude help her on the ice.

“She picks up things quickly, she has a high hockey IQ, and her anticipation skills are very high,” Sullivan said. “She has to be physically and mentally tough, especially because of her stature. She’s obviously not the biggest one out there.” Sullivan said Smith plays a lot during penalty kills.

Smith said she wanted to prove to herself she could rise to the challenge of playing at a much more difficult level.

“What I hoped to accomplish was to be able to play at this level of hockey which is like a million times more intense than high school girls’ hockey.”

Smith credits her teammates for helping her transition into a rougher game.

“I love them, they’re great guys,” she said. “The team doesn’t think it’s a big deal and the coach doesn’t think it’s a big deal, so I don’t think it’s a big deal.”

Berkley Beacon Loves the Boylston Cup

2008-11-16T09:46:00.000-08:00

Here's the link to the original post! Berkley Beacon showing EC Hockey some love!

Berklee downs Emerson in Boylston Cup slugfest

Physical play rabid spectators add to rivalry in annual match

Ian Tasso

Issue date: 11/13/08 Section: Sports

Article Tools

Page 1 of 1

Media Credit: Greg Townsend

Senior Alan Gwizdowskiwinds up for a slap shot during Emerson's 7-5 loss to Berklee in the Boylston Cup Nov. 8.

Senior Captain Alan Gwizdowski laced on his skates in the locker room before the 2008 Boylston Cup with only one thing on his mind—beating the Berklee College of Music Ice Cats. “Gwiz,” as his teammates call him, had been through two Cups in his career with Emerson, coming up short each time. With his last opportunity knocking at the door, Gwiz and the Lions were out for revenge.

“When you walk out of that tunnel and people are screaming your name, it’s amazing,” the film major said. “Knowing there are all those people that care about the team and the game—it’s hands down the biggest thing we have going for us during the season.”

Despite the rush of the rivalry and a thundering crowd behind them, Emerson was unable to break away from Berklee early, coming out of the first period tied 1-1. From the very beginning, this game was a slugfest, each team matching each other blow for blow—both figuratively and literally.

Not only were the teams hitting each other into the boards, they were also hitting each other with their fists. Throughout the game, hullabaloos broke out between the heated rivals, attracting lots of penalties and crazed applause from a raucous crowd of about 400 fans who packed the Walter Brown Arena at Boston University.

“It always picks up the intensity level when someone throws a punch,” said junior Assistant Captain Pete Keeling. “It flips that adrenaline switch on, and you really get into it. You get in this mindset that this is your opponent and you have to bring them down.”

The close game quickly slipped away from the Lions, though, thanks to a few untimely penalties. Four quick goals later, Emerson was staring a 5-1 deficit straight in the face. But from adversity comes greatness, and egged on by a dedicated fan following, the Lions began clawing their way back into the game.

In the final 20 minutes, the Lions roared back, netting three unanswered goals, trailing just 6-4 after a Berklee power play goal extended the lead.

The Lions got as close as 6-5 on a snap shot from Keeling with less than two minutes left. As the seconds ticked away, though, a Berklee empty-net goal sealed the Lions’ fate, as they went on to lose by a final score of 7-5.

“For a lot of us, it’s the biggest game of the year,” said goalie Greg Cohen, a junior film major. “It’s a do-or-die here with our friends and family watching, and we gave it our all. Unfortunately we just came up on the wrong end today.”

It proved to be enough the very next night when the Lions traveled to Worcester to take on Clark University. Once again led by Gwizdowski, who recorded three goals and an assist, the Lions won 6-3. Although Gwizdowski is scheduled to graduate in May 2009, he is confident his teammates will carry the torch once he’s gone.

“I can’t say enough about how well they played today,” Gwizdowski said. “It’s good for the young guys to see that we can play well when we all work together like this. We put a great effort in today, and I’m proud to be a member of this team.”

For Gwizdowski, the 2008 Boylston Cup will go down as one of the most memorable games in his career. And for the rest of the 4-7 Lions, the near-comeback will only add fuel to the fire as the Cup rivalry lives on.

"The Best Kept Secret in College Hockey"

2008-11-10T15:25:00.001-08:00

3rd Annual Boylston Cup
BERKLEE 7
Emerson 5

For the third year in a row, Boylston Street belongs to the Berklee College of Music. Despite a valiant late rally in which Emerson scored 4 goals in the final 10 minutes of the game, the Lions once again found themselves slumped over on the bench watching the Ice Cats celebrate.

Emerson Captain Alan Gwizdowski said the team's lackluster second period and inability to stay out of the penalty box cost them the game.

"The effort was there, we just missed a few opportunities in the second. Way too many penalties. We sat half of that period in the box. Heads were down a little bit. We were crushing them in the third, started getting some goals in, but it just wasn't enough."

Gwizdowski's final Boylston Cup game may have gone differently had he gotten another pair of gloves. He said his current pair felt very loose during the game, which may have affected his aim. He finished the game with one assist.

The Lions started strong, and were on the attack for most of the first period. They drew first blood when Luke Hanlein slipped a puck past the Berklee goalie about 5 minutes in. The Ice Cats responded toward the end of the period to make it 1-1.

Then Emerson got themselves into trouble. Defenseman Sean Legnini got off easy with a 2 minute minor for a vicious hit from behind. Others would soon join him in the box, and the Ice Cats seized their man advantages, getting 4 pucks by Greg Cohen to take a commanding 5-1 lead into the third.

Things looked bleak at that point, but the Lions would not go quietly. With ten minutes remaining, they began staging a comeback, potting two before Berklee answered back to make it 6-3. Undaunted by the 3 goal deficit, Emerson continued to drive the net -- sophomore Ryan Gray did literally, bounding into the Berklee goalie -- scoring twice more to make it 6-5 with a minute left in regulation.

The Lions pulled Cohen for an extra attacker, but it may have been too early as the Ice Cats skated past the tired Emerson defensive pair and pushed home an empty netter with a bit more than :30 to go.

---

My apologies for the lack of details, quotes and names in the recap. I was wearing too many hats that night... it's tough to be a photographer, reporter & fan all at the same time.

Thankfully, others in attendance stuck to one cap and took full advantage of the media availability:

The Beacon article on the game should be up tomorrow, and Jess or I will be sure to post that.
Jessica Hines of the Boston Examiner wrote a nice piece about the Boylston Cup, calling it "the best kept secret in college hockey."
Zach Wilson directed an EVVYs remote shoot of the game, and I'm trying to get a few clips or a highlight reel from that to post here. Stay tuned...

Finally, congratulations to Berklee on their 3rd straight Cup win. The rivalry grows and gets more interesting every year. Both sides brought out their fair share of fans. Ours were better, though :)

Boylston Cup Tickets Now On Sale

2008-11-05T18:11:00.000-08:00

Tickets for Saturday's Boylston Cup are now on sale! Ryan Gray designed these tickets, which look real noice. Get yours now!

Advance tickets will be sold outside the Little Building Dining Hall Thursday during lunch (12-2) and dinner (6-8), and also during lunch on Friday.

If you're making a gametime decision and just want to buy them at the door, the price goes up to $7.

A reminder that the game will be played on Saturday, 5pm at Walter Brown Arena.

To get to Boston University's Walter Brown Arena: Take the Green Line to Babcock St, then walk down Babcock to Walter Brown Arena. It will be at the end of the street to your right.

We Love The Berkley Beacon!

2008-10-10T10:45:00.000-07:00

(The following is an article from the Berkley Beacon, Emerson College's weekly newspaper. I managed to catch the article in print and knew immediately that it needed to be reposted on this blog! Here's the original link to the article.)

Late practices, new coach define Emerson hockey

Despite recent struggles and a rough start to the season, Lions' club team looks forward to a brighter future

Amelia Rayno

Issue date: 10/9/08 Section: Sports

At just after midnight, a flurry of purple and white jerseys scatter to the frosty edges of Simoni Rink in Cambridge. The allotted hour is up, the tired bunch has finished their drills and scrimmages, and now the band of 22 men and one woman shuffle toward the locker room.

Behind them, a commanding figure follows and quickly offers instruction as the players shed their thick padding. They brush the ice off their skates, throw their sticks into giant duffel bags, and rush out the door to catch the final train out of Lechmere Station. Tonight, like the other one or two times the team practices each week, the Emerson Lions were the last ones on and off the ice.

The Emerson hockey team, which has club status as a school organization, doesn’t have a choice when it comes to night-owl practices. Their 11 p.m. slot is the only one available since the rink is occupied by more established teams most of the time. As the dull buzz of the Zamboni makes the evening’s last wet circles over the sheet, the Lions are just tugging on their skates and helmets.

The athletes have paid to be here. They have sacrificed their time, their cash out of pocket and their comfortable Thursday evenings in front of the television. Their coach has given up his own share, carping drills and dropping pucks for nothing more than a free membership to Gold’s Gym. The late nights at Simoni ensure that everyone who is there truly wants to be.

“No one is pushing us,” said Alan Gwizdowski, a senior captain and television-video major. “We don’t get a lot of support from the school, and it’s a really expensive sport. You have to love it to be out there.”

Players say their passion for the game transcends what might seem like a thankless job to a less ardent crowd.

“We go to practices late at night, scrambling to get the last T home,” said Casey Smith, a freshman woman who is playing check league hockey for the first time. “If you didn’t love the game there is no way you would be willing to do that.”

And perhaps this love has proven even more powerful, through not only a lack of support, but also a rough start to this season following a 3-12 mark last year.

In its first game, Emerson fell 16-0 to Bentley College. In its second against Merrimack College, the margin widened to a 20-0 defeat.

“It’s frustrating [that these were the] first two games,” Gwizdowski said. “I know what the team can do, but for some of the freshmen—it’s tough to say we can get back into it, when we haven’t been in it yet.”

Bentley and Merrimack boast Division I programs. Many Lions players doubt whether they belong in the same rink as DI teams.

“Personally, I think the experience level is a juxtaposition,” said junior goalie Greg Cohen, who recorded an astounding 62 saves during the loss to Bentley.

Despite all of the team’s hardships, one thing is decidedly different for the Lions this year—they have a coach.

John Sullivan landed at Emerson when he answered a Craigslist.com posting created by Assistant Captain Pete Keeling after a dismal spring. The result brought the team something they were unable to give themselves: organized leadership.

After growing up in the Boston area, Sullivan returns after 18 years spent playing in junior leagues and instructing hockey camps in Canada. Now he routinely journeys to Cambridge on cool New England evenings and watches a group of college students slap shot after shot, the ice-sheathed bowl echoing with the rhythm of wood rasping over its surface.

Last year, Gwizdowski acted as the coach and ran practices. Having played hockey his entire life, he effuses passion collected from two decades of hitting pucks.

“I grew up skating on ponds,” he said, alluding back to his days as a tot in Rhode Island. By the time he reached the first grade he was playing six or seven days a week.

But as committed as he was to the Lions last year, Gwizdowski said he couldn’t do it all.

“It wasn’t easy to participate in drills while also coaching, trying to stop people to tell them what they were doing wrong, and doing right,” he said. “And also, coaching myself, no one was doing that.”

Players said Sullivan’s guidance has made all the difference this season.

Sporting a thick white hoodie, Coach Sullivan stands against the background of thick steel bleachers, a whistle slung about his neck, never for long. He plucks it up often, its shrill call signaling the start and stop of drills. He elicits the image of “the quintessential Canadian hockey guy,” as Gwizdowski called him. Sullivan, who is working to pass his bar exam while coaching Emerson, will be gone after this season, and then the Lions will be back to square one. But the coach, with the guidance and inspiration he brings, represents another phase in a steadily growing program.

Sullivan was quick to dismiss any serious concern over the ups and down of the team. He said the job was a good fit and that he wants to help players have fun and teach them along the way. But when he steps onto the rink, he gives every intimation that it means something a little more to both teacher and student.

The promise of a winning season lingers as a yet-fulfilled hope. Their games are played, for the most part, without a significant audience—many Emerson students aren’t even aware of the team’s existence. And without school support, the Lions have to buy their own equipment, jerseys and rink slots. They have stripped away everything but an unbounded appreciation for the game they play. It’s enough to keep them coming back.

“We are progressing every year,” Gwizdowski said. “The ball [is] rolling and now it’s [a] snowball effect.”

As the Lions let it roll and gather mass, the leadership, increasing support from the school and committed players such as Gwizdowski could change the face of this program. Of course, it takes time.

But the Lions said they will take time, and make time, in order to produce something special.

“What we lack in skill,” Smith said, “we make up for in heart.”

David rarely beats Goliath

2008-10-06T22:22:00.000-07:00

Even the unreligious know the story of David and Goliath, right? Well, I've always been told not to assume, so I'll tell the concise version as it relates to Emerson Hockey: David (the Lions) is a young man who miraculously defeats a giant warrior, Goliath (Merrimack, Bentley) with only a slingshot.

The key word here being miraculously.

These two Goliaths mercilessly stomped David to pulp on the ice last week. The hits were hard and the final tallies ugly. There was not one Emerson goal to celebrate.

David shot, and shot, and shot, and the Goliaths deflected, scored, and scored some more, and then beat David's corpse until the final buzzer.

As they should have.

It would take a miracle of biblical (or 1980) proportions for the Lions to beat either of these teams. We barely have a club team, while Merrimack (Hockey East) and Bentley (Atlantic Hockey) both recruit for their Division 1 teams. Who do you think plays for their club team? If you guessed some very talented (and likely pissed-off) players who didn't make varsity, you're right.

Emerson doesn't stand a chance against these teams, and they know it. The coach and captains believe playing tougher teams will make the Lions stronger when they square off against more evenly-matched clubs, and they may prove to be right. The Lions clobbered RISD this Saturday, but tomorrow night's game against Berklee in Cambridge should be a better indicator of whether battling these two Goliaths has helped or hindered David.

***
My apologies for the dormancy here. I've been traveling a bit and haven't been able to check in on the team. To be honest, I could really use a hand with this. It's a great opportunity for a young journalist in a beat writing class.

Furthermore, is anyone reading this? Blogger doesn't offer a stat counter so I have no idea if there's an audience. I'd be much more motivated to post things if I actually thought I had readers, so leave a comment or two, wouldja? :)

Gnarly new Red Ice shirts now on sale

2008-10-06T19:22:00.000-07:00

Maybe I'm biased, but that's an awesome shirt. Simple. Bloody. Effective. The team's just started selling these bad boys for $10 on it's merch site, and all proceeds support the team athletically. Fill in your own jock strap joke here ___________________, fill out an order form here, then fill the Simoni bleachers in your badass new shirt whilst you fulfill your bloodlust.

First Game of the Season

2008-10-06T14:32:00.000-07:00

September 29, 2008

(A little backdated, but I suppose better late than never.)

The first game of the season was last night, and I was super excited to go! I always love the first game! Knowing that I wouldn’t be able to go to the second, and probably the third, I was ready to get my hockey fix for the week.

Emerson faced off against Bentley, another local area college, at Simoni Rink. I didn’t know what to expect for this game; I heard rumors that the team was back and better than ever, but it had been a long summer… Maybe it would be a little rusty.

The first few minutes of the game were solid. Greg Cohen (2010) played well in net as the rest of the Emerson Lions tried their hardest to defend against Bentley. Perhaps the summer proved to be too much. After a quick two goals, Emerson held off their opponent for the rest of the period, but finally grew tired and another three goals slipped in.

Again, over the next two periods, between a barrage of penalties, powerplays, and attempted shots, Emerson came up short with a final score of 0-16. The Emerson fans were proud nonetheless, and cheered enthusiastically for their fellow Lions as the end of the third period curtailed play. I can’t say that as fans we were surprised—after all, the 06-07 season saw only a few wins, as did 07-08—but we are still hopeful for the rest of the season to come. I blame it on summer rust. Give it a few games, and things will be moving like an oiled machine.

(Picture coming soon! Keep checking back!)

An Introduction of Sorts

2008-10-06T14:21:00.000-07:00

My name is Jessica, and I am an Emerson Hockey fan. Yes, an EMERSON Hockey fan. I am a proud member of RED ICE, the Emerson Hockey fan club, and I’m usually at almost all of the game during the course of a season. I’m notorious for taking lots of pictures at said games, wandering around the rink with my camera in hand and my EC Hockey playlist blaring through my headphones.

I am an Emerson Hockey fan.

My fascination with the sport started two years ago thanks to one of my close friends, Lance Ning. Through some way, shape or form, I ended up at Emerson’s first hockey game with a bunch of my floormates—who I still attend games with on a pretty regular basis—and became completely entranced. I’m not a big sports follower. I like the Red Sox, and if I have some free time, I love going to or watch the games on TV. I was never one of those kids in high school who went to the varsity sports games on a regular basis. Hell, before I met Lance, I barely even understood hockey.

I am an Emerson Hockey fan.

I have walked back from UMass Boston in the pouring rain at 12am, praying that I’d make the last T back to campus. I have trekked out to Canton from Boston to see this team play. I have recruited friends countless times in hopes that they too will see how wonderful these boys are. I have shot countless amounts of pictures—it must be somewhere close to 3000 by now—at the games, crossing my fingers that I’ll get at least a few that are absolutely astounding.

I am an Emerson Hockey fan.

I’d be lying if I said that I understood all the rules of this game. I’m not going to claim that in any such way. I go to these games to see people play their hearts out, leave it all out on the ice and give it their best one-two punch. I go to these games because these people have passion, and heart. And although they don’t win every single time, I keep coming back. The way I see it, there’s no reason they don’t deserve every ounce of support in the world. I go to these games sometimes—okay, a lot of the time—for the checking, and the intensity. The players are loyal, dedicated, and admirable.

I am an Emerson Hockey fan.

Summer Retreat Interviews #2: Rookie Defenseman Hunter Lydon

2008-09-16T23:46:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the miracle of modern video technology, rookie defenseman Hunter Lydon will now introduce himself to you:

If it weren't for that other modern miracle we know as Facebook, Lydon says he wouldn't have known Emerson had a hockey team:

His first impressions of the team?

Like most hockey players, he was introduced young and the game never left his heart:

Lydon said he's a bit worried about transitioning his roller hockey skills to the ice, as the mindplay is similar but things like stopping and hitting are vastly different. He'd do well to speak to fellow defenseman Justin DeMarco, who also had to trade his wheels for steel.

As far as his style of play is concerned, Hunter fits into the mold of a classic stay-at-home defenseman, and he acknowledges there are a few areas of his game that need improvement:

Is he ready to "make school his number 1 priority and hockey his number 2," as assistant captain Pete Keeling asked of all his teammates recently?

Sounds like a yes to me.

Interesting fact about Hunter: he is not a fan of any NHL team and finds hockey boring to watch on TV. He'd rather be watching a good movie or working on one. A lot of the guys found it hard to believe.

He was probably one of the first to fall asleep during the late night viewing of Rock 'Em Sock 'Em 6. I'll have everyone know I watched it through to the end.

And rewound it.

Next up: a lengthy and thought-provoking interview on hockey and rap with assistant captain Pete Keeling, due sometime next week. I'll be on vacation until then, but if you have something you'd like to contribute to the blog, email me and I'll make sure it goes up.

Summer Retreat Interviews #1: Goalie Zach Wilson '09

2008-09-15T22:58:00.000-07:00

This is the first of three interviews I shot at the summer retreat which took place at defenseman Sean Legnini's home in Avalon, NJ at the end of August.

View Larger Map

Zach Wilson will be a senior this year, and this Fall is his last in Boston, as he'll be spending his Spring at the school's L.A. program, hoping to get a leg up on his career in television. Wilson has been with the team the past two seasons, serving as backup goalie to Greg Cohen and sharing the net with Lance Ning last Spring while Cohen was in the Netherlands.

Off the ice, Wilson is very involved in the EVVYs production team, and is the head of the TRF sports production unit, which puts together award-winning multi-camera coverage of many Emerson athletic events, including hockey.

Here's a highlight reel from an Emerson/Berklee game the EVVY's shot and Zach edited together to some music:

I accidentally hit him in the back with a puck at practice one night last season, but he was gracious enough to forgive me for that. We played 18 holes of miniature golf on the Ocean City boardwalk (don't go to Congo Falls Golf -- sure the large gorilla is alluring, but every hole is an unimaginative par 2) and we sat down for an interview the next day over hamburgers.

Here, Zach talks about how the retreat helped build "teamraderie," as he put it:

Teamraderie is especially beneficial should you fall out of a kayak:

Getting down to brass tacks, Zach appraises the team's ability for TV coverage:

...and talks about how games being shown on the Emerson Channel would bring the team more exposure:

He feels the condensed schedule this year will be a challenge for the team:

But a little later, he added: "I think if the younger guys stick to it and really get committed from the beginning it'll be a lot easier because they'll be used to it as opposed to like trying to add stuff to the schedule."

Finally, let's go back in time a bit. To about... 1991, when Wilson appeared on Sesame Street (he comes in around 1:40):

I think I had the same haircut when I was 4 years old, LOL... He told some of the other guys and I that he was in a couple more episodes, too.

If you want to see more of Zach's work off the ice, visit his YouTube page at: http://www.youtube.com/user/ZWilsonFilms

Hockey hits big at org. fair

2008-09-14T22:20:00.000-07:00

Spoke to defenseman Sean Legnini this weekend and he was delighted to inform me that many Emersonians stopped by the team's booth at the organization fair (org. fair) last Friday.

More than 100 hockey fans pledged their support by adding their names to the team's e-mail list, and 8 students approached Legnini, Keeling and other members of the team about playing this Fall.

Two of those students are sophomores who were unaware the school even had a hockey team, and the other six are freshmen.

"One of the freshmen played varsity and his team went to the Flyers Cup, which is a tournament for the best high school team in eastern Pennsylvania," Legnini told me. "So he's probably pretty good."

It is unknown at this point how many or which of the 8 will actually play in games. The team's coach and captains will be assessing the new talent in the three practices leading up to next Sunday's season opener against Bentley.

Both captain Gwizdowski and assistant captain Keeling have indicated to me that anyone who shows enthusiasm and commitment will be given the opportunity to play.

Fall 2008 Schedule

2008-09-11T22:45:00.000-07:00

Circle November 8th on your calendar (I know I have) as that's when this year's Boylston Cup will be fought for at Walter Brown Arena. The Lions also face some tough opponents this year in club squads from Bentley and Merrimack, both schools that have NCAA hockey programs.

Thu Sept 18: Practice @ Simoni. 11:00pm-11:50pm.

Tue Sept 23: Practice @ Walter Brown. 11:00pm-11:50pm.

Thu Sept 25: Practice @ Simoni. 11:00pm-11:50pm.

Sun Sept 28: Game vs. Bentley. Simoni. 7:30pm-9:20pm.

Tues Sept 30: Game vs. Merrimack. Simoni. 10:00-11:50pm.

Thu Oct 2: Practice @ Simoni. 11:00pm-11:50pm.

Sat Oct 4: Game vs. TBA . Simoni. 8:50pm-10:40pm.

Tue Oct 7: Game vs. Berklee. Simoni. 8:00pm-9:50pm.

Thu Oct 9: Practice @ Simoni. 11:00pm-11:50pm.

Tue Oct 14: Practice @ Walter Brown. 11:00pm-11:50pm.

Thu Oct 16: Practice @ Simoni. 11:00pm-11:50pm.

Sun Oct 19: Away Game @ RISD. 9:30pm. Brown Rink.

Tues Oct 21: Practice @ Walter Brown. 11:00pm-11:50pm

Thu Oct 23: Practice @ Simoni. 11:00pm-11:50pm.

Fri Oct 24: Away Game @ Berklee. Simoni. 9:00-10:40pm.

Sat Oct 25: Away Game @ Bentley. Waltham, MA. 10:00pm.

Thu Oct. 30: Practice @ Simoni. 11:00pm-11:50pm.

Sat Nov. 1: Game vs. TBA. Simoni. 8:50pm-10:40pm.

Wed Nov. 5: Game vs. Clark. Simoni. 8:00pm-9:50pm.

Thu Nov 6: Practice @ Simoni. 11:00pm-11:50pm.

Sat Nov 8: Boylston Cup vs. Berklee. 5:00pm. Walter Brown.

Sun. Nov 9: Away Game @ Clark. 10:00pm-11:50pm.

Thu Nov 13: Practice @ Simoni. 11:00pm-11:50pm.

Sun Nov 16: Game vs. MCC. Simoni. 7:30pm-9:20pm.

Tue Nov 18: Practice @ Walter Brown. 11:00pm-11:50pm.

Thu Nov. 20: Practice @ Simoni. 11:00pm-11:50pm.

Mon Dec 1: Game vs. Suffolk. Simoni. 8:00-9:50pm.

Tue Dec 2: Game @ MCC. Billerica, MA. 10:20pm-12:00am.

Thu Dec 4: Practice @ Simoni. 11:00pm-11:50pm.

According to Pete Keeling, there are a few away dates to be determined with Suffolk, Merrimack, Brandeis and RISD, so I'll update when he gets those scheduled. And I know that I'm not the only alum who'd like to see an alumni vs. current team game added...

Gwizdowski ready to lead Lions

2008-08-15T21:03:00.000-07:00

Alan “Gwiz” Gwizdowski wears many hats. He’s a talented photographer, graphic designer, student, marathon runner and golfer. But the most important piece of headgear he’ll be donning this Fall is his hockey helmet. Gwizdowski has been handed the captaincy of the Emerson hockey team, and he’s not taking the task lightly.

“No matter how busy I am with school, once we step on the ice it becomes all about hockey,” Gwiz said. “I don’t even think about anything else.”

Quiet by nature, Gwizdowski lets his stick and skates do most of the talking, delivering timely offense in critical games and giving 100% at every practice. He has worn the “A” as Emerson’s assistant captain for the past two seasons, earning his honors through skillful play and a fierce commitment to conditioning.

“He does the right thing, all the time, and that’s the epitome of captain material,” said former captain Matt Porter.

Gwiz met all his predecessor’s criteria for someone he’d want captaining the team:

Nearly insane amount of love for the game?

Check. Gwizdowski’s been on skates since he’s been a tot, and still gets excited when the lagoon in the Public Garden freezes over.

Never wavers in dedication to the club?

Check. He’s had to miss a few games and practices for school activities, but how many of those opportunities did he sacrifice because there was a road game and he was one of the few players on the team who had certification to drive an athletics van?

Extreme confidence, intelligence and aware of the people around him, their needs, abilities and possible shortcomings?

Check. When he’s on the bench, he studies his teammates. If he notices something that could help their game, when they hop back over the boards, he gives them tips for improvement.

Believes in the team and is a positive force without losing his realness?

Check. In the darkest moments of last season, Gwiz was the player that kept believing, continuing to go for goals in games that already looked like lost causes and never losing his head or picking a fight.

“If you’re not on your game [as captain] and don’t believe you can win,” he says, “nobody will believe they can win. Even if you as a single player have an off game you have to keep everyone else riled up.”

The team has come to him for offense and inspiration, but they’ve also come to him for help training. Having run the Boston Marathon three times, Gwizdowski is a prime source for fitness and nutrition information, and he’s more than willing to share what he knows. Known to run 60-70 miles in a week, he shared one of his routes with the team — up and down the inclines of Beacon Hill — that left more than a few of his less fit teammates gasping for air.

But lazy Lions of 2008 beware, captain Gwizdowski plans to reward only those who make the effort:

“If they don’t try, they don’t play,” he says. “We have plenty of kids who want to be out on the ice and if they try harder and are more deserving then they will play.”

2008 Season Preview

2008-08-14T21:08:00.000-07:00

"Rise like Lions after slumber, in unvanquishable number," Percy Shelley once wrote in The Mask of Anarchy, a poem addressed to his fellow Englishmen after a massacre which took place at Manchester in 1819. Outgoing Emerson hockey captain Matt Porter might as well have delivered the same invocation to his rag tag squad at the end of their 2007-08 season.

The Lions were certainly asleep for the majority of last season, posting an abysmal overall 3-12-0 (1-8-0 NECHL) record, with two of those wins coming against the Rhode Island School of Design (GO NADS!). There were nights the team simply didn't have the unvanquishable numbers they needed to win, as players were in and out of the lineup, tied up with school projects rather than thugs from Berklee College of Music or Tufts University.

"We weren't really able to establish flow and coherence and identity," Porter admitted. "To be frank, I'm sort of left with a bad taste, because we didn't really win a lot."

But 2008 looks to be an exciting year of transition for the Lions. Leadership duties have been handed down to Alan Gwizdowski '09 and Pete Keeling '10, who are looking for more team commitment. Porter has faith the duo will keep the Lions rising -- both in level of skill and in the attention of the Emerson athletics department.

"Once you establish yourself as an actual club, I think, there's not as much wild growth," Porter said. "But the key is to keep moving forward and reaching new goals. And I'm confident Pete and Gwiz will do that."

Captain Gwizdowski (who served as assistant captain the past two seasons) says he plans to make the team stronger by getting them comfortable with each other and building chemistry.

"People get used to playing with certain other players on their lines," said Gwizdowski, who is known as "Gwiz" to friends and teammates. "When people can't make it to a game because of a film shoot, final project, etc. lines start getting switched and players skate at positions and with players they are not necessarily used to."

Newly minted assistant captain Keeling spent his summer taking care of organizational duties, scheduling practices and games and ordering jerseys. Managing a team is nothing new for Keeling, who helped build and run a team -- the Mendham Ice Bats -- in his home state of New Jersey. His experience in fundraising, team conditioning, logistics, and on-ice direction prepared him for his new role, which his former captain believes he earned through hard work and smart play.

"Pete came to me as a enthusiastic young player whose enthusiasm sometimes got the better of him," Porter said of Keeling. "He's grown into the leadership role a bit, but I feel he has a little way to go."

Keeling was one of the driving forces behind this year's condensed schedule, making ice hockey at Emerson a fall-only sport. The team will play a total of 14 league games in 2008; 7 at home (Simoni Rink, Cambridge) and 7 on the road between September and December. They will also participate in an exhibition game against a team to be announced, and square off against Berklee for the 3rd annual Boylston Cup, which the Lions have lost in their two previous bouts.

The condensed schedule comes to the relief of TV/Film students like Gwizdowski and Keeling, who plan to finish their Emerson studies at the school's Los Angeles campus. Had a condensed schedule been in place last season, the team would not have lost players like hard-hitting Jeff Duray or star goalie Greg Cohen, who left in the Spring semester to take classes in Kasteel Well, Netherlands.

Keeling hopes the team coalesces around his enthusiasm for being on the ice, because they'll be skating at least four times a week this Fall.

"More ice time helps us to progress as players and as a team," Keeling said. "We used to be on the ice once maybe twice a week, and we'd get rusty in our off time. This allows us to really hone in on our skills and tune our games to the fullest potential."

To get the team ready for the heavy workload, Keeling organized a pre-season weekend of work outs and team-building activities, which took place near the end of the summer on the Jersey Shore.

More on that in posts to come.