Hobey Hat Trick Finalists
Cam Atkinson - Boston College
Matt Frattin - North Dakota
Andy Miele - Miami
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News & Notes From the Frozen Four
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UMD's Justin Fontaine Flying High Under the Radar
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Written By: Melissa Barrett
Growing up, Bryan Rust wanted to be just like his older brother Matt. “My brother was playing hockey so I had to do everything he was doing, he was my idol.” Now as a hockey player at Notre Dame, Bryan has the chance to accomplish something his brother could not; win a National Championship as a freshman. One of the teams standing in the way of this dream however happens to be Michigan, where Matt, a senior, is assistant captain.
Starting at a young age, the Rust brothers have had a loving, yet competitive relationship. “It was always a pretty competitive (relationship), my brother and I are competitive in pretty much anything we do from video games, on the golf course, anything we did pretty much was a battle to see who would win” said Matt. Bryan added that “sometimes it gets out of hand...it’s pretty fun because it’s pretty even now that we’re older.”
With Matt being three years older, Bryan always seemed to be steps behind his brother. Matt was the first to be accepted into the USNTDP in 2007 where he won a silver medal with the U-18 team, then went on to attend the University of Michigan, where he tallied five goals and 20 assists for a total of 25 points in the regular season.
“There were times that I felt that I was in his shadow growing up people would place the same motivation...I always felt like I had to at least accomplish if not exceed the expectations” Bryan said. He had helped his case by winning gold with the 2010 U-18 US National Team his brother had been a part of three years earlier.
It was partially because of Matt’s shadow that Bryan decided not to follow his brother to Michigan to play hockey, but set out on his own at Notre Dame, where in the regular season he had six goals and 13 assists for a total of 19 points.
“I knew from the look out on campus for the first time that I actually loved it so I knew it was the place for me” Bryan said. That’s not to say that Matt didn’t want his brother playing along side of him at Michigan; he said that the brothers had talked about how “it would be cool to play with each other” and maybe even pair up on the same line during some games. But Matt also understood why his brother didn’t want to follow him through college.
“He never really had Michigan in the picture, he wanted to do his own thing he wanted to make his own path and he wanted to make sure people knew that he got to where he was because of his own merit.”
Now this weekend, if fate allows, the two brothers will potentially face off for the coveted NCAA National Championship title, and of course, family bragging rights. This will be the second Frozen Four appearance for Matt, who like Bryan now first got to this point as a freshman in 2008, when Michigan lost to, of all teams, Notre Dame in overtime 5-4 in the first round. This was Notre Dame’s last appearance in the Frozen Four as well, losing to Boston College 4-1 in the championship.
“I think part of Bryan wanting me to win that game (against Colorado College) was wanting me to do well and the other part of me thinks he wanted to have another crack at me and have bragging rights” said Matt. Bryan added that the experience would be fun but he would “ rather not just to put the stress on him” because if Michigan prevailed over Notre Dame, “he’ll probably hold it against me for the rest of our lives.”
The Rust parents, Steve and Betsy, will be at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota for the Frozen Four, and will wear clothing from both Michigan and Notre Dame in support of both of their sons.
“My mom said that she was going to cheer for me while I’m on the ice and Matt when he’s on the ice and that they’re going to be neutral when neither of us were on the ice,” Bryan said of the possibility of their two teams facing off in the finals. When asked who their parents would potentially root for, both jokingly presented their cases for support. “I’m a senior, I’m here to do well this year, and they want my brother to win in the next three years so hopefully they’re rooting for me” said Matt. “I can say that our parents will cheer for me because I’m the younger brother and I get spoiled and get the better treatment,” Bryan joked, but adds “it is his senior year and he’s worked really hard to get to this point, but if he’s in my way to win the National Championship I’m not going to lighten up or anything.”
Though focused on the tournament, both Matt and Bryan are able to stop to reflect on the positive influence they have had on each other.
“I think we’re very proud of what each other has done, I think my brother has found his love in hockey through me growing up, he’s looked up to me but at the same time in the past couple of years I’ve really leaned back at him for a lot of advice and his mental strength and just the fact that I think his maturity is way above and beyond his years” praised Matt. Bryan added that they are still “extremely close, we’ll talk once a week once every two weeks, we share with each every kind of information we can...I would consider him one of my best friends.”
This weekend, Matt and Bryan could stand in each others way of becoming National Champions for the first time in each of their collegiate career. While they will be fierce opponents, they both remember what they are to each other first; brothers.
Julie
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@JulieRobenhymer
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