So much hockey to talk about!! Here's the short version of what I've got rolling through my mind...
Who loves Mark Parrish? I do! I do! I'm pretty sure the Stars do too ;) I love how no one was willing to give this guy a shot and then once he got the opportunity he ran with it. L-O-V-E it!! He's still one of my favorite quotes of the offseason. As the summer wore on and the offers were nil he said something along the lines of - You can't tell me there isn't a team out there that's not looking for a gritty guy who's willing to go to the net and get dirty. I know I can't expect a hat trick from him every night, but I do know that I can expect maximum effort every night and if I'm a Dallas Stars fan (and even if I'm not), I like it. I like it a lot!
Notre Dame won this round of the Holy War as they upset the Eagles 4-1. Despite the lopsided score, the game was pretty darn entertaining (you can catch it on replay Sunday afternoon, if you are so inclined). BC came out a little flat and couldn't get ANYTHING going on the power play, which is VERY uncharacteristic of them (8 opportunities spanning 14 minutes, getting only 4 shots while also giving up 4 including a SHG). The Irish did a great job of getting their sticks in passing lanes and used their size to prevent BC from utilizing their speed. Irish goaltender Jordan Pearce also came up big in key situations. There were a ton of whistles in the first half of this game completely upsetting the flow of the game. There was one stretch in the first where guys could barely finish a shift without having a stoppage in play for one reason or another.
I've gotten a lot of emails asking for thoughts on specific players. So as I see them play, I will share my thoughts...
From BC:
Brock Bradford - I thought Brock had a fantastic game and head coach Jerry York agreed saying he thought it was one of the best games he's ever seen him play. He literally did everything - forechecked, backchecked, got dirty in the corners, took shots, created scoring opportunities - including one really great pass from below the goal line. He was pinned against the glass with his back to the play and flipped the puck between his legs right into the slot. If anyone had been home, it had goal written all over it. He was also the lone goal scorer for the Eagles. There was one really bad turnover on the pp where he whiffed on passing the puck and Muse had to come up big, but other than that, Brock was a rockstar last night. With 8 shots on net, you can't tell me the effort wasn't there on his part.
Jimmy Hayes - This dude is gigantic! As if his 6-5, 210 frame wasn't enough, it's accentuated by his linemates, one of which is 11 inches shorter than him! He uses his size to his advantage, cycles the puck well and has surprisingly good hands for a big man. There was one instance where he literally ran circles around two defenders and they couldn't get the puck away from him. He's only a freshman, but is earning more and more ice time as the season wears on.
Nick Petrecki - It is no secret that I think this guy rocks. He's one of those guys you love to have on your team and absolutely HATE to see on the opposition. He's a very passionate player who loves to throw his weight around (literally). Sometimes I feel he gets penalized just for being bigger than the opposition, but as Jerry York said postgame - if he could keep his stick down in those situations, it's not so easy to make those boarding/cross-checking calls. My favorite shift of his came in the third where he went on a Brooks Orpik like hitting spree and finished it up by joining forces with 5-6 Joe Whitney to make an Erik Condra sandwich behind the net.
For Notre Dame:
Ryan Thang - A physical guy with an offensive flair. He plays tough, shoots well and leads by example playing in every situation and putting forth a tremendous effort. In talking with him after the game, he's working on skating better and generating more speed this year. He's playing on the top line with fellow Nashville prospect, Ben Ryan, and team captain Erik Condra.
Ben Ryan - As he says he's never going to be a guy who scores a lot of goals, but is a good two-way player who has learned the importance of defensive play. Often paired up with the oppositions top line, he did a great job of shutting down BC's most effective line in Bradford-Gibbons-Ferriero using effective positioning, clogging the passing lanes and using the body to push them to the perimeter.
Ian Cole - A very offensive minded defenseman, I like the way he plays. Currently leading the team in points with 7, he knows when to jump into the play and create a scoring opportunity, otherwise he plays the body and keeps things tight defensively. He seems to be very smart when choosing his opportunities.
Ok, so maybe this was the long version, but I've got lots more to say!!
I also had a great chat with Father Tom, Notre Dame's team chaplin, and I've got words for the so-called BC SuperFans who weren't very super last night and a special request for the Fighting Irish who have some great pre and post game song selections, but I'll save those for tomorrow's blog.
In other news...
We will definitely have a new No. 1 team in college hockey as top-ranked Colorado College lost to North Dakota and it just might be BU who beat UMass-Lowell 6-4. Colin Wilson continues to make a strong case for himself with a 4 point night - 2g, 2a - and Minnesota and UNH tied at 2 - but more on this later.
Till then!
Julie
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