Category: Recap

‘Dores Battle For 160 Minutes In SC, Return Home With 1-2 Record

Last weekend the Vanderbilt Ice Hockey Club joined Vanderbilt’s football team in heading east to take on the University of South Carolina for an early season SEC East showdown. Unlike the football team, the hockey club played the Gamecocks twice plus they sandwiched in a face-off against the Clemson Tigers, USC’s in-state rival to the north.

Three hockey games squeezed into a 38-hour period. Those are just a few of the numbers that begin to tell the story of the weekend for the Commodores. Here are the others …

24.

Number of seconds it took for the Gamecocks to score in Game 1.

The hallmark of the 2012/13 Commodores squad was slow starts so when the first period of the first game this season quickly devolved into a 3-goal deficit, returning members of the club and fans across the Twittersphere were asking, “Will we have a repeat?!”

Thankfully, also like the 2012/13 VU Hockey vintage, the club righted the ship and stormed all the way back to tie the game at 4-4 in the third period only to yield a late goal with 3:30 left and fall to @CockHockey* 5-4.

1.

Number of wins during the weekend.

On Saturday following Friday’s tough loss, Vandy enjoyed a day of food and football before hopping on a bus to travel an hour and a half north to Clemson for a late 9:45pm game. Unlike the previous night, the boys got off to a fast start and never looked back.

“Our plan was to win the first five minutes,” said sophomore Jack Gibbons, “so we made a point of firing out of the gate with hard, physical play and crisp passing, especially in our zone. Being up three after the first, it was awesome to be able to play out the last two periods from ahead rather than having to fight our way out of a hole.”

“We responded well for sure,” said senior Anthony Bilotta. “It could have been a tough one given that the rink was so odd but the boys played great and we got the W.”

Bilotta was referring to the shorter rink and the netting above the surface that made flipping the puck out of the zone next to impossible.

The only trouble for the ‘Dores that night was having to hop back on the bus and head two hours home, only to wake up a few hours later and play the USC team again.

160.

Total number of minutes the club played during the weekend.

While the scoresheets say Vanderbilt technically played 180 minutes, ask any of the boys and they’ll tell you they fell about 20 short of that total.

“What can you say other than it was pretty rough,” recalled freshman defenseman Andrew Dellapina. “We couldn’t finish a check, connect a pass, or stop a shot. It was brutal.”

In a game that started 2-2 after one, then 6-5 USC after two, Dellapina was referring to a third period that saw the Gamecocks pile on seven goals … yes, seven … in the third period to bury the ‘Dores 13-5.

Addressing a flurry of questions from the media about the implosion following the game, Coach Bernstein opted to take a long view on the loss, both backwards and forward. “Keep in mind this was the first regular season 3-game weekend our club has ever played,” said Bernstein. “Our opponents will play four games in a weekend and they’ll do it on the road as far away as Michigan. To date, we haven’t done that. It’s not an excuse, it’s just a statement of fact and a reminder that we have a lot of growing to do as a team before we can consistently compete with the better teams in our league.”

6.

Number of players who scored their first goals with the club.

Congratulations to six members of the club who scored their first ever goals wearing the Vanderbilt sweater: freshmen Steve “It’s pronounced ‘WAY’!” Wei, Zach “Like the fabric” Satin, John “Sir Snipes A-Lot” Longman, Nick “The Hulk” Honkala, and Ketul “Nickname Pending” Patel.

Special kudos goes out to junior Zak Karlinski who, after knocking on the door countless times last season, finally notched the first goal of his Vanderbilt hockey career. He promptly followed with his second with a backhand laser from the face-off dot in the second game versus USC.

* * *

Kicking Things Off At Home

The Commodores will be back in action this weekend, this time at home at the A-Game Sportsplex in Franklin, Tennessee, versus the Ole Miss Rebels on Friday night (9/20) at 8:30pm and Saturday afternoon (9/21) at 1:45pm.

franklinIf the Twitter chatter, headlined by a blanket-blitz campaign by our @PenaltyBoxRadio friends, is any indication, the crowds should be fantastic for the games. Even Coach Franklin is firing up the troops (see pic at the right)!

It should be a great couple of battles against a team that made Nationals last season. Hope to see you in Franklin … ANCHOR DOWN!

* * *

* Ahead of last year’s USC games, the Vanderbilt hockey writing staff asked and answered the question, “What is a ‘Palmetto’?” This year we’re targeting a perhaps more risqué question: What is a “gamecock”? Websters would have us believe that it is “a rooster bred and trained for cockfighting” though it seems hard to believe that a cherished academic institution such as South Carolina would pin its brand on the image of animals clawing and pecking each other to death. No, no, the more likely story is that some genius merchandising company with a wildly sophomoric sense of humor is at the heart of the naming effort. After all, everything … I mean, EVERYTHING … in the city of Columbia is one continuous stretch of innuendo through every bar, restaurant, and student hall. “@CockHockey” is simply the natural extension of that master plan.

Vandy Goes 1-1 At SEC Tourney

The Vanderbilt hockey club’s 2013 SEC tournament ended on a dramatic note as the Commodores skated to a come-from-behind OT win over the Auburn Tigers in one of the weekend’s three consolation games. The Saturday match-up followed a Friday night loss to the University of Arkansas Ice Hogs by a score of 7-1.

“It’s not the way we wanted to finish up the tournament,” said senior captain Kyle McCann, “but it was still nice to come out with the win on Saturday against a very improved Auburn club.”

With the win and loss, Vanderbilt completed its formal season with a record of 10-13. The club will conclude its 2012/13 campaign on Friday, April 12th, versus the University of Alabama, a rematch of last October’s contest that saw a tight 4-3 game tilt in the favor of the Frozen Tide. April’s game, dubbed the “I-65 Face Off” in line with last year’s “I-40 Face Off” versus Tennessee, will take place at Bridgestone Arena following the Nashville Predators’ game against the Dallas Stars.

Before we take a look ahead, however, let’s first take a look back at the drama that transpired back on February 22nd and 23rd in in Huntsville, Alabama.

Taking On Number One

Heading into the tournament, the ‘Dores knew their draw was about as tough as you could get. Beat Arkansas, the number 4 team in the South, and you would have Ole Miss, number 7, on deck. Win? Great, congratulations – now meet number 5 Alabama.

Like a run through one of those Ninja Warrior obstacle courses, Vanderbilt fired into its Murderers’ Row-esque gauntlet with an impressive first burst. Amidst some brutally physical, and undisciplined, play from the Hogs, sophomore Daniel Hogue sniped a laser glove side on second team All SEC goalie Kevin Scheer to make it 1-0 at the end of one. Said a charged up Hogue following the play, “#mylife #classic #notevenkidding #SECTournament #vandypuck #charterbusisthebestbus.”

Unfortunately, the momentum turned sharply in favor of the Ice Hogs from then on.

“Give them credit, they’re a heck of a team, especially when they stay out of the box,” conceded assistant coach Lee Kanouff. “Alabama, Kennesaw, and now Arkansas. We know we can hang with the big guys in the region, we just need to find a way to play 60 minutes and win.”

Interestingly, the loss, which at the time offered no silver linings whatsoever, turned out to be mildly impressive by comparison. Reasoned freshman Jack Gibbons, “Arkansas beat Florida 8-1 [in the semis] and Alabama 8-0 [in the final] to win the tourney. I think that makes us the team that lost to them by the least.” Elias Sports Bureau confirmed the freshman’s assessment of the facts, thereby salvaging some semblance of positivity in the wake of the thrashing. So the team has that going for it, which is nice.*

Nails Gets Hammered and the ‘Dores Get Inspired

Saturday’s game versus Auburn did not start off well for the Commodores in any way, shape, or form. The Tigers, who are on the rise just three years into their club’s existence, tallied first to take an early lead 1-0. Not to be outdone by a teammate, Auburn’s senior goaltender Miles Bishop matched the good start on the offensive end by shutting down his goal on the other.

Heading towards the first period intermission, the game then took a violent turn in the form of a vicious elbow to freshman Chad “Nails McGillicudy” Wyatt’s left temple right in front of the Auburn crease.

chad2

“Chad sold out on the play,” recalled junior Eliot Rosenfield, “and man did he get creamed for it. It was a dirty hit made worse by the fact that the guy was about six times Chad’s size.” The Auburn player received a five-minute major and a game misconduct for the assault.

The game was paused with 0:18 left in the first period as both teams were sent to their respective locker rooms while an ambulance was summoned to the rink. Fortunately for Wyatt and Vanderbilt, the damage was worrisome but not critical and, following a range of diagnostic exams by some wonderful doctors at Huntsville Hospital, he was able to join the team for the bus ride back to Nashville.

chad1

“I love his play,” said Coach Bernstein following the incident, “but we’re going to have to have a talk about playing smart moving forward. No more kamikaze missions out there, just hard-nosed hockey along the boards and a healthy focus on keeping your mind and body healthy for the next Organic Chemistry or Biology exam on the schedule.”

Now with a new sense of purpose and urgency, the Commodores launched into the second period with a quick power play goal from freshman defenseman Michael Hite that evened the score at 1-1. The momentum was fleeting, however, as Auburn quickly countered with a short-handed rebound and a long-range wrister. The deficit was now 3-1 at the end of two.

“We were outshooting them like crazy,” explained junior Jack Delehey, “we just needed to keep plugging and pick a corner or two. And that’s what we did.”

On the wave of an onslaught on the Auburn net, Vanderbilt forward Brad Pesce scored once, then scored again in the final three minutes to even the contest. At the end of regulation, the game was 3-3 with the Commodores outshooting the Tigers 51-26.

The 52nd shot would be a memorable one.

Just 0:24 into the extra stanza, Pesce once again played an integral role in the game by corralling a loose puck in the top right part of Vanderbilt’s defensive end and launching a perfect pass to a streaking Anthony Bilotta down the left side of the ice. The junior, no doubt the fastest player on the team, created instant separation from the closest Tiger defenseman and rifled home the game winner, low glove on a breakaway.

The ending was a fitting one for Bilotta who approximately 18 hours earlier stepped out of his normally quiet, workmanlike persona to address his teammates and coaches with some raw, heartfelt feedback between the second and third periods of the Arkansas game. “I want to compete, it’s how I play,” said Bilotta following the loss, “and in that moment I felt like I needed to share that feeling with the boys. Winning is fun and we have the talent to win, to win a lot.”

The conclusion to Saturday’s game was in turn all the more gratifying for the junior transfer. “We played a heck of a third period, the kind of period that can beat anybody. That’s the way we should play all the time. Because that’s fun.”

Not Leaving Empty-Handed

While the weekend did not contribute any new hardware to the overall team’s trophy case, the event did send sophomore Greg Kirk home with a special honor. With his parents in attendance, Kirk was named to the All SEC second team as voted by the coaches in the conference.

kirk_vanderbilt

“I just thought coach wanted me to hang around to accept our academic award,” said a surprised Kirk following the award ceremony. “Honestly, I was a little unclear about why it had to be me. Now of course it makes sense and I’m thrilled to have won the award on behalf of the club’s efforts this year, and I’m glad I was physically there to accept.”

Vanderbilt also placed 21 players on the conference’s All Academic team, the most of any program.

“In our quest to be the most employable sports team in the country, I’m obviously proud to know our boys are taking care of priority number one,” said a proud Coach Bernstein. “I know their parents are as well!”

“The Last Hoorah”

As mentioned, before we put the 2012/13 season to bed we will have one more grand event – the “I-65 Face Off” versus Alabama at Bridgestone Arena on Friday, April 12th. For more information about the game, check out the special event site at http://vanderbilthockey.com/event/i65faceoff.html. It should be a terrific battle so mark your calendars and be sure to stop by the rink.

Thanks to everyone for making the official portion of 2012/13 such a special one for all of our players and in particular our seniors Kyle McCann, Scooter McLaughlin, Beast Mozur, and the rest of the crew. We thank you for your support and look forward to both a great event in April and an even better 2013/14!

PS …

On behalf of the entire club, we’d like to extend a HUGE THANK YOU to Mr. and Mrs. McCann for donating Vanderbilt hockey sweatshirts to the boys and for the anonymous donation we received (you know who you are) to pay for the charter bus to the SECHC tournament. Your kindness and generosity made the experience an unforgettable one for everyone involved. Thank you so much and we look forward to seeing you (and many of the other parents) here in Nashville the weekend of April 12th!

ANCHOR DOWN!

 
* Caddyshack non sequiturs, still providing laughs after 32 years … as far as you know.

Back in Nash-vegas, ‘Dores Set To Face Palmetto State Foes

The Vanderbilt Commodores hockey team, fresh off two road trips to tropical hot spots Olive Branch, MS, and Kennesaw, GA, are back in Nashville this weekend to play the first of two home stands versus teams from the state of South Carolina – the Clemson Tigers this weekend and the University of South Carolina Gamecocks next weekend. These two pairs of games will be the last regular season match-ups for the Commodores ahead of the SECHC Tournament set for 2/22 through 2/24 in Huntsville, AL.

With the stakes sky high – regional rankings and SECHC tournament seedings are up for grabs – the topic on the minds of Ice ‘Dores nation fans is no surprise: What the heck is a Palmetto and why is it so important to the state of South Carolina?

A Question for the Ages: What is a Palmetto?

Upon consulting the Wikipedia for answers, it appears that the Palmetto (or “sabal palmetto,” also known as the “cabbage palm”) is a tree. “It is native to the subtropical and warm temperate southeastern United States as well as Cuba and the Bahamas. In the United States it was originally found near the coast throughout most of Florida and north to the coast of North Carolina. As a result of horticultural relocations, cabbage palms are now found throughout the subtropical Gulf and South Atlantic States. It is the state tree of both South Carolina and Florida.”

Great, so it’s a tree. What’s so special about the Palmetto though? Why co-opt it as a nickname, especially when Florida claims the very same sabal palmetto as its own official tree? (By the way, first the tree, then Spurrier. Where does the madness end South Carolina?)

“On June 28, 1776, Charleston patriots under William Moultrie made a fort of palmetto trunks and from it defended successfully against the British in the Revolutionary War.”

There’s your answer folks. The palmetto is symbolic of a determined, revolutionary spirit, forged at the making of our great union.

Moving on …

Having Fallen Back In 2012, Vanderbilt Springs Forward In 2013

Following a fall semester marked by transition and growing pains, the Commodores club has reset its approach to the semester with a focus on team chemistry, fun, and (like all great championship hockey teams) board games.

“I think we’re riding a new wave of success thanks to the world’s greatest board game Settlers of Catan,” said junior assistant captain and recently elected club president Jack Delehey, who spent the fall on a cruise ship with the Semester at Sea program. “It’s a three-time winner of the world’s greatest board game award which, if you don’t know, is kind of a big deal.”

“Think Monopoly meets Risk with a little Colonial America mixed in,” added junior David Crowe, Delehey’s roommate and an avid Catan-er himself. “Back in Minnesota, it’s all anybody plays before a big game.”

In addition to board games, Vanderbilt has also benefited from some new arrivals and returning players to the line-up, notably junior transfer Anthony Bilotta, second-year law student Cory Reno, sophomore Logan Johnston, and senior Stephen “The Beast” Mozur.

“These new guys have brought some fresh legs and energy to the line-up,” says Coach Kanouff. “Anthony for example has had a huge impact out of the gate with four goals against Memphis and one against the #2 team in the South Kennsesaw [State]. He can play anywhere on the ice which is a nice luxury to have as a coach. Then you have Reno. What can you say about the guy other than that he never smiles and that he’s the consumate professional in terms of his approach and compete level. He’s a great presence in the locker room.”

Of the new players, Coach Holston added that, “It’s been great to have [Logan] Johnston and Beast back in the mix. Logan is a smart player who throws the body and gives you 100% every shift, and Beast … well, Beast is like the heart and soul of the team. And he’s a Flyers fan, so he’s got that going for him … which is nice.”

Battles In The Rearview

The Commodores enter the weekend versus Clemson sporting an 8-9 record following two hard-fought losses in Atlanta last weekend. The first came at the hands of SECHC rival Georgia who, despite having a short roster, are one of the favorites to win the SECHC tournament.

Said Coach Bernstein of the game, “We went in with a plan to pepper their all-ACHA goalie Vince DiCarlo plus shut down their leading scorer and returning MVP of the league Peter Kacer. We were successful on the first point, we just didn’t get many pucks by him. As for Kacer, well … the guy lit us up. For three goals. Again.”

There were some bright spots in the game however, like senior Scott McLaughlin’s ESPN Top Ten-worthy goal at the end of the first period.

Recalled freshman Jack Gibbons who made the trip despite being on IR, “Scooter flew down the right side one-on-one, then pulled one of his patented toe drags while cutting to the middle. He dangled so hard that the defenseman’s ankles broke, leaving him crumpled in the corner. Scooter then went bar-down on the goalie. Just an unreal play.”

Conjuring some of the magic from last year’s end-of-season game versus Georgia where the ‘Dores erased a third period three-goal deficit en route to an overtime win, it looked like Vanderbilt might repeat the feat for a 15-minute stretch. With deflection goals by junior Alan Leeser and freshman Chad Wyatt, the Commodores had the momentum against a tired UGA squad. Unfortunately, the run was cut short not by the clock but by an unfortunate penalty call against Delehey.

“What can you do, the guy moved his elbow and pushed my stick up into his helmet. It was a touch call and just bad luck.” Kacer then scored an empty-netter to close out the game and his hat trick. UGA 5, VU 3.

A Measuring Stick Game

Saturday’s tilt versus Kennesaw State, the #2 team in the South, was the battle the club expected. Despite having a short bench in both numbers and stature (i.e., KSU had a Zdeno Chara-sized centerman), Vanderbilt kept the score tight through nearly two periods. Bilotta rifled home a first period power play goal from the point in the first to cut the KSU lead to 2-1, then sophomore Daniel Hogue sniped a breakaway goal to bring Vandy back to one goal down 3-2.

In the third period the Commodores seemed to show a bit of fatigue, physically and mentally, as the Owl lead stretched to 6-2 but Reno stepped in to net the club’s third and final goal of the game.

While the concluding score, 7-3, seems like a pretty sizable dismantling, it doesn’t tell the story of how hard the black and gold fought for 60 minutes. It also doesn’t convey the fact that sophomore goalie Andrew Keen went into beast-mode (a la Mozur) to save 53 of 60 shots. It was a game that the club will surely build from, both through the rest of this season and into next year.

Bring On The Tigers

Tonight’s game versus the Tigers of Clemson will be the second ever meeting between the two clubs. The first took place back in 1992 and interestingly included a whopping two goals by goalies in a single game, one for each team. The Elias Sports Bureau claims that the event has never happened before in a recorded, organized hockey game. Perhaps we will see more history in the making this evening.

Game times are 10:15pm CT at Centennial tonight (Friday, 2/1) and 7:30pm at A-Game Sportsplex tomorrow (Saturday, 2/2) in Franklin, TN.

Can’t make the game tonight? Have no fear – @PenaltyBoxradio will be broadcasting LIVE from Centennial! Tune in for all the action, just click the link on the sidebar on this website.

Thanks for the support folks and ANCHOR DOWN!

VU Sweeps UT, Overcomes Jinx, Loses Gibby

Following a weekend where the Vanderbilt ice hockey club swept its in-state rival UT and, in doing so, extended its winning streak against the Ice Vols to six games, you would naturally expect to find a team full of happy campers in the Vanderbilt Commodores locker room. That was not the case, however, as a weekend that kicked off with lots of positivity and anticipation gave way to an enormously rough, chippy product on the ice. VU’s two wins, 6-2 on Friday and 8-3 on Saturday, were marred by three UT ejections – two players and their head coach Chris Dempers – plus a serious head injury to Commodores star freshman Jack Gibbons.

A Pattern Emerging

Friday’s contest followed a similar script to last year’s I-40 Face-off (where the Vanderbilt club dispatched of the UT team 10-1 at Bridgestone Arena) and the two games before that in January 2012 in Knoxville. Sophomore Jeong Choe, #19 for UT, led the way early for the Vols, spurring the orange and white on to a 1-0 first period lead over the Commodores. Then, just like the I-40 (and the previous games in Knoxville), things started to unravel, also led by Choe.

“That kid [#19] just all of a sudden tried to take out one of our guy’s knees,” said senior captain Kyle McCann. “That’s when things started to come apart for them in all phases, including on the scoreboard. Gong show hockey.”

Almost on cue towards the end of the third, Choe got what he was apparently looking for from the start – an ejection plus an additional DQ for dropping his gloves and ripping off junior defenseman Casey Schelble’s helmet.

“You want to play good, smart, physical hockey games,” said sophomore defenseman Greg Kirk following Friday’s contest. “That was nonsense out there, just ridiculous. Not the type of hockey we like to play.”

The Controversy That Wasn’t

Interestingly enough, a small controversy arose on Saturday related to Choe’s disqualification. While the ruling was never in question – the head ref who oversaw both games of the weekend confirmed his availability (or lack thereof) – the DQ was not logged on Friday’s scoresheet which led to some questioning by the UT coaching staff.

Explained Coach Bernstein, “I never had a doubt about the DQ because [Biff Murphy, the head referee] told our captains he was gone for Saturday as well, and rightly so. His actions plus the timing of the incident [with 3:15 left in the third period], if you don’t DQ a player in that spot then you’ll have that crap at the end of every game.”

“All that said, we followed up with Biff before the game and confirmed his DQ. Apparently on Twitter this week there were some lingering frustrations about how things transpired. If that’s what their team’s take-away was from last weekend, that they were in some way wronged on Saturday … well, I suppose that speaks for itself and we don’t really have to rehash the topic.”

Gibby Goes Down

The coup des gras for UT’s play occurred in Saturday’s game when UT’s #18 Justin Karr, with his hands and stick held high, crunched Vanderbilt’s Gibbons into the boards from behind. The hit left Jack with a mouth full of bloodied, loose, and chipped teeth. He was immediately shuttled over to Vanderbilt Medical under the care and supervision of Assistant Coach Jonathan Holston.

gibbons“You hate to see a guy like Gibby go down because he’s such a tough player, the heart of the team,” said a frustrated Assistant Coach Lee Kanouff after the game. “We started a tradition with the club just on Friday, the Wazoo Award, for solid physical play that fits within the letter of the law. Gibby won the first ever award and may have Saturday as well. It’s just really tough to see a guy go down for something as worthless as that check.”

“The biggest shock was what happened after that,” recalled junior forward Alan Leeser. “Their guy actually argued with the ref about the call, on probably the most obvious hit from behind you could have. He was tossed. Then, it got even worse. Their coach screamed and cursed so much at the refs that they threw him out too.”

“Coaches getting thrown out. A college hockey first for me, probably for all of us.”

It Wasn’t All A Mess

Lost in the melee of the weekend was the stellar play of virtually everyone on the Vanderbilt roster in all phases of the game. Starting in net, sophomore sensation Andrew “The Ice Man” Keen posted two impressive showings. With the weekend and his 5 goals allowed on 60 shots, his record on the season is now 6-6 heading into the stretch run of the spring.

On the front lines, junior Eliot Rosenfield made his presence known in a big way with 4 points (3 goals and an assist). Junior Anthony Bilotta, playing on Rosenfield’s line, also tallied, his first in a Vanderbilt uniform.

The defense was anchored by Kirk and his 4 points (2 goals, 2 assists) along with strong defensive zone play from freshman Michael Hite and sophomore Doug Kirkpatrick.

The Beast Lights The Lamp, Hits The Airwaves

The ultimate star of the weekend, however, was DJ Steven “The Beast” Mozur – a.k.a. Vanderbilt’s “Most Interesting Man” (as declared by InsideVandy.com) and the host of WRVU Vanderbilt Radio’s “The Mozone Layer.” Called up to active duty for the spring semester, Beast was nothing short of brilliant in taking a beating in front of the net, dishing out a little punishment of his own along the boards, and popping in a workman-like goal to cap Saturday’s win.

“I needed some material for my radio show this week so I figured, ‘Hey, why not turn on the motor and snipe a few corners?’ It’s nice to know I can still dial up a goal or two when I need one.”

Vanquishing The “Mr. Kirk” Jinx

Finally, the ultimate subplot of the evening – the monkey on the proverbial back of the 2012/13 Vanderbilt hockey club – was the apparent jinx brought on by one Mr. Jim Kirk, father of son Greg.

“I think we’ve been 0-3 or 0-4 with him in the stands,” said Greg. “It was getting to the point where I was thinking about telling him to stay home and follow us on Twitter.”

Thankfully, the ‘Dores exorcised the demons and were finally able to make Mr. Kirk’s trip worth the plane fare. The team looks forward to seeing him and his wife Kim (along with all of the other Vanderbilt hockey parents scattered about the country) at another game weekend this semester.

Looking Ahead

Mark your calendars folks! This weekend the Vanderbilt Commodores will be celebrating the start of the NHL hockey season in the grandest of hockey hotbeds. Yes, you guessed it … Memphis, TN. (“Backyard rinks and BBQ,” it’s like a country music song waiting to be written.)penaltyboxradio

Game times are 9:15pm CT on Friday and 4:15pm CT on Saturday, both scheduled to face-off at the Mid-South Ice House in Olive Branch, MS.

Also on the calendar? “The Mozone Layer” will air on WRVU this (and each) Friday morning at 11am with a promise to kick, “Mo’ Beats, Mo’ music, Mo’ Fun with DJ Mo’…nica (Monica).” Don’t miss it!

Thanks to everyone who came out to the game on Saturday, in particular our friends @PenaltyBoxRadio, VU hockey alumnus and Chief Film Officer Ben Gatlin’s lovely girlfriend Rachel and her friends, and all of the VU hockey faithful in the greater Nashville area who dropped in. Go ‘Dores and ANCHOR DOWN!

PS …

Zac Stacy is all over Vanderbilt hockey. Kind of a big deal …