Category: Recap

‘Dores Net First Win, First Loss To Start Season

The Vanderbilt Commodores ice hockey club’s opening weekend of the 2012/13 season had a little bit of everything for players, fans, and community members alike. Leading up to, through, and following the weekend, you had wins (and losses) for both teams, high drama for fans, rugged hockey action for the club’s rookies, and a healthy cash injection into the wallets of the Tennessee and Mississippi state police departments. More on that in a moment.

Kicking Off 2012/13 with a “W”

The Ice ‘Dores, or “Arctic Anchors” as freshman defenseman Michael Hite has taken to calling his new team, fired into the weekend with a strong 5-2 win against a talented Ole Miss club that had beaten Vanderbilt four straight times over the previous two seasons heading into the contest.

Sophomore goalie Andrew Keen led the way with 47 saves on Friday in a game that saw the ‘Dores team capitalize on its handful of opportunities, particularly on the powerplay, and the Rebels take a boatload of penalties. Keen, your average mild-mannered Vandy student by day, transformed Clark Kent-style into his new alter ego “The Iceman” before the eyes of nearly 700 fans in attendance.

“I had fun,” said Keen in one of his more energetic, chatty moods following his stellar performance. “It was good.”

Other stars to shine under the bright lights of the SECHC stage were freshman Jack Gibbons and sophomore Daniel Hogue who joined Kyle McCann on the team’s first line. Gibbons notched the team’s first goal of the game by wheeling and rifling a laser top shelf from just beyond the red line at center ice.

“I won’t say I planned to do that,” recalls Gibbons, “but let’s just say I aimed to do that.”

Not to be outdone, “Hoagie” joined in the scoring action with a workman like tally that was more brawn than finesse, more positioning than sauce/snipe/cele. McCann also scored, evening out the goal total across the line to avert any potential hurt feelings or questions about positions in the starting line-up.

Said Hogue, “Us young guns, we’re excited to dethrone the two-time Vanderbilt hockey scoring champ. I’d be more reserved about our intentions, but as we’ve learned in my Microeconomics class it’s a good thing to align the incentives of the individual with the goals of the organization.” Motioning to his chest with both thumbs, Hogue concluded, “So, it’ll be cheddar, dangle, cele for this guy for the rest of the year.”

The highlight of the game was on the defensive end where the Commodores held the Rebels to a single shot during a two and a half minute 5-on-3 power play that felt far longer to the VU players and coaches. Freshman Chad Wyatt and sophomore Zak Karlinski logged valuable ice time on the penalty kill, as did senior Scooter McLaughlin and junior Alan Leeser.

Celebrating in Style

The team basked in the glory of its first victory by doing what most college kids do on a Friday night, hockey team or otherwise: they grabbed a 2am breakfast. The spot? An Olive Branch, Mississippi, favorite – the International House of Pancakes.

Bent on feeding the beast that is his 155-pound frame, junior winger Evan “Pennies” Sclafani set about to lead by example in terms of eating prowess. Eggs, bacon, pancakes, waffles, hash browns, and a strawberry shake – it was a meal fit for a king but perhaps not one fit for a guy due to play another hockey game in less than 14 hours.

Questioning Pennies’s motivations for gorging his face so heavily, Coach Bernstein barked from the far end of the table, “Evan, are you serious?”

Instantly, Sclafani replied, “Coach, it’s simple – you go big, then you go bigger.” Applause erupted across the table along with Coach Bernstein’s pride in the junior’s response.

“‘Go big, then bigger,’ is one of our core values as an organization,” explained Bernstein, “and to hear Evan quote it back to me mid-waffle at 2:30am in the middle-of-nowhere Mississippi in front of 15 teammates, well … it may have been the crowning achievement of my short coaching career.”

A Little Less Hop After IHOP

Saturday’s game had a distinctly different personality than its predecessor. There were fewer chirps and penalties, at least in the first two periods, and the ‘Dores seemed to be just a hair off on their passes and timing. Still, they boasted a 2-1 lead halfway through the second period.

“We weren’t clicking,” said assistant coach Jon Holston, “but give them credit, they kept firing away and ended up getting a couple of nice shots on Andrew [Keen].”

The Commodores did not give in easily, however, as a furious push in the second half of the third period led to a goal by Eliot Rosenfield that cut the lead to 4-3. Rosenfield, who made his season debut in the loss, seemed to have a bit more bounce in his step in the third versus the other skaters on the ice, likely because he missed the previous night’s IHOP run in favor of a late night dip in one of Nashville’s local swimming holes.

“It wasn’t polar-bear-club cold,” recalled Rosenfield, “but it was certainly invigorating, a great way to get pumped up for Saturday’s game. It may have to become my new pre-game ritual!”

Alas, it would be too little, too late, as the team’s frantic press at the end, highlighted by a near tip-in by junior Jordan Zauderer with 12 seconds remaining in game, fell short. Final score – Ole Miss 4, Vanderbilt 3.

Not the Only Loss …

Saturday’s final was not the only loss that the Vanderbilt club endured during its first road trip of the young season. The boys also took a hit to the bank account in the form of two speeding tickets, one by sophomore Greg Kirk on the way down and the other by senior Casey Schelble on the way back.

Said Kirk, “There was no way I was going that fast, just no way.”

Said Schelble, “There was no way I was going that fast, just no way.”

Things could have been worse for the Frozen ‘Dores. Following Friday night’s game, a four-car caravan anxious to arrive at its evening abode (the Best Western) uniformly, and in succession, ran a blinking red four-way stop sign, directly in front of a parked police officer. Following the dispatch of five police cruisers and eight officers, the boys thankfully all received warnings instead of tickets, an early season miracle as far as the boys were concerned.

Back on the Road

The club will look to stay above .500 (and below police radars) as it travels to Atlanta this weekend to play another SECHC rival the University of Florida Gators. The games, slated for 10:15pm ET on Saturday and 4:30pm ET on Sunday, will be played at the Duluth Ice Forum in Duluth, Georgia. As always, we look forward to inviting anyone suffering from Lockout-itis to join us for a great weekend!

* Special thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Londoff and Mr. Wyatt for making the trip to Memphis from St. Louis, MO, and Lafayette, LA, respectively. We hope to see you again soon!

“We Almost Beat The Russians…”

In its first ever trip to the Southeastern Collegiate Hockey Conference’s annual tournament as a participant in good standing, the Vanderbilt Commodores ice hockey club finished the weekend with a 2-1 record and an impressive haul of medals and hardware that was highlighted by the tourney’s third-place cup. Even with a hard fought 4-2 loss on Saturday versus Alabama, the boys found the experience to be an overwhelmingly positive and gratifying one as the team played its best hockey of the season.

“We represented the Vanderbilt sweater well,” said senior captain Matt Kaminsky. “We wanted the big trophy badly but we can all walk away from the weekend with our heads held high. I can’t tell you how proud of am of our guys.”

Kicking Off The Tournament

Thanks to a dramatic come-from-WAY-behind OT win over Georgia two weeks prior, the VU hockey team entered the tournament as the SECHC East’s 2nd seed which afforded them the opportunity to play Auburn, a club just two years into its existence. Compared to the prospect of playing Ole Miss, a team that had beaten the ‘Dores twice in January, playing Auburn was at least on paper the more favorable draw.

“We worked hard for our seed,” said senior assistant captain Tom Trepanier, “but we weren’t looking past Friday night. We knew we had to take care of business in order to get into the semis on Saturday.”

Take care of business they did as the Commodores skated to a 7-3 victory over the Tigers. Highlighted by two goals from sophomore Brad Pesce (named the Player of the Game for Vanderbilt), a goal and three assists from Kaminsky, and a goal and one assist from sophomore Eliot Rosenfield, the win was resounding.

“We got the job done,” recalled senior Jack McCallum, “but at the same time we weren’t completely satisfied with the result. Regardless of who we play, we need to buckle down and always compete at a high level. We could have played better Friday night, and that feeling became a theme for the rest of the weekend.”

The win landed the Commodores in the tournament’s second of two semifinal games the next day versus the University of Alabama Frozen Tide, or as the boys called them …

“The Russians.”

Some Historical Perspective

The last time the Vanderbilt University ice hockey club faced off against Alabama was nearly two full seasons ago on Friday, October 1st, 2010. At the time, Vanderbilt was two games into a rebuilding effort following two straight years of disciplinary probation with the SECHC (due to spotty, unreliable participation). In that game (which you can read about here), Vandy fell 9-3 to a Tide team that was supremely disciplined and conditioned.

Fast forward to February 2012 and the story heading into the two teams’ semifinal match-up could not have been different. Following that thrashing in Pelham, Alabama, the Commodores had strung together an impressive 32-8-1 record over two seasons. Gone were the days of no shows and apathy for the boys in black and gold. Vanderbilt would arrive Saturday holding its head high as a force to be reckoned with, a “team” in the true sense of the word, bent on taking a good solid crack at dethroning the SECHC’s elite franchise.

“We were fired up,” said goalie and senior assistant captain Brenden Oliver. “Like Taylor Swift before a concert at the Ryman [Auditorium], we were ready to take on the big dogs.”

Other club members shook their heads disapprovingly at the analogy but echoed Oliver’s sentiments.

“We were ready to bring the ruckus,” barked a charged up sophomore forward Alan Leeser. “R-U-C-K-U-S. Boom.”

Some Recognition (And Hardware) Before The Puck Dropped

Saturday’s festivities kicked off with a series of special moments even before the game’s first face-off.

As the second of two semifinal games, the Commodores and Tide were able to watch their would-be Sunday opponents Florida and Georgia duke it out to the final buzzer of their contest. Down one goal with less than a minute left, Georgia scored to level the tilt and seemingly send the game into overtime with just under 40 seconds remaining.

“I remember coach telling us to cool our jets on getting ready,” said freshman Harry Londoff. “I was thinking, “Man, who knows when we’ll actually start our game?'”

Londoff’s question was answered just moments later when right off of the subsequent face-off a Florida winger picked the puck out of a scrum of humanity in the neutral zone, skated down the left side of the ice, and snapped home the eventual game winner with 0:20 on the clock.

“As quickly as coach told us to hang tight, he popped back in and told us to buckle up,” recalled Londoff. “And that type of energy pretty much carried the evening through to end of our game. It was unbelievable.”

Indeed it did with the next act in the evening’s script centering around a pre-game ceremony to honor the SECHC’s award recipients for the 2011/12 season as well as to recognize a very special honoree for the weekend.

First up was the all-SECHC team, and for the first time ever the Vanderbilt Commodores placed not one but two players on the roster. Sophomore defenseman and Minnesota native David Crowe was named a second team honoree while Oliver was named the league’s third team goalie. Also honored was coach Thomas Bernstein as the league’s coach of the year.

Shared Bernstein, “As I said to the boys following the game, the awards are a testament to the hard work put in by everyone in the program, particularly the seniors on the team who had been through some tough years at the start of their careers. They had always had the skills and will to build an amazing hockey experience for themselves but just needed a little help with organizing, and that is the legacy they are leaving as they head towards graduation in May. The awards are all collectively an acknowledgement of the strong work of the entire club – players, coaches, parents, and fans included – and that feels pretty awesome.”

“What a way to fire into the biggest game of the season, right?”

Newly minted VU Hockey fans
Chief Warrant Officer James Joyner
and daughter Taylor

The ceremony concluded with the league honoring the tournament’s sponsor, the United States Army, and its guest of honor Chief Warrant Officer and wounded warrior James Joyner.

As reported by HockeyY’all.com, Chief Joyner’s story is a remarkable one. “A native of North Carolina, [Chief James] Joyner is a veteran of two tours in the Middle East, one during the first Gulf War and another in Afghanistan in 2011-12. It was during the latter that he suffered serious injuries that have required multiple surgeries, with more to follow. He continues to serve with the Guard’s 20th Special Forces Group in Huntsville as he recovers from his wounds.”

Captains from each team presented Chief Joyner with a gift representing each school – Vanderbilt gave the Chief a commemorative 20th anniversary hockey jersey – and the Chief humbly accepted the gifts and cheers of appreciation on behalf of his follow servicemen and women.

Following the ceremony, Chief Joyner then carved out space in the bleachers directly next to the glass for a front row seat for the final contest of the evening – Vanderbilt versus Alabama. His allegiance slanted towards the Tide at the start, little did the Chief know that in 20 minutes he would be rabidly taking up the cause of the Black and Gold.

Let the drama begin.

Game On

Out of the gate, it was clear Vanderbilt was not facing an average ACHA hockey club. The Tide’s passes were crisper, cuts faster, and checks harder than virtually any team they had faced all season.

The elevated pace yielded the game’s first goal just 1:34 into the first period when Crowe, who is accustomed to imposing his will on average SECHC forecheckers, turned the puck over to an Alabama forward while attempting one of his trademark spin-o-ramas on the left side of the Vanderbilt defensive zone. The Tide forward quickly slid the puck back to a trailing forward in the high slot who fired home a laser just above Oliver’s blocker hand.

“They were a lot faster than what we’ve seen for most of the season,” recalled Crowe. “I was good with that though, it got me into the game and I settled into a nice groove after that.”

“No one panicked,” said Bernstein. “We pulled ourselves together and went to work.”

They certainly did as the game seemed to turn in favor of the ‘Dores, highlighted by a spectacular goal off of the stick of McCallum, a top-shelf wrister that the senior fired even as he was falling awkwardly.

“9 times out of 10 I miss that shot,” confessed McCallum. “But not this game. Not tonight.”

The first period concluded 1-1 and the Commodores left the ice as confident as ever that they could pull off a Miracle-esque win. In fact, that’s all the boys could talk about – how the weekend was playing out to the script of Miracle.

“We were seriously playing the Russians,” said junior forward Kyle McCann. “Even to the point where we were facing the tournament’s best team in the semifinal verus the final, it just seemed like the moons were aligning for us.”

Interesting fact – while they may not have been aligning specifically for Vanderbilt, Venus, Jupiter, and Earth’s moon were literally aligned on the Saturday evening of the game. No joke.

So there the boys sat in their locker room, recharging between the first and second periods tied 1-1 with the Russians. Could the evening get any more dramatic?

Answer: Yes.

Taking a moment to leave the locker room and talk strategy with Assistant Coach Jonathan Holston, Bernstein was greeted by an enthusiastic Chief Joyner. (Paraphrasing) “Coach, I’m so fired up, you guys are playing your guts out. I came in rootin’ for ‘Bama but man, I’m behind Vandy 100% now! You guys can do this!”

The Chief’s enthusiasm was infectious, so much so that Bernstein asked the Chief if he would do the team the honor of bringing the boys out for the second period. Graciously, the Chief obliged.

Donning his army fatigues and a presence that is impossible to give sufficient credit to in words, the Chief fired into the locker room with a message for the ‘Dores. (Again, paraphrasing) “Boys, if you give everything you’ve got for 40 minutes, you can win this thing!” Referencing the black and gold of West Point, he rallied the Commodore troops saying, “You’re wearing the right colors and you have the heart to win this thing. Go make it happen!”

Unbelievable. The script of Miracle had just combined with the narrative of Rocky 4 (i.e., “If you can change … and I can change … we all … can change!”) to create one of the most dramatic nights any of the coaches or players had experienced in their combined 275 years of playing hockey. Particularly because of who the Chief represented – our United States servicemen and women overseas who are risking their lives to protect our country – the next 40 minutes took on a greater meaning for the players, something they’ll never forget.

“What a special moment,” said awestruck sophomore Joey Grisko. “Totally indescribable.”

Almost …

The second period ended as the first had, with a 1-1 tie, and so all eyes and attention turned to a frantic third period.

Unfortunately for Vanderbilt, the task proved increasingly daunting as Alabama scored two goals at the 12:25 and 8:44 marks to seemingly put the game out of reach.

Said Coach Holston, “We were playing well, they just made two great plays. Good teams are going to make good plays and score good goals. We needed to respond accordingly, and we did exactly that.”

With 3:46 left in the game and Vanderbilt pouring on every ounce of pressure it could muster, Tide forward Clay Link was tagged with a tripping penalty (only the second for Alabama and third between the two teams all night) that breathed life into the desperate ‘Dores players. Kyle McCann capitalized, not only scoring his first goal of the weekend to make it 3-2 but also drawing a penalty in the act of shooting to keep the Commodores on the power play.

2:35 left. Down 3-2. Goalie pulled for a 6-4 advantage over the Tide.

Shot … wide. Shot … save. Puck flipped out into the neutral zone – regroup – face-off.

Corner scrum … shot, shot, chip, cover up. Face-off.

As the seconds ticked down, these were coach Bernstein’s mental notes which in their brevity speak volumes about the high drama of the moment. It was a breathless push that ultimately concluded when a Tide player chipped the puck to neutral ice and a fellow teammate fired home the deciding dagger, an empty-net tally at 0:35.

“180 Minutes”

Needless to say, the Vanderbilt club was incredibly disappointed to lose on Saturday, but the players and coaches knew they had little to hang their heads about. They had given everything they had to win the game but in the end simply lost to a better team.

“I’ll never forget a few moments following Saturday’s loss” said a contemplative Bernstein. “I had each of the referees actually thank me for a great game. Fans of Alabama … they were shaking my hand congratulating our boys on a tremendous effort. For [the Vanderbilt players] to have that kind of impression on the folks in that rink on Saturday, it says a lot about the type of game they played. Hell of an effort.”

It certainly was, but the team’s work was not done for the weekend. They had traveled to Huntsville to play 180 minutes of hockey, and 60 more minutes remained. Next up? The Georgia Bulldogs, a club the ‘Dores knew well having just played them two weeks prior.

Chief Joyner, Senior captain Matt Kaminsky,
Senior assistant captain Brenden Oliver, and
SECHC Commissioner Sarge Day

There was no letdown on Sunday morning. Vanderbilt controlled play for 3 periods, and although sophomore sensation and SECHC league MVP Peter Kacer scored his obligatory goals, the Commodores skated to a convincing 5-2 win powered by two goals from Ben Ross and a goal apiece from sophomores Jack Delehey, Jordan Zauderer, and Pesce.

The win landed the ‘Dores in third place for the tournament, a fact that the boys celebrated with the zeal of a first-place champion. “The way those guys celebrated third place,” recalled assistant coach and media guru Ben Gatlin, “if and when we actually win the championship, I’m almost afraid to see how crazy they’ll be.”

The win and bronze trophy sets up a perfect situation for the Commodores as they aim to lock in win number 21 on the year in the season’s final contest, the I-40 Face-off versus the University of Tennessee Ice Vols. Technically an exhibition game, the boys have no intention of taking the March 31st tilt against their in-state rivals lightly.

“We are on a roll, and we intend to keep that momentum going,” said McCallum, who along with Kaminsky, Trepanier, Oliver, and graduate student Ryan Weekes will be playing their last games in the black and gold for Vanderbilt. “It’ll mean a lot to go out as winners, and with just a little bit more focus and hard work, we can make that happen.”

Looking Ahead To Bridgestone

Mark your calendars folks. On Saturday, March 31st, 2012, at 1pm at Bridgestone Arena, the Vanderbilt Commodores ice hockey club will take on the Tennessee Ice Vols in the second annual I-40 Face-off. Admission will be free, VU hockey merchandise will be available, and some awesome hockey action will be on display so please join us for the excitement!

Exhale Complete, It’s Time To Recap VU’s OT Win Versus Georgia

It took a week. The excitement, the nerves, the joy – there was just too much of each to sit down and adequately archive the emotion, mechanics, and result of last Saturday night’s 6-5 OT win over the University of Georgia Bulldogs until now. With a tremendous amount on the line, the Vanderbilt Commodores dug deep to pull out a dramatic victory on the team’s final home game of the season, “Senior Night” for those soon to conclude their careers with the Commodores ice hockey club. Here is the story.

The Lead-Up

As far back as last July, senior officers Brenden Oliver, Matt Kaminsky, and Thomas Trepanier had highlighted February 11th, 2012, on their calendars as a date worthy of particular note and attention. It would be their last wearing the Vanderbilt black and gold at the Centennial Sportsplex, the boys’ home away from campus for four years. It would also be an opportunity to face one of the club’s most bitter rivals, fellow SECHC East team Georgia.

Oliver explained of the rivalry before the game, “When we were in rough shape as a club my freshman and sophomore years, Georgia was one of the programs that took a very hard line towards us. Granted, we deserved a lot of the medicine we received for things like canceling games at the last minute or showing up with only six skaters. But it just felt like UGA’s approach was particularly tough, especially when reprimands in the 2009/10 season resulted in two years worth of suspensions from the SECHC playoffs, not just one. Now that we are up as a club, it would be particularly sweet to return the favor, both on Saturday and in the SECHC tourney.”

Mackie Anderson, Kyle McCann,
and Matt Kaminsky

So how did the team prepare for such an impassioned showdown? Easy. They stuffed their faces full of pasta, salad, and meatballs. And ice cream sandwiches.

Thanks to a Friday evening with no game and Mrs. Coach being out of town for a conference, Coach Bernstein took the opportunity to open the doors of Casa de 312 Page Road and offer up some proper nourishment for a big weekend.

“I loved Friday night dinners with my teams back in grade school so I thought the guys would appreciate coming together for something similar – a home-cooked meal plus some college hockey on TV. More than the practices and games, it’s that kind of stuff that builds teams, and as long as you wrap up before the evening’s parties they’re usually well received. I think the boys had a great time.”

Adding to the excitement was the news that the team made the Regional tournament for the first time in Vanderbilt ice hockey club history. (Note: Vandy did not accept the invitation. Click here to learn more about the decision.)

“I was thrilled to have the opportunity to give the team the news in person,” said Bernstein. “It’s our understanding that it’s the first time the club has qualified for the tournament in the program’s history so, needless to say, the boys were excited.”

Said first-year law school student and the only member of the team who has played in the ACHA national tournament Cory Reno, “I was happy but not surprised. We’ve worked hard and have a lot of talent. Next year hopefully we can actually make the trip.”

The Stakes

In case the high-level theatrics of a final home game and the unsettled scores between rivals were not enough to drive the enormity of the evening, the contest became even more important due to circumstances involving Vanderbilt’s fellow SECHC clubs.

The first and most shocking was the news that the University of Arkansas will be disqualified from next weekend’s SECHC tournament due to issues with player eligibility. The prohibitive favorite for not only the league but also the entire Southeast region, the Razorbacks’ removal reseeded the tournament standings on the “West” side of the SECHC bracket to the following: (1) Alabama, (2) Ole Miss, (3) Auburn, and (4) Tennessee.

The second was that with a win versus Georgia, Vanderbilt would place second in the SECHC East. A loss would leave them in third. It would mean the difference between playing Auburn in the first round, a team Vandy bested thoroughly last month 6-0, versus playing Ole Miss, a club the ‘Dores lost to twice this season (5-4 in OT and 7-2, also in January).

OK folks, so there you have it. The pre-pre-game back story explained. The pre-game gathering recapped. The stakes noted. The stage for Saturday’s showdown set.

Here we go.

The Start

Fired up by a rousing pre-game ceremony that honored the team’s departing players (see below for details), Vanderbilt stormed out to a 2-0 lead on goals by sophomores Connor Smallwood and Kyle Stachowiak.

“We were flying,” said Trepanier, who assisted on Stachowiak’s goal, a beautiful deflection off of a shot from the slot. “The lines were clicking, we were staying out of the penalty box, at least initially, and I really thought we were going to run away with that thing.”

“The guys looked good in front of me,” said goalie Oliver. “They were getting lots of shots and they were clearing out the middle in our defensive zone which allowed me to see everything coming my way.”

The next stanza would be another story.

The Lull

Coming out with renewed energy and momentum, Georgia quickly cut the Vanderbilt lead in half with a goal from forward Kyle Blankenship. Then came a one-man onslaught by Georgia’s star forward Peter Kacer.

Heading into the contest, Kacer was the third leading goal scorer in the nation with 48 goals in 22 games. He did not disappoint his advanced billing as he single-handedly dismantled the Commodores defense over a 24 minute stretch (that, if you were in the stands, felt like 24 hours).

2-2, tie game. Kacer from Navis.

2-3. Kacer, unassisted.

End of period. Adjust. Shadow him. Hound him. Stop him. OK boys? Sound like a plan?

2-4. Kacer, unassisted.

2-5. Kacer, unassisted.

12:48 left in the third period. Timeout.

The Switch

The guy was so good, so unstoppable, that even sophomore Brad Pesce admitted, “Guys, this guy is actually pretty decent.” And so when Coach Bernstein called timeout, he launched into a fiery speech by first addressing the seemingly immovable obstacle standing between the Commodores and a must-have win.

“I told the boys, ‘Listen, you’re beating every single guy on that team except for one, and that one guy on that bench is beating every one of you. So let’s shut him down, he gets nothing else tonight.'”

“I then said that, ‘Each of you guys needs to take responsibility for delivering this game to Matthew [Kaminsky], Thomas [Trepanier], and Brenden [Oliver]. They’ve built this club for you guys, and now it’s time to send them off the right way, with a win.’ I finished up by telling them I knew they could pull it off. And guess what? They did.”

They did indeed, starting with a workman-like goal from Pesce just 40 seconds after the timeout. The team then stormed forward, peppering the Georgia netminder with an all-out assault that matched the urgency of the moment. The UGA goalie stood strong all the way up until the final two minutes when junior Chris Sperandio scored to cut the lead to one, then Pesce scored his second to tie the game in dramatic fashion.

“I went nuts,” recalls Pesce, “and I got even more fired up when the guys on Georgia criticized my cele[bration]. First of all, I thought it was solid, Zaud-like in fact,” a reference to follow sophomore Jordan Zauderer. “And secondly, really? Who rags on a cele?!”

Vanderbilt completed the epic comeback as it had started the game, with a goal from Smallwood. Playing defense, Connor snared an errant breakout pass from a Georgia defenseman through the neutral, darted in one-on-one with the goalie, and sniped a quick wrist-er off the left post and into the right side of the net for the sudden death winner.

And so the home team celebrated. And life was good.

Looking Ahead

With the win, the Commodores now turn their sights to an even bigger goal – winning an SECHC championship. The road will be a difficult one as it will include a tilt versus an improved Auburn team that recently knocked off 12th-ranked South Carolina, then battles versus (presumably) Alabama and (if the club makes it) either Ole Miss, Georgia, or Florida. It’ll be a tough but not impossible road to the U.S. Army Cup for the boys in black and gold so please stay tuned to Facebook, Twitter, and vanderbilthockey.com for updates.

It’s been an awesome year for the club and we look forward to adding a few more accolades to the list. Thanks to everyone for your support and see you next weekend in Huntsville!

Anchor down … and GO ‘DORES!!!



Celebrating Senior Night In Nashville

For parents and fans who were unable to enjoy the excitement of last Saturday’s tilt in person, you missed not only an amazing hockey game but also a special pre-game tribute to our departing seniors (and graduate student). Fortunately, we had the presence of mind to dig through the trash on the way out of the rink to find announcer Rusty Ware’s script from the ceremony. The following is the unedited version for your reading pleasure. Enjoy!

Ryan Weekes

MBA Candidate ’12

From Boynton Beach, Florida, this second year business school student in the Owen Graduate School of Management has proven that the fun in life doesn’t end at age 22. A first-team all-American roller hockey player at his undergraduate university Elon College, this all-purpose teammate has transitioned perfectly to his new home on the ice in the Vanderbilt black and gold. The same confidence that he displayed while dating Miss North Carolina has made him an invaluable leader of the VU Hockey Club. Ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm round of applause for number 9 … Ryan Weekes!

Thomas Trepanier

BS Candidate, Engineering ’12

From Annapolis, Maryland, this senior in the engineering school is the only member of the team who can boast on his resume the unique distinction of having worked at a nuclear energy facility in his non-hockey time. To adequately quantify this individual’s commitment to the club over the past four years, all you’d have to do is refer to the odometer on the dashboard of his red Toyota Tundra pickup. A key catalyst in the effort to elevate Vanderbilt hockey to its current and growing state of success, let’s all please offer up a rousing, hearty applause for number 5 … assistant captain … Thomas Trepanier!

Matt Kaminsky

BA Candidate, English ’12

From Boston, Massachusetts, this next player needs no introduction to the Vanderbilt hockey faithful attending tonight’s game. Along with the Nashville Predators’ Mike Fisher, he has brought the sexy back to ice hockey in Music City. Girls love him, guys want to be him, and opposing teams can only hope to contain him. Ladies and gentlemen, fans and admirers … please give a raucous, frenzied round of applause for your very own number 15 … senior captain … Matt Kaminsky!

Brenden Oliver

BS Candidate, Human & Organizational Behavior ’12

And last but not least … from Dallas, Texas, we welcome a senior goalie who can best be described as the Vanderbilt hockey club’s Swiss Army knife. He can do all, AND HE DOES ALL. Scheduling games, offering rides, updating Facebook and Twitter … this individual has been a force of nature on behalf of the Vanderbilt hockey club. Next year he will thankfully be transitioning from college to a job with the Country Music Association which, in addition to providing him with a very real opportunity of befriending idol and muse Taylor Swift, will also allow him to continue contributing to the betterment of Vanderbilt hockey. Folks in the stands, please get up off of your fannies and give a monster, unruly round of applause for lucky number 13 … the venerable … Brenden Oliver!

Ladies and gentlemen, let’s hear it for these players and their commitment to the Vanderbilt ice hockey club!

Dominant Weekend Versus Bulldogs Highlighted By Strong Rookie Debuts

Senior captain and ACHA academic all-star english major Matt Kaminsky paints a literary picture of the Frozen ‘Dores weekend set versus the Mississippi State Bulldogs in Nashville, a pair of games that yielded two double-digit wins.

The evening was warm, unconventionally so, even for the Nashville natives familiar with their agreeable climate. And as the Commodores hit the ice, anxious for redemption after a tough loss to Florida just six days before, they realized quickly they’d have to fight the elements even on the frozen surface of Centennial Sportsplex’s Rink B with its choppy ice.

Thankfully the terrain did not stop the home team from finding the twine early and often in the opening game of a two-game set. Goals from Kaminsky, Weekes and Leeser made it 3-0 in favor of the ‘Dores after 20 minutes of hockey.

The second period, however, yielded no goals for either team and unmotivated play from the Commodores, who held a noticeable advantage in both talent and discipline. After a fiery speech from assistant coach Jonathan Holston, the ‘Dores put their skating legs back on and powered up with seven third period goals. Forward Evan “Pennies” Sclafani sealed the deal with a top-shelf snipe to make it 10-0 in favor of the good guys when the buzzer sang it’s final song.

On Saturday, even after the offensive juggernaut was on display just 24 hours before, the Commodores came to the rink with no preconceived notions, fully aware that “just showing up” was by no means a prerequisite to winning a hockey game against any opponent. They would have to go to work out there, and that they did.

Fueled by the debuts of rookies Zak Karlinski, Doug Kirkpatrick, Kyle MacDonald, Matt Joplin, and Patrick Brownfield, the boys in black came out flying. After one period, VU found itself in a familiar position—holding a comfortable 5-0 lead. Encouraged by the solid performance of goaltender Brenden, who pitched his first second shutout in three games, the ‘Dores continued to light the lamp, powered by a few scrappy plays in front of the net from Karlinski, a few nifty feeds from Joplin, and a laser from the point from Kirkpatrick. Vandy went on to a 13-0 win to complete the weekend sweep.