Close, but no cigar.......

Today was a pretty normal day filled with classes and hockey. Class dragged on as I have a few late classes from six to seven then seven to eight. Hockey was as it always is on a Thursday. A few drills, followed by working on our powerplay and penalty kill. The shootout did not go as expected, as the Canadians managed to pull out with the victory. The US guys came a little more prepared as it came down to the final puck at both ends. I held my own in the net while the boys at the other end could not seem to find twine. All in all Thursday was a successful and productive day and now everything is focused on tomorrow. Buffalo State Bengals are coming into town and they will be in for an absolute battle on the ice at 7 pm.

Biggest two points of the season coming.

Although only a day has gone by since the last blog post so much has happened. The hockey team started off the day with a practice at 6:30 am. It may seem a little early for most college students, it was actually pretty enjoyable. There is nothing better than to start your day with playing some hockey, and getting the blood flowing. It was nice to see some familiar faces out on the ice, such as Alex Perkins and Mark Friesen as both of them were out for a little while with some minor injuries. Tomorrow however both those faces will not be welcoming to see as they are both Canadians. Tomorrow is Thursday which only means one thing. US Canada showdown. Although the US team has yet to pull out a win and hang the flag in the locker room, I believe the tide has turned and we will come out with the win. With Perkins and Friesen being out with injuries, we need to capitalize on those weaknesses. Jared Wynia had a little longer break than the rest of the team, however I don't think a nice tan helps you score goals in the shootout.

If you were wondering how the relationship was going with John and his mistress, don't be alarmed. I have not forgotten to keep you informed. Day two of the relationship involves him having a nice hang out in the dorms with his right arm lady, relaxing and watching a movie. But I am sure he will bring his A game in the shootout. 

The most important thing however about tomorrow is actually not the shootout. We have a big game on Friday to prepare for as the Buffalo State Bengals will be entering Steele Hall. We just need to put those fine touches on our game, make sure we have everything ready for the weekend as it will be like a playoff game. Biggest two points of the season coming.

-Tyler Palmerton #30

Breakfast at Timmy's

Sitting here in the Student Athlete lounge with Ryan Wilkinson and Mitch Kaufmann doing a little homework before practice later this afternoon. Earlier today I enjoyed a nice breakfast at Tim Horton's cafe located right on campus in the Williams Center with John O'Connor. We had plenty to talk about as he recently decided to settle down with a wonderful young lady whom he has been conversing with for the past few weeks. He told me he wanted to begin a relationship at the beginning of break when he spent the night at her residence in Orchard Park before heading home to see his family. He went to enjoy a nice nap later on at her place on campus, however she was already napping. They most likely will be hanging out later on tonight. However I wont be there to accompany them as I have a major homework assignment due tomorrow, so my evening will be spent in the library and the learning center after a few night classes and a great practice.

Sometimes it is difficult to balance athletics and school, but then again I would not want to be doing anything else. I cannot imagine life without hockey, or even hockey without school. Featuring I never played Juniors, school and hockey have always been tied together. Hockey provides a way to get away from it all, to focus on something else other than your every day activities. To get your mind off of a recent relationship, or a break from studying for an exam. They say exercise can improve your mood and boost your energy. What a more perfect way to exercise than with a bunch of your closest friends playing a sport that all of those close friends have a passion for. Which in return will help you with that exam you need to do well on or the relationship that may not be all you hoped for. 

-Tyler Palmerton #30

Arriving back to campus after an enjoyable break in Baltimore and Washington D.C. was filled with both excitement and calmness. It felt good to be back with the boys lacing up the skates and getting the rust off. Although three practices in less than 24 hours was exhausting, it was also nice. Nothing to do besides playing hockey and relaxing watching TV in the off time. However with benefits comes misfortunes. Today was our first day back to school which means these next few weeks are going to go back fast, fast and hard. Cracking open the books, late nights in the library, going over page after page of notes.  However with hard work comes rewards, Christmas break is near. This year I am headed to Holiday Valley for a little skiing with the family. It should be a good time as I haven't hit the slopes in about three or four years. But then again I was told skiing is like riding a bike, you just never forget how to do it. 

Tyler Palmerton

Rival week coming up

I am enjoying this snowy Friday night in the lovely home of Tyler Palmerton and John O'Connor. We are currently watching some Rochester Americans hockey on Palmy's enormous television. It sure would be nice to watch some NHL on a Friday night, but it looks as though the entire NHL season will be lost. Today was our first day back on the ice after our Thanksgiving break, and it was good to get some of the rust off. It may not have been our smoothest practice, but it was good to get our legs back and start working towards a huge game next Friday against our rivals, Buffalo State. Another positive from the break was that it allowed us some extra time to heal from our injuries. We have had a few guys with some bumps and bruises, and the break only helps us get healthy and ready for an important stretch of hockey coming up in the next few weeks. I am not looking forward to getting back to classes and homework on Monday, but we get a couple of ice times tomorrow and a good weekend with the boys before we have to worry about that.

-Jeff Holloway #31

Movember is coming to an end.....

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope everyone had a great holiday. As Thanksgiving ends, it also means Movember is also coming to an end. For anyone who doesn't know, Movember is when guys around the world either grow their mustaches or go without shaving for the entire month of November. The reason behind the mustaches is to raise awareness for prostate cancer and other men's health issues. I think everyone has been affected by these diseases in some way and it is a good way to show support for a great cause. My mustache growing abilities may not be the best, but it is a small sacrifice to make. Our faces are constantly itchy and it is impossible to drink milk, but one month of discomfort is worth it for supporting the cause. There are, however, a few other benefits to having a mustache, as the ladies are always all over us and our upper lips are always warm as the Winter cold appraoches. So for the next week if you see someone with a lovely Movember lip sweater be sure to give them a friendly smile and a head nod of approval. Also, if anyone would like to help support the cause, a few of the boys are accepting donations, so feel free to hit us up at http://us.movember.com/team/563805.
-Jeff Holloway #31

Holly looking forward to boys returning

It was nice to get out of Fredonia for the day today. I visited the good old Reed Library on Tuesday to use the printer, and it was the emptiest I have ever seen the place. It was kind of creepy to be honest. I can't wait for the boys to all come back soon.  I am very lucky that I have an uncle living only a couple of hours away, but being so far from Alberta certainly makes me appreciate it even more when I do get the opportunity to go home. As a final note, I went to see the new film "Lincoln" today and I was not disappointed. I thought Daniel Day-Lewis did a great job of playing Lincoln and I definitely recommend it to anyone who is interested in history. I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving and is mindful of all the things we have to be thankful for.
-Jeff Holloway #31

Vent some of my frustrations over lost NHL season

I am going to take this opportunity to vent some of my frustrations over yet another NHL lockout. For the past two years, each Thanksgiving break I was able to catch an NHL game. In my Freshman year, my parents came down and we made a trip to NYC. We were lucky enough to be able to see the Rangers play my favorite team, the Calgary Flames, in a packed Madison Square Garden arena. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, the Rangers ended up beating my Flames, but it was a great experience nonetheless. Last year, in my Sophomore year, I traveled down to Pittsburgh to visit my uncle for the break. This time I was able to see the Penguins lose to the St.Louis Blues in Sidney Crosby's second game back after his injury. It was a lot of fun sitting in a packed house of angry Penguins fans as I cheered against their beloved Crosby.  This year, however, I will not get the same opportunity. I was especially looking forward to catching a Penguins game this year, as a friend I played minor hockey with, Brandon Sutter,  was traded to Pittsburgh over the Summer. It is frustrating that greed and stubbornness are forcing me to watch football and basketball highlights instead of watching the NHL. The only exciting event happening in sports right now is the Calgary Stampeders heading to the Grey Cup in the CFL. I think both the league and the players should be embarrassed by the fact they are in their second lockout in under a decade. I was very interested to see how Jay Feaster could make my Flames even worse, but it looks like I will have to wait until next year for that.
-Jeff Holloway # 31

Thanksgiving destinations.....

 I hope everyone arrived safely at their Thanksgiving destinations and are enjoying some time away from school. I am particularly jealous of Freeze, as he and his girlfriend are enjoying Vegas right now while I am still in Fredonia. I will be headed to Pittsburgh to visit my uncle for the break, but unfortunately he is away right now so I won't be able to head out until probably tomorrow. As I think about everyone traveling home to their families, it reminds me of my travels back and forth between Fredonia and Alberta these last few years. There has certainly been some interesting events along the way. Following freshman year, me and my dad were in the first day of our drive back for the summer. Our timing proved to be terrible as we drove right through Chicago in rush hour traffic and ridiculously hot temperatures, and then my Jeep started to overheat. We were forced to cut across about 7 lanes of bumper-to-bumper traffic to take the nearest exit. We ended up stopping to buy coolant at a gas station in one of the shadiest neighborhoods in Chicago. Driving around downtown Chicago with a Jeep full of stuff was scary at the time, but it is an experience I will never forget. Also, on the way back to Fredonia this year, we happened to hit one of the worst construction areas I have ever seen in my life. There was at least 2 and a half hours where there was not even a highway anymore, just a dirt road. There was no passing allowed and construction zone speed limits, so it made for a very frustrating drive through Montana. My Jeep has been through a lot and she struggles at times but I have certainly gotten my money's worth and she is still kicking! I hope everyone's travels this holiday go smoother than mine in Montana and Chicago!
-Jeff Holloway #31

As our weekend road trip to Cortland and Oswego comes to an end, our Thanksgiving break begins. We may not have gotten the results we wanted, but we have to focus on the positives that we can take from the weekend and keep moving forward. If anything, this weekend just goes to show how competitive this league is and that it takes a full 60 minutes every night. That said, I think spending some time away from the rink and being with family is necessary. It is a time to put school aside for a week to reset and recharge for a very important stretch coming up after our break. Everyone is excited to get back home and enjoy some home cooked meals and get away from campus food, except for Al, who is dreading being away from his beloved Erie Marketplace for an entire week. Some guys had some early departures this morning as they had to catch some early flights back home. I think this morning was the earliest Stevie Castriota has woken up since breakfast club as he had to catch his flight back to Long Island, while guys like Mat Hehr took the opportunity to head back to Alberta and enjoy the snow and cold weather. Nevertheless, I hope everyone had safe travels today and I am already looking forward to when we are all back as a group again.

View from our room at the EmbasySuites.

-Jeff Holloway #31

"Gameday Skate"

"Amanda's here!"

We had a great skate today as a team, and we are really looking forward to hitting the road tomorrow. As always, we expect it to be a grind but we are prepared to work! I just got back to Fredonia from picking up Amanda at the Buffalo airport, and it's really nice to see her again! We kept the win streak going today in the Canada US Shootout, although the US team came on a little stronger today. It's always nice to get that win going into the weekend! Now that the schoolwork is out of the way for the week after finishing a midterm today, it's time to put all the focus on hockey. It's time to get a great sleep and wake up for game day tomorrow! There are few better feelings than waking up in the morning knowing there's a game that night. Each time I find myself excited to wake up and start the preparation for the day. It's going to be a great weekend!! 

- #1 Freeze

"Enjoying the Experience"

"studying hard over at Park Place"

I just got back home from a nice turkey dinner with some of the boys
over at Erie marketplace. It was a good day of practice as we start to
get closer to our road trip this weekend, and I think one of the keys
we took away from today was staying mentally strong and battling
through when things maybe aren't going as well as usual. I got back to
winning in rebound today with a strong performance and some nice saves
on Coach Silengo! Ask him about it if you see him. Anyways, I'm really
looking forward to tomorrow as my girlfriend Amanda is flying down to
visit from Calgary. She is one of our team's (and my) biggest
supporters and it will be great to have her in the stands again this
weekend. I haven't seen her since August, so I'm really excited that
she's able to come see some games. I think the rest of my family is
jealous, and I'm looking forward to seeing them again over Christmas
break. Being away from home is tough sometimes, but it's been a great
experience so far in many different ways, and the bonds with the boys
are probably the best part. College hockey is different from other
experiences, because of all the time we spend together as a team. We
pretty much spend 24/7 together, attending classes, eating together,
living together, playing hockey together and going out as a team. I
have a lot of great memories so far, and I look forward to making many
more this year!


Freeze

A great day in Fredonia

Alberta Boys!

Today was another good day in Fredonia. It was a typical day filled with classes, as well as the first signs of snow. I just finished a post practice meal with some of the boys, and now I'm back to doing a little school work. Practice was good today, and I think we got a few things figured out with our power play. I know that I personally have a lot of things to improve, and right now I'm really focused on tracking pucks, especially fighting to maintain vision through traffic. College hockey is great for working on a lot of different aspects of the game, as we only play on weekends. It gives us time during the week to prepare for the upcoming games, and I think that because of this, it's important to have high quality practices. We have been focused on this lately, and every time we hit the ice, we are reminded that it is the most important thing in the world at that moment. I think that's one of the best things about hockey. When you put the gear on and step on the ice, all other worries fade away and you can focus on being in the moment and enjoying the opportunity to play. There are few better feelings than being on the ice with some of your best friends. I really appreciate the opportunity every day to continue to improve and work on my game. I would like to be able to say that I won in rebound at practice today, and I was really trying hard because I knew I would have to write about it, but it was a rare day where I ended up losing. Mat Hehr had the scoring touch for once today I guess. I'll let you know how tomorrow's game goes. On a positive note, Canada is still undefeated in our Canada U.S. showdown that we do every game day skate! Let's see if we can keep that going all year (knock on wood).

- #1 Freeze

"Picture Day!"

 #11 Alex Perkins contemplates taking up a new sport

Today was a fairly routine Monday here in Fredonia. After an early class I was able to get a solid workout in, followed by an afternoon lecture. We got together as a team today for some pictures, and it was nice to have one more day to rest both mentally and physically from the regular grind of practice. It will be interesting to see how the pictures turn out! I am now in the campus Starbucks trying to work my way through some homework, having just finished a nice meal with some of the boys at Cranston dining hall. As I'm writing this I see #18 Ryan Edens walk in, as well as Coach Meredith talking to some new recruits. It makes me think of my first trip down to Fredonia, and all that has changed and happened since then. It has been a great experience so far, and I continue to enjoy it! Time to get back to some homework.

- #1 Freeze

- Throwback photo of the Canadian boys on Thanksgiving.
L to R: Edens, Grinch, Perks, Brunzy, Kuli, Daver, Hehrsy, Freeze, Oye and Holly

 

 

We are back in Fredonia after a trip up to the North Country. It was a long bus ride home last night, and it was good to finally get some sleep back at the apartment. We ended up splitting the weekend, and although we didn't get the result we wanted in Plattsburgh, I think it was a good experience for the boys to get on the road together. We still have a lot to work on and things to address in practice this week, but I think we are headed in the right direction. I felt that we really pulled together and put in a strong third period, showing some character. We have a lot of great guys on this team, and each game is another learning experience. Nothing comes easy in this league, and each SUNYAC game is going to be a battle. We need to find ways to win each night. I was proud of the way we played Potsdam, battling back after an early goal against to come out with our first road win. Like I said, we have a lot of work to do in practice this week and I look forward to getting back on the ice and back to work again Tuesday. I'm going to try and take the Sunday to relax and get some homework done as I have a few papers and projects due coming up. It's going to be a good start to the week!

- #1 Freeze

Big "W" over Potsdam...greasy as it gets!

TGIF everyone, its game day! I just finished a tough rigorous chemistry exam thanks to Dr. Milligan, needles to say im glad it’s the weekend. Even though its tough being home for this important weekend, I have all the confidence in the boys to have a great weekend up in North Country! Tyler Matecki #22 , Matty Owczarczack #16, Ryan Edens #18, and myself will be nestled right up to the TV cheerin for the boys on due to our injuries! Make us proud fellas. Only a few more hours before the puck drops, so I better get over to the Cranston Marche to get a good pregame meal in me!

Christer 19

Feast at "Azteca"

Tonight I felt as if I deserved a little treat from all the vigorous rehab, so I just got back from a delicious meal from our local Mexican restaurant "Azteca". With that said, the boys leave tomorrow at 12:30 sharp for the north swing up to Potsdam and Plattsburgh. They had a quick but beneficial practice today to get the legs, hands, and mind going. They'll have one more skate on friday to get their minds completely cleared and prepped. Like always they'll end the game day skate with a little game called CanAm showdown. I know us Americans have had a tough go this year so far, but I have faith in my stall neighbor Tyler Palmerton #30 to pull out a big one between the pipes for the  American Boys

Christer #19

Family is everything.....

Great day for the spirits, last week was the first time running in 6 and half months. I was only able to clock in 7 minutes and 30 seconds for my first run time, today I ran for 20 minutes. I think there is was a little bit of improvement, that just means that I'm getting that much closer to lacing up the skates. Which I'm pretty pumped up for since I have not been able to step on the ice since last march. Since were talking about lacing up the skates, It was pretty cool to see that my good friend and roommate Mike Hehr #4's father Teddy Hehr was able to make it down for today's practice to lace up the old jets for Mikey. You're able to see how enthused he was for practice, just by looking at his facial expression. He was gracious enough to let Al Perkins #11 catch this inspiring moment.

Christer #19

Christer has a long day.....

Today was my long day of school, 9 AM straight through till 5 PM with a 1 hour break and it still continues in the library for me. Sadly I was unable to watch practice today, due to my Hefty Monday schedule. Im sure it went smoothly since the boys had a good workout to shock the body before a typical Monday battle practice and also since they're getting pumped up for a huge weekend I am sure it was nothing but hard work, grit, and focus. However I am about to take a break from my school work so that I can fill my stomach at our local Cranston Marche with a couple of the fellas.

Until Tomorrow

Christer #19

Typical Sunday

Its a typical Sunday afternoon here in Fredonia, coming off a great win defeating our SUNYAC opponent Morrisville in a stressful OT. Thanks to one of our freshman Chad Bennett getting his first collegiate goal out of the way, which could not have came at a more crucial time. With that now behind us we have to start looking ahead to our next opponent SUNY Potsdam, which will be another big test for the boys. However, now its back to the books for me. I just arrived in the library for a long cram session for a vigorous week of school, with two papers a presentation and a grueling Chemistry exam to end the week.

GAME DAY

Game day today! Started off the day with a lovely Meal over at the Cranston Marche, which unfortunately hasn't made much of an impression on me over the last 3 years and currently ranks in the late 90's on my top 100 USA restaurants list, but that's OK. After breakfast the boys went over to the rink for some video and an outline of tonight's game plan, all real good stuff. The boys are fired up for tonight's SUNYAC meat grinder against Morrisville.

After the scout we headed down to Dods Hall gym for a couple games of bump; a game in which I used to dominate on a weekly basis, but as of late have struggled to make the final 10, I guess my jumper needs a little work.

Came home for a pre-game snooze and then met team captain #26 Brett Muellers over at DeJon's Pasta House on Main Street. We both enjoyed a salad and nice plate of spaghetti. As Brett and I were leaving we ran into #20 Gary Wynia, #12 Chris Jung, and #22 Tyler McTecki doing the same. Tyler was enjoying just a salad which I thought was a little odd, but who knows. Anyway, just going to hop in the shower here and get ready for the game. Adios. 

Roddy Perkins #11

"Wreck-It-Ralph"

Great day today! Lots of positives at practice, including a big win for Canada in the Canada-USA showdown.

#4 Mike Hehr, #19 Andy Christer and I decided to go get out hair cut after practice, unfortunately our local barber was out of town on holidays..? And we didn't feel like risking it over at Henry's, so we decided to head over to Wing City Grille and treat ourselves to a nice meal on Peggy and Gail. Real nice spot, and quite frankly my second favorite restaurant in all of the USA, next to Erie Market Place.

After the meal Andrew #19 headed to the library, at which point Mike #4 and I took in a little vintage WWF; a very educational documentary on the Undertakers rise through the ranks of the federation. I feel like the Edmonton Oilers could use a guy like the taker to give them a little more sandpaper, but heck what organization wouldn't want someone like him!

After the wrestling Andy picked me up and we went over to the local theatre and took in Disney's latest flick "Wreck-It-Ralph" with a couple of the freshman. Real feel good movie with a great story and a couple good laughs, I was more than impressed. But now just got home and heading to bed, time to start thinking about Morrisville!

Honking and Waving

Started the day off by giving my good friend and team captain Brett Mueller #26 a lift to school today, front door service. He was a little embarrassed by some of my antics (honking, waving) but I think he'll get over it.

Had a great day today at practice, the boys were firing on all cylinders, and I think we're in a great spot heading into the weekend. Really excited about the orange line, I think if Sneeky Deeky #10 keeps playing the way he has been, our group could do some real damage.

Just enjoyed a gourmet meal at the William Center with #4, I had a slice of pizza and well for Hehrsy the question is more along the lines of what he didn't get. Poor guy might not be able to drive home.

Anyway, overall great day and looking forward to tomorrow!

Happy Halloween

Just got home from night class with #4 Mike Hehr, had a great 2.5 hours of Marketing Foundations, some real good book learning. Hehrsy is making a late charge up the standings after a slow start in the class, but I believe in him.

 

After a great practice and a riveting night class, I arrived home to some of the boys handing out candy to the local treaters; some real cute kids with some awesome costumes. A little different than Canada where my winter jacket would always take away from the spunk of my costume, but that's ok.

 

On the hockey end of things, I think the club is making progress everyday, and everyone is really stoked for the match up with Morrisville on the weekend. Another couple good days of practice and we will be firing on all cylinders.

Here's a couple of the boys on the farm handing out candy, gettin' in the spirit of things.