Latest / The PodKaz: USCHO Women's Hockey / Episode 10: Northeastern takes the Beanpot; Colgate's Kalty Kaltounková joins the show

Transcript

Episode 10: Northeastern takes the Beanpot; Colgate's Kalty Kaltounková joins the show · The PodKaz: USCHO Women's Hockey

0:05
Welcome back to the podcast. I'm Todd Molesky along with Nicole Hasey, and
0:08
let's get right into the action from earlier this week. Tuesday night, in
0:13
front of more than ten thousand people at TD Garden, the first time the
0:16
bean Pot has ever been held at the home of the NHL's Bruins, Northeastern
0:22
won its second straight bean Pot title and nineteenth overall, to to one in
0:26
overtime over Boston University. In that championship game, Nicole a great setting for
0:34
women's college hockey with more than ten thousand people in the building, and they
0:39
got a pretty exciting finish to the game, too, didn't they. Yeah,
0:43
well, the consolation game went into extra time too, so yeah,
0:48
it was. The reports from people that were there is that it was electric
0:52
and that you could really feel that that were that many people there, And
0:55
I just I think it's really exciting, particularly because the Boston teams kind of
1:00
struggle with getting people to come to the games. And I don't think that's
1:03
through any fault of their own. I just like, I know that there's
1:07
obviously a lot of competition for money and time for your entertainment in Boston,
1:11
but you know, I looked up the two Northeastern and Boston University total this
1:17
season combined have only drawn eleven thousand people heading into like I think it was
1:23
over combined nineteen or twenty games. So that ten thousand number is just a
1:27
huge number for women's college hockey in Boston. And it's about time that the
1:32
bean pot got, you know, the women's bean pot got the same attention,
1:36
you know as the men. And I was really happy to see that
1:38
it got the production and sort of the whole, the whole kitt kaboodle,
1:42
right. It wasn't just we're going to throw it on here on the size
1:46
and see what happened. So, you know, another great step for women's
1:49
college hockey and women's hockey overall. And I mean, I think it the
1:53
timing of what's going on with PWHL and stuff too. I think it just
1:57
it really was a great time for that step to be made, for tuitous
2:00
timing for the attention to be in women's hockey. So pretty exciting game and
2:07
Skyler Irving had a day. Yeah, yeah, both her goals were just
2:13
I mean that her goal in overtime, she just looked like everybody else was
2:15
standing still. So way to go for her. Yeah, and you're in
2:21
three on three overtime. When you can get a step on a defender,
2:24
that's such a big thing, and that's what she seemed like she did.
2:28
She had that, she got to the net, and she made a count
2:30
for a second goal of the game. Just really the first shift of the
2:36
overtime. There wasn't much to get settled there or anything. And I will
2:40
say that it was good to have a winner in overtime because you know,
2:46
the shootouts are exciting that and we saw a few of them in a couple
2:50
of them in the bean Pot, but still not the greatest way to determine
2:54
a champion. I understand the why why that's the rule, but I would
3:01
not have loved to have seen the being Pot champion decided by a shootout.
3:10
No, And I mean the bean Pot is fun because it is of such
3:15
big importance to folks out East in a way that I don't think anybody not
3:20
from out there can truly understand. But it was it was pretty amazing.
3:25
I mean, they had the Mayor of Boston, the governor of Massachusetts,
3:30
where both women and was a huge women's run broadcast in front of the camera
3:37
and behind it through nessen. So I just I thought it was very cool
3:43
to see all of that be a part of this, not just that it
3:47
was was women's hockey on the ice. Yep, it shout out to the
3:53
I'd say shout out to the goalies. In the Conflation game there shootouts.
3:58
There was one goal scored, right mm hmm, so and that was that
4:01
was with two That was not Boston College's starting goalie. It was Harvard's goalie
4:08
who has been out due to some injuries and stuff. So both of them
4:13
are not like it's not like they have several months of season behind them.
4:16
So yeah, that was As much as you do you don't like the shootout,
4:19
I thought that was a pretty good way for the shootout to go,
4:23
and it was cool to see the goalies show out. I have a difficult
4:30
relationship with shootouts. I guess I enjoy them while they're happening, but how
4:35
college hockey counts them is really what that's valid annoys me because you know,
4:43
that ended up a two two tie between Harvard and BC, and that's how
4:46
it goes in the books, Whereas you know, just about every other level
4:50
that plays shootouts gives the goal an extra goal. In the final score to
4:57
the team that wins the shootout. So it's it's it's one of those things
5:02
where college hockey is kind of off on an island, and I've never really
5:06
liked that. And and we see where where TV people get it wrong all
5:11
the time by putting the final score as the DOW In other words, were
5:15
Harvard last on Tuesday Night but when it was actually to Too Thai? But
5:20
yeah, so well, and not all the conferences will do shoot Yeah,
5:24
at some point this definitely needs to become a more universal, like everybody's doing
5:29
it and doing it the same way. So if you could see the pain
5:32
on my face from just knowing how many years that we've gone around and around,
5:38
I know, I know, but please, I guess much much like
5:44
the half points in the easy easy standings, It's just it is what it
5:48
is, I guess. But yeah, I get it. I'm always feel
5:53
different because I come you know, I came to hockey through soccer and it
5:57
was a soccer goalie, and shootouts are just part of what it is.
6:00
And also because nobody wants to keep playing at the point that we get to
6:03
shoot out in soccer. I mean, obviously they do, but it's a
6:08
lot of running, so yeah, but I think I do think I feel
6:12
differently about it because it's it's much more a part of the history of soccer,
6:17
and so it doesn't bother me quite as much in hockey as it does
6:20
for some people, which I understand. I want to touch on some other
6:26
things that have happened over the last week in women's college hockey, just to
6:30
mention. Stick with us because we've got a great interview coming with Kalti culton
6:33
Kova from Colgate, the nation's leading score forty six points for Colgate, who
6:39
is number two in the pairwise right now and one of the top teams in
6:42
the country. So stick with us for that in our next segment. But
6:46
a couple of things to touch on before we get there. Ohio State continued
6:50
on its role, beating Minnesota Duluth three nothing and one nothing, so obviously
6:56
a great defensive weekend there. Reagan Kirk had to make fourteen saves for the
7:02
win on Friday and Amanda Teeley eighteen saves for the one nothing win on Saturday.
7:10
Hannahbilka scored in the third period of that game that was a zero zero
7:13
game going to the third and that. I mean that just was a power
7:15
play going like the final five five four minutes something like that. Yeah,
7:18
and that felt like a playoff kind of game. Yeah, just watching that
7:23
that it was you know that just everyone was kind of yeah, yeah,
7:30
everyone was giving a little extra effort knowing that there was something on the line
7:32
there going to the third period and that that was pretty cool. See.
7:36
And I just shout out to you MD for keeping both of those games pretty
7:41
close, and after we saw what Ohio State can do, I think there
7:45
is there's definitely some positives to take and I'm sure they don't feel that way,
7:48
but there's definitely positives take for u MD for keeping those two games so
7:53
close, particularly taking Ohio State scoreless till the final five minutes regulation and then
7:58
only giving it up on the power play. And we talked last week about
8:01
how it would you know, be big for Duluth to be able to get
8:05
something out of that series in terms of both you know, standings and pair
8:07
wise, and they weren't able to do that, but they, like you're
8:11
saying, did get something. I feel like in being right there in that
8:16
in both of those games. Really, I mean, if it comes down
8:18
to comparing you know, if we're talking like Minnesota and Minnesota Duluth, and
8:22
you know, you look at how they compare against the top two teams.
8:24
I do think there was a perception game by UMD there that obviously isn't going
8:31
to show in their their pair wise numbers, But I do think that that
8:33
really helped their story for the end of the year. That Friday win for
8:41
Ohio State helped Nadine Musral pass Jackie Bardow for the all time wins lead at
8:48
Ohio State with number one seventy nine. She got number one eighty on Saturday,
8:52
So Congratinatine, and that's a nice milestone to have. It kind of
9:00
shows, you know how good they've been over the last few years that that's
9:03
for sure. She feels like she just took the job. Yeah, yeah,
9:09
yeah, I know obviously it's not and not that recently, but it
9:11
also does not feel that long ago, which maybe says more about me and
9:15
my age than anything else. But I just it feels like she just got
9:18
there. So when they had set that out this weekend, I was like,
9:20
Wow, that's an amazing accomplishment she's pulled there. Yeah, Like I
9:26
mentioned, we're going to talk to Colton Calton Cova and in a few minutes.
9:30
But another really good weekend for Colgate five nothing over Quinnipiac, six nothing
9:35
over Princeton. So another team with two shoutouts over the weekend. It seemed
9:41
to be the thing to do as a as a highly ranked team last weekend.
9:46
Yeah, and then the other that I thought was big was Cornell came
9:48
out with two wins too. So they beat five to three over Princeton and
9:54
then they were four to three over Quinnipiac. Quinnipiac was probably the least happy
10:00
team coming out of those easy AC games this weekend. Definitely didn't do themselves
10:05
any well, any any good. But I Cornell is a team that's on
10:07
the younger side, and you know, I have freshman goalie and alis bergman
10:11
who came in a year early, and so I think I really feel like
10:16
they're starting to find, you know, their their stride or however you want
10:20
to say it. They're coming into their own and really figuring themselves out as
10:22
a team. So I definitely think they are going to continue to be to
10:26
climb in the ECAC seelings and be one of those teams that hits their stride
10:31
when when it matters most. Yeah, quinnip I has feel especially, you
10:37
know, upset about the way that turned out because they, you know,
10:41
close to three or three with a few minutes to go against Cornell on Saturday
10:46
and had Gaby Rude score in the final minute for Cornell for four to three
10:50
wins. So to be that close to at least getting something, you know,
10:52
getting a point and you know, less of a blow in the pair
10:58
wise and terms of a regulation loss versus an overtime loss or better for them,
11:05
that's a tough one to take. Yeah, So at the top of
11:07
ECAC is Colgate with thirty nine points and Clerkson behind half a point thirty eight
11:13
point five, Saint Lorens with thirty four, and then Cornell and Quinnipiac tied
11:16
with twenty nine points. And those first four teams all have fourteen games played.
11:22
Quinnipiac has one extra, so the standings have sort of sorted themselves out
11:26
there a little. But yeah, Clarkson's going to continue to push Colgate,
11:30
so that'll definitely be interesting and Clerkson Brown of all teams gave Clerkson a little
11:35
scare this weekend, so I appreciate. I'm loving how much some of the
11:41
teams that are lower in the standings are are not taking anything or not letting
11:45
anybody take them for granted, and are pushing those top teams in the conference
11:48
and not letting them take a day off. Yeah, a result I didn't
11:52
see coming on Saturday, Saint Thomas beating number nine Saint Cloud State five to
11:58
one. I mean, the result is is one thing St. Saint Thomas
12:01
said, I can't or fourth win the season something like that, or in
12:07
league play, it's it's certainly not many. But they were down one nothing
12:13
after one period and then scored five straight goals, two of them by Laurence
12:16
Stensley, to to overtake Saint Cloud and really kind of shake things up a
12:22
little bit there. For for a few hours, it seemed like yeah,
12:26
and I so interestingly like three empty net goals, so the the you know,
12:31
they got their goal ahead goal from Riley Bart's with about eight and a
12:35
half minutes left, and Saint Thomas was I'm sorry, Saint Cloud State was
12:39
going to push back. They pulled their goalie pretty early, and good on
12:43
Saint Thomas to like they withstood that pressure and they they kept fine in the
12:46
back of the net. I mean, you just rarely see three empty net
12:50
goals in a game, So I was. I was impressed with the composure
12:56
and the poise from from Saint Thomas to able to hold onto that puck and
12:58
the spinal few minutes and then put the game out of reach. Over in
13:03
the CHA there was a couple of impressive results for linden Wood, getting a
13:09
sweep of ri T at home four to two on Friday, and then overtime
13:15
win three to two on Saturday. Uh, you know, that's that's a
13:18
program that's building. I mean, one of the still one of the the
13:22
newer Division One teams even though they've been around for you know a little while
13:28
now. But getting a Sarah Davies goal in overtime to sweep a series after
13:33
leading to nothing and then having ri T come back and tie with two second
13:37
period goals nice A nice little boost for for linden Wood at this point this
13:43
season, I would imagine, Yeah, absolutely, I think you know,
13:46
anytime they those wins are hard to come by. I mean they only had
13:50
five conference conference wins all year last year and our five six and one this
13:54
year already, and you know, a sweep and as you said, like
13:58
just it builds some of them and builds the confidence, and so I think,
14:01
yeah, and like you said that, the overtime and the come from
14:05
behind, like those are the sorts of things that you need to be doing
14:07
to dig deep a little more and show, you know, those are the
14:11
sorts of things that they'll be able to kind of call back to when they're
14:15
playing in the postseason. So all right, we're going to take a break.
14:18
When we come back, we've got Kalti culton Kova, the national scoring
14:22
leader from Colgate, for an interview, and I hope you'll stick around for
14:26
that. Welcome back to the podcast. I'm Nicole Hasey. That is Tom
14:37
Malesky. We are here with Kalti culton Kova from Colgate University. Thanks for
14:43
coming in with us. Kulti, Hi, thank you so much for having
14:46
me. I appreciate you taking your time and inviting me to this podcast.
14:52
We're excited to have you here. We're going to talk a little bit about
14:56
Holgate this season, but also want to talk about your season and in your
15:00
growth as a player. So you know, I I had particularly noticed sort
15:05
of from like your sophomore to junior year, just the way that your game
15:09
sort of had progressed and maybe like fine tuned a little. And it feels
15:15
like, you know, as you you've got gotten on in your college career,
15:18
we've seen the ways that like you're able to sort of control your body
15:22
and use your size, and I guess maybe if you could just tell everybody
15:26
a little bit about, you know, sort of how how that has progressed
15:28
for you and how your you think your game has evolved in your four years
15:31
there. Yeah, so, I mean I've put a lot of work in
15:37
starting college and way before that. But it's definitely you know, talking about
15:43
my size and using my body sometimes that that's an issue on the ice,
15:48
but I have I know we have all seen it, but you know it's
15:52
not something that you know is intentional or anything. I just try to I
15:58
was always taught to hard, you know, win pocks and win games,
16:04
and I don't like to lose. And you'll always expect me, uh to
16:08
play my hardest and give it my best, and sometimes, you know,
16:12
my body gets in the way. But I think I would rather do that
16:18
than just kind of be on and off and I'll give it my all,
16:22
you know. I like to balance my heart work and rest. I also
16:26
prioritize getting some rest in because with school and social life and you know,
16:33
just balancing it out, it can be a lot and so and hockey on
16:37
top of that obviously, So rest has definitely been something that I've prioritized over
16:42
the years as well. And yeah, you know, obviously it's not always
16:49
easy, but I've found a way over the years and it's it's been better
16:53
and better. And I just follow up on that real quick, because sometimes
16:57
I I feel like I've seen penalties that get called for, you know,
17:03
basically two minutes for being stronger than the other player. And I wonder whether
17:08
you feel that's that's a thing, and whether you feel like that's changed it
17:12
all over the course of your career, because uh, you know, there's
17:15
been an idea that's been floated to referees and you know from from the commissioners
17:21
too, to the referees that you know that shouldn't necessarily be a penalty.
17:26
You should be allowed to be physical without being penalized. And I don't know
17:30
how you see that from from your perspective, whether that's changed over your career.
17:36
One. I mean again, I mean I joke about it with my
17:40
strength coach that I maybe I should lift a little less, but I just
17:47
I mean, my dad is strong and I think I got some genes from
17:51
that, And so it's it's difficult, right, because you just go with
17:56
the thought that you want to win a battle, and you want to get
17:59
a puck, make your teammates better, give a pass to a teammate,
18:03
and again, not lose, right, I'm not losing comes to battles games,
18:08
you know, little things in games, right, So it's not always
18:12
easy, especially when they call stuff that maybe shouldn't be called. I've seen
18:18
that a lot and felt that a lot. But again it's it's about how
18:22
I respond to it, right, It's something I can't really control every time.
18:26
Is it unfair? Probably? You know, sometimes it is not saying
18:30
that I'm I'm an angel either, right, Penalties that definitely deserve to be
18:36
called. But you know, when it comes to body checking, I just
18:41
my mentality is go hard, whin the puck, and if there's something in
18:45
the way, sometimes I get called for it, sometimes I don't. I
18:48
think it has changed over the years as the game has progressed. I think,
18:55
uh, women's hockey has been more about physicality than it was back My
19:00
freshman, sophomore, even junior year. Honestly, even last year we saw
19:07
a big difference. So I would say junior senior year have been really kind
19:11
of accommodating to more physicality than freshman and sophomore year. Not gonna even talk
19:17
about high school because that was that was crazy. But it's about how I
19:22
respond to it. Again, like I spend a lot of time working on
19:26
my mental health, making spending a lot of time on my mental game as
19:30
well, working with Melanie jew that has been great. And it's again you
19:37
know, some things you just can't control, and it's how you respond to
19:38
it. You have a quick second to respond and that stuff matters. Yeah,
19:45
how much of that? Like I have talked to your coach, Greg
19:48
Fargo about what what we play free means and what the sort of philosophy at
19:52
Colgate is And you're talking a little a little bit like you just you just
19:56
need to go and you know sort of whatever happens like that that might result
20:02
in some physicality. How much did that come? Like has that helped your
20:04
game? And how much of that philosophy is It's part of like why you
20:07
like playing a cool game? For sure, It's something that we go by
20:11
as a team that I go by personally, and it's something that we follow.
20:17
And I really enjoy playing for a team that plays free because I think
20:21
my creativity can really come out and I can play my game. With that
20:25
said, of course, we have our systems and game play gameplay play U
20:30
that we follow, but it's just knowing that we're able to play free play
20:33
our game and that we're here because the coaches wanted us to be here,
20:36
you know, and that is important. Just kinda not worrying about anything.
20:42
Just play your game, like you said, you know, obviously sometimes stuff
20:48
might gate get out of the way, but I just think it comes down
20:53
to be you, like, just play hockey honestly and be creative make plays.
21:03
It seems like it's worked pretty well for you because January thirteenth, he
21:07
became the Colgate record holder for career goals scored, scoring your seventy eighth.
21:11
You've added since then. I believe what did that mean to you, dude?
21:15
To be on top of that list, And it's, you know,
21:18
a career kind of recognition of what you've been able to do there in your
21:22
time. It feels great, But I mean, obviously I wouldn't be able
21:27
to do it with my teammates. When you think about it, a lot
21:30
of my goals consist of power play goals, and just thinking about that,
21:34
if my teammates didn't sacrifice their bodies and didn't go into battles or skate the
21:38
puck or try to make a play and you know, sacrifice something to draw
21:44
a penalty, I you know, we wouldn't be on power play. I
21:47
wouldn't be able to go out there with my power play you know, and
21:51
do our things. So I just think that's really important to notice those things
21:56
too, right, It's it's really great to just focus on the visual piece
22:00
of it. And of course I'm you know, really thankful and and you
22:04
know, grateful and proud, but it really comes down to a reflection of
22:11
my team. Really, why do you what is it about the power play
22:17
and about that situation that seems to really like speak to your game and allow
22:21
you to be at your best. Uh in front of the net. So
22:26
using my body again, but I just think I can winpucks over in the
22:33
blue paint and and around the net. I think I can set my teammates
22:37
up to But I've just been in front of the net. This power play
22:41
unit, so just you know, being hard on every puck, finding the
22:45
puck, and you know, just being able to put it in the net.
22:48
Sometimes it's lucky goals, sometimes it's ugly goals, but those goals count
22:52
to you know. But it's just all a product of what we work on
22:56
as a unit during practice with our coaches help, and you know, it's
23:03
just I'm just happy that it goes in or if I get an assist,
23:06
or even just if we score as a unit, because it gets our momentum
23:10
going. And you know, we have a unit that wants to make an
23:12
impact, so we we really try to do that in any way that we
23:15
can. I'm always curious with you know, players that are known for their
23:22
offensive numbers and things like that. I have noticed that, you know,
23:27
Colgate has three straight shutouts too, nine for the season. There has to
23:33
be a lot of pride as a forward though, too, in being a
23:37
part of a team that can play well defensively and can control the game so
23:41
that you're not playing in your defensive zone a lot. How much of your
23:45
game has developed that way, in being strong in your own zone and then
23:51
in the neutral zone to prevent being in your own zone and where do you
23:55
feel like maybe that's that's come along the most. Yeah, I mean I
23:59
have to give a shout to our goalies. Murph and and Kaylee have been
24:03
really great. Their puck plays is insane. I always get a call from
24:07
my dad that he's going to get a heart attack from them coming out of
24:11
the net and play like that. But we'll take it honestly, like they
24:15
make crazy plays and it's it's showing up big time for us because it's almost
24:21
like having a six player on the ice, and their ability to keep us
24:25
in some games is insane. Sometimes we're able to capitalize and score. Sometimes
24:30
we're not. But I think every game they just they give us a real
24:34
shot and that's super important. You know. I think that we're as a
24:41
team, we're pretty good defensively. We don't really like to spend much time
24:45
in our D zone obviously, especially I think, uh my line does that
24:51
pretty well. We don't really get locked up in our D zone too much.
24:56
Uh, But that comes from you know, the shift before and shift
25:00
before that, how we set up the ice for our teammates, how we
25:03
leave it and a lot of times my my teammates or our previous line just
25:08
sets us up and that just makes the job a little easier for us to
25:11
stay in the in the ozone. So that definitely helps a lot. Have
25:17
you worked on it looks like maybe like shot selection and being sort of smarter
25:21
with what you do with the puck is something that you've sort of progressed on
25:23
in your in your career, and particularly this year, I'm seeing like shot
25:27
percentage go up, and just that it's it seems to be more deliberate from
25:30
you, for sure. I mean I always try to aim for at least
25:36
five shots a game. Not every time it works out, but when it
25:38
does great. Obviously the more shots the better. But I have over the
25:45
years, I just I just try to shoot it at the net, right.
25:48
I try to think, we uh, you know, look at goalies
25:52
tendencies. You know, what's my best chance when I'm shooting this puck right
25:56
now? Sometimes it's off the path. Honestly, I can't. I can't
26:00
tell you how many times I've tried to shoot for a pad or my teammates
26:04
stick anyone in uh. And you know that goes back to being lucky sometimes,
26:08
But I also think it comes comes with being prepared and thinking about it
26:12
a little bit. That also comes back to what I do with my mental
26:17
game. You know, preparing and self reflection has been huge. So self
26:22
reflecting on every game how that went, and then in practice, you know,
26:26
if I know something worked out, you know, it's not always barred
26:30
down, and so really building those skills too, right, Like I said,
26:34
power play not always pretty goals, but it's about getting it in.
26:37
You know. Can you speak a little bit to the the path that you
26:44
took to Colgate and to college hockey and when that became your goal and and
26:51
I guess how that happened for you. Yeah, I definitely definitely want to
26:55
bring it back to when I was a little girl. Though I was I
26:57
went through a bit of a journey because in Europe hockey women's hockey is not
27:03
great, and so I grew up in the Czech Republic, played for my
27:07
hometown. I loved hockey, and when I was nine years old, I
27:14
had to drive an hour and a half to get to practice or a game
27:18
because because I had to switch teams. I can know any more. Play
27:22
for my hometown, it kind of fell apart because my town is really small,
27:26
and you know, sometimes I had to do it twice a day and
27:30
then an hour and a half back, and you know, it's it wasn't
27:34
easy, but especially because I went to school in my hometown and had to
27:41
drive for practices and games about an hour and a half away to blood Abolis.
27:45
Love is for your own geographical but yeah, and I had to wake
27:53
up to go to school, sometimes leave school early to get to my practice
27:56
on time. I had to do homework and study for tests in the car.
28:00
You know, my parents used to quiz me while driving. Looking back,
28:03
it probably was not the safest thing, but I played with boys that
28:08
were usually a year older than me, and I was the only girl there,
28:12
so you can probably imagine it was a little tough at times, especially
28:15
when boys started hitting puberty. And you know, luckily for this team,
28:21
I was able to dress in the same locker room so that I could really
28:26
be a part of the team and it did show big time. But it
28:29
wasn't always easy, right, But you know, once I grew closer with
28:33
the players and their families, it became a lot better. But then eventually
28:37
I had to switch teams again to continue to get better. So my parents
28:41
always had this mentality of chasing something bigger and better. Right, Once I
28:47
caught up to those one year older boys, I was, you know,
28:51
they're like, all right, we're leaving, and I said, no,
28:52
you know, if I finally made friends and you're you know, pulling me
28:56
away again. And so I ended up going to uh Hlava, which is
29:00
my youth team when I was twelve. There it was it was a little
29:06
rocky, h I went through some adversity with you know, playing time,
29:11
and you know, the coaches weren't big fans of girls, and so that
29:15
all affected my playing time. And you know, I was able to work
29:19
out with the guys off the ice, which really helped me and got me
29:22
stronger, which now I don't know, maybe I shouldn't have right, but
29:29
you know, again not the easiest time, but I take it all as
29:32
a positive and something that has shaped me into the player and the person I
29:36
am today. And then two and a half years later I was able to
29:42
actually probably a year later, I was able to go to a school fair
29:47
in Prague because back then the national team equipment manager, he was the best.
29:52
Really he always talked to a few of us who were interested in going
29:57
abroad because we kind of knew that back home. There's not much opportunity for
30:02
us unless we play with boys, which after my horrible experience, I was
30:07
like not doing that anymore. And so he introduced me to this fair that
30:11
they do for prep American and Canadian prep schools, and so I went there
30:17
with my parents and that's where I found out about VA And after that we
30:22
just kind of kept closet contact. Then my mom sent me back to that
30:26
old club. She's like, you gotta go back, but you got to
30:29
live on your own for a year because something happens. I'm not gonna be,
30:33
you know, across the ocean. I can drive an hour and fifteen,
30:37
not an hour and a half this time, an hour and fifteen,
30:40
and I can I can help you out. I can teach how to do
30:42
laundry, you know, and all that, how to take care of yourself.
30:47
Because I was fourteen, right, I mean, it's not you don't
30:49
really know much about life at that point. And so a year later I
30:55
finally was able to go and arrived at Vermont Academy and it was a great
31:02
experience. Honestly, I loved my team. I loved the people that I
31:06
met there. My coaches switched a couple of times, but you know,
31:10
honestly, all of them had great impact on me in many different ways and
31:15
many many facetimes back home, how to turn on the laundry, what kind
31:19
of are the washer? Do I put a colder or hot? You know?
31:25
So, but at least I had little basics from living abroad or not
31:30
abroad, but away from home for a year before that. But honestly,
31:33
I just kind of go with the flow, and so I think that's what
31:36
I did then. I just kind of, you know, took it as
31:38
it went day by day. And it was great because a lot of people,
31:45
especially faculty and staff, they kind of took me in and and helped
31:48
me out a lot. I was able to stay at their homes during Thanksgiving,
31:52
you know, because you don't really can't. You can't really fly all
31:55
the way to Europe for such a short amount of time. And so great
32:00
experience hockey. I had so much fun and it was just an overall grade
32:07
experience. And I love watching my where my back then teammates are now.
32:12
You know, I'm so glad that one girl is doing great and Norwich.
32:15
You know, she's there, I think literally points leading scorer or something.
32:19
So you know, it's really great to look back because I have made really
32:22
really great, great connections there and then I got recruited. It was my
32:28
so I went there my sophomore. I skipped freshman year because we do nine
32:31
grades in elementary school back home, so I kind of took that in.
32:35
It was my ninth grade and then I went straight into tenth grade and I
32:39
got committed that spring, I think in January, to Colgate and yeah,
32:46
it was great. I love the coaches, I love the facilities, and
32:52
left campus. It's so pretty, just a little slippery in the winter you
32:57
really want to be going down the hill. But honestly, probably the best
33:01
two choices I've ever made. And my parents kinda, you know, they
33:06
kind of let me do my own thing and pick where I want to go
33:07
because they're like, you know what, you picked Vermont Academy, and you
33:12
had, you know, a great time, So we trust you enough that
33:16
you'll know what's best for you at this point and we'll just support you with
33:20
whatever. And I also really want to give them a shout out too,
33:23
because I don't come from a hockey family and we did not have great hockey
33:29
opportunities in my hometown. Nearby. So their dedication to bring me around,
33:34
check to whatever would make me better and help me achieve my dreams is admirable
33:38
and I'm so thankful for them everything they have done and their continuous support and
33:45
after every game still now, I just checked my phone to see if my
33:49
parents texted me, because you know, they just kind of know me so
33:52
well at this point, and so that's just kinda what I rely on to
33:57
see, how I truly did you know? That's awesome, That's yeah,
34:01
that's a huge decision to make at such a young age. And then like
34:06
you've been over here ever since basically, oh my god, it's it's seventh
34:10
year this year, Yeah, seven years, and again shout out to my
34:15
mom. I know a lot of parents from here, and my teammate's parents
34:19
and my you know, high school teamates parents or friends parents that are just
34:24
they can't even imagine them. I know a lot of hockey girls have to
34:28
do that, but you know, I just I just really I love my
34:31
mom and I respect her and my dad obviously, and my brother is just
34:36
you know, to send your child away. I'm getting older and I kind
34:39
of see it now when I was a kid, it's like, oh whatever,
34:42
I get to go fly across the ocean and live on my own,
34:45
you know. But now getting older, I kind of realized that that's a
34:49
huge task for a parent. I hope that do you I guess I should
34:54
ask you? Do you see I know that it is baby steps and I've
34:58
talked to Aleena Mills quite a bit about this, but do you see things
35:01
improving back home that maybe this doesn't have to be what you have to do
35:06
if you are a check girl that wants to continue playing hockey? For sure,
35:10
I am, you know, I really I see what they do,
35:15
and I I really appreciate what they have done for the game and just really
35:22
proud of the progress that the national team has made. Their efforts have positive
35:28
of it positively impacted the perception of check women's hockey, or women's hockey in
35:34
check in general on a national but also international level, And you know that's
35:39
really important because it's creating more opportunities for young girls that we didn't have.
35:45
You know, it's if it spares a girl from you know, having to
35:49
struggle with boys in a locker room and dealing with all that, I'm all
35:52
for it. It's huge. Girls need to have motivations. They need to
35:55
be able to set goals exactly what the p WHL is doing. Right.
36:02
It's just it's important for the girls to see, oh, I could be
36:07
playing pro one day. You know, it's no longer oh college done or
36:13
what after that? Right, It's it compares a little a little bit more
36:16
to guys, not as obviously na on such a calib big caliber, but
36:22
its small steps, but it's it's huge. It seemed like the U eighteens
36:27
like obviously that unfortunately that the semi final game wasn't televised back home, but
36:30
when they made the gold medal game that was put on television, and it
36:34
felt like they got the reception when they came back home and the president was
36:37
tweeting and using social media, it felt like at least that they were getting
36:42
similar to how the World Juniors team had for sure, and they deserved that.
36:47
They were just as hard, you know. And it's it's for all
36:52
the negative comments that you read under women's hockey or girls hockey, and these
36:55
girls put so much effort and time in it, because I know myself how
37:00
much how much I put into it, and I know it's it was always
37:04
our dream to even get a medal. You know, it's so different from
37:07
the US and Canada because you kind of go into the tournament assuming that you're
37:12
probably gonna end up up there. For US, it was just here's a
37:15
tournament, and we got to show up and we got to be better than
37:17
we were last year. And I have never gotten the medal for UA teens
37:23
that I have. I was for I was at I was at four tournaments
37:28
and you know, we were closed at one point, we were losing by
37:31
one to Canada and Russia. So that was like my my biggest highlight from
37:37
that tournament that we could actually compare to some big players. But again,
37:42
I'm so proud of them and I I I'm so just so happy for them.
37:46
It was very cool. Oh I'm sorry, it was just very I
37:50
was there in Switzerland, so it was very cool to you know that that
37:52
opening loss was such a tough hit for them, and to see that growth
37:57
from that to the that semi final one with just it was really awesome.
38:00
It's it's amazing to me in such a short tournament, how much can happen,
38:05
you know, after that first one and talking to the coach and do
38:08
something we're talking about like, you know, trying to compare to what the
38:12
senior team did and stuff, and then to turn around and have that happen
38:14
a few days later was really cool. For sure, I was watching from
38:17
here my Canadian teammates who were watching that game with me for check. But
38:23
I also had a teammate Pickering on the Canadian national team, so I felt
38:28
a little bad for her, but again I was following along, and I'm
38:30
super proud. My last question for you is you were number ninety eight?
38:37
Is what's this? And you know that's a not a the common you know,
38:43
you know, low number of hockey tradition. How did you start wearing
38:47
that? And and how long have you started wearing How long have you been
38:52
wearing that? So I wore number eight when I was growing up, and
38:59
then well number nine then it was taken. Actually, let me rewind.
39:04
I was wearing number fourteen, I now remember, and I would always fight
39:07
for number fourteen because that was a high frequency number in players. But then
39:13
I switched to number nine, and then I switched to number eight because nine
39:17
was taken, and so I just kind of floated around a little bit,
39:22
but stuck with number eight, played with in high school and when I would
39:27
go to roller hockey World Championships or bowl hockey, ninety eight was just my
39:34
my number, partly because eight usually it's taken, but ninety eight I just
39:39
think it looks good with my last name because it's so long, so kind
39:43
of fits the blessed space. I love that. It's aesthetic. That's amazing
39:46
a little bit. Yeah, you know, you gotta feel good to play
39:50
good. Yeah, yeah, And so so ninety eight was always in my
39:57
in my you know, back pocket, and so knowing that when I came
40:00
to Colgate, well before I came to Golgate, I knew number eight was
40:02
taken, and so I was able to get ninety eight. And you know,
40:07
I love it. It's it's unique. And now people you know,
40:13
ninety eight is Badard, which is you know, whatever it used to be,
40:16
to be my own group a little more public, we'll see more ninety
40:22
is out and out there now, not because of me, but maybe I'll
40:27
like to do so. Yeah, we'll give you the credit. Yeah,
40:30
I guess I just wanted to ask. Maybe we know that it's difficult for
40:35
people to watch a lot of women's college hockey, and that it's you know,
40:37
and any given weekend, there's a lot going on, So I guess
40:40
I kind of wanted to ask. I feel like Colgate hasn't got a ton
40:44
of attention. I think that like, you know, you guys kind of
40:46
burst down the scene a couple of years ago, like the you know,
40:50
making the final and twenty eighteen, and have been consistently good since then.
40:53
And I think maybe people everyone's kind of taking it for granted that you're,
40:57
you know, this very good team, you know, top five team,
41:00
and you know, like I've been voting you to in the polls and stuff,
41:02
and so I just wanted to give you a chance to maybe tell us
41:07
a little bit like what we should be watching for, Like why why they
41:09
should be making a priority to watch Colgate this season. Yeah, I think
41:15
we're fun to watch. We have some physical players, not just me,
41:19
there are some physical players, but we also have a lot of talent.
41:22
You know, you'll look at the you'll look at the roster and you see
41:25
Simpson, Sir Dakney Bard, Beiederman, Greg Goalie, Murphy and Osborne you
41:31
know, and I could go on. The list goes on, but I
41:35
just think you get you're up for a good hockey game. That's physical,
41:38
that's you know, just well rounded. We can score goals, we can
41:43
play hard, we can make plays, and that's something that I think makes
41:46
us special. And we play together, we have fun. But I also
41:51
want to acknowledge that, you know, we didn't get here on our own,
41:55
and it's maybe the teams that didn't win the ECA SEE or the you
42:00
know, any other titles in the past, but who definitely have helped pave
42:04
the way for us to be where we are. And it starts with the
42:07
women that women that started the program and fought for an opportunity, and it
42:10
continues with the legacy of women who are dedicated to hockey and to make our
42:15
program better, right, and that goes through generations. And so I think
42:20
that makes our program special too, because they actually had to do a lawsuit
42:24
against the school to have a varsity program and build it from D three to
42:29
D one. So, you know, stuff like that is super cool.
42:35
But it's the people you surround yourself with. You look around and it's you
42:40
know, we have some really great people, and we have players that have
42:45
talent, but honestly, everyone on the college level is talented, and so
42:51
with that you need hard work. You need people who are willing to go
42:54
in and sacrifice whatever it takes on and off the ice for preparation or when
43:00
it comes to just during the game. And you know, it's also our
43:05
coaches that have been really great. Coach Fargo has really helped change the program
43:09
for the better since he has arrived on campus, and you know, just
43:14
making each other better. And I just think it shows up during games and
43:17
you can kind of see steel sharp and steel. You know, we have
43:20
some great players that impact each other. We make each other better and it
43:24
makes the games fun. So I don't think we should be overlooked. We're
43:28
definitely the underdogs, and that's why we want to break through every year that
43:32
I've been here, and you know it'll come either this year or next year.
43:37
Since I'm coming back for a fifth year, I will do my best
43:39
that you know, we will break this underdog kind of vibe and that people
43:44
will take us a little more seriously and give us more attention. Awesome,
43:51
Thank you, of course, Healthy. It's been great having you. Best
43:55
of luck the rest of the season, and thanks so much for joining us
44:00
on the podcast. Of course, thank you so much again, appreciate your
44:04
time, and it was great, Thanks so much for having me. Welcome
44:15
back to the podcast. Let's take a look at what we've got coming ahead
44:20
this week, and Nicole, let's start with the New Haw the leaders of
44:23
New ha Long Island playing st Anselm, who's in second place, three points
44:30
behind coming into the weekend in a two game series. So a lot online
44:36
there as we're talking about going towards the end of the season, who's you
44:39
know, in the running for you know, playoff spots or you know,
44:44
the top spot in the playoffs to have the inside track at a NCAA tournament
44:49
bid through the playoffs. There a lot could we decided this weekend? Yeah,
44:52
you know, La, you had kind of cruised through the first half
44:54
of their schedule. They were undefeated in the conference heading into the break,
44:59
and it's been a little for them coming out the other other side of the
45:01
winter break, right, So losses to Sacred Heart and Franklin Pierce. Then
45:07
they had an overtime win over Franklin Pierce and then two one goal wins over
45:10
Assumption last weekend. So yeah, so now they're coming into you know,
45:14
playing at Saint Ansel this week and home for stone Hill the following weekends.
45:17
So definitely some some big and Sacred Heart after that. So they've got some
45:21
big games against the other top teams in the country, and you know,
45:24
I think after things came really easy for them to start, it feels like
45:30
they're gonna need to dig a little a little deep here and try and find
45:32
a little bit more scoring. All these one goal margins are are it's a
45:36
tough way to succeed, that's for sure, and it's it's that razor thin
45:39
that can kind of go either way. So you know, for Saint Ansel
45:43
and they'll be looking to gain those points and pushed towards the top of the
45:46
new hot standings. Like you said, they're just those three points back.
45:50
And then stone Hill and Sacred Heart are also playing each other and they're the
45:52
three and four teams in the country Sacred Heart. Stone Hill has twenty six
45:58
points, Sacred Heart has twenty. They are tied with Franklin Pierce, just
46:02
one below them in the standing. So yeah, there's a there's a lot
46:06
of points up for grabs, and I think a lot of standings shake up
46:07
that can happen this week if any of these teams kind of go out and
46:12
grab it. So I really think that we'll see a push from Saint Ansel,
46:15
and particularly that they're at home, and I want to kind of prove
46:20
that that this conference isn't l I used to lose, you know. I
46:23
think I feel like through the beginning, when Lu was was dominating so much,
46:30
it felt like there was no other there was no other conversation being had,
46:32
that it was going to be Lu's auto bit again. And so I
46:36
feel like there's there's They've kind of left the door open a little and so
46:40
I can't wait to see what st Ansel does here. Over in ECAC we've
46:45
seen where Colgate and Clarkson have started to distance themselves at the top. But
46:52
we could see that change a little bit this weekend because Clarkson is playing Saint
46:58
Lawrence on Saturday afternoon. That's at Clarkson. So Saint Lawrence has some work
47:04
to do there to go in to Clarkson and get points there. But if
47:07
they do that, that gap becomes not quite so big, and uh so
47:14
some time left to make something happen. But the way Clarkson's been playing,
47:17
that's that's gonna be a lot to ask for, it is, and you
47:23
know, they played each other earlier in the season, but they were considered
47:27
non conference games, and that was kind of when Saint Lawrence was riding their
47:31
highest and kind of went in there and got those two losses, and I
47:35
think, you know, it was it was a little bit of drop back
47:37
to earth for the Saints. It'll be interesting, you know, the Saints
47:40
have had this this great season right like they're they're twelve and eight or eleven
47:45
three conference, but their conference losses are to all the teams that are ranked
47:47
that you are above them in the standing. So I think, you know,
47:52
if they're gonna come if they're gonna make a push both within the conference
47:58
and in the national standings, they got to come out with the win.
48:00
You know. Their last sort of big win was the was over Quinnipiac back
48:04
at the end of October when Quinnipiac was five. But recent losses, you
48:07
know, Colgate and Cornell, and so I think that they really need to
48:12
go back out and show that they should be in this conversation and should be
48:16
one of the teams that's being considered for an at large bid. And so
48:19
getting some points from Clarkson in this home and home would be would be very
48:23
big for them. We were in the wh a couple big series to watch
48:30
Number one o House State playing at number ten Saint Cloud State, which you
48:32
will remember took a victory at in Columbus earlier this season. So for Saint
48:40
Cloud there now I believe just on the wrong side of the bubble in the
48:45
pair wise when you're looking at having three teams at least three teams from outside
48:52
the top teams getting auto bids. So that's you know, Saint Cloud took
49:00
a bit of a hit last week and the pair wives from Blue Saint Thomas,
49:05
so they'll they might need some help here to to get back in and
49:10
you know there's a big one here in a couple of games against Ohowse State.
49:16
Yeah, I mean they do at least have Ohio State at home,
49:19
and then they have the bigger ice sheet, which you know, I think
49:22
plays well to their game, and they'll definitely be not only did they have
49:27
the confidence of knowing that they got those points from Ohio State, but I
49:29
think there's that sort of self consciousness of dropping those points last week, So
49:35
I mean they'll be extra motivation for sure. But I think you know,
49:38
the weekend will hinge on the player of their goalies. Who have been you
49:43
know, pretty stellar so far. So it's it's about how much they can
49:45
control that and find ways to put the puck in the net. Because even
49:51
if their goalies played great, they still have to be able to score on
49:52
Ohio State. So it'll be interesting not easy for teams, No, yeah,
49:59
I know, like I know that really obvious. However, in this
50:05
particular instance, Yeah, what will be interesting I think is how the two
50:09
team like Ohio State, just controls the puck so for so much of their
50:14
game, right, like their their best offenses or their best defense is that
50:19
the other team never gets the puck. And so I just think that it
50:22
will be interesting with that larger ice sheet and with Saint Cloud State's comfort of
50:25
using that extra space, the play of how that that goes back and forth
50:30
between those two teams and what that means for possession would make those games really
50:35
interesting to watch for me. And then the other big one, like you
50:38
mentioned Wisconsin, number two Wisconsin playing number seven Minnesota Duluth up in Duluth.
50:44
Those two teams split earlier in the season, and it's you know, kind
50:46
of the first big test Wisconsin has had since like early December. Not that
50:54
they have. I mean they have, They've they've shown some struggle, right,
50:59
Like, they did not play well that first game at Minnesota State last
51:01
weekend, and I think, you know, if they they play a game
51:05
like that against any of their upcoming opponents, they're they're gonna be in a
51:08
hole they can't get themselves out of. So I think, you know,
51:13
this is when we need to see the Badger's ramp up if they're going to
51:15
be, you know, a postseason contender. You know everybody talks about Mark
51:20
Johnson's teams or you know, always peak at the right time. Well that
51:22
the climb up that peak has to start with these games, in my opinion,
51:27
So they can't have their their typical slow start, which will be interesting
51:30
with Friday afternoon game and they you know, it's just it's sort of all
51:34
of the little stuff that just hasn't come together for them has to if they're
51:38
gonna they're gonna start. You know, they are not there. What are
51:42
they fifth in the pairwise? They're they're getting, They're getting They're pulling much
51:45
higher than their pairwise would say that they are. And part of that is
51:50
because they haven't had a ton of ranked opponents yet. They're going to catch
51:52
up to some of their their other conference meets with some of those if they
51:57
start getting you know, wins against some of their the those teams. But
52:00
yeah, the quality wind bonus would would come into play there, but they
52:05
have to get the wins for that to matter. I think it's about time
52:07
they prove that they deserve that number two ranking that they're getting from the voters.
52:13
Yeah, d Luth on the road and later in the season they're finished
52:16
with Minnesota and Ohio State at home. So yeah, those teams are those
52:21
wins, so those bonus points are out there for them if they can get
52:24
them. But that's it's easier set than done. Obviously, Sint Cloud State
52:30
in there as well. Yeah, right, Badger's seven wins in a row.
52:35
But Minnesota Luth has has actually won five of the last eight games against
52:37
Wisconsin, which was an interesting number that earlier this week. So a lot
52:44
on the line. There, a lot on the line all around the country
52:46
this weekend, so should be another good weekend of hockey watching. Yeah,
52:52
looking forward to it. It's the first time, you know, in a
52:53
few weeks I'll be able to sit down and watch a bunch of games.
52:57
So looking forward to having several screens on and getting to watch some more college
53:00
hockey. All right, thanks for joining us on the podcast. We'll see
53:05
you next week.