Latest / College Hockey Mouth / Episode 16: Nathan Walker | FGCU Hockey and CHS All-Star Europe Roster Reveals

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Episode 16: Nathan Walker | FGCU Hockey and CHS All-Star Europe Roster Reveals · College Hockey Mouth

• speaker-0: Hello everybody and welcome back to College Hockey Mouth episode 16. Another week is down here in early December, and as the pace of the league starts to slow down, we keep it rolling here with another edition. Devin Sarah joined alongside just Danny Bone for today. Our producer Gavin is MIA for this recording. But Danny, what is going on in your world? speaker-1: Well, I wanna update our our fans, our our legions, ⁓ Devin, if you will. ⁓ on top of being a a hockey aficionado and ⁓ college football nerd, I'm also a runner, avid runner, and not just from my responsibilities and feelings, although I'm pretty good at doing that too. I like to run outside. ⁓ I'm a sicko. ⁓ which is funny because when I was an active athlete, I absolutely hated cardio and now I love it. Anyways, it's temperatures are starting to drop down here. ⁓ I I live in ⁓ North Atlanta or Hot Lana. actually sidebar. Like I've lived in the Atlanta area for almost fifteen years and I've never heard a a local call it Hot Lana. So that I don't I don't understand how that's a thing. But anyways, the point is it's not so hot Lana. It's been like the wind chill has been like down in the twenties and I run outside 'cause I'm a sicko, like I said. And like part of the track I run at, the wind's just blowing like directly into my face. ⁓ so if I sound a little a little nasally or ⁓ congested, ⁓ I'm I I apologize. ⁓ that's why. ⁓ but I'm quite all right. Enough about me. I've got a couple of shout outs I want to give because a couple of our schools won conference championships in major college football over this past weekend. One one was Georgia. That I think that was one to be expected. We had three of their teams last year. their two men's teams moved on to different conferences and we wish them well in all their futures endeavors. ⁓ as they try to continue to grow the game here in the South. ⁓ but k but speaking of growing the game, women's team still a proud member of the conference. Love that another conference ⁓ SEC football championship under their belt. It's kind of annoying as a SEC alum. But ⁓ probably the story of the weekend, maybe the feel good story of the college football year, Devon. Kennesaw State, in their second year in FBS football, they win a conference championship game. They they went two and ten in their first year and they won their tenth game for the C USA Championship. Unbelievable. What a great story. Jerry Mack, their new head coach and the Hootie Hoo crew, just absolutely vibes are fantastic here in North Atlanta. ⁓ I know one of the photographers for the hockey team, the KSU hockey team, is also a photographer for the football team. So she was out there, ⁓ which is exciting. Yeah, I thought that was cool. And I know this is Gavin's favorite part of the podcast is when we talk about something other than hockey. He absolutely hates it. So ⁓ how was your weekend, Devin? speaker-0: It was good. You know, Gavin and I cannot wait until football is over 'cause that you have no way to bring up anything SEC football related ever again. I'm gonna have recording You have nothing. Y your whole personality revolves around this. Hey, I think I I think Kennesaw State is cooler than Georgia, ⁓ at least in the story wise, because if you guys watch WWE, on breaker is a Kennesaw State alum. speaker-1: Nothing to talk about. speaker-0: And ⁓ he's got this bomber jacket, he was rocking honor of Kennesaw State. That's really how I knew that, you know, they were they were champions now and ⁓ awesome to hear. But you know, my weekend was full of travel. I went over to Tampa, ⁓ called some games with the Spartans and South Florida Bulls, and game of the week did not disappoint. But we've talked about Clearwater Ice Arena on this pod before, the sprinkler system breaking and flooding the ice, the flashing of the lights. But I got to experience probably everything you can there. I knew it was gonna be bad when the sliding doors wouldn't open when I first arrived there and tried to walk in. So that was that was red flag one. I realized how difficult it was to navigate through there. I couldn't find the rink that we were actually watching the game on. The South Rink. I had to like walk through this maze of like a ramp and like a a food area the size of my studio apartment. So I was all over the map and in the The final game of the weekend, ⁓ you know, USF had this great comeback, tied the game with nine seconds left. Before that, they had a power search, whole thing goes out. So the broadcast obviously blips because the internet's got to reset itself. So we missed the tying goal to go to overtime. Nothing the guys at Black Dog can do. But I had shades of twenty twenty four and I called the ⁓ two Acheanati with ⁓ Miami, Ohio, and Indiana. And in that game we went to overtime. Flow hockey turned off the stream. during the overtime intermission. And they couldn't get it back up until a minute after Indiana scored the national championship game winning goal. So I totally had like in my mind, I'm like, like Vietnam flashback, thousand yard stare, like, ⁓ man, we're not going to catch this tying goal. But we got it back for the shootout. It was fun. ⁓ you know, thank you to everybody over there at Tampa, ⁓ for letting me have that opportunity. ⁓ you know, Carter Aynes and ⁓ Devin, our producer. Definitely ⁓ Weird but cool vantage point. That upper balcony you stand on over the railing. ⁓ passionate fans gets loud in there. Passionate parents, I'll say. But ⁓ enough about us. Great weekend all around. ⁓ we've got another special guest, and this one I've been looking forward to with a member of Florida Gulf Coast. He is a junior player from Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. Please welcome the leading scorer for Eagles hockey, Nathan Walker. Nathan, welcome to the pod. speaker-2: be here, happy to be here. Been a this past couple of weeks, playing against some ranked teams. So just happy to be on here today. speaker-3: been a ride for our team this ⁓ speaker-0: Yeah, you can say that, man. Roller coaster, you guys are ten and seven, ⁓ big time weekends and you've been really the story of this year's conference as new members. Tell us kind of about ⁓ yourself first, you know, growing up in Wisconsin, just outside of ⁓ Madison, what got you into hockey and ⁓ where you've traversed up to here? speaker-2: ⁓ so so my mom actually got me into hockey. Both my parents didn't play hockey growing up, so I'm kind of a first generation. ⁓ me and my twin brother. ⁓ my twin brother actually plays for the University of Minnesota the ⁓ the ⁓ two team. ⁓ so you the D two team this year. Up around Wisconsin there's not a speaker-3: Gophers. They actually play ⁓ F G Corn up a lot of ⁓ high level per se. speaker-2: hockey it's more like you either go to high school or you get one of the one of the three teams that has young enough groups to be able to play like high level tier one hockey ⁓ it's more like Minnesota ⁓ I played on the Capitals five or six years the Madison Capitals trail A team ⁓ and then after that I went to ⁓ high school which like a very prominent ⁓ high school up in Madison Wisconsin a lot of division one athletes have come out of there and prominent names like JJ speaker-3: ⁓ has group to But I capitals for J. Bush have come out of there. speaker-2: He's ⁓ one of the leader scorers for Penn State actually. ⁓ and then also a couple of our guys that are a bit older than me. ⁓ but then I went and played ⁓ NA three for the ⁓ Milwaukee Power when they were the Milwaukee Power, now they're the West Bend Power. ⁓ but they they've always been a good team in the NA three. ⁓ and then actually it was kinda tough. I went out to New York my senior year of high school, ⁓ my senior of high school for ⁓ for a triple A out team out in ⁓ New York called ⁓ C P. Dynamo now rebranded to be a ⁓ speaker-3: Hour? During covet year it was tough work for speaker-2: The New York Dynamo, ⁓ they have an N C D C team. They were very like very ⁓ low down the totem pole, at least when I went there. They didn't have an N C D C team, didn't have really, you know, any like resources. So I mean it was a I mean I loved the team. Just not a lot of resources. speaker-3: In outstretch. But just played there for two years, got the chance to be the ⁓ speaker-2: the ⁓ the ⁓ the caption on that team and ⁓ you know it was it was it was blessed to do that and then ⁓ went back to the three and ⁓ for the tradesman and then got lucky enough to be brought up after the ⁓ the tournament out in Blaine ⁓ to the Amarillo Wranglers in the knall a little bit ⁓ then then got b sent back to the NA three. Blew my knee out times and then after that I was like it's it's time to you know speaker-3: ⁓ Three times. It's figure out what I speaker-2: I really want to do and I was like I wanted I wanna do school and be in the medical field. So I was like I wanna go to a team where they offer that and a high level amount of hockey and I heard good things about Florida Gulf Coast, so that's kind of how I kinda ended up here and you know, started out my hockey, my hockey career. speaker-0: Yeah, you traveled so many different places, man. Wisconsin, New York, Oregon, Texas. Was that the norm for you as a kid? And how did it feel to play hockey in in all these different places? speaker-3: ⁓ it was it was definitely hard, but ⁓ speaker-2: Obviously, make those connections with those teammates. ⁓ I go to New York all the time to hang out with ⁓ my Billet brother all the time. ⁓ I go back to Wisconsin and Oregon and all those places to go see people. It was definitely always changes. So with that same mind and goal, I mean, every single experience I had at any team was always always a great thing. ⁓ speaker-3: I obvious I ⁓ it definitely like there's always but at the end of the speaker-2: Always a great thing. Yeah. speaker-1: One thing you brought up in ⁓ our pre podcast conversation is that you got to represent the US over there in Sweden. Tell us about that. speaker-3: Yeah. So twelve I was playing I was playing speaker-2: When I was with the U twelve ⁓ capitals at the time and ⁓ a coach came up to me and ⁓ actually was talking to my mom and I was and I was kind of taken aback 'cause I was like, guy talking to my mom, it's kind of weird. So ⁓ I didn't really listen to him at that point, but my mom's like, Do you really actually want to hear this guy's talking about? And was like, You know, sure, why not? And he's ⁓ I'm with ⁓ you know, a team that's ⁓ going to the Lions Cup where ⁓ we're branded as Team SA. Would you like to come? It's if we're going to Sweden, you know, we play eleven games, you know, you you get a speaker-3: Okay. You could actually go school there for a little bit. ⁓ you get to go to lifestyle build it by ⁓ sweet. speaker-2: ⁓ you know experience like we got Swedish families so I gotta eat Swedish food, you know, have Swedish norms and all kinds of things I think it was like thirteen days it was so cool to play hockey. We played hockey against ⁓ teams from like Latvia, played teams from like Russia, Czech Slovakia, a bunch just a bunch of you know, European teams that you n you'd never see normally. So it was a great opportunity to go play for them out in Sweden. speaker-3: ⁓ over a course of That I was there and we play obviously speaker-1: Yeah, that that that's pretty insane. Interesting. I was gonna say Yeah. For at at that young of an age. Like I in baseball I I traveled all over the southeast for with like high level baseball and you and you think like, ⁓ man, I've I've seen everything. But here in here in you you're going to all corners of the country and then you're going over. Yeah, that that's pretty nuts. I can't even imagine how I'd handle that at that age. speaker-3: Yeah, it was it was definitely wild. ⁓ speaker-2: obviously, you know, going I my dad thankfully my dad was able to come so I was able to have some sort of like familiarity. living with a Swedish family. There was no, you know, getting around that. You had to live with them for day and night. You had to sleep there. I slept in the same room. It was definitely a change. ⁓ even having a brother, we had separate rooms. So, you know, kind of doing that when I was twelve years old was a little odd. Especially waking up and not seeing like my parents or my brother and seeing three more or less random people that I just that I just kind of got met to, met at by the bus stop and that was about it. My dad was like Sarnara and that was speaker-3: Thank speaker-2: I was often, you know, running in the Swedish family and going to school and stuff there. So it's kinda cool for a week, obviously. So speaker-0: Do you think well, have you ever been back since then since you were playing there? And and I mean, would you ever consider playing overseas in Sweden? I know some guys ⁓ can play minor league hockey there, maybe not, you know, college hockey is similar, but ⁓ some some you know good level minor leagues out there. speaker-3: Yeah, so I I've I've personally speaker-2: never been back over there. ⁓ I had a chance to go to France actually, so I've been more I've been back over in Europe. ⁓ so for like a school French trip. Being back in Sweden, ⁓ no, there I haven't been back in Sweden. I would honestly go play overseas. I think you know Europe's a very cool place, especially when I was in Sweden. ⁓ you know, with like what they offer especially young kids for example for future reference. They they don't have they don't pay for speaker-3: But the that was just for ⁓ ⁓ like they have actually for like his ⁓ ⁓ they have higher taxes, but for school university. speaker-2: school, the taxes pay for school, etcetera, etc. Kind of different than the United States, you know, where we obviously see college per se. ⁓ you know, that'd be the main reason why I'd go over there just for the ⁓ there's some some breaks and stuff within that within that realm. speaker-3: A little bit higher cost for speaker-0: I I think the last thing I had to ask you about was ⁓ we noticed you mentioned it, you played for Amarillo in the knall. And you know, for those that are unfamiliar with ⁓ Amarillo in this league, they are perhaps one of the wildest environments, craziest places you can play, and the division they play in is even ⁓ more you know, lends itself to a to a legacy, let's just say it that way. So what was your time Like in Amarillo and what do you remember about being with more one of the more notable Null programs? speaker-3: ⁓ it was it was definitely weird. ⁓ speaker-2: Believe or not, when they actually came up to me to talk to me and Blaine, I didn't know who they were. ⁓ Anglers and I was like, I've never heard of these guys. Like I like the mainstream, like Midwest and all teams, but not really like the been like involved in any with like the color like the like the the South, the South teams at least, like the Colorado Grit and all them. ⁓ I I flown down there very quickly. ⁓ showing up there, they immediately got me in there. I got, you know, new breezers, I got that that astronaut helmet of a hyper light helmet. speaker-3: They had the random. But being I got ⁓ I got sticks. speaker-2: ⁓ that was interesting to wear. ⁓ and then also changed fields. So when I was in the NA three, I didn't feel like I wanted to pay for dental costs. speaker-3: When I was ⁓ I also had a to a half sh Saw or bubble. speaker-2: And so they made me change to ⁓ that was definitely interesting. Atmosphere was a lot different than per se the NA3. The null had a lot more serious atmosphere. Like people were showing up to like the games with like whereas like in the NA three we'd show up like an hour and a half and we mess around for like five minutes, have like a quick warm-up. These guys on the bike for 45 minutes, you know, having pre-skates and all kinds of things. So that was definitely an eye-opener. ⁓ and then after speaker-3: ⁓ a half shield. But the ⁓ overall is a lot As like aspect to it. Five hours before Forty five for thirty four. Actually I was whooped. So I so to I was player. speaker-2: you know, enunciate on that. I was I was a warm up player my first game, they made me a warm up player, so just kinda go out there, you know, f get a feel for it and then go sit in the stands basically. Just being out there speaker-3: ⁓ but just with like the the the photographers, just the which this is this is it. ⁓ actually to play that was speaker-2: like the the atmosphere of it just very like I was like this actually the second game is when I was actually got the opportunity to play and was a whole that was a whole different experience together. ⁓ so actually I was lucky enough to play against the ⁓ Oklahoma Warriors and their national their their team that won the whole thing actually. ⁓ very good team. Very, very skilled very fast, just overall gritty team, you know South so it's hard nosed hockey kind of like the North East but speaker-3: Warrior. How it it's the it's the it's it's gritty, it's hard. ⁓ it was it it was speaker-2: interesting. I mean I scored a goal that game. It was ⁓ the one one game, one goal. It was an interesting goal. tried centering the pass and it came back mean the goalie was just not there. So I just put it towards the net and went in the net. When they s when you score they threw a bunch of these ⁓ styrofoam ⁓ cowboy hats on the ice ⁓ and and believe it or not there's speaker-3: And ⁓ it was But actually, ⁓ ⁓ there's a ⁓ there's an actual like there's a Twitter back when it was Twitter but ⁓ Amarillo speaker-2: It's now X. So you could and and and it was like I was like this is like people are like intense here. And ⁓ when and when you like look around the stands, like usually like an MA three game, it's like maybe like two hundred people there. Not many people, you know, are showing up for the game. We had I think like twenty eight hundred people, three thousand people at this game. They were they packed pretty hard for this game. So speaker-3: at the goalie. So wow this is ⁓ when I first got the jersey speaker-2: Definitely an honor to play and it was definitely a jersey, ⁓ just seeing the gnarl logo on there was just like this like a like a wow, like I I I got here finally. After going to all the main camps and all that stuff, just to kind of get noticed at a tournament and just kinda sent sent there on a whim was kind of like just it was just a great experience altogether. So speaker-1: Do you ⁓ get to keep one of the hats? speaker-3: ⁓ speaker-2: ⁓ no, they actually took everything back. speaker-1: ⁓ come on man, that was your first goal. Gotta let him keep it. speaker-2: Well I speaker-3: I got it I got I got the puck. That was that was the speaker-1: But I mean one of the hats would have been cool too. speaker-2: Yeah. Did give me ⁓ they did give me steps. So I was like I mean, I didn't get the hat, but I got lice with it, so I wasn't complaining about that, about that nine hundred dollar deal right there, so speaker-3: Yeah. They actually ⁓ they did six. G three hyper. ⁓ speaker-1: Yeah, fair. ⁓ so you ⁓ you end up at at Florida Gulf Coast. ⁓ did you go on like an official visit? Because we we've talked to a few people now, ⁓ on this podcast who either lived in Canada or northern states that just like on a whim decided to go to a school in the South did without even visiting, which I thought was crazy to me. Did you get a chance to visit or ⁓ speaker-3: Yeah, so I actually chance to I had a ⁓ speaker-2: Got a chance to visit I had a plan to kind of come down here just in case stuff were to like fold in per se like hockey didn't work out. You know, I always had a place I a plan B, I always had a plan B. Obviously I was planning NA three, so I needed that plan B just as a safety valve. And especially 'cause I wanted to be in the medical field, you know, I ⁓ wanted that safety valve just in case, you know, hockey didn't work out. But an orientation visit, ⁓ not through the hockey team, just th like you know, coming here and signing up for it. ⁓ but yeah, no, I speaker-3: I did go speaker-2: campus. I didn't see the rank or anything. ⁓ but coach ⁓ when I was playing in the NA three speaker-3: But I did talk to the case. for the ⁓ the like the the call play for it. I forgot what it's called. But ⁓ yeah they speaker-2: play for the cup and I was in like the semifinals playing against Alexandria and I got a call from ⁓ Eric Maby over ⁓ on a D two team. He's like, Hey, we'd love to come, you know, you'd we'd love to see you play here. You know, you I think I sent like an application thing to ⁓ Maby himself. ⁓ and he's like, Yeah, we'd love to see you out here, you know. And then obviously I was coming off of my injury. I dislocated my knee like two or three times. ⁓ speaker-3: I I ⁓ so like the the the board sometimes in speaker-2: And I hit my knee, my kneecap kinda hit like that inside area shot down and destroyed my ⁓ knee. So I wasn't able to speaker-3: So it shut the cartilage under my knee. I was really walk like about about six to eight. speaker-2: weeks. ⁓ and so an all team didn't take me back. And so that's why I was more leaning going to FGCU and playing there. But obviously it's kind of hard coming off of a a knee injury, getting on the D two team, especially with how prominent they are in the ACHA world. I didn't make it my first year and I haven't made it since ⁓ but my first ⁓ the D three team granted we didn't have CHS or anything like that. ⁓ speaker-3: So ⁓ First year I I did play ⁓ granted But ⁓ that was a very ⁓ I wish we did ⁓ this this is a vi I this is a this especially with the stars. speaker-2: A very nice thing. I love and you know, just like the social media aspect of it, you know, how much like like the hockey pod, like just how much more it gets it out there and gets it out to their fans and all that stuff. ⁓ so I appreciate you guys for ⁓ you know, stepping in that position and doing that. But ⁓ you know speaker-3: It it's it's it my first year here was ⁓ was great. ⁓ at four speaker-2: 48 points in 17 games. We obviously didn't play the greatest competition. If if you look at ⁓ look at the rankings back then, we didn't play the greatest competition experience. So after that, I was like, I I found my place here. I don't really want to go anywhere else. And especially with this, you know, induction with playing like, you know, college hockey south, like playing in the Southern League against teams like USF and Miami and Tampa, it just adds that different edge that you know you don't get normally from just playing ACHA hockey. speaker-3: But ⁓ obviously it was a great experience. speaker-0: I remember watching you back in twenty twenty three at a hat trick and five goals in a weekend against Central Michigan. ⁓ time I was calling their games and travel with them on a weekend. And I always thought that you were just at a better level than a lot of players at that time. And and like you said, sometimes you played teams that aren't really up to snuff. speaker-1: just chirped the competition and and you were you were part of the competition. speaker-3: Exactly. speaker-0: We were part of the competition and we were one of those teams that I think he's referring to that was not the greatest. speaker-3: What are they speaker-2: Michigan was a fun time to play against. he had like grit to him. And ⁓ it just made it made I mean for a reason that that year just went towards the net winning the net. And that was that was one of those games the first game where I got the hat trick, like two or three goals came one of the things came off the grass and just kind of tapped went on my stick and then just went in the net. I was so I haven't lot of those goals don't like don't happen as much now, but obviously when they happen against Central Michigan, it was definitely a little more fun, especially now that I know that you speaker-3: I for whatever whatever I put Where like especially one Like I You ⁓ went along with the speaker-2: With them makes it that much more fun. speaker-0: You know what, you're playing it nice, but I'll be honest, it was as one sided as I've seen. Let's let's be real here. But, you know, since then, I mean, you've kept it up, man. ⁓ you've been a top scorer on your team. ⁓ every year you've been there the three, and now you're in a really good position. You were one of our players of the week. So, you know, tell us about where your game has evolved since you were that freshman back in twenty three versus where you at are now. speaker-3: ⁓ I guess if if I speaker-2: to say something it would be more the leadership role. Obvious when I was first here, obviously I didn't know anyone. ⁓ like like not a soul. Like didn't know anyone that played on the hockey team. Didn't know anyone that went to school here. ⁓ just kinda you know, just kinda speaker-3: ⁓ with it stuck with it. ⁓ but for my first year obviously ⁓ it was it was speaker-2: tough getting to know everyone. You know, there the team was so tight already. Obviously there's like now being here at least and that especially last year was definitely stepping in that leadership role. Like you like you mentioned, ⁓ our team in points for the last few years. So that leadership role has come through my my point production and how I, you know, you know, do that on the ice and and lead and get those first goals and the things that we need to, you know, move forward within within the game itself. speaker-3: I w ⁓ that speaker-2: So definitely stepping into that leadership role with ⁓ you know, prime production, you know, keeping the guys up on the bench. ⁓ definitely coming into locker room. Our locker room sometimes has had some problems with being being speaker-3: ⁓ be ⁓ like low low I would ⁓ like quiet speaker-2: Pers like not depressed. kind of like after because some some games we've come in and we've been we haven't had pro we've had problems scoring goals or you know creating any type of offense low scoring games and our team isn't really used to that especially the older guys you know like I said my first year was a little bit you know easier I would I wouldn't say easier but you know a little bit more relaxed compared to what it is now when we're playing eighty percent of our schedule being ranked teams it it's a little different and a lot of the freshmen they're 18 years old you know coming straight out of either triple speaker-3: It's kids on our team are true. Where there's a couple of guys like me for where I speaker-2: you know, high skill, most league, J V, etc, etc. For example, I played juniors, I played a high level of juniors, so I can I'm used to that adversary. So I take that experience and try and portray it and push it on my teammates so that they can understand, you know, even though it's a little bit ⁓ it doesn't matter, we need to go out there and do our job, whether we're down five zero or up five zero. speaker-3: Adversary adversity. speaker-1: Yeah. ⁓ you know, you were you were humming along pretty well. the it seems like there is like a a cast of characters. ⁓ one thing I noticed immediately, ⁓ and then I have a follow-up question after this, ⁓ about your team first year in in our conference is it seems like it's scoring by committee, and also you guys play a really good ⁓ team defensive game. ⁓ you guys are leading our conference in goals against per game. I think it's like two and a half goals against per game, and there's only like two other teams in D three that are under three goals against per game. ⁓ do you think that has that always been a characteristic of this D three team or j ⁓ that the program in general is just, you know, w defense wins championships. So you gotta handle the defense before you, you know, do anything else. speaker-3: ⁓ so our our ⁓ we have we have a co speaker-2: I have actually a coach that coached in the ECHL for a while. ⁓ he implements a lot of these ⁓ I'll give him the credit, the implements the the D zone and that we have and it does work very well. We just have to stick to that system. my so he came in halfway through my first year here and then second year is my entire the entirety of the year he's my coach. speaker-3: ⁓ but he ⁓ speaker-2: implemented a lot of systems type stuff helped us, you know, crack down in that D zone because my first we did have some problems with, you know, getting scored on and games we shouldn't get scored on and, you know, but our second season when we played against like Air Force and those those higher ranked teams, we tended to have five, six, seven goals scored on us. So this year we really emphasized the D zone and keeping our ⁓ sticking at least to the system and sticking to that D zone because, you know, obvious obviously from what you guys have said, it's leading us in the speaker-3: Yeah. Actually, speaker-2: goals against average, so obviously it's working. We just have had some offensively be because we're so concerned about sometimes the D zone. Obviously, like you said, defen defense wins championships. ⁓ it's one us games in the past, especially this past weekend against UMasside. ⁓ they they definitely were ⁓ the better team I would say. ⁓ not no discredit speaker-3: ⁓ but ⁓ the like ⁓ that to us, but they were the the faster speaker-2: team and more skilled team. ⁓ and our defense and our goaltender stepped up to the plate and played very well and ⁓ helped us win that that game. Unfortunately, you know, we didn't get to on that Sunday. But then again it was only three to one and they scored two goals maybe like five minutes left. So it was one one with five minutes left in the game. And then unfortunately, you know, a couple cracks in the D ⁓ in the D zone and you know goals go in and just kind of how the cookie crumbles at the end of the day. speaker-3: ⁓ how that The the result we want. But speaker-2: We only we we emphasize the diesel and we always practice these down especially pinpoint ⁓ pressure that we have from our coach to ⁓ constantly and consistently break it out smoothly. So that's that's another big part of it. G you know, just getting the puck out, you know, getting it past that blue line and getting it out, taking a deep breath and then if they send it back in we can regroup and move on from there. speaker-3: Yeah, ⁓ speaker-1: Yeah, and ⁓ my follow up is ⁓ you know, with you know, ⁓ having a systematic style that it can take away from your offense a little bit. You were a little bit more on like the point per game pace where in years past you were, you know, two, three points a game. But then you broke out against Notre Dame and that was when you were one of our stars of the week and you ended up being one of our stars of the month. What happened that weekend? Because it was just like all of a sudden, you know speaker-3: So ⁓ believe it or so it's I feel like I have speaker-2: Whenever whenever I like these there's certain teams where I have their number. speaker-3: ⁓ like for example ⁓ how how speaker-2: Grand Valley of how how prominent they are. I have yet to be like it may not say but every single time I played against them, I've scored against them and they're one of the top teams. Same with Notre Dame. Notre Dame when we played them our first season here and I had I think I had six points in two games against them too. So I think if certain teams like where I had their number and and I just I've I've had it since and with Notre Dame they they allowed a lot more odd man rushes. speaker-3: So I was first It was just like where I There was a they were a I I I speaker-2: Pride myself on being able to, you know, move the puck up and then get up in the play. And that team was able to c up to that. So therefore I had a lot more opportunities to, you know, get open and you know, especially on a rush or ⁓ and they were they were a big penalized team those two games. So we ⁓ and ⁓ and I and like I said, I pride myself on those rushes and especially on the power play. I get a lot I like to get out on the power play, get out there and get some, you know, motion going and some plays moving. ⁓ and that's where I, you know, I really accentuated against ⁓ this speaker-3: Bame team speaker-2: you on the power play and then also with ⁓ the help my two teammates, my two line mates, ⁓ especially that game, ⁓ had six points that game and Ryan Alamane who had ⁓ four or five that game. Obviously I piggybacked a little bit off of them, you know, with with plays they're making and the you know, you can't really score a goal without, you know, mentioning the guys that actually created the plays and, you know, started the whole thing off. So I do want to give those guys and 'cause obviously I couldn't have done it out without them. speaker-3: Jack Lee who had Like the play. speaker-2: But I and it obviously feels good to have that breakout weekend, ⁓ especially against speaker-3: Really good ⁓ a team that ⁓ FGC just speaker-2: Yeah. speaker-0: You know, it must be nice too to know your ice and know where you guys play. Your schedule is heavily ⁓ majority at Hertz Arena. ⁓ home of you guys, home of the Florida Everblades. Great facility. Does it ever get old playing there though? Is that Michigan trip you guys go on sort of like a reverse vacation for the boys? ⁓ what's that like? So speaker-3: We two vacations and yeah, they are basically vacation for the ⁓ the team. So ⁓ it's it it's a boring speaker-2: We got lucky enough this year to do actually. I would say it doesn't get boring really playing it ⁓ at home all the time, obviously. I only live like ten minutes, fifteen minutes away, so it's always beaten, you know, get on a bus, especially when I was in Amarillo, we get on a bus and travel for sixteen hours some days. It was it was it was not fun all the time, especially in that south with being so far away from other teams. But expect those away th those ⁓ away teams that come down to play us because we have that speaker-3: It was just completely That's why I like being here actually is 'cause we get all those speaker-2: Yeah, perfect. speaker-3: you know prestige in the ACHA, especially with our G two team. So always take it speaker-2: team. So that all that that's helps. So I really boring because you know, we're so close to home. You know, you you you get done with on a Saturday night, you have a sweep, you can go to the, you know, the good old the good old tiki bar and, you know, just have a good time with the fellas and you know, that's always that's always because you can always, you know, ex enjoy the wins afterwards rather than hopping on a bus and getting home at three o'clock in the morning. So it's always speaker-3: Big plus with it. Plus speaker-1: Yeah. and I I think there's a a future for that too with ⁓ joining CHS. You get to you know, there's potential for playing teams that are closer and in the state of Florida. You have the the Embry Riddles and, you know, Tampa and UCF, Miami, FAU. You get with the prestige that you mentioned, you get a lot of teams that travel ⁓ to your home ice and you get to play a lot of really fun, exciting matchups that are at a conference. ⁓ You know, and you were an independent ⁓ the first two years. In the future, ⁓ next year, would you like to see more conference opponents or do you enjoy kind of the exotic schedule where it's teams, you know, from Colorado and and Minnesota and Michigan and stuff like that? speaker-2: definitely like to play ⁓ more more conference games. I think that rivalry the rivalry will build themselves, especially ⁓ and it makes more sense. ⁓ you know, pricing, you know, we it's a pay to pay speaker-3: So pri speaker-2: Pricing makes it a little bit better. We're not paying for other teams to somewhat come down here, ⁓ because we do give some money so I can pay for hotels and food and stuff like that. So we give them an incentive to come down here. ⁓ but you know, it's it's it's nice to not have that always have to do that or ⁓ you know, it again costs it's it's not always the best thing to do. So that's why next year I would hope that we play but more not really for the but more. speaker-3: Nicer to not have with the with the tuition cost. The the play more like league games. price point of it per per se, more for the rivalry side of it because when we played USF, we had a lot of more people that we've seen speaker-2: had a lot of people at that game I've seen at a game since Tampa. We played U Tampa as an exhibition game my first year. It was it was a nice thing to see like especially, you know, that if play more games and conference type games that will get more people out rather than playing you know, like where no one around here knows or even for example, I didn't know who it was maybe speaker-3: year here. So it was just it was it was expensive if we play more league type So it would speaker-2: you know, it's always nice to play against and especially next year just to you know give a little bit of we already are planning scheduling games against Miami, Florida and Florida Southern are, you know, adding to that resume of ⁓ you know, CHS games, conference games, give it a give you guys a little bit of a teaser for that. speaker-3: Teaser. ⁓ We already are two. speaker-1: our our our producer is is ⁓ graduating from Florida Southern in in May. It's too bad he he's he's not here for this. But yeah, I'm I'm super super excited because at as of right now and it looks like it'll work out this way. ⁓ you guys will be in the playoffs which will be in Fort Lauderdale ⁓ last weekend of February and it's gonna be so so exciting to see how you guys mix into that that ⁓ 'cause it's gonna be a lot of Florida teams. We just have a we have a lot of ⁓ schools from Florida and I'm I'm just super, super excited. ⁓ because it for the first time ever, we're gonna have all four divisions playing on the same weekend under the same roof. And it's it's gonna be chaos. The atmosphere is gonna be fantastic and I'm excited to see the new teams there like like ⁓ F D C U. speaker-3: No. That was a huge actually a huge pushing. speaker-2: definitely excited to go out to that ⁓ point in joining you guys believe it or not was that we get to play regionals that we get to play against teams that you know we we we'd never seen before so that was always that was one of the big things one of our our team manager actually asked us when you guys were out to him about joining the we had a with a team bolt and it was unanimously there's no one against it. So especially with that ⁓ you know regionals, you know, like you said, mixing it up with teams that we've never played against you know see speaker-3: Actually, ⁓ That that's How we speaker-2: Back up against this this league that you know we just joined this year. So that ⁓ Fort Lauderdale and ⁓ Blue. speaker-3: I've actually played at that rank before too. ⁓ speaker-2: For the New York Dynamo, a bunch of my buddies actually are from Corn Springs. So I couldn't even play Beer League with them a couple times, you know, had a little yeah, nice the pain. Mm-hmm. And I think ⁓ I went and watched a high school game there at North Broward. I guess it's like a regional game or something, but they ⁓ they played there, so I went there to watch that game too. So I'm definitely excited to go over there and you know, maybe see some of my buddies and have them come out because obviously I know a couple guys over there. speaker-3: The old host then? Yeah, the old I'll love it. played there. ⁓ it's like a game or something. speaker-0: Ranked team, I'm sure you guys are gonna be playing at some stiff competition. That's just what you guys want in your pocket. We've got a couple of ⁓ teasers from a anonymous teammate here. ⁓ look, we know what happens when you forget to do laundry. Do you forget to air out the gear? ⁓ we heard something about you had practice on a Tuesday and then you didn't open your bag till Saturday. speaker-2: Yes, it's it's getting cl it's finals week this week. ⁓ last week was my finals. I think I've ⁓ so being a medical degree I I I get busy. speaker-3: It's actually and it ⁓ I'm pretty sure it happened last week, the week before, but ⁓ ⁓ Yeah, with with all the classes and stuff. So speaker-2: Thanks, things over now, but back then ⁓ I was in s I I I completed blanked on it being the back of my car. I get in my car to go to the take a sniff and I'm like speaker-3: Completely. go to the rink and I ⁓ what is what is that? And I'm back I'm like, ⁓ that's not gear. speaker-2: I like that's gonna that's gonna be fun putting on in about forty five minutes here. So and then and then obviously my teammates make a little bit of mention with it, so I'm gonna start I'm I obviously start throwing a little bit of gear at ⁓ See here you go. ⁓ speaker-3: Like you you wanna wanna start talking about speaker-1: Yeah, you you open it up in the locker room and it's like tear gas. Ever everyone's just speaker-3: ⁓ it's brutal. speaker-2: And some of the stuff had since and you know you guys obviously know this. You've some of the stuff you've had since P speaker-3: So it's like just destroyed like my speaker-2: elbow pads like they they don't even match up anymore and those things stink bad. So and then like obviously like I keep like my pra I don't take my practice jersey out all the time and that thing stinks a lot too. So items I would say where it you know definitely stinks speaker-3: Like it would if Take us a little bit. speaker-0: So obviously you incorporated the the psychological warfare here. I mean, like were you getting you getting buzzard from the other guys on the other batch? ⁓ no. speaker-3: I mean I mean I I think I I don't think it's it's weird. I don't really get no think people notice the ice, but 'cause you can really ⁓ speaker-2: So the the gear definitely doesn't smell great, but on the ice my ⁓ my my jersey's washed, so usually you smell my jersey before you smell my gear underneath it, thankfully. So that always that always helps a little speaker-3: Usually my speaker-2: been like chirped like once or twice about bad smelling gear and and it actually was for my coach during the game. Like he'd always smell like whose stuff just smells like just garbage. And I and I that nah that not me. Promise you it's not me. I'm like if that guy down that way look that way. So coach I would say. speaker-3: Yeah, we said. Yeah, only only for my co speaker-1: Yeah, so this this same unnamed teammate, he's gonna stay anonymous. He wanted us to ask you what your postgame go to meal is. speaker-2: The post game meal. Okay. I get I get made fun of it a lot. I get a lot of fines in court 'cause of it too. It's it's number nine for McDonald's large meal, so that's speaker-3: ⁓ but it's a Two burgers and a large fry with a large Coke Zero. speaker-2: And then I also use I either get I'll either get a twenty McNugget with that or speaker-3: piece or three more burgers. So I'll usually have four to five burgers plus plus a twenty piece or plus three like three expeditions. Yeah, no. speaker-2: And sometimes twenty p. I I pound after games, like I'm starving. So once I get out of that game and especially if I ⁓ have a good game I'm like yeah I'm gonna I'm gonna pig out at McDonald's down the roads. speaker-1: Yeah, so sorry, Devin. The the quote from the from your teammate was he absolutely mows down McDonald. speaker-0: So you obviously speaker-3: Yellow it's usually every single one speaker-2: Yep. I I McDonald's game. I've only been game where I haven't gone to it where we went out to Oak and Stone with some of the teammates after our Saturday night game, but 90% of the time it's gonna be McDonald's. It's gotta be McDonald's. speaker-0: So did you happen to see that clip of Big Smoke from GTA San Andreas and just totally emulate that? Is that where this comes from? Mm-hmm. speaker-2: Mm. speaker-3: No, I don't know, honestly I don't I it it honestly came from just just proximity. ⁓ speaker-2: I mean after at like sometimes we get out of games at eleven thirty at night and there's nothing else open. So I'm like, you know what? McDonald's is five minutes down the road and I like my burgers. speaker-3: So it's it's the yeah. speaker-1: Devin, okay, Devin. Po post game meal you g or you go to McDonald's post game. What are you ordering? What's like what's the what are you picking on on the menu? speaker-0: Double Big Mac and double my side is always and I just I basically well you can double stack it so you can get like a like a bigger Big Mac. But speaker-1: Why have I never heard of this before? speaker-2: Mm-hmm. speaker-0: Dude, you're missing out. I mean, I I've had nights where like Nate, you know this dude. Like you're trying to just get something in your stomach and like it's two in the morning. Yeah, just calories and like Yep. You're on the way back to the hotel and you're just like, screw it, man. ⁓ but I always get it's a little weird. I always like getting the hash browns, ⁓ any time of the day. So if they're off of the hash brown, then I'll I'll get that along. ⁓ yeah. speaker-2: No, especially sometimes we like late so we sometimes get the breakfast menu even sometimes. So this hash brows definitely coming to play a little bit. speaker-3: Yeah, games. speaker-0: Real bald knowledge, real street knowledge over here. speaker-1: Yeah, that that's what that's what I was gonna say is that like you eat McDonald's and you feel a little bit gross after, at least I do. Like I'll I'll maybe not maybe not if if you eat it every postgame. ⁓ definitely not after the Notre Dame games. You're you're feeling on top of the world. But for me, if I'm if I eat McDonald's every once in a while, ⁓ I feel gross after. But I recently had their breakfast. Dude, their breakfast is solid. Like I'll I'll have a McGridddle and be Yo, this is actually pretty good. This isn't like gross like fast food good. This is actually like good. I I enjoyed it. Sausage egg McGriddle, sign me up, bro. speaker-2: Throw some syrup on there, you got it you got it made right there. That's all you need. speaker-3: Especially eight o'clock early, especially when you get to those airports, best speaker-2: believe I'm at McDonalds at five thirty the morning. It's gotta it's gotta be. speaker-0: So speaking of that, you know, what's your like number nine large memory of hockey? What's your favorite ⁓ moment that's happened in your time playing the game? ⁓ speaker-3: ⁓ it it's actually I would probably spell the trip the two best ⁓ with with with the game itself, especially that all the all the speaker-2: Split it between that that Amarillo trip and Sweden, honestly, those are the best experiences that I've had. We didn't train cool, unique experiences I'd never be able to experience, you know, at in the US, in any US teams. ⁓ it was definitely weird playing against kids that didn't speak the same language as you. That's pick up like, you know, what they were saying and stuff sometimes, like play calls and whatnot, 'cause speaker-3: Playing. ⁓ definitely weird trying to like These teams were like pretty much pre organized but definitely speaker-2: ⁓ definitely between like ⁓ playing in the knoll for Amarillo and that atmosphere and then also the experiences that I had over in Sweden for Team SA. speaker-3: Exactly. speaker-1: But have to imagine like two like polar opposite like cultural experiences though, like Sweden and then Southwest Texas. Like wow. speaker-3: That means. speaker-2: Especially living in Wisconsin. Wisconsin's a a whole different country, I like to say. Sometimes it's just its own breed and then you go down to Texas and that's its own country too. It's just it's just eye opening. speaker-3: A whole whole different speaker-1: So do you have a ⁓ a a favorite player? Could be a a current player? speaker-2: former player. Yeah, I knew ⁓ Ryan Souter. I've I've I've no actually know the guy. ⁓ he playing so I knew like who played on the ⁓ speaker-3: Actually I do ⁓ He coached me for years when I was playing ⁓ for the Capitals. ⁓ Bob Souter, who miracle team for that beat. speaker-2: E the Soviet Union. ⁓ I I knew him very well and his entire family, so that's how I got in contact with ⁓ Ryan. And I always, you know, had stuff like that with and you know, always was there hanging out with them, doing camps with them. Whatever I could do to, you know, emulate, you know, those those guys because they're such prominent figures in the NHL and just the hockey industry itself. So just being around that, being b around ⁓ Bob Suder ice serena now used to be called Cap, but now it's Bob's speaker-3: Basically whatever. They're Hmm. Capsa cap ice. It's called Shooter's Ring. ⁓ speaker-2: ⁓ after he had a unfortunately had his ⁓ attack and died ⁓ when I was around like eighteen, nineteen years old. So they named it after that. But yeah, no, I it was definitely that's that's definitely a player I would like to, you know, edit it after he gave back, you know, to Madison itself. He always kids, you know, his helped help what they needed with with ⁓ then after his father died he took the reins up which is never an easy thing, especially when you're playing hockey in ⁓ in Dallas at the time where he was playing. He used to be playing in Minnesota well, which is speaker-3: It's hard to tell. ⁓ It was flipped. He always coached kids people with what helped ⁓ the capitals which speaker-2: my favorite team, but he played in Dallas and I'm and then he played in ⁓ the St. Louis. So he's also trying to speaker-3: Also do the Capitals USHL team. speaker-2: And all these other things that he had also his fingers in and you know, tied to as trying to work on. So obviously he's a guy that I would try and emulate after and you know, follow in his footsteps when I was younger. speaker-0: So cool. speaker-1: Devin, I'm go ahead, Devin. Go ahead. Yeah. I'm a diehard ⁓ Blackhawks fan. ⁓ so division rival in Minnesota and ⁓ Ryan Souter and Zach Parise signing on the same day for Minnesota really shifted the franchise. ⁓ it's a shame they didn't go any further, but it was kind of the Blackhawks blocking them from yeah, but ⁓ a a couple of guys that I really, really admired, ⁓ even though I didn't like Minnesota as a team, ⁓ they called Ryan Souter. I don't know if it if it was actually like a a trademark nickname, but some people called him the Iron Lung Devin from he was always one of the top three leaders in Ice Time. Every single year. And it's probably why unfortunately why he he you know, he he started to dip off a little bit. ⁓ but he was just constantly out there, constantly. So I really, really admire and Zach. Yeah. ⁓ Zach. speaker-2: It's always speaker-1: ⁓ yeah, yeah, yeah. And Zach Parise was just always like a a heart and soul, just bulldog type player. Never gave up on a on a play. ⁓ but yeah, anyways, Ryan Souter. Really really, really admire him as a player. speaker-0: So Nathan, we we'd be remiss if we didn't ask you about this weekend. You're the only college hockey South team in action. ⁓ you're taking on Colorado Mesa, who's a pretty good team from out west. You know, tell us about kind of what you expect going into this weekend and ⁓ you know, how your team is approaching this, considering you've been kind of up and down, you know, through the mid porta portion of this year. ⁓ speaker-2: We we're kind of a approaching it, you know, like how we how we want every game, you know, take ⁓ take a fo it doesn't matter their ranking right now. team you never you would wouldn't bat an eye at, but now it's like we got all these other around and plus Canada now being in the N C double A push a lot of kids down, so ⁓ a lot better competition. So a four team could beat you now these days. So we're gonna approach it, you know, like the same way we've approached speaker-3: I approach at least every My first year at a fortieth ranked. Like it's a completely different league, so teams that are with ⁓ with they push the ⁓ therefore like we have a competition, fortieth ranked team. Pro level again. speaker-2: You know, we want to get the pod deep, you know, have that great that helps us win games. ⁓ and like you said, we those ups and downs. So, you know, trying to manage those at least within the game itself, like just at the game to game speaker-3: We ha we have had those. Shift to shift, ⁓ gold to goal especially. ⁓ speaker-2: ⁓ we need to maintain our, you know, our and our ⁓ positive energy take at least. Even if we get you know, we go down two nothing, you know, it's not the end of the world. It's g we're gonna we're gonna fight this back and it's gonna it's gonna be two two by the end of this period or you know, something like that. It's just kind of speaker-3: Pride. It's a bit harder to kinda like gauge teams especially speaker-2: Since you haven't played them, like Kalaro Misa we these teams that come down. ⁓ luckily played UMass Amherst we kind of like understood what they're bringing to the table, but a lot of these teams we just don't know what they're bringing. speaker-3: We've ever played. A lot of these the year before too, so we like Bring it to the table, so we have to kind of approach it like speaker-2: We're playing a ranked opponent. speaker-0: I like that ⁓ mentality. Approach it like a ranked opponent. You guys are number twenty five in the nation. We know you want to be in that spot at Nationals top sixteen go. Good luck to you this weekend. It'll be our game of the week. We'll have eyes on you and ⁓ great episode. Thank you so much for coming on this edition, Nathan. speaker-2: Thank you so much. This week and ⁓ it'll be a good game. So speaker-3: Yeah, I can look forward. speaker-0: Thanks to Nathan Walker for coming on the pod and Danny. That was a very fun conversation. Cool dude. Definitely ⁓ a lot of chatter too post recording. And I think one thing that stands out to me is just like his willingness to tell those stories. And ⁓ definitely one of my, you know, favorite guys I've talked to so far on here. speaker-1: Yeah, now we we've had ⁓ a couple of conversations now with people that are in their first year experiencing hockey within the conference. And that was the first time, you know, we heard it from that particular point of view where they were playing they were an independent team last year, ⁓ and then now they're in their conference. And you know, he was appreciative, which was very nice. But it it was very interesting. ⁓ and obviously very, very well traveled for a young guy playing hockey all over the place. So yeah, it was a cool conversation. speaker-0: Yeah, his team's ranked twenty-fifth in nation, twelve seven and ⁓ No off air we were talking. I was definitely wrong on that. They had the wins. And they split with that UMass team, which is a pretty dang good Northeast team, former Nationals crew. Really fun to see what they've done so far. Looking forward to seeing more of it. Hope they find a way in the nationals, in all honesty, because I think they're one of the teams that can compete very well, ⁓ especially on the defensive side of the puck. Talking about our week twelve games, man, the the rankings we got precede this. Are interesting to say the least. We had more college hockey south teams drop down. Tampa went from fourth in the country to seventeenth. Now, Danny, I know you don't like this ranking system right now. You've got questions. It's been pretty well documented. This is an extreme jump, and I can't help but think it's because of that lost Tennessee they had in a split series and the goal differential they had to USF earlier this year. But in the game we're about to get to, I think things are gonna be changing for them. Yeah. speaker-1: Yeah, and so the thing is these aren't final and you know, they're always changing. So is there really any reason to fret about a ranking in early December? Maybe not. But as far as a trend goes, no, it's not very exciting for our conference. ⁓ and I'm not gonna put the ranking system on blast, however, and not, you know, hand up, not showing any bias towards my own school because I don't I don't have any affiliations to the South Carolina hockey team, but they went in to Athens and beat that Georgia team twice, and now there are three spots below them as Georgia makes their debut in the rankings. So I don't know, I'm kind of at a loss. I wish I could better explain it to our to our ⁓ our listeners, but you know, it is what it is. We'll we'll report the news and I guess kind of just leave our our opinions on it out of it, because it'll get it'll get repetitive, right? Like we obviously don't agree with these rankings. speaker-0: So for people that aren't aware, I I will just tell them the top five here is is valid in that Middle Tennessee and at number one, South Florida at number five deservedly have that spot. They have beaten good teams that they have controlled games in. Air Force, Central Main Community College, and Oakland are also very good teams. Now, when you look at something like Tufts and St. Vincent, that's when I'm like, people should caution themselves. Tufts has played seven games this entire year and they haven't lost yet in their division. But Because they're undefeated, the ranking system picked that up and put them in the rank. Now it doesn't mean that they're gonna be one nationals eligible or two that they're gonna stay there, because I really just don't think that's gonna be the case. I'd preface people, Tampa's still okay. I think they're still comfortably a top 16 team, just not right now. And with how they did against UCF and Tampa this or USF rather this weekend, I think they'll be just fine. And starting off with that, Tampa came into this weekend needing to Control games and they did against UCF. They had a five to one win over the nights. Aaron Lar Haup had two goals in a chippy game. They followed that up on Sunday night with our game of the week taking on number five USF. And Tampa had the lead in this game, three-nothing. It looked like they were gonna cruise, hold on a USF team that was really not doing well in the power play at all. They finished one for eight, Danny. USF, damn, they are resilient. They had two goals in that second period. Rather one and then notch two in the third and Grand Deed score with nine seconds left, finally, to get involved in that game. And Tampa wins it in the shootout. It'll go down as a tie, which does actually help Tampa because of where USF is ranked at number five. It'll give them a swipe up. So, you know, as you assess where USF and Tampa are, do you think Tampa looked like the better team? And if so, does that mean that they I guess bet look back to what we thought they were before that last USF series where they lost two straight to the Bulls? speaker-1: Well, it it may just be a ⁓ men's Tampa Spartans problem to just take way too many penalties and wind up on the penalty kill. I thought the first half of the game I mean i obviously it's easy to say, you know, they were up three to nothing, so they were controlling the game and then they kinda went into a defensive shell and I think they tried to just be a little bit too conservative, ⁓ in terms of, you know, not necessarily putting pedal to the metal and extend that lead. ⁓ and goaltender Luke Ench made some some really, really good saves. Otherwise USF could have come back earlier. ⁓ now their defensive effort was very, very good. and one thing I have to say, I'm I'm very glad that the game didn't spiral out of control in terms of the extra curriculars because it looked like it it could have been heading that way in the first period. There's some stuff after the whistle and you know there's some twos and tens given out. And I feel like once maybe the mid midway point of the game, maybe a little bit after then USF kind of dug their heels in and said, Hey, we're you know, we're really gonna go for this. We're you know, we're not gonna mess around. Because when the games tend to spiral out of control like that, it's usually when the score is lopsided and it it easily could have gone awry. But instead they played a really good hockey game, it was entertaining. And yeah, you'd you would expect USF to have a better effort on the power play. Really, really nice job from Tampa though. speaker-0: I second your notion. And I think Tampa was clutch on their power play chances. You know, they they had the one at the end of the first and then ⁓ you know, late second. And I think that really gave them the spark of like they could control the pace. USF had some good styles or good stories on their side. Pearson Lee having his first career ACHA goal on the main advantage just sparked life into the, you know, USF squad that I really feel like they they they controlled. They they won the second half of that game. And that's what really got this thing to overtime. You know, it's ultimately in the shootout, Tampa's Ethan Gelman and Trace Coward who get the notches and Luke Ench makes a good stop in the shootout to get the win. Would you say that's our best game of the week so far? speaker-1: Wow, that's a good question. Tampa and Farmingdale also went to the shootout, but I feel like that was it was a little sloppier, don't you think? Like there was some uncharacteristic plays from both sides. I would say yeah, ⁓ the Tampa and USF plus there's like the natural rival and ⁓ you know, playoff implications, rankings implications, stuff like that. So yeah, ⁓ you know what I I I would agree. That would that was a a very fun hockey game to watch. speaker-0: Let me put it this way. We had a combined fifty-five penalty minutes between these sides. Both teams had their top scores putting it in the back of the net. And you top it off with the shootout. I don't think it could have been any better. These two sides are gonna see each other again. They're gonna have their last weekend before playoffs in February. And I think everyone's gonna have all eyes on that series because it's in Advent Health Ice, which is home of USF. And they always have one heck of an environment. We're not done with these two yet, but a great showing for two of the conference's best. And you know, speaking of great showings, Kennesaw State had our other game this week. And a story that I I think is awesome because Reese Lego with a Kennesaw State group that has been hemmed with injuries, gets a hat trick and they go on to beat the Vols, who have been pretty good for not playing that many ⁓ that many games this year. I mean, they came off a win against Tampa last week. So You know, with a team that's, you know, on the the bubble of these these playoffs, you know, how important was this in your mind for both these teams, Danny? Dude. speaker-1: Hugely important. Every game from this point forth for KSU and Tennessee. We'll see how that affects their ranking. I said that, you know, maybe you don't put as much stock into a ranking in December, but it's it's affects the standings for Division Three. So it's kind of important. It it lets you know where you are, whether you're in or out in the playoffs. Tennessee came into this matchup thinking that they're pretty comfortably in a playoff spot. Who knows what that looks like now? It was only a a two goal loss, or I believe it was actually five to two. But Reese Legaux and Will Coston, where would KSU be without them? Because those those are two freshmen. True freshmen. I mean, two thousand and six birthdays, I think, which is nuts to me, by the way, as an old head, apparently, in the CHS world. ⁓ and they've been super producers, ⁓ super, super talented on that line with ⁓ Captain James Kravis. He gets a hat trick, and by the way, this game is at the same time as the conclusion of KSU's conference championship win against Jacksonville State. So I mean it and that that came down to the wire. KSU had to score a touchdown in the last minute to seal it. So I I'm sure the folks at ⁓ the Atlanta Ice House over there in in Marietta were were out in the lobby. One eye on one eye on the television screen, the other on the ⁓ owl against the ice walls. But ⁓ yeah, big win for KSU. speaker-0: It's a good weekend to be an owl from Georgia. And you know, when we talk about standings, Tennessee right now is number eight in the conference ranks, number thirty-eight in the country. Kennesaw State is on the outside looking in. They're number fourteen in the standings, ranked at 62. However, Vanderbilt and Lynn are ahead of them at 53 and 55. Tennessee's got a series coming up against Clemson and You know, for K for Kennesaw State, I I don't think things get too much easier for them. Like they're gonna play ⁓ an ⁓ two team and in Georgia Tech and then they're gonna have some more down the line. And there's not many games left. So I think every single one for both sides is gonna matter that much more. And and that's gonna be our pretense to all of the games coming up, is that if your team doesn't play a game for a month and a half, your playoffs are essentially five games away. So they're You know, the time is running out for these guys to make moves. Great win for KSU. I think they needed it badly. And ⁓ Tennessee's goaltender, Benjamin Seasley, I hope I'm saying that right, made 46 saves in the loss. So it's not like Tennessee, ⁓ well, I guess they let a lot of shots, but it's not like they didn't have a chance because their goaltender gave them one in this. Just not enough. And Kennesaw State finishes out with a win over their, I guess, cross-state rivals, if you would. Florida Southern took on St. Leo and M3 versus A C D C action. And Gavin was was asking me a lot of like, does this matter for the rankings at all? Because if it did, Florida Southern would get a huge bump. Good performances against them. You know, Marshall had four goals. Will Marshall, two apples in the first game. Michael Israel is a hat trick in game two. Can't be Kodchockey Mouth without talking about the mocks. Just good to see for them to have some success in what's been an overall tough year for them. speaker-1: Yeah, and it's unfortunate. You know, maybe Gavin will do a a a post recording, you know, j just cut to himself where he breaks down the the series because he was on hand. I don't know. It's unfortunate he's not here to talk about it. But we talk about Florida Southern Devon and another team that's on the outside of the playoff pos ⁓ playoff position right now. They're eight, five, and one right now on the season, but two and five against division three teams. So they've played a lot of games against AC D C teams, which Good for numbers, I guess. I don't think Bill Marshall needs any help scoring. I think he's got twenty three goals and that's, you know, damn near the top of the list for division three. But you know, you gotta come up with the results against division three teams because honestly, this was an exhibition at the end of the day. speaker-0: Fair point. I think they're gonna have more opportunities though, as we hear we talked about a lot last week. They're gonna play some teams within the top twenty-five. So plenty to look forward to for Makazan fans. So the only game we're gonna talk about for this weekend is Florida Golf Coast and Colorado Mesa. So twelve and seven Florida Golf Coast against a over five hundred Colorado Mesa squad. If you're wondering about what their schedule looks like, ⁓ Air Force, Colorado College. And they actually beat Air Force way back in September, who was the runner-ups in the national championship last year in M3, so not an easy slight. Nathan Walker told us that his team has to approach it like it's a top 25 game because this team is ranked number 40, very close. You we were big on the defensive structure there. How does Florida Gulf Coast? speaker-1: Well, I think it's exactly what Nathan said. If you're committed to a defensive structure, that's a much easier and no matter what the quality of your team is, if you have a rigid defensive structure that's practiced and predictable for your team, that's a much easier road to success than, you know, everyone go out there freelancing and and it's obviously what Florida Gulf Coast this year has been trying to do. You know, they're giving up two and a half goals a game, and that's a that's a pretty good mark. Like like I mentioned earlier, it's Best in the conference. So yeah, why why stray away from strategy? If you're not if you're giving up two and a half goals a game, you're most likely in the game until the very, very end. So yeah, yeah, business as usual. And you know what? It's ⁓ it's Florida Golf Coast against a team that's not in our conference. So we get to be pi bipartisan and you know what? Go Eagles. Go Eagles. I don't know. Put up the E. Squawk squawk. speaker-0: Is that the E? Wait, sorry, do that again. I I wanna see what what was this? So I'm seeing a W there, but I think it works. I think it works that you're well you what you could say? You can say the E and then throw out the dub if they do well. So how about next one? speaker-1: But turn a W sideways, brother. It's an E. speaker-0: And then eat it and meeting the W just like Jameis and Winston. Hopefully they get it done. Two games this weekend. You can catch those both at eight thirty PM Eastern time on Friday and Saturday, Black Dog hockey from Hertz Arena. And I'm sure that Nathan Walker with the podcast, How We've Been Bumpin' Guys, is gonna have a good performance. Hopefully that doesn't end for him and FGCU were rooting for, as Danny mentioned this week. Mm-hmm. So one thing we wanna you know, mentioned here in in the notes is with with being a later week, obviously we've got our three stars of the week, but still a lot of good tallies here. And new guys. This is a this is a completely new top three. No middle Tennessee, no USF. I'm happy about this. Jack Ritchie is our first star of the week in M3 from Ole Miss. First time we've seen a rebel in the three stars of the week, I'm pretty sure. Four goals, two apples for their weekend set. And Colton Wyden for Florida Southern got five points in there. Weekend with Saint ⁓ I almost said Saint Louis Leo. Saint Louis. I don't know why I was thinking of the Blues. No, I was thinking of today. ⁓ this is probably not gonna make it, but somebody that ⁓ played for the wings and the ⁓ blues is back on their team, Robbie Fabry. Robbie Fabry. You know who Robbie Fabry is. I don't know why, but I I had that in my mind when I was thinking of Saint Leo. Saint Louis. I don't know, they just not simple good series for Colton against Saint Leo. And our third star, Reese Lego, in their game with the Vols. Three goals in that hat trick. So hey Danny, what's the place that every good player goes when they make three stars? speaker-1: Well, I have to make a ⁓ well actually I I I won't make this point 'cause I d I don't think I should say that publicly. ⁓ Okay, so a place that we've made mention before, basically I've made mention of it in the past on the podcast, is the faded Chunchikov Island. And we called it that it's an endearing term because of the hot start that Tommy Chunchikov had in the year and it it seemed like we were putting him in in the three stars of the week and three stars of the month. speaker-0: Come on, say it anyway. speaker-1: back to back to back to back and eventually we were like, you know what, we gotta put this guy on the shelf. We gotta put I I don't care if he goes out and scores ninety goals against, you know, some poor soul. Tommy Chonchikov is not on the stars. He won't be one of our three stars. So I I was thinking, what would be the qualifications to make it onto Chonchikov Violin? And I and I was thinking probably three times nominated for speaker-0: Hast du? speaker-1: Three three times nominated for either a star of the week or a star of the month. So they would have to come up three times. Okay. And so I went in and I counted and I came up with the list of people who would be official tenants of Chunchikov Island. Do you want to guess who these people are? Okay. I have there are one, two, three, four, five. There are seven people. Women's included. Seven people. speaker-0: Men's and women. Obviously men's and women. Well this Okay, here we go. Alright, I I'm gonna name I can name a couple. I can name Mina Molina, Claire Carson speaker-1: No. speaker-0: Okay, well, whatever. X there. Grant Deeds. Damn. Why am I why am I blanking on a Middle Tennessee guy besides Chunchikov? But a middle t middle Tennessee player. He's one of them. Middle Tennessee player, whatever. Okay. Will Marshall. ⁓ Really? Will Marshall is not on this list. Twice. Okay. Okay. Only twice. That's all I've got. Who are the remaining remaining guys? Girls. speaker-1: No. Okay, so you said Nina Molina, Brent Dietz, Chonchikov, and Matt Siciliano. You didn't actually say him. speaker-0: Yes, right. I implied. Yeah. speaker-1: Other the other tenants, the other people who are stranded on Chunchagov Island. Chloe Valente, Braden Curry, and ⁓ a new tenant, she just got shipped out there, Marissa Bonilla. Wow. Those are speaker-0: Yep, exactly. So we've got we've got mostly Florida people. We've got good diversity here. speaker-1: though. Yeah, so I I think I think once we we ⁓ switch the calendar to twenty twenty six this gets reset and they get freed. Yeah, un unfortunately for Mr. Braden Curry, he he's off of Chunchikov Island, but I think there's ⁓ an infirmary or or some sort of ⁓ triage station that's not too far away. I think he's done for the year and I don't want to make light of that. ⁓ you know, we wish him the best. ⁓ but Matt he he he was putting up all kinds of goals and putting A ton of pressure on us to keep him off of the three stars list. So I don't know. So by the way, the leaders for Chunchikov Island, Nina Molina's been on four times, Grant Dietz has been on four times, and Braden Curry's been on four times. So maybe Chunchikov Island needs to be renamed. I don't know. It just ha it w rolls off the tongue. speaker-0: Alrighty, well, we're gonna build ⁓ another section. We're gonna we're gonna dump in sand and make a new playpen that's bigger because it's growing. But I like seeing diversity. So congrats to the three guys that made it to this new list for the week. And I'm sure we're gonna have more to Danny's Chechukov Island as we roll on with this bit that will not die here on College Hockey Mouth. Well, another thing we want to highlight, and this will put a pin in this edition of College Hockey Mouth, is our CHS Europe Trip Participants. We get the announcements for the first two days of players and don't worry, nothing totally happened before this ⁓ list I'm about to say, you know, that that we needed a a double take on. Here's our announcements by the time you'll hear this. On Thursday we had Rocco Bruno from Florida Atlantic, Robert Renner from UCF, Nick Oliveiro, the second owl to join him, and two middle s middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders, Lyndon Palmer and Brendan Olgill, some very deserving guys there. And then today, when you find the date of this episode, if you do, Joseph Dre for UCF, Sam Watson from Florida Atlantic, M3, very well deserved for the newest captain of that team. Will Marshall, one of our guys, almost on Chunchikov Island with two players of the week. And Anthony Campagne, M2 Owl, former captain of M3 as well, alongside Cole Velise for Tampa M2 is returning guys. So I like the diversity you got here with the M3 and the M2 guys. Seems like This was by committee and that blue line is looking pretty solid, Danny. speaker-1: Yeah, it's exciting. And we almost knocked off all of the returning players, which adds more of the suspense. You know, Trace Cowart will be one of the guys that'll be announced eventually, and also Kyle Meyer. But ⁓ still a good list of guys that will be unveiled and I'm excited. We're really getting close. ⁓ we got meetings coming up and ⁓ whole bunch of ⁓ different announcements and and potentially potentially Devon, a special guest outside of our already special guest for next episode that we might might shed some light on exactly what will be going on on that Europe trip. And it's it's exciting and ⁓ man, bonjour, bonjour. speaker-0: You just love teasing this thing. And no, Kelly is not gonna make it on the pod. I think we've tried for weeks and weeks to get her convinced it's not gonna happen, unfortunately, CHS listeners. Although I'm excited for who you got. I know you like to have tricks up your sleeve. speaker-1: I wanna make a plea to our audience, the people of our our fans, the college hockey Mothers, the Mother offers, please in the comments wherever you'd like to please make a petition to have ⁓ Kelly Krillbart on the podcast because I think she's just an unbelievable personality and would add so much to this podcast. I'm gonna get her on in Europe. It's just gonna happen. speaker-0: If you do nothing else, wish some ⁓ thank yous to our social media manager that runs double and triple time sometimes, running the Ghost Pirates, College Hockey Mouth, and her work outside of hockey. We're all grinding it out, and this was a grinder kind of weekend. Some people get their time off, so we hope you enjoy ⁓ a little bit of the team bonding if you're doing that, if you're going elsewhere, or if you're taking finals especially, be sure to get those papers in. speaker-1: Good luck on your finals. speaker-0: Yes. And we hope you all enjoyed this edition of College Hockey Mouth episode sixteen. Sit down with Nathan Walker. We'll be back again next week. But until then, for Danny Bone, I'm Devin Sarah. Thanks for listening. Have a good one.