Latest / College Hockey Mouth / Episode 23: Chloe Valente | University of South Florida Women's Hockey

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Episode 23: Chloe Valente | University of South Florida Women's Hockey · College Hockey Mouth

• speaker-0: All right, folks, on this week's podcast, we're gonna do things a little bit differently. Our usual other co-host, Gavin and Devin, contracted some horrible communicable diseases and will have to be quarantined for a few weeks, maybe days. But we may never see them ever again. So it'll be me and Lizzie Pinogen from South Florida Women's Hockey. ⁓ thank you for being here, Lizzie. But on this week's episode, we are interviewing ⁓ two-time star of the week, ⁓ third star of the month. For September and second leading scorer and the entire conference from the University of South Florida, Chloe Vellante. Thank you for coming on, Chloe. Yeah. ⁓ before we get into your background, your hockey background and everything, I heard there was a little bit of a ⁓ a field trip a couple days ago for your team. Yeah. ⁓ where'd you guys go and and why did that happen? speaker-1: For having me. This will be fun. ⁓ ⁓ well, we went to the fire station last night. Why? Honestly, I'm not sure, but it was a lot of fun. We got to put on the equipment. We got to tour the trucks and the facilities and I don't know, they were really accommodating. It was really fun. They wouldn't let us slide down the pole though, so that was kinda sad. But you know it's all good. It was it was a lot of fun. speaker-0: No. You look like a natural in that like whole fire station outfit by the way. Like you ate. speaker-1: Thank you, thank you. Yeah, I don't know. I was like really excited to try on the gear. I'm like a huge gear person. I I actually went through the Fire Academy in high school, so like partially. That's why I was like, ⁓ my gosh, I need to put on the gear just to like to roll back. Yeah. I don't know. It was fun. speaker-0: Little bit of ⁓ Chloe lore. She went through the Fire Academy in high school. Yep. That's interesting. What what's the fire academy like? I don't even know what that means. speaker-1: Honestly, it's just like set of training, like you take a bunch of tests and it's just like certifications to get your like fire one and fire two to in order to become like a state certified firefighter. So back in the day I actually wanted to be a firefighter and I was never gonna go to like grad school or anything, but yeah, college in general I guess. Yeah. Then I like one day I like, you what, maybe I should go to college. So then I went to Northern and then decided to get my graduate school stuff done after that. So speaker-0: Holy lore drop, by the way. Yeah, didn't expect that that kind of background. You've been you've been ⁓ kind of the the talk of the town for the women's division at the early part of the season. ⁓ why don't you give us a little bit of a background of yourself? How'd you get into the game? Has it always been a passion of yours? speaker-1: that lifestyle. Yeah. So I started skating really early. I was probably like three or four. My dad actually coached high school boys' hockey in my hometown, Brighton, Michigan. So he was always skating with them and one day I was like, Dad, I really want to skate and he back then girls hockey really wasn't like a big thing. So he was always scared to put me on skates and put me on the ice with like a bunch of boys. But I don't know, fast forward, I'm here. I don't know. I I I speaker-0: Give us your story. speaker-1: Love hockey so much. It's just always been a passion of mine and it's just like such a release and like an outlet for me. So I really enjoy it. But yeah, I played boys a little bit in my youth and then I switched over to Little Caesars where I played pretty much my entire hockey career till I was probably like eighteen, nineteen, and then I went to northern Michigan. And then I ended up here. So that's pretty much the story. speaker-0: Go ahead, Lizzie. Starting off, what were the skill level and amenities like playing for a prominent triple A program at Little Caesars versus your playing career in high school and eventually ⁓ ACA? speaker-1: So my high school team was actually a starter team. We didn't have like girls high school hockey where I was from. So I got to be part of creating the first girls inaugural hockey team, which is really cool at ⁓ Brighton High School. And that also combined Heartland High School and Howell High School. So basically all of like Livingston County people are probably not familiar with that, but yeah, I we were treated like royalty I wanna say at Caesars, like they gave us all the tools, all the resources we needed. It was like it honestly felt like I was playing for like an NHL team, which is really cool to say because like they gave us everything. We had our own weight room, we had our own film room, we had our own locker everything like everything. So I mean, ⁓ it was definitely really, really cool to grow up and like utilize those resources that Caesars provided for us and then I don't know, high school, it was kind of a last minute decision. I just wanted to make the switch just because my grades did start slipping a little bit with Caesars because every single day we were in Detroit, every single night. It was a huge time commitment. So I ended up making the decision to go to high school, which is one of the best decisions I've ever made in my life, honestly. And yeah, I would say that. speaker-0: Did you ⁓ get a chance to play at ⁓ Little Caesars Arena or Joe Lewis? speaker-1: Well yeah, yeah, yeah. We used to have like our own locker room would be inside Little Caesars Arena. So like I don't know if you guys know, but Little Caesars Arena actually has a whole nother rink in the basement below the NHL playing surface. So that's where all the Little Caesars teams have like their own locker room and all like film room, all that weight rooms, training facilities, everything is in the basement of Little Caesars Arena. And then at the early ages when the Joe was still around, God bless the Joe, I love that place. we all I mean, we were always down there all the time and it was such a cool experience getting to play at the Joe for sure. speaker-0: Yeah, a little bit a bit of ⁓ some more lore draw for on on Chloe, who who reps Michigan, big Detroit gal, but she's not a Red Wings fan. She's a Canadi Canad Canadiens fan. God how how did that happen? Why speaker-1: Yeah, that's crazy. I I don't honestly, I don't know. Like f I guess just at an early age I was like obsessed with like Max Max Petcheretti and I thought he was a great like leader. And ⁓ yeah, I kind of just PK Suban too, he was a cool, cool role model. So I had both their jerseys and I would always wrap around the house. My dad would always scream at me to take it off and put on a Red Wings jersey, but you know what? No. I I guess I just love the Canadians go have. speaker-0: So you're big in the whole leadership thing, apparently. I know that's pretty obvious considering that I'm on a team with you. thank God for that. You're such a great addition. ⁓ but you helped establish a high school hockey program that was a co-op of three different teams. What was the process like? speaker-1: Honestly, there was a lot of moments of doubt because we didn't even know if we would have enough girls to do this. And that's kind of ultimately why we ended up combining three schools. But it was just a lot, a lot of planning, a lot of execution, a lot of talking to, you know, all the principals and like just the high up people. So it was it was a really long process. But at the end when I first stepped on the ice for our first inaugural game, it was it was honestly one of the coolest experiences and I think that game we actually beat the state champions from the year prior. Honestly coming out as a brand new program, brand new team and like beating the state champ, I think three times in a row was honestly just a real experience. It was awesome. speaker-0: Yeah. ⁓ before I get to my next question, wanted to rewind to the little Caesars because ⁓ every time I I see that on on someone's EP page, it's like, man, that that's a silly name for a team. But those uniforms are actually pretty sweet. There there's like the baby blue and orange. And ⁓ also your high school team, you used the Golden Knights logo, and I just complained about you being a Habs fan, but why the Golden Knights, man? Why? speaker-1: Honestly, I think that goes to our assistant coach. He was a huge Golden Knights fan and I think when we were going through designs of all right, like what what uniforms do we want to wear? He's like Golden Knights, Golden and that I think that program was just beginning when our high school team took off. So he really wanted to rep the Golden Knights. So I'll power to him, but yeah, I think that's the backstory of that one. speaker-0: Wanna be honest, I think that's a questionable decision. I know that my sister would love that, huge Golden Knights fan. But also, Danny, I find it really interesting that you're kinda dogging on Chloe for liking Montreal. Don't you have two favorite NHL teams? I I have a lot of passion. But you like to name them? ⁓ absolutely. The Chicago Blackhawks and the Boston Bruins. That's the reason why I'm not a fan of of of her being a ⁓ a have supporter. Yeah. It it is what it is. Look, people clown on me for my my fandom, you know. I my self confidence is way too strong for you guys to tear me down. speaker-1: Are you a bank fan? No. speaker-0: I'm not a bandwagon fan. Are you kidding me? Both teams have been terrible recently. I still breath them strong. We're not this is your interview. I'm not answering any more questions. Okay, so back to your high school career. Your senior season was cut short by the pandemic and then you guys were on the verge of making it to the state championship and that's when everything got shut down. ⁓ how do you think that affected your evolution as a hockey player and just your career in general? speaker-1: Yeah. Honestly, I feel like, well, nobody has anything really positive to say about COVID, I would say. However, like that did make me look back and think about how do I get past this and like what am I gonna do in the future, you know? So I started like training and putting in work and that's how I ultimately ended up at Northern Michigan and it was the same story for that school as well. My freshman year at Northern, we didn't have a season because of COVID, so It was ⁓ we still had to wake up for six AM practices in the freezing, negative twenty temperatures, which was brutal, but honestly I there's nothing you can really do to change what happened and yeah. speaker-0: Well so seems like it was kind of a difficult time for you, but you kinda powered through it, which I think is a great testament of the kind of person that you are. Tell us what you learned from the successes that you've had at Northern Michigan playing for the Wildcats. Seems like you had kind of a downer first season with the kind of rough practices, but what about all the speaker-1: Honestly, I there's not a negative thing I would say about that school. It was a privilege and it was so fun to play there. We I we went through some great coaches. Honestly, I one of them, Jim Higgins, is probably like one of my biggest role models till to the till this day, I would say. What we went to nationals, I think two seasons with Northern, so I think my sophomore year and my senior year or junior, I'm not sure. But we went to Nationals, which is honestly really cool and I don't know, it was just a great experience. Like I said, out all the players up there still I talk to them almost every single day. My best friends. So great, great school. It is freezing up there. That's why I'm down at South Florida now. speaker-0: It sounds like it. speaker-1: But yeah, it's I wouldn't change that for anything. It was truly a blessing to play there, for sure. speaker-0: You have any ⁓ good national stories from your from your team? speaker-1: National stories. Well, I think my sophomore year we went to nationals with ten skaters. So all these other teams that we were playing had like twenty skaters, five scratches, three goalies. It's just like so we were kind of voted like the underdog going in and we ended up actually going two and one, which was pretty cool. That's probably one of the coolest stories I would say, but it was tired speaker-0: How how are the legs feeling after that? speaker-1: Terrible. It was like Herb Brooks when he skated. Again, again. That's how I felt like speaker-0: Yeah, yeah, going o over the boards every shift. speaker-1: Brillo is like, man, like I just got off the ice, now I gotta go back on. No, it w honestly, awesome experience. Like I said, it wouldn't change it for anything. So speaker-0: Now you're playing for us for USF. Super glad to have you there. I'm pretty set on everybody else feeling the same way. ⁓ we all love you. So how is playing club hockey for USF different than your previous experiences with the Wildcats and in the triple A and stuff? speaker-1: So I will say USF and Northern were the same and we weren't really funded through anything. So we had to work for everything. Literally everything. Like we had to fight for Ebbett Northern, we to fight for our own locker room, fight for, you know, like during COVID they wouldn't let us go like change in the facilities, so we'd have to get changed in our cars while the guys could go, you know, use the facilities, which was, I mean, terrible. But we had to fight for that. Honestly, you just had to fight for everything and I feel like that's a huge takeaway from club sports, but I mean it is really a cool experience to be able to represent your school. So I would say that is a huge takeaway. Little Caesars is kinda polar opposite 'cause like I said, we we're basically handed everything, like you need a new stick, here you go, you need new gloves, here you go. Like it's just it was crazy. It's very polar opposite, but yeah. speaker-0: So what went into the decision post grad to go down to USF? I'm sure a lot of it was academic, but did you have any any like ulterior mode of like, hey, they've got hockey down there with this this school, maybe I could go play? speaker-1: So yes, actually, yep. This might seem kinda generalized, but I was sick of the weather up at northern Michigan. I think anyone from the north can vouch for that. But I actually was looking between I hate to say this, but U Tampa, Miami and USF. So Utapa actually required a G MAT score, which I didn't take the G Mat looking at grad schools, so I was like, you know what, we'll go with US F beautiful campus, beautiful school. Their team looks fun, so I don't know, I I joined US F and I've been having the best time of my life here. So yeah, it's been great. speaker-0: Yeah, and you had a ⁓ a year off in between, right? Just playing like beer league. speaker-1: ⁓ yeah, whipping it up at women's league. So I know Yeah, yeah, yeah. So it's called the FWHL. It's like a Florida women's hockey league. Basically we practice a couple times a month, but then we compete once a month all over the state of Florida. So it could be like Miami, Jacksonville, Ellington, literally everywhere. And it's basically a huge group of people that played like prior like N C double A or club ages from speaker-0: But you still play, right? speaker-1: I mean, nineteen no we have a sixty year old on our team, so I don't know. It's that's so cool. I know, right? It's very, very competitive, I'll say. Like they are a really good team. So and all the teams we play, I mean it's kinda hard to keep up sometimes. I'm like, geez, like I don't know what you guys are doing outside of hockey, but I need to start doing that 'cause like I'm out of breath. But yeah, it's it's really fun. It's really competitive. Me and my roommate both play, so it's always fun getting to play. speaker-0: That's it. speaker-1: with her too and she played at Northern Michigan, so I don't know, it's kinda just like reflecting on our old days together, I guess. But yeah. speaker-0: Lizzie has a has a couple of questions about your sponsorships. About your sponsorships and how ⁓ so first thing is for being a barstool athlete, did you get any like wicked merch from anything? speaker-1: They just sent random they would send me like random stuff like hoodies and like sweatpants and just hats. Like I don't know, stuff like that. They basically just want you to like represent Barstool and like what they're all about. So I would have to like post about it all the time, but I feel like now it's like kind of fallen off but they like required it to be in your bio or else you're automatically removed. So I like, Alright man, like boom, Barstool athlete. But yeah. speaker-0: How'd that come about? speaker-1: I they reached out or it was like an email program. They were just like, Hey, like we see you're an athlete and at the time I think I was with Caesars transition transitioning to high school. It's ⁓ yeah, I don't know, they're just like, Can you represent us basically? And that was about it. Like I was like, Sure, if you send me cool merch, then I'm in. But yeah. That was speaker-0: Again with the sponsorships, are you still with Prime? speaker-1: They do send me like Prime sponsorship was basically kinda like Barcel, like they just send me like so much stuff. Like if I open my door to my room to like the living room right now, it's there's like a pyramid of Prime stuff. I'm not even kidding. So my roommate and I literally live off Prime stuff, which is I mean it's nice to have. Like they have energy drinks and stuff like that, so go to the gym and grab a prime. But yeah, that was kind of the same deal. You just like post about it and just like sponsored by Prime. I don't know. Yeah, it was nice to get free stuff. speaker-0: I just wanted to ask you if you had any other sponsorships that we don't know about. ⁓ speaker-1: It was with Liquid IV and I kind of fell off the posting for that, but me I was up at Northern for that one. Me me, my roommates, actually, all four of us, all were sponsored by Liquid IV. So our house literally like you walked into the kitchen and there's just mounds of electrolyte stuff. So we were just like like it got to a point where we had too much stuff, so we would give it to like random people on the street or like a mailman, like, man, you need to fill up like here you go. So speaker-0: Yeah. ⁓ speaker-1: Yes. Honestly right now I do. I'm kinda sick, but speaker-0: I crushed liquid IV. That would that would be insane. But you can plead the fifth on on this next part because you're still a prime athlete. But Lizzie, have you ever had Prime before? Yeah. What are your thoughts? I've had it once before. because I used to work with kids and they would give me little samples and we had one day where it was just like a big sample day, and I got a bunch of little cups from them and speaker-1: Mm. speaker-0: I tried like a blue one. I tried a yellow one. I tried a red one. I tried one that looked like those firework popsicles that you get when you are a kid. I feel bad for saying this because you're sponsored by Prime, but I'm not like a big electrolyte person if it is. Like I take you guys just said that you're like liquid IV people, but I'm an emergency gal. I think I yeah. I literally have some right here. These things. speaker-1: Yeah. speaker-0: And they have like zinc and like vitamins in them. But these ones I don't like when you mix it into a drink. I don't like having like that salty feeling. And these are like pop rocks, but for medicine, which is so great for me because I love candy. ⁓ I'm pretty sure we talked about this for the Halloween episode when I was pounding sweet tarts, but I was not a big fan. I need something to taste like like really, really sweet or like have some sort of gimmick to it. And Prime wasn't it. And I got insulted for months by the kids about it, but it is what it is. At Columbus. I and I I have to give you props because very first game at Columbus, you got smoked into the boards and and and you got you were all banged up. I don't you came up and y you came up and ran the camera, but your your meal of choice during that game was unbelievable. What was my meal of choice? ⁓ you y you had like all sorts of like ice cream and like it was all like candy. There was like nothing on the food pyramid. It's the elf food pyramid. I probably had cotton candy. If it was a rink, I probably got cotton candy. I probably got like a Snickers or something. You had you had an ice cream thing that was called like a dinosaur or something. It was like a dinosaur Dino Sunday from Brewster's. It was a dino there you go. Yeah. I love Dino Sundays. I love them so much. I've been getting them ever since I was like three and there was a Brewster's by my house in Atlanta. I love Dino Sundays. If you haven't had them, you should try it 'cause it's so gaz. There you go, Prime. Ask for one but make it big. Prime if you want want ⁓ an endorsement from Lizzie Pinogen, Dino Sunday flavor. speaker-1: Yeah. speaker-0: God. I would actually I would devour that. I would I would eat that up so I'd drink it up so 'cause it's a drink. Maybe they don't have any speaker-1: Cure sponsorship, USF hockey and Dino, whatever you're what it speaker-0: Dino Sundays from Brewster's. Yeah. Not whatever. It is it. Thank you for reminding me of that. It's been a while since I had one. It was honestly sickening to watch your food consumption during that game. I think you guys were at ⁓ at the at Twin Peaks having that experience. speaker-1: Team event. Yeah. Our team likes to support locals, so it was either that or I don't know, somewhere interesting. Shut up. speaker-0: That local Shout out Columbus, Georgia. Anyway, speaking of ⁓ su supporting local and you're involved with the Lightning community hockey and you just seem like you're you're a hockey junkie for a better for a lack of a better term. ⁓ how'd you get started in speaker-1: You know what, honestly, I've it's always been a dream of mine to work for like a NHL organization, especially the Tampa Bay Lightning, because it's also always been a dream of mine to live in Tampa. So when I moved to Tampa, I kinda I didn't r know anybody down here. I didn't even know my teammates at that point. So I literally just went on LinkedIn and I was a LinkedIn warrior man. Like I sent my application to everybody. I started connecting with people and like reaching out, probably reached out to every single person. in that organization and finally like someone was like, Hey, we have a position available here, apply for it and so I did. It's just funny 'cause I honestly didn't expect to move to Florida and be like full time hockey junkie. Like I thought, all right, this is where like my life begins low key, but I don't know, apparent I'm like in the rank every single day, so I I guess I am a hockey junkie, but no complaints about it. Hockey's the best sport on earth. speaker-0: Agreed. What does your now what does your role exactly look like for you work for Lightning Community Hockey? Mm-hmm. So what does that entail? Like what what do you do ball hockey? Do you do ice hockey? Do you do like what is it? speaker-1: We do so much behind the scenes work, so like all the events we're pretty much at, whether that's ball hockey, on the ice, everything, we travel all over Florida. I think e they've even traveled to like Alabama and like all the surrounding states, but we do a lot of those types of events and we also host like adult leagues, learn to play leagues, learn to skate leagues. I'm really involved with like the girls hockey side of it, so I I coach a lot of like younger girls like learn to play, learn to skate. So that's a huge time commitment. I like I said, I I would not change anything. Like that is the most rewarding experience is getting to coach little girls who are like have a dream now because of PWHL's inputs. It's just so cool to like see, I don't know, so inspired. So yeah, but I would say my ultimate end goal with them would probably be like marketing or like public relations, community relations, some sort of speaker-0: Yeah, and ⁓ you you got to participate in something ⁓ similar to that in Columbus with the girls try hockey for free. Do you ever see yourself and the girls that you're helping and coaching who are, you know, trying hockey for the first time? speaker-1: Absolutely. I feel like when I look at them I kind of think about when I first started to play hockey and how there really was no like I mean, you could go play college but that was really it, but now I look at them and they have so many more opportunities, which is really cool. So like pushing them and inspiring them and being their role model, I guess, in a way, is really rewarding for me and it's like so exciting and like makes me so happy that girls are getting so much opportunity now and it's just it's awesome. speaker-0: On a similar track, what would you say I would you say you think it's so important to grow the game, especially in like the girls hockey community? speaker-1: Yeah, so honestly I didn't know like Florida was a big I don't wanna say hockey stakes I'll offend so many people and like there's so many Stanley I didn't I feel like people from the north don't really like look south when they think of hockey, but like just working with the lightning has really shown me that the game really is growing so much, so drastically, so fast, especially with girls speaker-0: ⁓ go ahead. I mean it's completely feasible. speaker-1: We ⁓ do a Sunday like programming event where we have at least like fifty girls just come out and try hockey and they I just get to watch ⁓ fall in love with the game and like I said, it's I just remember when I was a little girl and I was I fell in love with the game and it just makes me so happy to see all their smiles and I don't know, it's just that's just really rewarding and truly incredible. So very important to grow the game. speaker-0: There ⁓ something you've seen, ⁓ you know, coaching ⁓ that you wish you had access to as when you were learning to grow the game yourself or ⁓ s ⁓ learn the game, excuse me. speaker-1: Honestly, I would say not really. No, all the coaches I've had I would say coaching is a huge a huge part of growing the game. If you don't have a good coach, then I mean I've seen so many events and circumstances where people fall out of love with the game and that's honestly the most sad thing I could ever see. I would want to be able to step in the coach's shoes and take over and be like, Hey, like, come on, like, let's have fun, you know? But I honestly can't give like a Definitive example. All the coaches I I've been blessed with so many great coaches and I don't know. What why are you laughing? speaker-0: Was is there a a drag race event going on out outside your window? speaker-1: Like every if anyone from Tampa's watching this, they all get it. Like they just drag race all the time downtown. It's crazy. I don't know where they're going. Yeah. speaker-0: My my apartment, my my sophomore year was like right outside the the burnout street and it was just constant. And there was also a train station and the fire station was nearby. So I was just constantly yeah, it w it wasn't great. You know, there's late nights studying. Was your rent like like twenty dollars a month with all those terrible amenities? Right. Yeah, pretty much. Yeah. Shout out South Carolina. I think it's your question now, Lizzie. Go ahead, please. Yeah. speaker-1: It's crazy. speaker-0: Let's see, I gotta check all these ones off. I'm sure that this has happened. I've had my own moments. A lot of other girls have had their own moments. Has there ever been any times, like whether it was with the CHS girls learn to play or with lightning community hockey or any other experiences outside of that where you have left and felt like especially fulfilled from your experience working with younger players? speaker-1: Yeah, I would say probably at the Lightning events especially. And even I coach ⁓ I also coach U fourteen Lightning girls hockey and they're just at the age where it's like, All right, like I gotta dial in and like really start focusing on hockey if I wanna make it like a thing, you know. So I would say like coaching fourteen year olds, it's really cool to see them learn the game, ⁓ and just be inspired, I guess. and their drive for the game. Everything always reminds me of like when I was a little girl, so it's always cool to see. And I don't know, just like them having fun. That's really big for me. You g you gotta learn how to dial in and really focus on the game, but you also need to have a fine line of having fun and I believe that's a huge part of the game as well. So with the Lightning girls learn to play and all that, they're just at the age of where they're just starting to skate, just getting feel for the stick, just watching them skate around with huge smiles on their face and all the parents are lined up taking videos of their kids. I don't know. It's really it's really sweet. It reminds me of like when my parents would take videos of me when I was skating around. So speaker-0: I hear there's a rumor that you've had the same pregame ritual since you've been twelve years old. I I hear this a lot with with hockey players. Sydney Crosby is is an insane creature. What is your pregame ritual that you have to do every single game? speaker-1: I am like extremely superstitious no matter what league I'm playing in, what I'm doing, if it's for fun, if it's not. ⁓ I would say honestly, it starts probably the morning of I have to wake up at a certain it depends on the game time, like it has to be like certain time I wake up and then I I'm not allowed to shower on the game day at all. And obviously after the game, but I can't shower and then I get to the rank, I have to stretch a certain way, and I have to crack my back a certain way. And if it doesn't crack, then I'm gonna play bad. Like I'm gonna tell myself I'm gonna play bad. So I have to I will literally sit outside until my back is cracked. Like I am not going inside that building until my back is cracked. And then I eat this is gonna sound really weird, but I eat canned tuna. Yep. So like when we were traveling with Northern, I would bring canned tuna on our bus to Nationals. And just rip it straight on the bus and I would be like, Man, like Chloe's back there eating tuna, I freaking know it. But yeah, canned tuna. I have speaker-0: Yeah, 'cause it's got a smell to it. speaker-1: Yeah, yeah. And the bus too. So it has to be three hours before game time. No later, no sooner. And then I don't have really any superstitions like putting on my equipment wise. I just try to keep it the same. Like I don't do like left or right or any of that. But I had to tape my stick a certain way. Like I have a a wax mark on my stick ⁓ where I start my tape and if it's over I have to restart and peel it all off. And if it's a little like not even an inch to the right, I have to peel it all off and restart it. It has to be lined up on the wax part of my stick. So yeah, I don't know. I s I'm weird when it comes to like superstition, but yeah. speaker-0: So when you No, no, I think this is important stuff. Yeah. So w when when you travel, say okay, so like for Columbus back in whenever that was, September, do you have all your tuna fish with you packed or do you have to find the tuna fish and click it's on speaker-1: Well no, I go to the store before and load up the backpack and take it on the trip with me. speaker-0: Do you have a preferred brand of tuna? There you go. Yeah. speaker-1: It's like a a dark if I saw a picture of it at the store I'd be like, all right, that's the one. It's like a dark blue yellow. There's like a little dolphin on it. I think. Maybe it's a tuna. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's it. It has to be that one or else. speaker-0: ⁓ that's Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, with your track record you could end up with their them sponsoring you. For Christ's sake. Jesus. Now is it just like is it like bland? Or you you like season it at all, a little bit of salt, maybe pepper? speaker-1: I'll pack my seasonings, I'll pack my mayo, like I got all that in my backpack, man. Like garlic salt, you know. There has to be stuff mixed in. Like I don't I couldn't just eat tuna out of a can unless I was desperate. There was one time I went to Nationals with Northern and I was like, ⁓ my gosh, I forgot to eat the tuna and so I had to go in my backpack and I in the corner like Yeah. I I got clipped a bunch of times on that. I think all my teammates still make fun of me for that, but yeah. Every once in a while I'll get a picture of me eating the tuna in the National's locker room, so speaker-0: Has anybody on our team witnessed this? Cause I didn't know that the this tuna thing w was a thing and that it was so severe. Severe. speaker-1: keep it on the down low. Apparently it's the whole world knows now though. So shout out tuna. You really got me through all my games for real. speaker-0: Shout out tuna. Jesus. Another little funny thing. Earlier this year, ⁓ or I guess it was twenty twenty five, you guys did a ⁓ practice in Halloween costumes and I learned that apparently it's it's a thing you do, that you're just ⁓ you're a cockroach out there. speaker-1: Yeah. I don't know. I like being like the weird I wanna be something weird. Like I wanna be a cockroach. So I dressed up as a cockroach and like crawled around the ice. Like I really don't I don't know. Sounded fun to me and I've always I saw this TikTok like three years ago where this girl dressed as a cockroach for Halloween and I've been inspired ever since. And this year I finally executed it and I couldn't be happier. So speaker-0: Yeah, I'm gonna be honest, I have a lot of videos of that. And if I if anybody had a fear of cockroaches and they were on the ice with us, they a hundred and ten percent would have left because the way you were moving, it was so similar. It was it was genuine it was kind of freaky. ⁓ yeah. Like it was it was actually a little bit gross. Like I love you, but that was like a little gross. You had like the movements down to a T. It was speaker-1: I practiced a couple of days before practice with my roommate. She said, All right, you gotta get down and like move your fingers over it. Brought those skills to practice and I whipped it up as a cockroach. speaker-0: The Kalloe Valente bore is a lot more interesting than I thought it was. speaker-1: I don't know, I just I like being for fun. speaker-0: I was I was Cartman. I had like I I like to try so I did it I did it for one practice where I didn't go to Hobby Lobby and get like felt and make it myself and that was not good. My first year I was Kermit and I like painted my face green, but I didn't have green face paint, so I used eyeshadow and it stained my face for like a day and a half after. That was my favorite. Cartman came pretty close though because I had like little mittens and I taped it on my gloves and I thought it was really funny. 'Cause I had like I had it in the picture and I had like little mittens on and I thought it was pretty cute. Weren't you ⁓ weren't you Ricky Bobby for the Bryce K podcast? No. Yes, I was. And I remember 'cause I think you were dogging on me for having s for drawing sideburns on myself. I don't think I would do such a thing. But I've I've been getting ⁓ sc scrub daddy YouTube ads and it it's been it's it's been crazy. Yeah. speaker-1: Yeah. speaker-0: Yeah, it's ⁓ and they're they're wild. Like, shout out Scrub Daddy, you know, you you built a a an insane business, but ⁓ yeah, that this guy's a character. And he what were you for Halloween? We never discussed this. What were you for Halloween? Me. ⁓ I don't know. I I don't remember. I was the rock. And you know the the rock in the the one picture where he he has the fanny pack and he's got the turtleneck? ⁓ yeah. Yeah. Well, as like the tooth fairy? Or no, when he was younger? When he was younger, yeah. And I had the fanny pack and and the plastic watch and the necklace. My my Uber driver said I I looked like George Michael. So not not quite the rock. I think it was because of my hair. Anyways, getting getting back on topic, you guys have the and this question is for both of you because you have the Gasparilla tournament coming up. It's a huge event in in the Tampa area. Chloe, is this gonna be your first Gasparilla in the area or speaker-1: That'll be my second. speaker-0: Second? Okay. So you guys both have experience. Yeah, so you guys both have experience with what that ⁓ event is like. What is it going to be like to also have games surrounding it? Will it be a little bit difficult because of the the ongoings? Okay. In my previous experience, normally I just lock in and I don't celebrate Gasparilla when we have games, but I have we've had previous years where some girls don't follow my rules. Also, sometimes it gets really loud and like really like there's there's too much pushing. So I've kind of tracked back on my Gassby habits. I still do dress up as a pirate and I still do like run around and have fun. But I don't go as crazy as I, you know, I normally would. Now to each their own. Fortunately I'm only doing one Gassby game because our Gassby tournament also coincides with the stadium series. So we're having a little bit of Regret on my side, but also it's like a once in a lifetime kind of thing where you have an outdoor game in Tampa. But anyways, basically GASP, I I kinda lay low. I'm already struggling on the ice. I don't wanna struggle more. speaker-1: We're not struggling on the ice. That's crazy. speaker-0: Well every time I go up against you in practice I I have a like an aneurysm. Come on. Of course I love it, but I still like I'm fighting for my life out there. speaker-1: That's wild. speaker-0: It's not wild. It's true. Sorry for the glaze. speaker-1: Last year obviously I didn't have to play games, so I did tar partake in Gasparilla activities and I did dress as a pirate. I think this year we're still I I think we're like walking around or something. Like our team briefly talked about like dressing up as pirates and like going around and like doing the beads and all that. but I'm also with Lizzie. I won't be there the first the February first game 'cause of Stadium series two, so yeah. But I don't really think we have any big plans for Gasparilla this year. I mean, I don't know. Guess we'll have to wait and see where the tide takes us. speaker-0: I think you guys are are playing it coy there. You're playing it safe. I I don't I don't believe that for a second. But ⁓ I I really appreciate you coming on, Chloe, and Lizzie for co-hosting. It was a fun conversation and wish you luck the the rest of the way and with your your work with the lightning and such and your masters at South Florida. speaker-1: Thank you guys. It was awes it. I had a lot of fun. So thanks for having me. Appreciate it both of you. Both three of you, but speaker-0: And another drag race in the background to sign us off. Thank Claude. speaker-1: Outro. Thank you guys so much. speaker-2: Thank you. And we're here. Thanks to Chloe Valente for sitting down with Lizzie Pennogen, Mr. Danny Baum. You know, Gav, we're kind of filling in here. This you know, you'd think you'd have Lizzie and Danny following up, but ⁓ I don't know. You said something about diseases before went on air and I have no clue what you know you're kind of contexting here with what Danny was talking about. I don't know what the hell Danny was getting at with that, but I digress. ⁓ We've got some ⁓ notable recaps from a very odd week. We had multiple game cancellations from the snowstorm that impacted the eastern part of the United States. So the games that we did have and a switch up in the game of the week, which was supposed to be ⁓ with the women's South Carolina and Clemson teams, we got Emory Reno and UCF. Very good still. And these ⁓ three teams went at it. Home and home series. Each team won a game. Game one, Embry Riddle came out firing on their home ice. They have been really good this year out in Daytona, and this was no exception. Their goaltenders played very well in both games, but especially this one where I felt like Embry Riddle control from start to finish, Gavin. Game number two, look at the shot totals. I mean, we're talking about more than than than doubled for almost both sides. Fifty two shots on goal for UCF and forty two for Embry Riddle. In regulation, kind of unreal. Yeah. speaker-3: UCF is a team that likes to fire the puck a lot, especially on home ice. I feel like that's something I've noticed from them is they they get to the ice den and it's like their shot totals go like a hundred and fifty. And you know, one thing we gotta mention, Jacob Fuller was out of that first game. He was sitting with the game DQ and he came back and ⁓ had some production in the second game. He had two assists, which and he had a goal. So you have to wonder if that was a big loss for UCF in that first game. I mean, it kind of shows. He shows up and automatically puts points on the board, helps UCF get two of the first four goals in that first period. So yeah, definitely home ice. UCF loves to be at the Icedon and the fans love it when they're there too, because that place is packed out every time they play. speaker-2: They had the sweet retro jerseys with the Knights on the front. I feel like this is a team that UCF really gets up for. Evident in game two, they had multiple power play goals. Almost everything in this game happened on the special team side. And they led four nothing after the first. Ember Riddle came storming back with three goals in the second. They held on at the end. Jacob Fuller, like you mentioned, was big in that. A team effort though for UCF to split this series, and it matters because these are two teams really close to the brisk of getting into College hockey South Playoffs. We'll mention the standings as we get through the recaps and previews. In M2, Florida Atlantic still made the trip all the way up to Farmiedale State. The boys got there safely. They had to cancel game number three, but game one and two did not disappoint. Game one went to overtime. Florida Atlantic had a three-nothing lead in the first period. That got washed away by the Rams in the second. And then they had some heroic efforts from Rocco Bruno. Jackson doing like with a hat trick. They go to the shootout. They Lose game number one, but it goes down as a tie in the standings. And then game two, Flood Atlanta, kind of same thing. They had a good start in and game two, Farmingdale State came back, tied it up, and took the lead at one point. Rocco Bruno got ejected for game dis ⁓ a disqualification for fighting in the second. So they had to bring Gunnar Stevens in cold turkey with like four minutes left in the second. Just tough situation. They they went on a five on three. Farmingdale State scored. And then they entered the third, and Gunnar Stevens in that defense locked it down as much as they could. Just I mean, wildly entertaining. FAU ends up taking it to overtime and Jackson Newendyke nets the game winner with twenty five seconds left in the extra frame, five goals on the weekend. And you know, Gav, I might just be thinking this solidified Florida Atlantic spot in regionals. Yeah. speaker-3: This ⁓ this FAU squad is starting to find that chemistry that maybe they were missing earlier in the year. We mentioned Jackson Newton Dyke kind of came in a little later in the season and seemed like he was struggling to find his groove and now it's not a question. He's the best player on the ice every time he steps on the ice. I mean, it's feels like every weekend we're talking about four goals, five goals, six goals with him. And and in big moments too. I mean, last week against USF he had three just to start for the team. So he's a walking hat trick. ninety percent of the time. So this FAU team is definitely gonna be a regionals team and they're showing why they were the nationals champions last year. speaker-2: Danny coined the term that they were top heavy from that group of guys like Leon Bittler, Brady Bajer, Jake Murphy who plays as a defenseman, but an offensive minded one. And you could probably still make that assumption about an FAU. Christian Cuccio and Blaze Pepe had some big goals in the second game. So they're starting to show signs they can get more scoring out of this team. Gunnar Stevens, though, hats off to him for coming in cold turkey in game two there and the boys stormed him as they got the overtime winner. So Credit to them and and a really big win over a number two Northeastern team in Farmingdale State. As it sits, Florida Atlantic is number nine in the southeast region. Top sixteen go to regionals in less than a month. Can you believe it, Gavin? The postseason is almost here. Speaking of big weekends, we got to talk about this Florida team. They played Boston College in a barn burner, nine to eight game versus a ⁓ really strong Northeast team, number seventeen. And the Eagles and Sully Swears hat trick was a big story. Evan Edwards added two himself with a couple of assists in there, an overtime game winner. And then the next night, they take down Tampa five to three to complete the season series win over the Spartans. I mean, we were talking about Florida, maybe not even making regionals. They might have just pinned their spots with these big wins. speaker-3: Yeah, I ⁓ you mentioned it. They took on Boston College. I was up in Jacksonville when that game was going on. One thing I gotta mention that I thought was really cool. Normally we get to like ⁓ what we thought was cool was that was also their ⁓ like hockey fights cancer night. So they had cancer jerseys. I mean, I walked in and when you first walk into the rink, there's a bunch of those ⁓ who do you fight for things. So it was it was cool and you know, and it shows like the resilience of this Florida team. Nine to eight's ridiculous. Absolutely insane. Then Yeah, and you mentioned Tampa has shown that they're a team that can show up and beat you down and score a bunch of goals. And Florida kind of gotten back to this, hey, you know, we were we were a little worried about them earlier this year. They kind of had that tough series against FAU. But no, they've looked good so far in the second half of the season. I think we're seeing this from a lot of teams coming out of the break and not really showing a whole lot of speaker-2: Ross. Not at all. I feel like they're a team that had something to prove. Frank Pasquale's a an animated coach. He's knows what he's doing. He's won a national championship with some of these guys when they were an AAU team. So you couldn't question how much they would fight back. And they got everything they w they could out of this weekend, right? 14 goals is nuts. You know, awesome. Some some cool things we saw was both Tampa teams dropped their new sweaters, Gasparilla style. ⁓ two. You and I were talking about this this knights of the old guard look. They call it Dead Man Tell No Tales. Now it's it's unique, but I feel like there was a lot left to be desired. I'm sorry, I know we're supposed to talk positive about the conference, but like this was a sweater to behold. You know. speaker-3: I'm a big fan of the pirate on the shoulder. I think that's the best part of like the pirate ship on the on the shoulder. I think that's the best part of this jersey. You know, I don't know. I I feel like you needed some skulls and it just need to look more like Pirates of the Caribbean, especially with the name. You know, obviously that's a fine line you have to walk with Pirates of the Caribbean and Disney and all that stuff. But it just needed more of that. I feel like the swords kind of just I don't know, they they they look out of place a little bit. I think they could have been cross behind Tampa or something, you know, like make it look like they're clashing. I mean it's Gasparilla week. speaker-2: I agree. I I thought the the sword looked just a little bit odd in the the scheme of it 'cause they i they have these dark gray, you know, black with the the tiny outline of red. And then you just have this random gold handle with like the the now the now the actual grip of the sword is cool. But but it just I don't know. I feel like there was a a little bit of out of place in this with this one. Now ⁓ three, they dropped their creamsicle inspired sweaters, which if you watch, you know, the NFL, they're the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throwback style. I saw this jersey early, like a couple of months ago in person. I wish it was stitched. Screen print. It still looks cool. We had a great reveal drop video that the M3 Spartans revealed or used, I guess, but I this was also another one where I'm like, you know, looks looks yeah, a lot like there was something to be on the table, but still cool. I love that they're getting in the theme of Gasparilla, obviously, by the time this drops ⁓ You know, that festival which goes on every year over on the west coast of Florida's happening. I'll be over there getting ⁓ getting involved in festivities. And Gavin, you're gonna be busy as well with the tournament we're gonna talk about, doing more important things than me for the the conference. So great stuff from ⁓ Florida we started this conversation about, but ⁓ Tampa dropping their Gasparilla sweaters. Back to the ⁓ three side, Florida Gulf Coast, traveled up to Miami of Ohio. Tough trip to go all the way out there and Have this one go the way it did. They lost game number one to Aquinas College, ⁓ Michigan Collegiate Hockey Conference team. Still respectable. Not the strongest team, though, in the MCC this year. Definitely not what I expected to see out of a Florida Golf Coast team traveling all the way up there for this in ⁓ Ohio. They were outshot in two of the three periods pretty badly. Aquinas wear them down. Not a whole lot of penalties in this game, just an outright win. BJ Ricardi still. Played well enough, thirty-three saves on thirty-seven shots. Still a lot to be desired here. They did win game number two against Miami, Ohio, and game number three against ranked GVSU, Grand Valley State, was canceled. That kind of hurts for FGCU. You really want to play a good team like that in order to move up the rankings a little bit. Still though, one and one as they finish out in Ohio. Almost said Michigan there. It's it's close, but it's not not exactly the main state. speaker-3: Don't know if people who live in Ohio would be okay with you saying that and making that comparison right there. speaker-2: I'm not okay with it. I I now I love Goggin a side note, Goggin Ice Center is beautiful. If you ever get the chance to go travel and find N Cou A Barnes to watch a game at, go to Miami of Ohio. It's this old cathedral style. There's brick all along the outside. You can hear your echo for like three or four seconds. It's just a you know, I I already said the word cathedral, but it's it's as close to church for hockey as you can get. I love that place. So fun stuff out of ⁓ The Eagles there. ACDC, Gavin, you got some stuff to say about this one. Jacksonville and Florida gave us a great tilt at the Vystar Memorial Arena. The Dolphins took this one five to four over Florida. These are the top two teams in ACDC and really what we thought it would be going into it. speaker-3: Yeah, I'm a I'm a big fan of this JU squad in their first year. They've looked really good and coming out of break, they've looked even better. You thought we talked with ⁓ Derek Lodermeier. He was like, Some of these guys hadn't skated. Well, they're not showing it at all. And this is a team that they played at two PM at Vice Star. They were playing till one AM and at community first igloo against Florida Southern. So, you know, they they probably had an edge going into this one. They took a late loss, they gave up the lead. late in the game and lost four to three to Florida Southern. And that game was a battle. By no means does that like it the whole game was a battle. And this Jacksonville team showed that they're resilient because they also had two players get suspended in the Florida Southern game who were missing for that JU versus Florida game. So this team is deep and they're scary. Greg and James both scoring a goal in that game, the two brothers, Nick Naumov two assists. And I have gained such an appreciation for Nick Naumov after seeing him. The dude moves it around He does a good job facilitating the puck. I mean, he had two assists, but that guy's a monster. speaker-2: Totally agree on Naumov. I think he he does gets a little undershadowed by that Captain C unit and the Polini brothers. They're a deep team. I you know, we can talk about who we think is gonna win at College Hockey South playoffs. I think they're gonna be in the final for sure, and I really hope it's it's these two teams that are deep in that ⁓ that six team playoff. So flipping to what is usually our game previews, we've got a special showcase coming up with the Gasparilla Showcase at Nest Hockey Academy, January twenty. Through February 1st. This is the women's tournament on the West Coast. And Gavin, you've had the privilege to be involved in some of what's going to go on this weekend. So we got some great matchups. January 29th, USF Chloe Valente takes on number one in the conference, Tampa, at 6 p.m. Eastern Time. January 31st, we've got a set of games. Auburn and Clemson at 8:45 a.m. So they're the first ones on the ice. I imagine that morning, if it's not for the ⁓ figure skating before. And then we wait all day for Clemson and Florida at the finish of that. Tina Melena, a very hot Florida team. Should be fun and likely our game of the week, although we don't know for sure. Is Tampa versus Clemson on February first at twelve thirty PM Eastern time? Miami versus Auburn will take place before that at ten fifteen A. ⁓ And we finish out the showcase with South Florida and Miami. So Gavin just First impressions of what we could see out in Nest Hockey Academy and and just your anticipation for these matchups. I know you also were at Columbus, so this, you know, you know some of these teams. Yeah. speaker-3: I think the biggest matchup, I mean, I'm gonna miss the last day, do the stadium series. It's kind of a big deal in Tampa, you know, obviously Gasparilla and same series. But I'm super pumped for this USF versus Tampa matchup because it's gonna be a lot of offensive power firepower from USF versus a really stingy Tampa defense that has shown that they can keep scores off the board with ease. So I'm really interested to see how this one goes. It's obviously the battle of the bay as well. And I think One, the emotions will be a little heightened with it being Gasparilla weekend. Clay Valente talked about their plans to go out and do things on Gasparilla. Her and Lizzie will be missing the Sunday game because of the stadium series. So that'll be an interesting one on February first for them. And then Clemson and Florida. That one's gonna be exciting. These teams haven't seen each other yet. They've kind of both been lighting it up. It's gonna be interesting. Marissa Bonia versus Nina Molina. And then obviously everyone's got it circled. We talked about game of the week, Tampa vs. Clemson. This has been a talked about matchup from the staff, from players, like it it everyone wants to see this one. This is going to be a great matchup, a good way to close out ⁓ an awesome tournament that I hope continues for years to come. speaker-2: Big props as we always give to the staff that puts this thing together. Savannah Prefontaine heads this crew. Good luck to her. I know there's gonna be a lot of running around, make sure everything goes smooth. We do gotta acknowledge the stadium series. Like, come on. Like, I really don't blame Lizzie and Chloe for going to that. If you're listening to this episode, they were, you know, on the interview before this, and I'm I'm sure ⁓ they're they're anticipating a really fun atmosphere. I hope this stadium series game is as Well, a better game for one than we saw out of the Rangers and Panthers. But I also hope that we have everything that feels like Gasparilla, cannons, and well, you can tell me, Gavin. I mean Raymond Jane Stadium is a pretty fun place to watch a game. Gets loud as hell in there. Fun stuff. So that is the Gasparilla showcase going on January twenty-ninth to February first at Nest Hockey Academy. On the M3 side. We got an update in our standings. We finally got the ACHA rankings for this week. Gavin's got some strong opinions about it. Might keep it to himself though. But ⁓ the top six teams right now are currently actually seven are in the top twenty five, excuse me now, and four of those are in legitimate national spots. MTSU, USF, South Carolina, and Tampa. One through eleven. And then in fifth place, you have Clemson. Sixth place FGCU, seventh Alabama, eighth Vanderbilt at number thirty-four. They jumped twenty-two spots from the last ranking. We saw them. The Commodores. A little bit of a story about them. They haven't won a CHS game yet. And they have jumped, I believe, four teams. So hey, strength of schedule is there. So you know, if you play the best, I guess you get rewarded by the computer. ⁓ you know. speaker-3: An ⁓ three game yet. speaker-2: We we don't make the rules, we just enforce them, right? ⁓ number nine, thirty-five, Tennessee. Tenth is Embry Riddle at number forty-two. UCF at number forty-four. Just came off that great series with the Ice Eagles. And then at fifty-two, it's Kennesaw State at the cut line. Miami's at fifty-eight, Lynn is at number fifty-nine. Then it's FAU, Florida Southern, Ole Miss, and Austin P. So really you're looking at four. possibly five teams that are gonna fight for those last three spots in this playoff, Gavin. And it ties into a lot of our matchups 'cause there is not many left with the game cancellations. You've realistically got two more series before playoffs. And that's that's kind of where it yeah. speaker-3: There's not much room, like you said, you know, Lynn, Miami sitting right there, almost on that cut line. But it's also KSU and UCFs and Emery Riddles to lose. Because Lynn and ERAU are facing off this week. And Lynn needs those two wins. Realistically needs a sweep. Miami needs a sweep over Florida Southern. I mean, I with Florida Southern's rankings, I'm not sure quite how much that's gonna play into them. But also Miami and Florida Southern, they do not like each other. ⁓ this is a big rivalry matchup in my opinion. So expect fireworks. Both of these teams got top scores. Miami, very, very hot or cold. And honestly, Florida Southern played their best game of the year against UCF or excuse me, USF this past weekend. They did take a loss, but they played the cleanest, most tetan technical game that I've seen them play all year. So it'll be interesting to see how this series goes with both of them on the road in Miami. speaker-2: Isn't that such a rare commodity we talk about? I feel like half the games that I've talked about on this pod and scene are twelve penal penalties minimum for both sides. You get a player thrown out in the last ten minutes. I wish we tracked this. How many times has a player gotten thrown out in the last ten minutes this year? It's getting pretty hefty now with every single one of these teams. Especially the ones we know that are, you know, routine offenders like Tampa, like USF. Not gonna not gonna piss off any more people, but you know who you are. So For our matchups to preview, we're gonna start in the M3 side of things with Alabama versus South Carolina. And this previous series was canceled from the winter storm, but Alabama has Clemson on its schedule. South Carolina takes on Middle Tennessee and Kennesaw State to close out the season. Alabama kind of thrust themselves into the upper half of the playoff picture. They're top twenty-five now in the nation. I I don't know if anybody expected that. We talked about them even a month ago. So credit to the the Crimson tide there. We're gonna play a really solid South Carolina team. And Miami and Florida Southern, like you said, are gonna have that rivalry game. Miami's just one spot out of the playoffs. Must win. Lynn, they're gonna have to have them really not do well against Embury Riddle, but you know, they need other teams to suffer losses. So let's see what the Hurricanes do this weekend against the Moccasins. Clemson takes on Vanderbilt, team with no wins. versus M3 teams, but you'd think they kind of need to get something here just to secure themselves in not only the playoff, but you know, they're they're kind of standing in their seating. So an opportunity for them against a top sixteen Clemson team. Jacksonville ACDC takes on Emory Riddle. Jacksonville now they have a chance here, I believe, to take first place in the AC D C talked about a little bit last week, but they have a game in hand against Florida and that plays to their benefit. speaker-3: Yeah, so J U currently is sitting at sixteen points. Florida sits at eighteen. Florida's got a matchup this weekend against USF. It's their last game. So if Florida wins this game against USF, they're clinching the one seed due to goal differential, even if Jacksonville sweeps ERAU. According to the goal differential, Florida has like a two or three goal gap in that first game, which is gonna secure that one spot for them. But regardless, if you're J U, you like where you've positioned yourself late in the year. Cause I mean, if USF can go and steal this one from Florida, you've captured a one seed in your first season. So for J U, this is a big series. I think J U can I mean, like I said, they've played, they've showed their competition. They're gonna get those guys back that they lost to suspension. JU is a team that I think could come out with a one seed it, but it really hinges on Florida in the USF series. For sure. speaker-2: Sure, and even if they don't get the one seed, you're you're talking about playing Florida State versus USF. Look, Florida State has really impressed, especially with how they performed out at the Savannah Hockey Classic. I still think Jacksonville's in a right position here. Now, Florida Tech, Embry Riddle, ⁓ make up those those final two spots. They're all but solidified where they're gonna be. Embry Riddle currently the third team, Florida Tech fourth, and then Florida State and USF, like we just mentioned, and keeping it in the Well, I guess this is an ⁓ three matchup actually. Lynn takes on Ember Riddle, like you said. Important for playoffs. Lynn basically needs a sweep. Ember Riddle's been playing really solid defensively and against a a a a you know, a tough, gritty Lynn. I feel like this is a kind of game that you could see like the penalty sheet really rack up, especially if it's not going Lynn's way. So expect a a physical series between the Knights and the Ice Eagles. ⁓ two has two of the best in Florida and Florida Atlantic, both fighting for that regional spot. Florida coming off wins against Boston College and Tampa, but FAU right now has the nucleus going with their best guys and the I guess you'd call it a split against Farmingdale State. I mean, Gavin, just just give us your take. Like, do you think Florida, who has already conceded the season series to Florida Atlantic, do you think that they have more of the depth against Florida Atlantic? speaker-3: I think they are a deeper team. I think they've got some guys that when they can are really filling the game are are scoring threats that we haven't really said a lot this year. You know, Keegan Lampinen got going in that Tampa game. That's a guy for them. If he gets going or Mikey Katz, those guys get going. We there's so many guys. Liam Lickishwa haven't really talked about it much this year. Kind of taking background scoring, but it's it's like you said, FAU struggling with Christian Kucchia and those guys getting going. So it's really whatever third line guys get going and Jackson Neuendike. It's gonna be interesting to see how Florida's defense can play him. He's kind of a guy who's been scoring at will. So it's gonna come down to Florida's defense being able to contain Jackson Neuendike because that guy doesn't get a hat trick and you have to feel pretty good about your chances if you're Florida. speaker-2: Every game that I've seen, all but one between these two, ha has had penalties and that's been a a big swing. Usually it's if if Florida it's going their way, they capitalize on the power play chances they get. But Florida Atlantic, on the other hand, they're a really solid rush team. When they kill penalties, they use that as momentum and they take control of a game. But they have to find a way to stay out of the box because Florida right now is feeling pretty good about themselves. One guy also we don't talk about a whole lot that I really love watching, Jack Fortescue, freshman only, younger brother of Will plays for Tampa. I think that is a crucial part of their blue line. So Frank Bisqually in Florida will take on ⁓ Florida Atlantic and and ⁓ by the way this game is at the Clearwater Ice Arena in Tampa. So not a home game for either side. Neutral site for this weekend. So last one for us to preview and Gavin you kind of threw me for a loop because I was thinking this was in order of the A C D C things when we just mentioned Jacksonville and Embry Riddle. But this is a sneaky good one. If UCF USF has their goaltender, Florida will take on USF in their final ⁓ game that counts towards their CHS standings and chance for Florida really to s lock up that one seed. Talked about the goal differential against Jacksonville. So, you know, we'll just leave it at that. I mean It seems like a lot is at stake for multiple teams. I'm really looking forward to games like Jacksonville and Embry Riddle and ACDC. I feel like like Clemson Vanderbilt has a little bit of smoke there. That feels like a hardy, you know, that's been my buzzword this week, I guess. Well, just find one, Gav. A couple weeks ago it was ⁓ set the tone. We haven't said it yet. We haven't said it yet. Set the tone's been absent from this pod. Today is hardy. Well, Clemson Vanderbilt looks good. What are you what are you looking forward to? the most this week. What's your your game to high? speaker-3: I don't know. I I think my game to watch is that Tampa Clemson women's game. I I think it's gonna be Dynamite. ⁓ I'm excited to see that one is gonna be on the CHS YouTube so everyone gets a chance to see that one. And shameless plug, I will be there Thursday and Saturday for the Gasparilla tournament. ⁓ my fiance's coming to help with camera. My color commentator Noah Gabrielick are all we're all gonna be there on Saturday running the show. So getting to bring the Southern hockey network crew out and ⁓ Help cover this tournament. So that's what I'm stoked for. And then another cool thing I saw, and it just came out probably two hours ago, is what the ⁓ flooring is gonna look like at the stadium series of the map. You know, I I posted something on my story and it vanished. I think it got taken down because it was being hateful to the Panthers. But I said ⁓ I was I shared it and I was like, Man, this is what a real outdoor game looks like because the winter classic, I don't care what you say, wasn't outdoors. If it has a retractable roof, it's not outdoors. speaker-2: But have you been to Lone Devo Park? I mean that when it opens up, it really opens up. You can't you can't have a double standard here and be like, Well, it's not a true outdoor game if the if the whole roof is open. speaker-3: not, you know, it's open air at Raymond James. That's why they're allowed to fire the cannons. So I'm just saying, I'm you know, and I'm just a I'm just a Florida Panthers. speaker-2: But you are a homer. You are a Tampa homer. You are as homer as it gets, dude. Are you going? Well, wait. That you answered my own question. No no don't answer that. What I'm more asking you, do you think that we see ⁓ a line brawl? Do you think we see a a scrap between Boston and Tampa? speaker-3: The day absolutely. I think it depends. Depends on who the Lightning put out there. It depends on what game they decide to play. Like if we see ⁓ Scott Saborin get pulled up from Syracuse, absolutely we're gonna see a line brawl. I know Hetty's supposed to be back. McDonough's been skating around, so those guys wanna play in this game. I wouldn't mind seeing a line brawl. I think I think we I think we might. Boston's got some of those guys where they'll speaker-2: That's why that's why I'm saying this. Like they they muck it up. I mean, you could say they're right there in the standings. I just don't know if they're, you know, that willing to play Tampa's game because like nobody I think Tampa just lost their first game in regulation in l since like November or something stupid. speaker-3: Yeah. speaker-2: Yeah. Like so how do you how do you stop that? Yeah, ha can't you you have to muck it up somehow. Like speaker-3: You know, Boston's been hot in January too. I think they're eight and two in January and we're nine and two. So maybe nine and three now with that loss. speaker-2: Isn't that crazy too? The entire Eastern Conference in the NHL. I know this is a college hockey south pod, but the entire Eastern Conference is so damn good this year. It makes no sense. And it makes me mad because my team and the Red Wings are finally competing. They're finally like the grass is greener, but they have to fight through this gauntlet of a schedule and have every team in the East on their rear. It's it it just yeah, it's baffling. speaker-3: Yeah, I saw something on the ⁓ Lightning broadcast yesterday where it's like the Lightning played a great January. So did Detroit, so did Boston, and guess what? All of those teams are a point or two apart from each other. It like you said, it's ridiculous, but it's okay. Detroit's got March coming. It's like winter is coming for Game of Thrones. March is coming and we'll see we'll see how Detroit fares and if they're gonna make the playoffs this year. speaker-2: You know Ball. You know Ball. You're you're you're one of those people that waits until March. Yes. You're waiting for the annual collapse. I am too. I I'm not fully sold until we get through March. If we do, lock it up, baby. I'm I'm I'm booking my playoff tickets. Well, this was supposed to be what the coolest thing I saw this week was, and you kind of said it, but I I was a big fan this week of the hockey fights, Cancer, Florida festivities. I really like the how they they rung around the rank with the the pink themes. Especially, you know, alumni event afterwards. Florida's got such a great presence from social media. They have like one of the biggest following. I think it's like twenty two thousand people. So whenever they do anything, it gets you know on the internet. And I think they're a they're a a good team and a good brand to to have that. So so hats off to everybody involved in that night. And and man, there's something about a hot pink jersey and that Gator logo that just looks so sick. So that's my favorite thing I saw from the week. speaker-3: Yeah, like you mentioned it, those UF crowd. I mean, like I said, I got to stop in a little bit before I had to go in a setup for the game on the other rink. But another thing that I gotta mention that was pretty cool is Lynn and FSU were playing during the J U and Florida Southern game. And I walk over during one of the intermissions to check what's going on over there. I look down to my right and J U's Nick No or ⁓ Frank Noble is standing there watching the game. 'Cause it was in the intermission, he was like I don't wanna miss hockey. Must not have been going too mu I mean, I think they were up three one going into the third at this point, so probably felt pretty good about it. And he's just over there watching and I'm chatting with somebody during the intermission. So thought that was a little bit cool too. speaker-2: That has vibes of there was this this story I read of an NHL player watching the ⁓ well, I don't know if it's the Super Bowl or like the NFC Championship or something, like while he was in the intermission and they had to like force him back onto the ice 'cause it was like third down and his team was gonna score. I won't go into that because I don't even know what the reference was, but ⁓ gosh, I wish I could think of it right now. I probably will after the recording's done. But I think the people are tired of hearing us yap about Whatever. There's your game previews. There's your recaps. There's everything you gotta know going into the final weeks of CHS. Gavin, have fun. Enjoy watching the stadium series. I'll be in the area, so I'll be around all those festivities. Good luck to all of your teams. Be safe. And let's have one hell of a showcase in the last weekend of January and into February. Playoff time, Gab. It's the playoffs. Playoffs? You're talking about playoffs? Let's go. This has been episode twenty-three of College Hockey Mouth, a sit-down with Chloe Valente. We'll talk to you next week. Have a great weekend, everybody.