Latest / College Hockey Mouth / Episode 29: Grant Dietz | Univ. of South Florida Ice Bulls | AAU Natty Recap and ACHA Natty Preview
Transcript
- speaker-0: Welcome everybody to episode 29 of the College Hockey Mouth Podcast, a College Hockey South series. Devin Sarah joined back with our illustrious producer Gavin Coker, the ever-personable Danny Bohm, Mr. Electric over here, rocking the orange creamsicle Tampa hat. A little bit fitting based on what we'll talk about in this episode. But ⁓ boys Heck of a ⁓ last few weeks here, last few days, last week we recapped the Kodch Hockey South playoffs and now it's time for nationals, women's, men's, everything. But how are you guys doing? speaker-1: I'm fantastic. I'm personable all of a sudden. I d I didn't I didn't know I was personable until you said it. speaker-0: Everybody knows who you are. Everybody has come across your your face now and you're you're our local celebrity. speaker-1: Yeah, you're you're laying it on thick now. All right. Thanks. I I I had a great weekend, Devin. Th thank you so much. Yeah, you know, we got some fun times coming up. A little sad that our regular season is over and playoffs too, because that was ⁓ I don't know, that was a fun time, but nationals is very exciting too. So let's get to it. speaker-0: Sir Gav, what's new in your world man? Long time no see. speaker-2: Yeah, long time no see. ⁓ yesterday, obviously in Orlando with you calling ⁓ doing a practice call for the solar bears, so that was pretty cool. And then yeah, just been kind of honestly going through the motions. After playoffs it feels like I was like, ⁓ things are gonna stop and it's just one thing after another. People will see on Friday what some of those things are and well I guess later today when you're listening to this, what we got coming up. But no spoilers, just watch the YouTube, that's all I can say. But a lot of exciting stuff and just been a busy week. speaker-0: Yeah, no doubt. That was a good time. We were out in Orlando getting to watch an ECHL game and call it together and I know ⁓ it's a good way to keep things rolling into our biggest week of the year. And ⁓ collectively we're gonna bring in one of the members of the biggest weekend in club hockey. He is a member of the USF men's division three hockey team and he is the leading scorer. In fact, he is the back to back conference MVP for that division. Please welcome to College Hockey Mouth, Grant Dietz. Thank you. Absolutely. This has been, I think I say it too often, in the works for weeks, but like this has been for you the guy we wanted since day one. We've talked about you pretty much every single week because you can't stop scoring. You know, you are a product of guys that came from really high level of hockey, but you know, talk to us about some of your roots growing up and how you ultimately got to the level you're at. speaker-1: Thank you. Yeah, I appreciate you having me. Yeah, so grew up in Chicago, ⁓ started playing hockey at a young age, ⁓ played for some different triple A teams across the country. Ended up playing in the North American League. I really enjoyed ⁓ enjoyed my time finishing out in Danbury. But yeah, made my way down to Tampa, play for US F. No, I hate to start off on on the wrong foot immediately, but you s you mentioned this the other day when we were recording the All Star Draft that you were a Red Wings fan, but you grew up in Chicago. Are you kidding me right now, Grant? Yeah, yeah, I guess my Guess my mom raised me that way being from Michigan. Okay. Well, I mean, that's understandable, but still incredibly disappointed. all right, Devon. Again, landed on thick. I got my Bears cup right here. I'm wearing a Cubs shirt too. Boy. Yeah. Not a Bears, not ⁓ not a Blackhawks fan. You're Michigan all the way through, huh? I'm not a Lions, but I like the Tigers and the the the wings. I'll root for the Cubs too. So a little Chicago. All right. All right. Well well we have to work on that, but anyways. Devon, go ahead, keep it rolling, 'cause I I could go right now, brother. speaker-0: Unlike you guys, I'm not gonna go into the specifics of being a Red Wings fan and what it means because we all know we're the greatest franchise in sports. We have the best logo. We've hit kind of a curve and I know Gavin has given me a lot of flack for the way our team performs in March. But you know, Grant, you talked about some of your time in the knoll. I mean, you split it with in Maine a little bit of time there. Really notable player for Dan Bury, the junior hat trick. Just talk to us about how that prepared you for playing at the collegiate level and You know, what were some of the ways ⁓ the things you remember most and loved about your junior experience? speaker-1: Yeah. I loved it out in Maine too. I mean, playing for the eighteens team for a few years out there, preparing me for the nall. ⁓ and then playing, you know, that that portion of the season out there. That was awesome. And then ⁓ yeah, getting ⁓ the ice time that I got in Danbury, it was an awesome team, great group of guys. Yeah, I mean it was just, you know, that's it was really next level, ⁓ very competitive. But yeah, and then it's been awesome to translate that to playing down here using what I learned up north. speaker-0: Did you ever get to play in front of like capacity crowds? I know ⁓ in Danbury, like they've got a pretty decent hockey community. Did you ever get that kind of experience? speaker-1: Yeah, ⁓ in the East Division, Johnstown definitely pulls in the most fans. ⁓ I played out in Johnstown for a few months. ⁓ and against Johnstown as well, playing for Maine and Danbury. So Johnstown pulls in some decent fans. ⁓ Maine, Maine was always good. ⁓ yeah, so just here and there some of those teams. speaker-2: And you've been the MVP the past two seasons. Part of that is putting up a lot of points, but you put up a lot of points, you also draw a lot of penalty minutes. How are you able to put up a lot of points and also stay physical, get into it and ⁓ bring the team into it as well? speaker-1: Yeah, it's I guess it's just a little bit part of my game. ⁓ it's the way I get into the game sometimes. ⁓ get my body into it. And then ⁓ yeah, I guess the points come. Has that always been a part of your your your MO hockey wise, or did it did it develop like late in your career? ⁓ maybe a little I mean always yeah, I've always been a bit more physical, ⁓ you know, like to grind a little, but ⁓ maybe, you know, when I got to eighteen playing out in Maine, ⁓ probably developed it quite a bit out there, got the green light from the coach. So speaker-2: just gonna say I mean the past three seasons even in Danbury ⁓ almost 200 penalty minutes there 91 if elite prospects is correct and then I was looking tw ⁓ last season you had more penalty meds combined than the two guys that were right under you ⁓ Michael Wool and Will Marshall those guys were at fifty and sixty and you just combined that and added in the scoring effect. speaker-1: Yeah, yeah. I mean probably here and there it could take a couple less, but ⁓ I don't think I don't know if it'll ever ever fully stop. speaker-0: Well, just go for the jugular, why don't you, Gav? I mean, you know, we don't want to put this guy on the map here. I mean, it it is the elephant in the room per se, which, you know, is no pun intended. Like you are such a dynamic forward for that team. You know, what went into your decision to attend Tampa? Why South Well South Well, yes, because if I say South Florida, I'm you we talk about Fort Lauderdale, that area, USF, why US F and why now? speaker-1: South Florida. Yeah, I mean it's a great school. I wanted to come down to school in Florida. Thought it was best option. I hopped on a phone call with our coach, Joe Rhodes, and then the previous president, Owen Welch. And ⁓ yeah, they had great things to say about it. ⁓ you know, we have an awesome run, like amazingly run club. ⁓ you know, an awesome rink close to the close to the campus, ⁓ great fans. So I mean, there was plenty of reasons to want to come to USF. Yeah, and that that renaissance happened pretty ⁓ you know, immediately ⁓ as soon as you got there. Take us back to how ⁓ last season finished up for you guys and ⁓ you know you fell short in the conference championship game and if that gave you a little bit extra motiv motivation to ⁓ you know take the next step in the postseason this year. Yeah. I mean last year I guess the biggest thing was knowing that we had been undefeated against FAU, the team that won the national championship, and then you know, watching them win it. Understanding that could have been us, ⁓ knowing that we had a really young team. So, you know, everybody getting another year, returning a lot of players, bringing some new guys in, we kinda knew that we could do even better. speaker-0: You and ⁓ Dohaim are like and we hate to put you on the spot with the NHL comparison, but like Connor McDavid and Leon Dreisidel. What is your favorite part about playing with a guy like Jacob and ⁓ you know, how do you guys have so much success together? Yeah. speaker-1: He's awesome to play with. I mean, he knows the right spots on the ice. ⁓ we always find each other. ⁓ you know, we play PK together, we're on the power play together. ⁓ Yeah, I mean he he's an awesome guy, he like even better guy off the ice. Just yeah, no, definitely an awesome guy to play with. And then my other line mate started up second semester, Jace Koenig's mark, I had played out with ⁓ in Maine previously. And ⁓ we got him in for playoffs and everything, and now he'll be with us for nationals in the next couple of years. So yeah, we got a really great line. speaker-2: Dan, you mentioned it. Nationals is approaching. Has there been a different focus and practice or a shift in the philosophy of the team as you guys prepare to get into pool play against some of the top teams in ⁓ three? speaker-1: ⁓ I'd say it's the same as going into conference playoffs, knowing, you know, we we're there to win. I guess the only difference is now we have the confidence, you know, knowing that we just won the conference. We can really do some damage at nationals. speaker-0: And speaking on that, I mean, Danny, I know you you have a little bit about that conference and kind of their story as a team, but it seemed like this conference tournament you guys had a different edge. It it was almost like it was gonna be either you or middle Tennessee State and Tampa took care of business there. Talk to us about how you guys were able to be so successful in your run and, you know, what were things that you took away from winning that first conference title. speaker-1: Yeah, and F G C U is a great test too. ⁓ you know, going to overtime with them. That was a that was a tight one. But, you know, we never quit, like we'll find ourselves down in some games. I know our last series with Tampa to end the regular season. Both games we found ourselves down and then both games we won by I think at least five. So, you know, if we dig her ourselves a hole, we find a way out of it. So just like that in that F G C U game, I know we were down in the third, dug herself out and then won it an O T. Yeah, that game was wild. The the FTCU won. But you end up playing Tampa in the conference championship game. It was a little bit unexpected. But here you are heading into nationals and you know who is in your pool again. It's gonna be your first game and you guys play them in pool play last year. Is it getting a little bit annoying seeing these guys over and over again? Like you're going all the way out to Saint Louis, you wanna play some national teams from all over the place, but you could just play the guys who are next door. Yeah, it would have been cool to play a new team, but ⁓ yeah, we'll play whoever whoever they give us. The game might get a little nasty then. speaker-0: I was just gonna say, I mean, nationals games, the special teams come down to the wire and there's no exception there that you're gonna have to bring what you had against Tampa. You guys have been very successful against them. But, you know, speaking on nationals, I mean you guys are in a really tough pool here. You're gonna have a team like Air Force, ⁓ we know what they are, you know, older veteran experience like and then Wentworth. Like what goes into the scouting of that? Do you guys approach it like that, or is it just kind of in your room and what you guys do as a team? speaker-1: Yeah, we might check out who's on which team and stuff like that. But other than that, we just worry about ourselves. ⁓ we know that we're the best team in the country. So it's just the confidence in ourselves working together. We know we can beat anybody. speaker-0: We just wanted to speak to you off the cuff because I think you bring ⁓ a different feel of this USF program with what they've built with you and Joe and others. I'm so special. Do you kinda have like a favorite memory from your time with the team or, you know, playing club collegiate hockey now? Yeah. speaker-1: There's been some awesome memories already. My first weekend we got to so last year, my first weekend, ⁓ we got to go to Alabama and play Friday, Sunday and got to watch our football team ⁓ play pretty well against their football team on Saturday. That's right, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So that was that's been the best experience. But between, you know, away football games going up to Florida this year, you know, watching our own ⁓ team play at our own stadium, ⁓ the trips with the guys, going down to Miami, everything like that. It's been it's been incredible. As a college football guy, I the the memes this year were Alabama at all costs wanted to avoid USF in the playoff at it if it ended up happening because of how poorly they they've played against them in the past. So yeah, I I remember that vividly. I think I think it w like Nick Saban was getting honored for for something that game and USF was running them the first three quarters. Yeah. They rescheduled us for next year. So we were like our football team was supposed to go up next year and it's not till like twenty thirty two now. So I don't think it it's happening in twenty thirty two either. They're ducking you. speaker-0: Well, besides, you know, just what we know in the college hockey world about you guys being so electric, do you guys get recognized on campus? Do students like know you guys are conference champs now? Do they follow you to get asked? Like what's the environment like there in that Tampa area, I guess? speaker-1: Yeah, to a certain extent. It's a pretty big school and hockey's still growing down here. But yeah. I mean the club is growing. More people are finding out about us. The championship definitely helps. Yeah, it's a work in progress. But hey, you and you and Chloe, a couple of USF MVPs, you know, you guys are really putting hockey on the map there. Yeah, yeah, both teams are doing great, for sure. speaker-0: Now you have that Tampa Bay Lightning sweater from the stadium series hung up in the locker room. Can you kinda tell us about the story of that? I I think it was something related to your Gasparilla weekend, right? speaker-1: Yeah, yeah. So ⁓ before we had the ⁓ stadium series down here in Tampa, ⁓ we played against U Tampa's ⁓ two team and they ⁓ gave us both some jerseys. So ⁓ yeah, that was an awesome game. speaker-0: What do you think is ⁓ being a Red Wings fan, does it kinda hurt you at all to to look at that thing or does it give you a a little bit more of those like Hulk green eyes when you look at it to go out and and ⁓ hit somebody on the ice? speaker-1: Being a Tampa resident now I can't I can't hate on the lightning or anything, but ⁓ yeah, I'll root for them here and there. Just not tomorrow. speaker-0: Really, you and Atlantic Division Red Wings fan will root for the lightning. speaker-1: ⁓ as long as we're not playing the wings. Yeah. speaker-2: Hey if they're giving ⁓ free jerseys I'm rooting for a team if they're giving me free stuff. speaker-1: Yeah, I think you have a point there, Gavin, to be honest. I I I think I might be persuaded as well. speaker-2: Yeah, yeah. That's a that's a two hundred seventy dollar jersey hanging up right there, so speaker-0: Hot take though, it's the worst Stadium Series jersey I've ever seen. I'm just gonna throw it out there. I'm sorry, you're not gonna speaker-2: I'm just gonna say, Devin, where was your stadium series jersey? Where was your winter classic jersey this year? Detroit. speaker-0: Dude, I we had the we had the the alternate D, we had the the shiny white ones against the the leafs. Our winter classic sweaters are the best in history of hockey. Right now we've got Centennial. Like you're out manned here. I don't know, Grant. Like we've obviously got the best sweaters in hockey. speaker-1: No doubt, yeah. The Stadium Series Winner Classics, whatever it is, yeah, Detroit's got the best ones. And I will say th the white Red Wings jersey with the arched font on the back, that's the best uniform in the history of hockey. There there's just nothing beats that. I'm sorry. And even as a Black Hawks fan, nothing beats that. speaker-0: Well, fair enough. ⁓ hey, you know, it's been great catching up with you. Just a a quick one. We know you're you're locked in, getting ready to go for this nationals run. But talk to us about the excitement. You know, what is just as a unit you guys anticipate most at this Nationals? You know, what do you guys want to do as a team? Do you have anything planned outside of just the tournament or is it just business as usual? Go in there and get the job done. speaker-1: Yeah, I mean I'm most excited just to spend like a week with the guys. ⁓ that's the best part about it all. You know, we get to go play a game every day. I hang out at the hotel together, go grab food, ⁓ you know, mix in some poker games here and there. But ⁓ yeah, no, just it's it's always a blast being with the guys. speaker-0: Well certainly. And ⁓ we'll see you guys down there. The second half of the tournament, March eighteenth begins for you. Good luck out there. ⁓ we'll be watching on Flow Hockey and ⁓ thanks so much for joining us with your time, Grant. Absolutely. Thank you to Mr. Deets for coming on the episode twenty nine of Kalachaki Mouth, getting ready for playoffs and a really dialed in guy. He was all business there in that interview, and they're gonna have a big weekend by the time you hear this. speaker-1: Yeah, thank you for having me. speaker-0: Starting in St. Louis on March 18th. But talking about some of the big news this week, at the time of this recording, we just found out a few hours ago that the University of Tampa has won the AAU Women's Division National Championship out in Jacksonville, Florida. A spectacular end of the year for a team that had the redemption arc in the Kodajockey South playoffs. They beat Alabama in the championship in shutout fashion. And now they take it back. And let's give you some of the scores out there from the Nationals tournament. On Saturday, Tampa got it started in a huge way. Nine to one over Springfield College. Lauren Clordy, three goals and three assists. Molly Braga, good as always. And guys, the big thing was it was going to be them and Syracuse. And they, the reigning national champions from AAU, showed up big. 11-1 victory over Georgia. Tough go there for the Bulldogs. Quinnipiac. also took down South Carolina on day one. So it looked like it was kind of all Tampa headsteam forward in this on the next you know, they they had a one day there with, you know, Sunday on March eighth and Tampa played Syracuse. Yeah. speaker-1: This was ultimately the matchup that I believe ev everyone around the tournament believed it was going to be in the final. This happening before you even get to the semifinals is tough for both teams, but ultimately it gave ⁓ the teams a little bit of a wake up call. And man, it it was it was back and forth. It was it was a high pace. Learn Clority with ⁓ with a late GWG from Tampa led three different times in Syracuse, you know, like a champion does, came back each time, tied it. But man, they they they shut the door late and ⁓ just have to shout out the top line from Tampa, Clorhdy, Ava Johnson, and Molly Braga. Clority had six points in that first game against Springfield. I think that was the the the score that kind of let let everyone know that this year was a was a different Tampa team. I mean, we knew that. We we've seen them play a bunch, but they played Springfield last year and it was a grinding two one game, kinda ugly, and they just like completely dog walked them. And ⁓ Joey Burns with a nasty goal on the breakaway. Now they they got a little bit of redemption over Syracuse, but I think in the back of everyone's mind they knew that wasn't the last of that matchup we were gonna see. speaker-0: Gavin, what's the one word we use more than any what's the one sentence we use more than anything on this podcast? speaker-2: Set the tone, Devin. And that's how Tampa started off the the national tournament. They set the tone for sure. And ⁓ you know, I gotta give a shout out to the goaltending because it wasn't just Claire Kurick, it wasn't just Sophie Reichert the whole weekend. It was back and forth, both of them. They both had two games in the tournament and both played excellent. And that's part of it too, is one, Tampa went out and scored a lot of goals, but the goaltending was fantastic for them as well. speaker-0: One of those that we had a unique format and Danny educating people. You you used the analogy before we recorded about ⁓ the college world series, you know, that double elimination format. Georgia and South Carolina stayed alive to Sunday and Georgia got a win over Springfield College, four to two. Really big for that program. ⁓ we know how good they are on the defensive side. They've got a really good netminder in Lego. But ⁓ South Carolina followed that up in a tough loss right to the end. And Danny, I know you had a little bit to tell us about this ⁓ sort of an upset for high point. speaker-1: Yeah. ⁓ these two teams met earlier this season and it was the exact score of the opposite way. South Carolina won six to five and Carolina fell down five to two in this one, came back and tied it. ⁓ and it seemed seemed like we were headed for overtime and then a breakaway with I think it was there was point four seconds on the clock by the time the puck got over the line. So brutal way for the season to end for South Carolina. It was a very still a very positive note. Well not a positive note to end the season on, but ⁓ the the program's headed in the right direction. The roster's growing. They've got some really good young players and ⁓ new uniforms that are sweet. I mean, look good, play good, right? But yeah, tough, tough way for the season to end. And then Georgia, man, that you said it, Devin. That that's a huge win for for the program. Coming out to this tournament, they're gonna be facing teams that had more experience in this kind of inv this kind of environment and they had to come from behind and win that one. And Page Oak's getting it done there with a late goal to to win it and Well they did it with ⁓ with a nice defensive performance there. speaker-0: Yeah, no doubt. And congrats to Alyssa Narts Lico and company. Nothing to hang their head about. An excellent South Carolina team that will be good for years to come still. And as we got into elimination time, it was the semifinals. Tampa took on Quinipiac a pretty much a boat race. Nine to five win for the Spartans to advance to the championship. Syracuse also found themselves winners, and that set up a championship game, guys, in the game of the week. No pun intended. I mean, when you get The two best teams on the ice. That's what we all thought it would be. Cool thing that happened is Abby Murphy, a member of the United States women's hockey team, gold medalist from Milano Cortina, gave a pregame speech, fired up the team before they took on Syracuse, and they rode that momentum high. And Danny, I'll I'll leave the floor to you. Did Tampa look like the peak of their existence as a team in this game? speaker-1: And ⁓ you know, super happy for the the group of seniors and juniors that were a part of the the teams the previous two seasons that made it to the national championship game and lost. You know, they're able to to climb climb the mountain, reach the peak this time, overcome a little bit of ⁓ national championship game demons. ⁓ you mentioned it earlier. Last season they fell short in the conference championship game and the national championship game. What did they do this year? They they played Alabama twice, shut ⁓ out. twice. They played Syracuse twice this year, beat him twice. You know, so it was a a poetic way to to finish it off this year. And yeah, I mean they they outshot Syracuse heavily throughout the game. I mean at the the third period kind of opened up and was a little bit haywire, but you know, if if it wasn't for the Syracuse tende, it could have been like a six or seven to two type of game. But ⁓ Ella Schaefer with the game winning goal, shout out to her, a whole bunch of freshmen. performing really well for Tampa. So while they do they do have a bunch of upperclassmen and seniors that will be leaving the program after this season, they're in good hands for the speaker-0: Future. They get the chance in that locker room to sing with the voice of the lady Spartans, Avery Gugliata. We are the champions. So thrilling. And of course, congrats to everybody, Carlos Pineros, Lauren Clordy, so many veteran players that absolutely deserve the success and first national title. For them, they're an AAU. And what's we said in the theme of this? ⁓ yeah. speaker-1: Let's think about this season, Devin. They won the Columbus Classic, Conference Championship, National Championship. I mean that that's a pretty good and if you want to call I mean, I guess you could say they won the Gasparilla showcase. It wasn't really a tournament format. They went two and ⁓ two really convincing wins. Man, what a banner season for Tampa. And they also got new uniforms which got high marks from pretty much everyone, including us. But they're still called the Spartans, by the way. I don't think they changed their their mascot for People who understand what I'm referring to right now. They are still the Spartans, not the pirates, anyways. speaker-0: If you know, you know. But they get to hang a banner at Clearwater Ice Arena alongside that Division One banner that the Tampa men's team won last year. And speaking of that men's team, both of their teams on the men's side are going to nationals, and that is what begins this week, guys. St. Louis, Missouri, Senti Community Ice Center in what is a first time for a few members of the program. We know that, you know, ⁓ two with Nick Kuzlik, he's been there before as a player. But it's been a number of years. This is their first time back in ACHA, and we've got six college hockey South teams, including men's two and men's three, in this tournament. We're gonna start things out on the men's two side. We talked a little bit about our previews a little bit last week, but let's get really in depth with this now. We're gonna break down the pools for both and beginning with the schedule for the Tampa Spartans. They will begin on the time you hear this tomorrow, which is on Thursday. So probably gonna be hearing this after the fact, but they played Army West Point to start the day at 10 45 AM Eastern in the Mary Valley University Hospital Center. Central. Did I say central? I thought I said central standard time. speaker-1: You said Eastern. speaker-0: Did I? Well, it's not easy. Okay, mixed. Nevertheless, ⁓ you gotta get used to that. Being an hour behind now for this mid-America tournament, but they they take on Army, a cadet school, always well, you know, conditioned. SECHL champion army team on Friday, which you'll definitely hear by the time this game happens. Michigan State taking on the Spartans. And now Michigan State, they upset Lindenwood in the regional tournament. That's the big story with them. But the one game that speaker-1: Nevertheless. speaker-0: Everybody has pinned on their calendar for the Spartans is Oklahoma State, Saturday, March 14th at 3 30 PM Central Time on the NHL rink. Boys, we can break down other games, but I think everybody's wondering in the mind, does Tampa have the horses to keep up with Oklahoma State? It looks like a wagon. speaker-1: I believe so. Ultimately the biggest question mark will be their goaltending. Unfortunately, we don't know the status of Kyle Meyer, but it doesn't look like he's gonna be healthy enough to to play for Tampa and the Nationals. So that's a big blow. Huge blow. You know, there's no overstating how huge of a loss that is for them because he played every single I think he played all but one game at Nationals last year and performed brilliantly. So it might be on ⁓ our man Eddie Zane, who was a ⁓ Division three Tampa goaltender primarily. And I think that's that'll be the biggest thing. I believe Tampa can ⁓ defend well enough. Five on five, you know, that's a important clarification. They gotta stay out of the penalty box. Otherwise they might be chasing the game and not just against Oklahoma State, this entire pool. speaker-0: Yeah, just one loss on the air for Oklahoma State. It was an independent team, but they rode through the West Region double digit blowouts in both their games. The big guys you gotta stop is that three headed monster, Caden Nelson, a hundred and four points, led the nation this year. He's a former NCAA Division I product. Corbin Roach, right there on his heels. He averages over three and a half points per game. And their power play, boy, Cooper Matthews has sixteen power play goals. I think that tells you the story. That's kind of the Achilles heel. But Tampa, you know, they do have gamers. Cole Velice has been all over for them. Danny Griffin was our conference player of the year. I feel like for them, you know, and Gavin, I'll employ you to kind of fit in with what you think. I feel like they have to have some generational performances from guys like Velise, guys like Eddie Zayn, you mentioned, but most importantly, they have got to keep it five on five to have a chance. speaker-2: Yeah, and we've talked about discipline with this team all season and they showed it at regionals. They kind of flipped the script and tightened things up. That's credit to good coaching as well and knowing where you're at. And you mentioned Cole Velis. That that guy, he's won pretty much up and down his hockey career, high school, won three championships, won nationals last year. So you've got to have the poise of guys who have been in those spots before and they're not gonna get flustered. They're gonna drag the team into the fight, drag them into big wins and And help out your goalie. I mean, like we said, Kyle Meyer probably not gonna play. If he does, it might be later in the tournament, if at all. And so it's about helping Eddie Zayn out and just ⁓ keeping shots out wide, allowing them to play strong defensively and and getting goals from big guys like Valise and trusting Danny Griffin to patrol the blue line. speaker-0: Now let's preface to our fans listening the format. This is a pool play style, four teams of four pools. The winner of each pool goes on to the semifinal. Now an undefeated record in three games guarantees your spot. If it goes two and one, there is some tiebreakers. Goals ⁓ differential is the main one. Then it's your head to head, and then it's, I believe, more penalty more or less penalty minutes. It usually comes down to goal differential. That's the big one you're gonna want to remember for say Tampa loses a game. But they're in a spot where maybe Army upsets Oklahoma State. Maybe Michigan State's in there. It's really one where it comes down to the last day. So it's going to be a big one for Tampa there in their nationals preview. And of course, if they make it, the semifinal is on Sunday in the championship Monday, March 16th. Guys, let's switch over to Florida Atlantic now. The conference champions, first time for them in this three team format. They have really strung together. A great late season push. You see their top guys doing what they do. Jackson Newendike came over from Kenetius, Leon Biller. How about Brady Beijer? You know, a guy that's gotten high marks in our group as media. For the Owls, they start their tournament with Saint Bonaventure, who we remember from AAU being a powerhouse. If you're looking at them, Saint Thomas and Utah State, how does Floyd Atlantic stack up? speaker-1: I think they they stack up pretty well. And yeah, I mean they like Gavin said with Tampa, they've really flipped the script as well at regionals. ⁓ I think the biggest thing the biggest question in my mind ⁓ coming into this tournament is who's gonna be the primary goaltender? Because Rocco is the is the three-time now, right? He's a three-time goalie of the year and you know, deservedly so. But Gunnar Stevens came in at regionals, was lights out, had a really good game against Tampa in the conference playoffs. So I his Goals against and postseason action is below two. The save percentage is in the nine thirties, three and ⁓ I would have to believe Gunner Stevens would get the majority of the starts, but you know, it it is Rocco and Rocco won a national championship last year. So I don't necessarily think it's a bad thing. It's a good problem to have that you have two guys that you can trust now in the net. But you can only play one at a time. But I believe this is where the secondary scoring is gonna have to step up for FAU. You know, the the top guys are the top guys, no doubt about it. They're g they're gonna produce, but these other teams are gonna have elite talent as well that are gonna be able to score, you'd have to think. And you know, the guys like Christian Cuccia and ⁓ you know, Ronan Keenan and Blaise Pepe, one of my favorite names in the entire conference. I love that by the way. But those guys are gonna have to perform. speaker-2: Yeah, like Danny said, it's it's about depth scoring for FAU. ⁓ and I and they did flip a script and they got some of those guys involved in playoff. Agent Aiden Giorgiano as well, one of those guys who kind of started to pick it up at the end of playoffs and was big in their road to the conference championship. And the two goalie problem, Danny said it, not a bad problem to have. Rocco, he's talked about his preparation, very even killed guy, has been prepared for this all year. If his name's called he's ready, Gunner Stevens is ready. So this FAU team has a chance to repeat. It's gonna come down to that depth scoring level. speaker-0: I would agree. I I think just seeing them at a glance this season, most games I I ⁓ witnessed were Florida Lantic. The biggest thing is that they've tried many different guys in their special teams. I think every single player has ran through the penalty kill. Their power play, they've mixed up lines and they found a way to get Christian Coochier going. That was their big one, right? Conference player of the year in ⁓ three last year. A little bit of a down year by his standards, but maybe not getting as many minutes being on that third line with Giorgiano. I really think one move that stuck out to me at playoffs was moving Ronan Keenan back to defense. You see how he's able to support plays in the rush, kind of pinch down and be that offensive defenseman. We know what Jake Murphy is. He can play two way, but if you're looking at a team like St. Thomas, that's probably their biggest opponent they've got to knock off. The BCCHA champions there in Minnesota. They went to the final four last year and just barely lost there late. I think they played in Montana State. Anthony Madigan leads them with forty-one points this year. They have a really good blue line with Torin Dobchuk, Michael Sherer. So these two teams kind of stack up evenly. They they look very similar. For FAU to go to the final, I think point blank, they've got to have their guys take over, their top lines. That's been what they've stepped up in. Jackson Newendyke got them to overtime winner against Farmingdale State. You know, Tampa, Leon Biller surprised a lot of us becoming kind of a scorer of his own. And I have sentiment with you guys, the depth it's gonna be, but They've got St. Bonaventure, they've got Utah State from the West and St. Thomas to get to semifinals. And we'll be watching all that. Again, you can catch all of these games on Flow Hockey. Be sure to go to ACHAhockey.org and go to the Find Events tab to find the national tournament. Subscribe today, thirty dollars a month, bit of a steep price point, but you do get every game covered from start to finish there live on the platform. Guys, men's division three, here we go. Four teams in this tournament format. Middle Tennessee State, the number two team in the country. We're number one the whole year. USF is right there, number four, I think they came out of being in that ⁓ pool with Air Force. Then you got Tampa, who got in from that win over middle Tennessee State. They got it closer against USF and Florida Gulf Coast. Everybody's sweethearts. So, gentlemen, we can go down the line, but just first off. How excited are you about the prospect of four teams and who's your favorite among the Kachaki South teams to go far? speaker-1: I'm excited that we have four teams, a little disappointed that two of them ended up in the same pool. And also the fact that they're miles from each other, their campuses. ⁓ and also another little fun note, they played each other last year in pool play. So, but no, it it it was ⁓ definitely something we were concerned about. I think, you know, as conference playoffs drew to a close, you know, how many teams would we get in? But you know, we figured MTSU and USF were safe, but FGCU and Tampa you know, a little bit of question marks considering there are at large or ⁓ auto bids to consider. But both made it in, I think deservedly so, and we'll be players. You know, Tampa's got a a a steeper hill to climb, I would say. But, you know, I I I would say USF right now. They they seem like they have the momentum, but y i it it's hard to overlook the MTSU team, but they need to have a short memory. They need to have a little bit of amnesia because they've been struggling a little bit down the stretch. But they've got they've got all the tools to do it. speaker-2: Yeah, I I think USF and some of that's even just after talking to Grant Dietz earlier. I mean, he he sounded calm. He sounds like they trust their group. ⁓ they've got the pieces. It's gonna and when I asked about philosophy change in practice, you know, maybe I was seeing if they were going for the Tampa where they kinda cut the penalties out, they don't sound like they're gonna do that. They Grant Dietz has showed he's gonna score regardless of the pimps. So I mean it is keeping a guy like that out of the box because ten minutes, which he's not Not ⁓ necessarily afraid of, but you gotta you gotta avoid those and so I think USF has the best chance, but also MTSU, like Danny mentioned, I mean, they've got the pieces and you know, playoffs maybe was a maybe was a shock for them. They didn't expect Tampa to put together the game that they did, and that probably exposed some weak points. So kind of give them something to look back on, watch the film, see what holes were missing and try to clean your game up before you get to the national tournament. speaker-0: So our panel is big on USF. Let's break down where they are in the pools. Pool B is Middle Tennessee State. They will take on Grand Valley State from the west coast of Michigan. Northwood from Middle Michigan. That's the number seven and ten teams. And then St. Vincent from their conference championship in college hockey east. They are number fifteen in pool B. Pool C sees Florida Gulf Coast. They will play number three Oakland University from Michigan, Central Maine Community College, who's been nationals the last three years now, and Sacred Heart University, who's in their third consecutive as well. They have never won a nationals game, but they have gone now a four peat in their conference championships. So that seems like a bit of an underrated pool. And you know, my sleeper pick right now is Florida Golf Coast because they have the X Factor of X Factors and BJ Ricardi. Perhaps the best goaltender in this conference, maybe even the nation, ⁓ going in the nationals who can steal you a game or two. And finally in Pool D boys, USF and Tampa, who will play each other right out of the shoot. First day of their nationals and March eighteenth, and then they get to play Air Force, who is only lost one game out west. They were the runner ups in the national championship. They would have been national champions had it not been for a miraculous third period comeback by the hope flying Dutchman, who are now an ⁓ one team. in this year's bracket single issue single elimination format. Also in there is Wentworth Institute of Technology. So a lot of fun matchups, you know, we we kind of just set the precedent there, boys. Like, how do you feel about just this group of teams and like non-college hockey south teams? Have you seen anybody else that, you know, fans of this podcast might want to watch out for? speaker-1: Well, ⁓ from FGCU's schedule, you know, they're they played a primarily non conference schedule. And I believe they they did play Saint Vincent this spring semester and won both games, if I'm correct. Yes, they did. So that's interesting. And also I want to acknowledge, you know, and it it seems like Grant Dietz had a he acquired a large amount of respect for Gulf Coast from that semifinal game that was back and forth. And, you know, when you guys get the chance to see the all star draft, he You know, he thought very highly of their players with his selections. I'll I'll just say that. So yeah, I'm I'm I'm with you, Devin. I I think Golf Coast is a is a sleeper team. They have a team that can be successful at nationals. But ⁓ to be honest, no. Like I d I I don't know I don't know these teams outside of CHS. We're we're a CHS podcast. speaker-0: Yeah, honestly, ⁓ I'll give you that. I kind of put you on the spot. But look, I mean, for the ⁓ three world, some people look at this division like some are just feeders to better programs. Like they might not realize FGCU ⁓ three is not really a feeder to their ⁓ two team, which is national favorites right now. They're their own entity. They have just the ability with guys like Nathan, Nathan Walker, Jacob Langrich, Ricardo we mentioned, to make runs on you know, not in hockey aside, like Gavin For nationals, like what is ⁓ one thing that stuck out to you when you saw this schedule or just kind of the the poppin' circumstance of going to St. Louis and and what this is for the conference? What's your reaction to all of that? speaker-2: think this is honestly a chance for Florida Gulf Coast to represent won the conference well in their first year. I think they've got a lot of potential. ⁓ that USF game, if you play that ten more times, I feel like we'd get a different ending every single time between those two teams. That's how good that game was. So I think Florida Gulf Coast and they've they've got a really good chance to go deep and US F has the depth and the key and they've got the guys, they've got the goaltending and so It's really gonna come down to them playing their best hockey, and that's what nationals is, is whichever team can get rolling, ⁓ a gauntlet's is and these teams are two weeks off of playoffs, so not too much of a rest time, you know. None of them played last weekend, but that's not a whole lot of time, and you're gonna go maybe play five, six games realistically. So you've got you've got a rough go of it. But I like the chances of a lot of these teams. They've got a lot of depth, and when they play their complete game, any of these teams from CHS could go and win at all. It's just gonna take their best hockey of honestly some of these players' lives. So speaker-0: Boy, I don't dare ask you guys to pick champions because we would obviously pick some of the Kod Chacky South teams. speaker-1: No, I'm gonna I'm gonna take Wentworth tech actually. disrespectfully tech. No, listen. God bless America. I hope I hope the Air Force team has a successful ⁓ and safe trip to and from St. Louis. Same thing with the Army team. But I'm gonna be taking wh watch this, boys, because I said South Florida was the team that I I think has the best chance. This is who I'm gonna pick. I'm gonna pick The middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders to win this whole frickin' thing. They're gonna be the division three champions. speaker-0: Bold, Gavin? Now you've gotta follow that up. Are you gonna go all chalk with him? speaker-2: I'm gonna pick a sleeper and I wouldn't say sleeper because they're they're a good team. Give me FGCU. I like BJ Ricardi. I think they get shut down and that guy is gonna have a stellar tournament, is gonna have a nine seventy save percentage. He's gonna make like the season look like it was ⁓ light work for him. I know he's fired up, ready to get going. So and ⁓ I'm just saying St. Louis, your McDonald's better watch out. Nathan Walker and the and the Eagles are coming. speaker-1: ⁓ my god, can you imagine the the McDonald's meal post? speaker-0: There is no McDonald's within like a five mile radius of there. I will say that. But you do have the Hollywood casino and they have a buffet bar in there. So I think that doesn't matter. speaker-2: Yeah, that's not gonna do it for Nathan Walker. Who cares what the Uber charges are? Get that man a couple Big Macs. Get get a McDonald's mukbang going after the first win. speaker-0: It's like a whole catering menu, but it's like, ⁓ which team's already in It's like, no, no, no, no, no, it's not a team. It's it's just this one guy guy. Yeah. And they have to hunt him down, they have to go through three ranks. It's just Nathan Walker. Man, we're putting this guy on blast. I hope this isn't ⁓ coming back to haunt us when I see him in confusion. speaker-1: We love Nathan. All conference player. speaker-0: We do, we do, we do. I I think the fast food bit kind of ran its course when we were ⁓ we were we were talking about that. I don't I don't even remember which like I think he was the only guy that said like he liked fast food. I don't know if you did did Danny or Gav, but yeah. It's gonna be ⁓ it's gonna be interesting what the f what the meal plan looks like on Nationals 'cause Santeen makes food. It's hit or miss. I'll I'll leave it where it is. I'm not gonna lie to you. Okay, no, no, listen. ⁓ speaker-1: Who's gonna pick a middle? speaker-0: I don't want to set this up with a run-on sentence. Here's here's what my prediction is. I think College Hockey South gets two teams in the national semifinal, but it's not who you think it is. I'm gonna take USF and Florida Golf Coast to make the semis, but my national champion of choice is Air Force. This team is the wagon of wagons. They are in hell of a shape. Okay. speaker-2: Yeah, that doesn't work. speaker-0: No, because listen I understand what do you mean? No, I US F and Tampa in the same pool. I picked US speaker-2: Yeah, but you're saying Air Force is gonna win it all. If USF wins Air Force is out, they're in the same pool, man. Come on. I'm leaving this one in because normally I don't catch these. Normally I don't catch ⁓ in the speaker-1: The same pools USF. speaker-0: I even thought about it ⁓ my god, I thought about I even had the chart in front of me. I was looking up and down at it. ⁓ my God. All right. Well, you know what this opened a crab shoe. You guys want know my embarrass most embarrassing moment in history of doing this? And this is this is on the record. We can leave this in. I was calling Missouri, University of Missouri playing ⁓ Arkansas for a conference ⁓ or at Nationals to go in their pool. And ⁓ they had the semi set up. Like if you if you know like the you know for the semis kind of reseed a little bit. I had picked the wrong team that they were going to play. So my the call was an overtime game. Missouri wins it. Dramatic one. A minute in. I almost swore. I crap you not. I called and Missouri's gonna play Calvin. Not the team they were going to play. And it was live on flow hockey. All of the Missouri fans were absolutely ripping me when I got off the air. I'm not the I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed. I don't know why I get to do this. I do not deserve the street cred. So I'll put it out there. I'm a buffoon. Okay, then with what you just said, with what you just presented that I messed up on. Okay, I'm picking Air Force to come out of the pool. Sorry, Tampa and USF. Give me FGCU, right? ⁓ and Air Force to win it all. Because that team is is what I was saying, a wagon, Oberley, Bollinger. They have this goaltender, Kelly Kane. He is short like Rocco, but he f whips around the net. One of the best in the country ⁓ getting post to post. Yeah. Yeah. Had to had to had to find a comparison there to Kodak yourself. Well thanks guys. That's my pick. Air Force. speaker-1: Short like rock. We didn't pick one for ⁓ two. Will either team will either team get out of their pool? How about that? speaker-0: Yeah, it's a little too difficult to pick right now. speaker-2: That's a that's a tough one. Tampa's in such a FAU's got a good chance to get out of theirs. For Tampa, it's really gonna come down to winning those first two games and getting a huge win versus Oklahoma State. It really comes down to the last day for them and they have to be perfect. There's no room for error for Tampa. speaker-1: F A Us. speaker-0: You just hope they're not worn down. I mean, that is the game they need the legs for because that will take everything they have to beat Oklahoma State from top to bottom. speaker-1: If I if I were to continue with my my MO on this podcast and draw an analogy, it's like playing an entire regular season of of NFL football and then losing your starting quarterback and then going and playing, you know, your your first playoff game. It's like it's it in your mind it's doable, but man, you're every other area of of your game is gonna have to be elevated and almost perfect to cover up for yeah, because Kyle Kyle Meyer is a huge impact player for them. It I've said it a bunch. He's huge for them. So they're gonna be in one, but who knows? speaker-0: Nick Foles won a Super Bowl though. So how's that for backup quarterbacks coming in and stealing the spotlight? speaker-1: I'm saying Eddie Zane could could play his ass off. And I'm I'm hoping he does because you know what? This conference needs that kind of a story. A Gunnar Stevens type story. We we get a couple of backup attendees meeting the national championship game, CHS. First year ACHA national championship. Come on now. I think I just wrote a I just wrote the script. speaker-2: Well, we'll we'll keep track of that. This is one of those moments that you can brag about if it comes right. You know, you make predictions. We all do it all year and so far we've been like okay at it. I wouldn't say anyone's been like, ⁓ we've made it all the way. But if that if that's the one that goes, then I'm happy for it and Danny will have ultimate bragging rights, ⁓ if we get two CHS teams and the ACHA nationals. speaker-1: Wait, Gavin, we can make national's prediction predictions and then the commissioner won't put the kibosh on it and make us delete all this. speaker-2: Hey man, don't don't tell me twice. I'll start formulating the article tonight. speaker-1: I like to ⁓ speaker-0: If anyone's getting the kibosh, it's not you two. It's me. I'm making us look real bad. I don't even know what pools are what. I just I just picked like two teeth of the same pool to win. That's not even possible. So go talk about what's getting cut. It's me. What are we doing? But ⁓ I will go talk about the Red Wings. I will watch by the time you hear this, hopefully the Red Wings have destroyed the lightning. I need a good, like, sentimental win for my hockey team. speaker-2: And if that does happen, ⁓ no one no one talk to me. Don't text me, don't reach out. I I don't wanna hear it. But lightning in the playoffs, it doesn't matter. Red wings are still in the hunt, so speaker-0: Best time of the year, boys. I I eat this stuff up and ⁓ it's been an absolute pleasure to cover this all year with you both. And the next time you hear from us, it'll be well, I might be in St. Louis. I don't know. We're gonna we're gonna figure it out as we go. But ⁓ we'll definitely give you all the post nationals recaps, especially on the M2 side. But remember, subscribe now to flowhockey.tv, thirty dollars a month to get all of the action live from Nationals. March twelfth through the twenty third at the Centine Community Ice Center. And Maryland Heights, Missouri for everybody here. Gavin, you've got one more send off before we get ⁓ ready for nationals. speaker-2: I just gotta say, Devin, if you tune in next week and I see you at playing blackjack or at the crabs table on the podcast, I'm gonna be a little upset. Especially if you start losing. I better not hear you losing at the at the casino. If you're gonna go, you at least gotta win if you're gonna join the pod. speaker-0: We're gonna see Dev Devon Tap on his tap on his finger. speaker-1: He's needle anxious. speaker-2: Yeah. He's gonna be at twenty, he's gonna be like tapping and they're gonna be like, ⁓ you wanna hit and they're gonna flip it and he's gonna let file on the pod. speaker-0: I am I am just worried about getting cornered by Ronan Keenan. I don't know if he listens to this, but I think that guy's gonna put me in a hole and be like, You're coming with us and it'll be late. It'll be the their last day whenever that is, and I'll be like, Nope, I gotta call nationals tomorrow, sorry. speaker-2: You gotta protect the voice. You can't be like me on the last day con the A C D C championship and the voice just hanging on for the final call and then being gone. speaker-1: You may ⁓ honestly Gavin, you might as well have gone gone out. speaker-0: Then they've done that. speaker-1: Gavin played a conservative. He he was he was responsible and and stayed in that night. And he still lost his voice by the end. You did a great job, by the way, on that call. But yeah, if if I can have my my final my final send off for this podcast, congratulations to Tampa on the national championship. Hopefully we can hear from one of their fine players that ⁓ you know, helped bring another national championship home. ⁓ definitely really cool to see them overcome the national championship. Game Demons. So yeah, huge congrats to them. That's why I'm wearing the Tampa hat. I don't like the Bucks at all, even though it's a cool hat. ⁓ yeah. speaker-2: Bucko Bruce. speaker-0: That is the best logo. I do love the creamsicle. But I love College Hockey South and I love all of our teams and good luck to all of them out this weekend. Safe travels, everybody, for our panel here. Gavin Coke, our producer, Danny Bohm, our host. My name is Devin Serra. Thanks for listening to episode twenty-nine of the College Hockey Mouth Podcast, College Hockey South series. We'll talk to you next week. Have a good one.