Episode Transcript
[00:00:03] Speaker A: The following program is brought to you in living color on dailygazette.com or wherever you get your podcast.
The Daily Gazette Company presents the parting Shots podcast. Now here's your host, Daily Gazette sports editor Ken shot. Thank you, Scott Gizi, and welcome to the Parting Shots podcast, available wherever you get your podcast. Subscribe today. Thanks for joining me from the parting Shots podcast studio in Schenectady, New York. And it's time once again for our weekly talk with the union men's head hockey coach, Josh Algae. Josh, how's it going?
[00:00:39] Speaker B: A big week ahead, so, going well?
[00:00:41] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:00:41] Speaker A: Good, good. Yeah, last week it was a good one. We'll get in the RPI games in a little bit, but yeah, last week it was a good one for union's men's hockey team. The Garner Chargers took care of business against Mercy in the two game series, winning six two on Friday night and three two on Saturday. What were your general impressions of the weekend?
[00:00:58] Speaker B: I thought we did some good things. I thought we, you know, possessed the puck for, you know, periods of time against, you know, mercy hearse and had possession on, you know, Friday night. It was good to see, you know, us kind of establish a top line for that game. Those, those three were dominant and, you know, with, with Ben, Nate and Kaden, and it was just nice to have a game and really pull away.
[00:01:20] Speaker A: Yep, that started the Friday game. Union gave up an early first period power play goal and it looked like that goal is going to stand up as the first period headed into the final minute. But then freshen for Ben Muthers, Bog stepped up and scored two goals in a twelve second span to suddenly turn a one nothing deficit in a two one lead. How big was that? Because if you get a goal late in the first in a period, usually happy, but to get two in the twelve in 12 seconds that late, I mean, that had to give the team some momentum and confidence and maybe change the way you were going to talk to the guys after the first period.
[00:01:51] Speaker B: Yeah, it was, it was a big spark and I thought that we had a lot of opportunities just didn't finish. And, you know, for Ben, he's been, you know, just kind of close to getting one. So to finally get that first one was huge for him.
[00:02:03] Speaker A: Yeah, I mean, he just, I've told you this, I told you this couple weeks ago. I thought he was maybe one of the better players in that army West Point game. He showed me something. He was not afraid to shoot the puck, you know, almost had a goal against Army West Point in third period, but hit the side of the net on a one timer. But it just seems like he has the confidence out there. You know, for a freshman, he's really extraordinary.
[00:02:24] Speaker B: Yeah, he doesn't play like a freshman. He's. He's got a ton of confidence. He's, you know, he wants the puck. He wants to be in those pressure situations, and, you know, we're really excited. We have him.
[00:02:35] Speaker A: Yeah. Parker Lindau made three one at 835 of the second period. Merciers pulled within 153 seconds later on a rally Fitzgerald goal. So what's the moon like in the locker room after the second?
[00:02:47] Speaker B: I think that we thought we had some, you know, opportunities to kind of. To finish them off, and we didn't. And then you let them back in with, you know, kind of a net driving play where we get, you know, tangled up and, you know, would have been a penalty because we. We ran into their goaltender and I thought we just took a second off, and next thing you know, there's a guy behind us, and they made us pay, and it was. It was a good wake up call.
[00:03:08] Speaker A: Yeah. Sort of a two goal swing, as they think Colby Carter had shot there and just miss. And then that.
[00:03:12] Speaker C: There you go.
[00:03:13] Speaker A: Then all of a sudden, as you mentioned, if it showed up going on a breakaway there.
[00:03:16] Speaker B: Yeah, I mean, we had a. Again, that opportunity, and there was a puck sitting there. We just didn't finish it. And again, you know, give merciers credit.
[00:03:24] Speaker A: They.
[00:03:24] Speaker B: They made the most of their opportunity there.
[00:03:26] Speaker A: Well, I guess you like the rule now that does not allow a power play opportunity after you score a goal in that kind of situation. Delay, penalty.
[00:03:34] Speaker B: Yeah, the double jeopardy is. It's good that it's gone for that situation.
[00:03:37] Speaker A: Do. Do you miss that? I mean. I mean, I kind of like that.
[00:03:40] Speaker B: It was. It was a thing was unique to Kawachaki. It was really the only place that it was, you know, a rule. So, I mean, I thought it made the game a little bit, you know, special and different in the sense of you're down, down too late and you score one in that situation, all of a sudden you're right back in it.
[00:03:56] Speaker A: Well, union does take control of the game in the third period. Nate Handley ignites things on a goal at one time, 24 into the third period. I was working here in the office for the first two periods. I got to get papers out. I got there just in time to see Nate score that goal. And then Hanley scores again at 1036. And then Muthus Ball, who got secondary, insists on both of Hanley's goals. Completes his first collegiate hat trick 54 seconds later to seal the deal. What a game for him. Five points. Hanley had four points. I mean, and as you mentioned with Kane and Vegas, there seems to be a chemistry with that line.
[00:04:28] Speaker B: Yeah, they were, they were really moving and moving away from the pucks. So when you do that, you create space. And all three of them have a high hockey iq, so good things can happen when they're on the ice together.
[00:04:38] Speaker A: You mentioned after the game you're happy for Caden. He had two, the primary assistant, both handley goals.
You said he was spinning a little bit of snake bit.
[00:04:46] Speaker B: Yeah. I mean, he's been creating opportunities and putting a lot of pressure on himself as one of our leaders and a senior. So I think he just needed to get, you know, you know, get some credit. And he's, he's been playing great. So for him to get rewarded, it was, it was huge. And, you know, the other two probably had a few more points in the game, but he was just as impactful.
[00:05:06] Speaker A: I call that game was winding. I didn't see Hanley Adel the isolate in the game. Was he? Because he had a chance to get the hat trick, too?
[00:05:13] Speaker B: Yeah, I. One of those things too. Like, he's, he's pretty selfless and, you know, get some other guys some, some opportunities and, you know, he'll, he'll have plenty of chances.
[00:05:23] Speaker A: Yeah. Well, let's hear from Ben Muthisbaulk and Nate Hanleye from Friday night.
[00:05:31] Speaker C: Ben, first of all, congratulations on the hat trick. I mean, how does it feel to score three goals in your second home game? At that?
[00:05:38] Speaker D: Yeah, it feels good team game. So, you know, credit to my linemates.
[00:05:42] Speaker C: How big were those two goals at the end of the period? You're down one nothing, and you scored, like quickly in 12 seconds. How much did that maybe change the momentum of the game?
[00:05:52] Speaker D: Yeah, gave us momentum going in. And second, some great plays.
[00:05:56] Speaker C: What about the third goal? It was shot from the right circle, trickle through the goaltender. I mean, did you realize at that point you had the hat trick?
[00:06:03] Speaker D: Yeah, it was a great play by Nate.
[00:06:05] Speaker C: So what did he do in that play? You thought that was. Made it nice.
[00:06:10] Speaker D: Good deception by him. So all credit to him.
[00:06:13] Speaker C: Nate, for you, two goals, two assist.
How does that feel tonight?
[00:06:17] Speaker E: Definitely felt good to get the win. Big win for us. Bounce back.
[00:06:21] Speaker C: How big was your goal there? You're down, you're up three two going into the third. I mean, how big was that goal early in the third period to give you guys some momentum.
[00:06:29] Speaker E: Yeah, I was definitely good to get the two goal lead. Great pass to Vegas, and you and.
[00:06:35] Speaker C: Ben scored quickly there midway through to salt the game away. So how big was that to put it away like that?
[00:06:41] Speaker E: It was huge. Got us the win at the end.
[00:06:44] Speaker C: Ben, your thoughts on that? Put it away that way?
[00:06:48] Speaker D: Yeah, it was good. It was a good way to start the weekend. We got another one tomorrow.
[00:06:51] Speaker C: Was it a little frustrating at the start? You guys were getting a lot of shots of goal in that first period, but you're down one nothing on that early power play goal. I mean, how important is it not to get too upset, too panicky?
[00:07:03] Speaker D: Yeah, it is what it is. It's hockey, so we stuck to the plan and it worked out.
[00:07:07] Speaker C: Your thoughts on that, Nate?
[00:07:08] Speaker E: Yeah, I just stick to our game. It worked out.
[00:07:11] Speaker C: And what do you have to do tomorrow to get back, you know, to make it a sweep?
[00:07:15] Speaker E: Play hard, full effort. Got the one, Ben.
[00:07:18] Speaker D: Yeah, I agree.
[00:07:21] Speaker C: Can I just say they're sick.
All right, cool. Thanks.
[00:07:27] Speaker E: Thank you.
[00:07:27] Speaker B: Thank you.
[00:07:29] Speaker A: Thank you, guys. Oh, Ben and Nate are certainly not talkative.
Do you find that?
[00:07:36] Speaker B: You know, like, they just. Just kind of takes them a little bit to open up, but, yeah, they're. They're characters. They're. They're both unique, and, you know, it's. They're. They're a lot of fun to coach, but at times, yeah, you're. They're. They're pretty quiet.
[00:07:48] Speaker A: I mean, I just kind of surprised. Nate was very open at the. The media day. He's like, he was talking. He couldn't get him to keep quiet there. But he returned to normal at the Friday's game, but, well, let's move to Saturday's contest. And it was deja vu. Mercer scores first and union scores late in the final minute of the first period. The big deal about that goal was that it came on the power play, which ended an over 16 start to the season on the man advantage. And it was freshman for Drew Sutton who scored it on a nice setup by Hanley. Man, how good is the field to finally get that power play goal?
[00:08:20] Speaker B: Yeah, I think it was one of those things where, you know, everybody's kind of talking about it and, you know, we know that we have, you know, a lot of dangerous players, and they just, for whatever reason, couldn't do it on the power play. So to get the monkey off the back and really just kind of relax and be able to play free on the power play is huge.
[00:08:35] Speaker A: The score remain one one after two, and then early in the third period, you got another power play goal. This time, Sutton sets up Brandon Burr to give Union a two one lead, and for Burr, it was his fifth opportunity to score and he cashed in. He had some frustrating moments prior to that. He had two shots hit the post in the first period and he was robbed by Mercer's goalie, Carter McPhail, in the second. He probably could have, you know, call the police and get. For highway robbery there, but I know he was shaking his head on that second save as they hit it to the bench. And I felt bad when he was, you know, he had chance, cut out a five goal gain in that one. I mean, how important was it for Brandon to finally score?
[00:09:09] Speaker B: Yeah, and he's a guy for us that he's, you know, had some great opportunities and for whatever reason, they've hit a poster, you know, the goalie, goalie's knob or just like the goalies made good saves against them. And he's not going to go through stretches where he's not scoring. He's a goal scorer and for him to get that one gives him some confidence and he can kind of just move forward.
[00:09:28] Speaker A: Well, Fitzgerald ties it for mercy at 09:07 in the third, but 41 seconds later, union answers. Josh Nixon scores, and the union skates away with the three two win. It's a big goal by Josh, especially coming on the next, next shift after the Fitzgerald goal.
[00:09:41] Speaker B: Yeah, it was, you know, right off a face off play and, you know, Colin Ferguson actually, you know, he gets possession and he could have just put it off the glass and let us skate into it, but he made a great pass to Nixon, who then Nixon kicks it out to Colby, and Colby, you know, right back to Josh. And, you know, that was, you know, we like to think as a team, if we get a, you know, one goalie in the third period, it's a. The game's over, we're going to lock it down and it's done. And, you know, we didn't do that. It was huge for us to just, you know, bounce back and get one.
[00:10:09] Speaker A: Mouth is bog picked up two assists in the game, giving him a seven point weekend, and on Monday he pulled off a daily double winning EC hockey player and rookie of the week. I mean, how big was that?
[00:10:20] Speaker B: I think it's, you know, he's a really good player and for him to get, you know, some national recognition and league recognition is great and. But, you know, he's, again, pretty humble and just, you know, gave credit to his linemates and we just kind of move forward.
[00:10:32] Speaker A: Yeah, move the ball. Became the first freshman to record a hat trick since Daniel Carr did it in the 2000 910 season.
[00:10:39] Speaker B: Yeah, so that's some pretty good company.
[00:10:40] Speaker A: Yeah. Well, let's hear from Josh Nixon, Brandon Burr and Drew Sutton.
[00:10:45] Speaker B: Oh, you got the chair.
[00:10:46] Speaker F: Yeah.
[00:10:47] Speaker C: Josh, how important was it to answer their second goal? You scoring there to give you guys the victory?
[00:10:54] Speaker G: I think we had momentum, like majority of the game, so we always had a feeling on the bench that we're going to get that third one. And just very fortunate that Mac was over the slide that over to me and it was easy tap in, but great play by the boys, for sure.
[00:11:07] Speaker C: Yeah, talk about that pass. I mean, it seems like he's been making those kind of passes.
[00:11:11] Speaker G: I think that's just Mack. Mac has one of the best visions on our team, for sure. And we saw it again today. So it was a great pass. Yet.
[00:11:19] Speaker C: Brandon, through two periods, were you getting a feeling that it just wasn't your night with a couple posts and a few others?
[00:11:26] Speaker F: No. I mean, I was obviously a little frustrated with myself, but I knew it was gonna come eventually. Like, obviously, thanks to sats, I had a pretty easy goal. Probably should have a few more. Nate set me up very nicely. So did Parker.
[00:11:38] Speaker C: So were the two posts kind of frustrating, though, in the first period?
[00:11:41] Speaker F: I mean, obviously wasn't ideal, but I just kept sticking with it, so it was fine.
[00:11:46] Speaker C: It looked like you were a little frustrated after the fourth, the second period. The fourth time you had a good chance and it was stopped by McFarlane. Was he playing that well?
[00:11:56] Speaker F: I mean, yeah, I'd say he's played pretty well, obviously. Probably should score a few more.
[00:12:00] Speaker C: Drew, can you talk about the passive setup, Brandon's goal?
[00:12:03] Speaker H: Yeah, that was definitely a play we've worked on quite a bit in practice. We actually talked about it right before we went out there, so it was just, I think maybe a matter of time. We tried it a lot, but great rep by Brandon and glad we could finally get one on the power play.
[00:12:16] Speaker C: And you scored the team's first power play goal of the season.
Was it?
[00:12:21] Speaker A: You guys end up with two in.
[00:12:22] Speaker C: The game, but that one, I suppose, was it to finally break that little slide?
[00:12:26] Speaker H: Yeah, it's easy to start gripping the stick when we're not scoring on the power play, just as a unit, but we talked about our job wasn't just to go out and score, but at least get momentum for the team. So we were able to do that and get a goal on top of it. So that was great.
[00:12:39] Speaker C: Was it nice to get your first collegiate goal?
[00:12:42] Speaker H: Yeah, feels good. Feels good to get that one. Get that monkey off the back. So, yeah.
[00:12:47] Speaker C: Josh, how would you characterize the weekend as a sweep? And I mean, you guys feel good going into the next weekend against RPI?
[00:12:53] Speaker G: I think it's just building. That's the one word that we continually talk about, and I know it's early in the season, but to get two wins against non conference, obviously it's huge for us. So it's definitely momentum and we're definitely going to bring that into next weekend for sure.
[00:13:08] Speaker A: Those guys, a lot more talkative.
Well, let's take a break and have another mess of ranked memory, and we'll preview the EC hockey openers against capital region rival RPI. You're listening to the parting shots podcast.
[00:13:29] Speaker I: It's the most historic conference in college hockey. It's a battle night in and night out. ECAC Hockey, an iconic conference home to twelve of the most prestigious universities and programs in the world and showcasing the best student athletes in the sport, top notch facilities and arenas, incomparable traditions, passionate fans, alumni who go on to become elite professionals, leaders and champions. ECAC hockey, there's no experience like it.
[00:14:01] Speaker A: Hey pro football fans, it's time again to match wits with other pro football fans and win a prize by playing the Daily Gazette's u pick em football contest. To play, go to dailygazetteprofootball, dot up.net and make your picks before the first game kicks off each week. If you have the most weekly points, you win a $100 Hannaford gift card. Play the Deli Gazette's u pickup football contest today.
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[00:14:42] Speaker B: Hi, this is Nate Lehman. I'm the head coach of Providence men's ice hockey team and I'm the former.
[00:14:46] Speaker J: Head coach of the Union College fighting Scrapping Chargers.
[00:14:51] Speaker B: You're listening to parting shots podcast with the Daily Gazette sports editor, Ken Schott.
[00:14:58] Speaker J: All right, I'm Wally Bisdell. I played for Union college men's hockey for 90 through 92. So the transition from d three to d one, and I think my most vivid memory of playing in mess and.
[00:15:10] Speaker B: Rink.
[00:15:13] Speaker J: You know, probably more than playing, but the coming out to the ice and the canadian flag held low down in the one corner by the Zamboni. And I watched one of the older guys touch the flag before the game with a stick. And I started doing that and I saw a handful of the other canadian guys. It was just kind of fun for a few years. A bit of a tradition in the meat place where the flag probably should have been that close to the ice.
[00:15:41] Speaker A: Welcome back to the podcast Ken shot here on the party shots podcast with union heads men's head hockey coach Josh Alge. Now, Josh, the real season begins is the start of ECAC hockey season, and it's a tradition like no other union. RPI facing off to start ecach play. And Friday's game will be at Houston Field House while Saturday's rematch is at mess ring. How excited you are you to get conference play going?
[00:16:04] Speaker B: Well, I think it just raises the level of compete for everybody. And, you know, now this matters, you know, twice as much. You got, you know, national pair wise and you got conference points. So it's, it's really important for us to get off to a good start. And it's been something that we've had a hard time with, with these guys. Like, we haven't been able to, you know, get two wins. It's kind of been a back and forth series.
[00:16:25] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:16:25] Speaker A: I mean, at stake this weekend is the Capital Skates trophy. It goes to the winner of the regular season games in the engineers possession since the 2018 to 19 season when they swept union. Because the last few years, it's been a split of the games. So how important is it to getting that trophy back to Messer, Inc. One final time?
[00:16:43] Speaker B: Yeah, it'd be, you know, great. I don't think, you know, our, you know, anybody on our team has had it. So, like, we'd like to see what it looks like and, you know, have possession of it. But, yeah, for us, we're just trying to continue to play good hockey and take one step at a time with it. And I, you know, hopefully we can find a way to do that this weekend.
[00:17:00] Speaker A: Of course, unions had the last one, the last three marriage cups. Sort of consolation, that, but how nice. Have both trophies there.
[00:17:06] Speaker B: Yeah, I mean, it's, it's hard to sweep in college hockey and especially when you're playing, you know, a team like.
[00:17:11] Speaker A: RPI, as I mentioned, since 20 1819, the teams have split the games with RPI winning the first game each time. I mean, how important is it for union, especially going into a hostile building at Houston Field House?
And of course, it's their annual blackout night how important is to win that first game?
[00:17:26] Speaker B: Yeah, I mean, obviously, if you want to get the skates, you got to get both. And, you know, we, we want to, you know, set the tempo right away in the first five minutes and play our game, and, you know, it's a tough place to play, but I think we're ready for the task and excited for it.
[00:17:41] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:17:41] Speaker A: RPI finished in last place in the EC age last season as the first time that had happened since the 1984 split with the schools leaving for Hockey east. The engineers did upset fifth seat at Clarkson in the first round game before getting swept by top seed Equinipiac in the quarterfinals. I mean, how surprising was it that RPI finished in last place last season?
[00:18:00] Speaker B: Yeah, I didn't think they were a last place hockey team. I. They had some injuries, they had some different things go against them, and, you know, I think they'll be, you know, competing, you know, this year at the end of the season. They're, they're a good team, and I would expect them to be really good this weekend.
[00:18:13] Speaker A: And RPI is off to a two and one and one start. The engineers earned a road two game sweep against Canisius two weeks ago, outscoring the Golden Griffins 14 to six. Last weekend. The engineers tied and lost to Niagara in overtime at home. Can you give us a scouting report on this year's team, and what have you seen on tape?
[00:18:30] Speaker B: Well, I think if you give them time and space, they can make plays off the rush. They're, they're pretty talented. Obviously, they're producing at a, you know, really, really high rate. There were some unique penalty calls and different things that happened in that game that, you know, probably frustrating for RPI that they went against them.
[00:18:47] Speaker A: Sudden Uzatti, one of the top fours, missed the first four games. He's going to be back this weekend, according to head coach Tay Smith when I talked to him Wednesday morning. What is sudden Rousadi? What do you have to do this, you know, live in his chances?
[00:19:00] Speaker B: Well, he's a big body, and if you give him, you know, again time and space, he can, he can really hurt you. So I think it's just, you know, closing quickly and, you know, trying to be physical on him. But, yeah, he's, he's pretty talented and, you know, we're going to have to be aware when he's on the ice.
[00:19:13] Speaker A: What will be the keys for a union sweep?
[00:19:16] Speaker B: I think just our puck management, the level that we compete at, and, you know, obviously, special teams are going to be important for us.
[00:19:23] Speaker A: Well, Josh, no questions from our listeners, but you can email your questions to shotgazette.com. that's course that's.
Or post them on Facebook and ex Josh, we have exciting weekend, great hockey, and a lot of fan interaction between union RPI at both ranks. And of course, this will be the last, barring a post season matchup, the last meeting between these two teams at Messerink. How special will Saturday, that game on Saturday be?
[00:19:51] Speaker B: Yeah, I think it's, you know, one of the best rivalries in college hockey. And, you know, playing the last time at Mesa, I think that's going to be hard for everyone. And we just got to make sure we do our part and find a way to come out on top.
[00:20:04] Speaker A: It's a 07:00 start on Saturday. Why seven?
[00:20:07] Speaker B: The women's team plays at 03:00 that makes sense.
[00:20:09] Speaker A: That's right. Yeah. Forgot about that.
[00:20:12] Speaker B: Good weekend of hockey.
[00:20:14] Speaker A: So we're looking forward to it. And of course, you can follow my coverage on x as long as I don't get shut down by Elon Musk and of course, threads. And Josh, looking forward to. We'll see you this weekend.
[00:20:24] Speaker B: Awesome. Thank you.
[00:20:24] Speaker A: All right, that's Josh Halgey. Coming up on Thursday's podcast, they'll have interviews from Tuesday's Union hockey's media availability. On the men's side will be Colin Ferguson, John Prokop and Josh Nixon. For the women, it's assistant coach Sean Skelly and players Emma Aber and Maddie Suiter. We also have interviews from the RPI men's side with head coach Dave Smith and team captain Jake Gagnon. Plus, my gazette colleague Adam Schindler will join me to talk about Union and U. Albany football. Please tune in.
The views expressed on the parting shots podcast are not necessarily those of the Daily Gazette Company. The Parting Shots podcast is a production of the Daily Gazette Company. I'm Daily Gazette sports editor Ken Schatz. Thanks for listening and I'll catch you next time from the parting shots podcast studio in Schenectady, New York. Good day. Good hockey.
