[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign.
[00:00:03] Speaker B: The following program is brought to you in living color on Dell gazette.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 Geezy, and welcome to the Parting Shots podcast, available wherever you get your podcast. Subscribe today. Thanks for joining me from the Parting Shots Podcast podcast studio in Schenectady, New York. And I'm joined again by Union meds head hockey coach Josh Howsey, Josh. How's it going?
[00:00:38] Speaker C: It's going well.
[00:00:39] Speaker B: Cold enough. Cold enough out there, isn't it?
[00:00:41] Speaker C: Yeah, that's the unfortunate thing, right?
[00:00:43] Speaker B: Yeah. So let's get into it. After a rough end to 2024, the Union men's hockey team opened 2025 last weekend on a good note. For the first time since the 2017 season, Union swept the Brown Yale trip. The Garner chargers beat Brown 31 on Friday and then pulled out a 43 comfort behind win over Yale. How good and how important was it for the team to start the new year with wins that snapped a season high four game losing streak?
[00:01:09] Speaker C: Yeah, I think, you know, you have the really good start where you're nine, three and one and feeling really good about yourself and then all of a sudden you lose four in a row and you go on break and you're kind of second guessing, you know, where we're at as a program, where we're at as a team. And you know, it's good for us to kind of take a deep dive on where we needed to improve. And I thought it was, you know, a good step from the guys. I thought they played outstanding and they deserved what they got.
[00:01:33] Speaker B: Well, let's begin with the Brown game. We talked about last week about the lack of atmosphere in me and auditorium and you mentioned how important it was for your team to create its own energy. Do you think that they did that?
[00:01:43] Speaker C: Yeah. And you know, they scored first a few minutes into the game and I, you know, the bench didn't get down. We actually then, you know, really the next shift we scored. So it was, you know, never, never too high, never too low, kind of even keel, but good energy.
[00:01:57] Speaker B: You're stealing my thunder a little bit there because I was next to. My next question here is that Union found itself down 335 into the game when Alex Pinault scored on the wrister from the right circle. But 22 seconds later, Riley Brueck skated down the left wing into the brown zone and set a cross ice pass to Lucas Buzziol, who Fired the puck past goalie Lawton Zacher to tie the score. It was Buzzio's first college goal. And we'll talk about a little about Lucas later in the show. But how big was that goal and getting it so quickly after Brown had scored?
[00:02:27] Speaker C: Yeah, you could have, you know, could have felt bad for yourself and, you know, it wasn't the start as far as, you know, getting that first goal. Obviously that's, you know, we want to get the first one every night and big bounce back effort and, you know, it was. Nobody had a chance to eat, like I said, even feel sorry because it was just. Next thing you know, it's a 1:1 game and a great play by those guys.
[00:02:47] Speaker B: How happy was everybody for Lucas to get his first college goal?
[00:02:50] Speaker C: Extremely excited. He's, he's the ultimate teammate. He's a great person. He does everything the right way and, you know, he's, he's done a ton of things that maybe don't get noticed. So for him to get some recognition and he's starting to produce offensively is important.
[00:03:04] Speaker B: Yeah. Like I say, we'll talk a little bit more about him in our second segment. The first period ends 1:1. You head to the second period and Union gets a power play with 9:16 left in the second when Pinault is called for holding. And it just took 22 seconds for John Prokoff to score a power play goal to give the Garner charges 21 lead. How to feel good to score so quickly after the penalty.
[00:03:23] Speaker C: Yeah, and you know, that's, that's what John does. You give him that lane and he can make you pay. And a great play all the way around from, you know, getting the puck and getting it set up to, you know, finishing. Having great net front traffic.
[00:03:35] Speaker B: Yeah. Well, Union takes that 21 lead into the third period. And in watching the game on ESPN Plus, I thought the team did a great job of protecting the lead. The players did not sit back and go into a defensive show. They continued to attack. They had 12 shots on Zachary in the period. I mean, if it wasn't for him, the score could have been larger for union. Brown had 10 shots on goalie Kyle Chauvett. I mean, how pleased were you with how your team played in the third?
[00:03:59] Speaker C: Yeah, I thought there, there are moments where we were really good and, you know, had a, like you said, we had a chance to maybe extend the lead, but, you know, kept everything to the outside. The shots we gave up, you know, a lot of perimeter shots. I do think that at times there we could have, you know, exited a little cleaner. But you know, overall a lot of, a lot of positives.
[00:04:16] Speaker B: How important is it to keep attacking instead of sitting? There's a one goal lead really. You don't want to give up that tying goal but at the same time you don't want to just sit back and keep playing defensively the whole time.
[00:04:27] Speaker C: Yeah, we talk a lot about we want to be an attacking team and you still have to be responsible in your structure and if you do that you're going to generate chances and I think we think that if we're generating chances we're going to score goals. We believe in the ability we have and I think we have a lot of stick skill and you know, we're continuing to develop that the knack around the net and so yeah, we just want to keep pressing and you know, try to extend that lead if we have an opportunity.
[00:04:53] Speaker B: Well, Brandon Burr is emptying that goal at 45.7 seconds left sealed the deal for Union. I imagine it was a happy locker room afterwards.
[00:05:00] Speaker C: It was, I mean it had been a little bit since, you know, since we had got a victory. And you know one of the things for me like kind of looking at myself over break is you, you know, sometimes you don't enjoy the wins. So I just want to make sure we really celebrate and enjoy it because it's, they're really hard to get and you know, at times you just, you just, you know, you're on to the next one so quickly that you don't get a chance to really stop and just, you know, enjoy what the guys did.
[00:05:27] Speaker B: Well, let's talk about the Yale game. The team carried the momentum from the Brown win into that first period against the Bulldogs for the first, for the second straight game. Buzzy oh scores Union's opening goal a little over eight minutes into the contest. His cousin Josh nickens scores with 436 left in the first to make it two nothing. It seemed like the Garner Chargers were in control, but Tucker Hartman got Yale on the board with 225 left in the first. To me that was a momentum changing goal. Did you feel that way when the period ended?
[00:05:54] Speaker C: I was frustrated with, you know, the way we played after we scored the second goal. I thought the first 16 minutes or whatever it was, we were the dominant team and really carrying the play and then, you know, we dump a puck in, we kind of get a little bit loopy on the forecheck and we're not kind of, you know, in our structure, bad step and all. Of a sudden they have an odd man rush. And I thought we were pressing for offense and thinking that it was going to be an easy night. And, you know, there aren't any easy nights in college hockey and when you do that, that's what happens. So, you know, they get one to make it 2:1.
I am learning as this group. I think we're, we really are better when everything is positive and we're, you know, you know, feeling good about ourselves and obviously we have to hold, hold the level of, you know, effort and detail. But at the same point, we kind of ripped them after the first period about that, the last four minutes. And I thought, you know, I don't think we responded well to it. So I think that was a learning point for me as a coach.
[00:06:53] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, I was going to say that. Harbin Gold did change the complexion of the game. David chen scored at 5:11 of the second period to tie it. Then later, Kaylan Zado gave Yale a 32 lead. Union had a difficult time generating offense. The Gardner Churchill had just three shots on goal in that period. What changed in that period for your team and what did you need to get back the momentum back?
[00:07:14] Speaker C: Yeah. Again, you know, kind of talking about us being positive, I thought, you know, maybe I set the temple by ripping them after the first about the last five minutes and I thought that that brought us down a little bit and, you know, guys were maybe now frustrated and not, you know, not playing as loose and just gripping the stick a little tight and I just. Our detail went out the window and the next thing you know, we're down three two going into the third. And, you know, I thought the guys did a really good job of responding after the second.
[00:07:45] Speaker B: Yeah, Union was a much different team in the third. It was producing offensive chances, but Yale goalie Luke Pearson was, was doing a nice job of keeping the puck out of the net. Was frustration setting in with that?
[00:07:56] Speaker C: Not, you know, when we're generating chances, I feel like, like I said, I think eventually we know we're going to get it and, you know, there was still a lot of time left, but, you know, the urgency for us just kind of kept, you know, raising and our guys were playing with, you know, you know, a lot of heart and just getting after it. So, you know, eventually we were able to get one.
[00:08:15] Speaker B: Yeah. Bayard hole interference penalty at 11:21 gave Union a power play and the Garner chargers cashed in 20 seconds later when Parker Lindauer stood up in his office behind the Yale net and slid a pass in Front to Nixon, who buried it to tie the score at 2. How important was that goal?
[00:08:30] Speaker C: Yeah, I mean, it's a difference in the game, really. Right. Like, if we don't get that one, who knows what happens? I mean, I think we, you know, maybe can get one, but they do a really good job defending five on five, and your chances are limited in some ways, but, you know, it was, it was a huge goal for us.
[00:08:46] Speaker B: Yeah, that's two nights in a row you got power play goal so quickly after penalty was called.
[00:08:50] Speaker C: Yeah, you get that opportunity to attack, you definitely want to take advantage of it. And that's what the guys did.
[00:08:55] Speaker B: Well, the game appeared headed to overtime, especially after a sequence of penalties. Late in the third, Yale's Siya Tanaka Campbell was called for tripping with 405 left, giving Union a power play. But that ended at 1:03 later when Ben Muthersbaugh was called for hooking. Yeah, would have gotten a power play when the Tanaka Campbell penalty expired. But Union went on a 4 on 3 power play when Dylan Herzog was called for hitting from behind with 225 left. Shortly after the Tanaka Campbell penalty expired, Caden Villegas scored to give Union the lead. I mean, how big was that and how did those penalties affect the personnel you wanted out there?
[00:09:30] Speaker C: Well, it was. It really couldn't have worked any better for us in the sense that we were able to score on the four on four, so we were able to still have our power play after that. And a little bit different because we typically have one defender, you know, on the power play on each unit. So we, when we got the five on four, we wanted to try to have two out there. Just, you know, we thought. We thought they might pull and that's kind of what happened.
[00:09:52] Speaker B: Yeah, well, Pearson is pulled for an extra attacker. But Yale also had to kill the Herzog penalty, which it did. But the Bulldogs made a critical error with when they were called for icing with seven seconds left. For all intents and purposes, the game was over at that point. Union won the phase off, ran out the clock. Man, how big was this win considering you had a two nothing lead, Saw that disappear and then rallied with two goals in the third.
[00:10:13] Speaker C: Yeah, gutsy effort by the guys. And they, you know, could have easily, you know, felt bad for themselves, but just kept working and, you know, next thing you know, it's a good win for us.
[00:10:22] Speaker B: Well, I asked you this question after Saturday's game on the zoom call, and I was stunned by the answer, so I'll ask you this so the listeners can hear your answer. This was the team's second trip to Connecticut this season. The last time you were there, the bus had issues and the players had to get Ubers to the hotel after dropping their equipment off at Quinnipiac following after traveling from Princeton. So were there any bus issues in Connecticut at this time?
[00:10:44] Speaker C: Well, I'm going to preface this by saying we have a great bus driver and he does an outstanding job and he keeps us safe. But he did make a wrong turn and go down the wrong way of a one way street and you know, unfortunately there was a police officer right there so he got pulled over and it was a little bit of a delay, but he was luckily it was a verbal warning, but yeah, we're lucky to have the bus driver.
[00:11:04] Speaker B: Well, fortunately, unless playoffs happen, you don't have to go to Connecticut again. Well, let's take a break. We'll have another Messerink Memory will preview this weekend's ECAC hockey games at Clarkson and St. Lawrence. And I'll ask Josh about the play of freshman four Lucas Buziol. You're listening to the Parting Shots podcast.
[00:11:27] Speaker D: 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 12 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.
[00:11:59] Speaker B: 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 daily gazetteprofootball.upickem.net and make your picture for the first game kicks off each week. If you have the most weekly points, you win a 100 Hannaford gift card. Play the Daily Gazettes. You pick a football contest today.
[00:12:23] Speaker E: Explore the benefits of subscribing to the Daily Gazette like our convenient E Edition app, personalized newsletters and unique reader rewards. When you join, start your membership today. Offers redeemable at www.dailygazette.com hi, this is.
[00:12:43] Speaker C: Union College hockey alum Matt Cook.
[00:12:45] Speaker B: You're listening to the Parting Shots podcast with Daily Gazette sports editor Ken Schott.
The Parting Shots podcast presents another Mesa Rink memory, this one from Brown head coach Brendan Whittett from his playing days with the Bears.
[00:13:02] Speaker A: When I was playing there, Ted, I got hit so hard behind one of those nets. There's no. I was in the fence. There's literally no room behind those nets. Somebody smoked me from Union. I didn't know if I was in mess of rink or being auditorium after that. I remember David Wright who was the assistant coach at Brown at that time and he's a good man and head coach at Babson. I worked with him up at Dartmouth. And Jamie, I came back to the bench and all I remember is Jamie just laughing so hard. I mean, you got to give your head up, kid. I said there was no room behind those staff and I paid the price for not really paying attention to what I was doing out there. I do remember that.
[00:13:48] Speaker B: Welcome back to the podcast and I'm here with Josh Howie Union men's head hockey coach. Well, let's preview this weekend, Josh. The Garner Chargers are back on the road with games at Clarkson on Friday and at St. Lawrence on Saturday. It'll be the second meeting between the teams. Let's start with the Clarkson Golden Knights are ranked 19th in the USCHO.com and the USA Hockey the Rink Live polls. They took a 41 victory on November 16th at Mesa. What do you remember about that game?
[00:14:14] Speaker C: You know, I thought they had a lot of pace and energy and they played really hard, especially in that first 10 minutes. I thought they kind of jumped on us and, you know, really set the tempo of the game.
[00:14:26] Speaker B: You guys had a five on three power play going midway through the third period. That really could have been a spark for Union. Down three one at the time when you got that two man advantage. Union had seven shots on goal during that, during the power play, but couldn't get the two goals needed to tie the score. I mean, how frustrating was that?
[00:14:42] Speaker C: You know, I think our power play has been a, you know, a point of strength here for us for a while and you know, we get a little spoiled with some of the success they've had. And that was one where I just. Our power play, that was a game that, you know, it just wasn't clicking for whatever reason and you know, you typically, if we get a five on three, I'm already getting ready to celebrate. So I, you know, it's, it's one of those things that, you know, we got to have it, but we didn't that night.
[00:15:06] Speaker B: Of course you helped created the 513 because he went to a video review on a. Hitting, I think boarding a car, hitting from behind car or something like that.
[00:15:13] Speaker C: Yeah, Sean Speck, you know, you know, saw that on, on video and you know, he was Right on it. And great call by him.
[00:15:21] Speaker B: What does Union need to do differently against Clarkson in this meeting?
[00:15:24] Speaker C: Well, I think special teams are going to have to be good and I think we got to win the net front battles. I think that's an area where they do a really nice job, is they protect the front of their net and they get to the net really hard.
[00:15:35] Speaker B: Of course, you'll be facing a St. Lawrence team that, to me, has been disappointing this year. The Saints are in last place in ECAC hockey. They have struggled to score. They only have seven goals in five conference games and 33 goals in 18 games overall. The Saints were routed 81 by Vermont last Saturday. When you played them on November 15th at Mesa, it was one of the Union's most complete efforts of the season at a 4 nothing win. I mean, how important will it be to repeat that performance against a struggling team like St. Lawrence?
[00:16:01] Speaker C: Yeah, I think a lot of their coaching staff and the job they do and, you know, they make it hard to score and for them right now, it's one of those things that they're really snake bit and they can't find it. So I think we just have to really push the pace on them and drive pucks to the net and be physical and be hard. But I really like the way we played the last time we played them.
[00:16:24] Speaker B: I mean, are you surprised that St. Lawrence is having a rough season?
[00:16:27] Speaker C: You know, they lost some key players from, you know, last season when they made a nice run to the ECAC championships, and yeah, I think. I think I'm a little bit surprised that they're not off to a little bit better start. But again, I think they're their coach. Well, and, you know, they. I would assume at some point here, though, they'll get it rolling. They seem to always be playing their best hockey at the end of the season.
[00:16:48] Speaker B: And how important will it be for the team to come away with another road sweep?
[00:16:51] Speaker C: Oh, I think there's conference points on the line and, you know, we're worried about Clarkson right now and trying to find a way to win there. And then if we take care of business there, then we got to, you know, find a way on Saturday.
[00:17:01] Speaker B: Yeah. Looking at the standings right now, Union tied for third with Clarkson. Clarkson has two games in hand on Union. Both teams just two points behind. Colgate in second place and Quinnipiac three points behind. So, I mean, you're in that race right now for first round bye for the ECC hockey tournament. So. Yeah, and close to first place. So, I mean, I think the team's got to be excited about that.
[00:17:22] Speaker C: Yeah, we've. We've done a nice job putting ourselves in a good spot and, you know, I think we're one. We've played one less game than Quinnipiac, who's got three points above it. I think that's where it's at. So, you know, you have a chance to get tied with them if you can find a way to win. Is that. I think that's correct.
[00:17:34] Speaker B: Yeah. Quinnipiac's played nine games and line conference games, you've played eight. So you're. You have a game of hand on it.
[00:17:38] Speaker C: Yeah. And they would. They would obviously have the tiebreaker with them beating us. But we, you know, still have to play them yet. Yeah.
[00:17:43] Speaker B: So.
[00:17:43] Speaker C: But. And there's a lot of. There's tons of hockey. And I think, you know, I think the one thing I learned from us getting off to a good start and then that slide is just really trying to stay present and where we're at and, you know, you start thinking about, you know, this scenario and that scenario and what do we got to do. But, I mean, we have to have a great practice. I thought we had a great practice today. We ought to have a great practice tomorrow and then, you know, come back and be ready to go on Friday.
[00:18:05] Speaker B: Let's talk about Lucas Buziol. The freshman four from the British Columbia Hockey League's Alberni Valley Bulldogs struggled early on as he tried to crack the lineup. But he has been a regular of late, has scored the first two goals of his college career over the weekend. He's on a three point scoring streak. Listener Ryan Fay posted a question that I was going to ask, so I will credit Ryan for this. What have you seen in Lucas so far this season?
[00:18:27] Speaker C: Well, he's a big, strong kid that, you know, I think first it starts with how good he is on the Face off dot. For us. He's. He's a key guy. If there's a late, you know, late game Face off, he's a guy that's like highly considered for us to not only take it because of how good he is on the dot, but how good, how responsible he is defensively, you know, and I think he really focused on that early and that's what got him into the lineup was his defensive play. And as he's gotten more comfortable, you've really seen him grow as an offensive player.
[00:18:55] Speaker B: What did you like about Lucas when you were recruiting him?
[00:18:58] Speaker C: I think just he plays a 200 foot game. He plays the Right way. He's, he's team first all the way. Like, he's, you know, great person and you know, just somebody that, like, it was really easy in the recruiting process to offer him and commit him. Like, he came on his visit and we were all sold on him.
[00:19:18] Speaker B: Was his confidence, you know, lag not lacking a little bit, maybe not playing as much, but have you seen it grow since he's been inserted more in the lineup?
[00:19:27] Speaker C: I think it's one of those things like as a coach, you're just trying to learn what they can do and you know, at times early maybe, you know, you want your, your first year guys to really have to fight and struggle to earn it because they become, they become better for it. So, you know, he early on was, you know, you know, sat and he could have, you know, again, he could have complained about it, but he just, he goes, hey, I know we have a great group and I'm going to keep working. And that's exactly what he did.
[00:19:54] Speaker B: Can Lucas be a consistent offensive contributor not only for the rest of this season, but in his next three years?
[00:19:59] Speaker C: Well, for sure, you know, as he gets older, he's going to be, you know, a consistent guy for us on the score sheet. Like that's, that's something he can do and, you know, you'll see him, he's, he's on the power play right now and he's, you know, on the penalty kill and he's, he's producing five on five, so he's doing a little bit of everything. And, you know, we're going to lean on our older guys to, you know, carry us through everything this year, but you'll start seeing some of these first year guys take good steps in the second half and that's kind of what's going well.
[00:20:27] Speaker B: Lucas cousin, as we mentioned earlier, is senior forward Josh Nixon. How much of a factor was Josh when you were recruiting Lucas?
[00:20:33] Speaker C: Well, unique thing in the sense that Josh was a transfer, but they both came on their visit on the same time. So we had the, you know, we had their family in on a visit and you know, both, both were kind of offered on that same visit and luckily, luckily for us, we got them both.
[00:20:50] Speaker B: How much do you think Lucas leaned on Josh for advice, especially when he was not in the lineup much?
[00:20:55] Speaker C: Yeah, I think he, you know, leans on our older guys and Josh is one of our, you know, captains and I think he's definitely a good sounding board for him. You know, Lucas also comes from a hockey family, so I'm sure he you know, had some conversations with his parents and his dad is a, you know, a really good hockey guy. So I'm sure you could have spoke with him as well.
[00:21:14] Speaker B: Yeah. You'll hear from Lucas, Josh and John Prokop on Thursday's podcast. My opening Face Off, Colin Topper will be on Lucas. It'll be posted online
[email protected] and will be in Friday's printed edition. Thanks to Ryan Fah for the question. If you have a question for Josh like Ryan sent, email them to shot. That's s c h o t
[email protected] youm can also post them on my Facebook page and on bluesky.x and threadslapshots. Well, Josh, on Sunday, the United States repeated its gold medal winners at the World Junior hockey championships, beating Finland 4:3 in overtime. It's the first time that the Team USA has won back to back gold medals, and it's the seventh overall. I mean, how big was that victory for USA Hockey?
[00:21:56] Speaker C: Yeah, I was. It's huge. And it's, you know, one of those things that you've really seen, you know, the US Hockey, you know, take off and, you know, with, with just the way everything has gone from, you know, the elevation of college hockey and how, you know, teams are doing a great job developing, you know, talent from the U.S. it's been a lot of fun to see and be a part of and, you know, gives us some breaking rights in the locker room compared to our Canadian players.
[00:22:23] Speaker B: What does it say about the development of hockey players in the United States?
[00:22:26] Speaker C: I think that you're, you know, you're starting to get, you know, players that are playing at, you know, the elite level and you're starting to see it be not just Canadians that are, you know, the best players in the world. And, you know, it's again, it's just, you know, I hope it continues to grow the game in the US and, you know, we'll see more and more Americans playing well.
[00:22:46] Speaker B: Meanwhile, Canada was eliminated from medal round contention for the second straight year. I mean, how do you think it's concerning for Canada that they've been struggling the last two years?
[00:22:54] Speaker C: Well, I think the one thing that, like, people forget about now is that there's a couple guys that, you know, whether it's Celebrini or, you know, that could have been playing that are, you know, in the NHL, Bedard even, right? So those guys could, could, you know, be on their top line. But, you know, there's a, I think Canada's got to take a, you know, a real hard look at how they, how they build their team, the players they bring, and then just, you know, maybe looking at, I think one of the biggest problems is just how expensive the sport is and, you know, ways to, you know, make it so that everyone can play well.
[00:23:24] Speaker B: Maybe if Canada becomes a 51st state, they can play for the U.S.
well, Josh, appreciate the visit. Good luck this weekend. We'll talk after the games.
[00:23:32] Speaker C: Sounds great.
[00:23:33] Speaker B: All right. That's Josh. Howsey. Coming up on Thursday's podcast, I'll have interviews on Tuesday's Union Hockey media availability. I already told you who we'll hear from. The men's team. From the women's team, you'll hear from head coach Tony Macy, defenseman Stephanie Bourque and goalie Sophie Matsukis. I'll also Talk to Flow Hockey's Chris Peters about Team USA's Hockey's Gold Medal winning performance in the World Junior Championships. 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.
