Hockey Trails Wind from NCAA to NHL, Showcase Sport’s Broad Appeal

In the past few weeks, I have been back on the hockey trails in Pittsburgh, Erie, Buffalo, and the Internet! 

I met with a number of my former players in Pittsburgh to update them on the progress of the new arena and the new varsity program (always fun to visit with some of “my boys”).

While at lunch in “Da ‘Burgh,” I ran into Lou Longo, one of my former high school hockey teammates and best friends since second grade. His son Michael is a member of the current Icer team. On our way out of the restaurant, we ran into Frank Guadagnino, who played Little League baseball with Lou Longo and later played for my father’s prep league team. Small world.

That evening I was the guest speaker at the California University of Pennsylvania Sport Management Lecture program and spoke to several hundred students and faculty, including my nephews and cousin who all attend school there. My brother, Jan, is the assistant hockey coach for Cal, and there is a lot of talk that Cal will be building a campus ice rink complex soon. 

Hockey is for everyone!

While in town I also visited with one of the all-time good guys in Western Pennsylvania hockey, referee Jim Weaver. That’s right, for you old-time Icer fans, I said “referee” and “good guy” in the same sentence! Jim has been an official for as long as I can remember and a good friend. He is also the video replay official for the NHL for Penguin home games.

We met at the Penguins practice facility at Southpointe for lunch and to discuss the new Pegula Ice Arena. Jim works for Zell Engineers, and he and owner Jeff Zell joined me for a quick stop to say hello to some of the Pens staff after their practice. I ran into a number of friends, including my first boss out of college, Pens play-by-play announcer Paul Steigerwald, former Pens forward Phil Bourque, FSN’s Dan Potash, and WDVE’s Mike Prisuta. We spent time talking with Pens GM Ray Shero and Head Coach Dan Bylsma and several Pens players including Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

Afterward at lunch, I ran into Terri Dobis-Young, who I worked with years ago when I was with the Penguins.  Terri works for the Southpointe group, and I was in her wedding. She is also a master twirling instructor. Her star pupil? None other than our very own former Blue Sapphire, PJ Maierhofer! Small world!

That weekend I attended the NCAA Women’s Frozen Four Hockey Championship in Erie, hosted by Mercyhurst College. I visited with an old hockey friend, Mercyhurst Women’s Coach Mike Sisti, who worked hockey camps for me years ago. It was my first Frozen Four and the games did not disappoint! No. 1-ranked Wisconsin defeated Boston College 3-2, scoring the winning goal with 48 seconds left in the third period. In the late game, Boston University downed Cornell 4-1. Wisconsin went on to defeat Boston University 4-1 on Sunday for its fourth title in the past six years. That’s a dynasty at any level in any sport!

I attend the Patty Kazmaier Award Luncheon at the Bayfront Convention Center.  The Kazmaier award goes annually to the top Women’s Division I college hockey player. Patty was a three-sport athlete at Princeton and a tireless volunteer who helped with many service organizations during her tragically short 28 years. Patty died from a rare blood disease, but not before giving birth to her first child. She is survived by her husband, Mark J. Sandt, and her daughter, Serena. Her father, Dick Kazmaier, also a graduate of Princeton University, won the Heisman Trophy in 1951. A video honoring Patty and past winners of the award was the highlight of the event, and a speech by former Princeton teammate and long-time Minnesota Head Coach Laura Halldorson left everyone inspired and emotionally drained.

I was also in Buffalo to visit with Terry and Kim Pegula and bring them up to date with our progress on the Pegula Ice Arena and the varsity transition plans. The Pegulas, the Sabres, and “Hasek’s Heroes”—a non-profit organization spearheaded by former Sabres goalie Dominic Hasek—were all co-sponsoring the ‘Willie O’Ree Skills Weekend’ event as part of the NHL’s “Hockey is for Everyone” promotion. I gave the kickoff speech at the dinner that evening for the kids and coaches representing more than 20 NHL cities. Penn State alum and Sabre’s Senior Advisor Cliff Benson and young Matthew Pegula were on hand to represent the Sabres. It was great exposure for Penn State hockey players to minority hockey players from all over North America.

Willie O’Ree was the first African-American NHL player and a wonderful speaker and ambassador for the game! He was also in town as part of the NHL’s ‘Hockey is for Everyone’ weekend that was held at Canisius College. (It’s being filmed for NHL.com.)

Two kids and their coaches from each of 20 NHL cities were flown in by the league for the weekend. O’Ree, Benson, the Canisius athletic director, and hockey coach David Smith also spoke at that evening’s program.

Over the course of the weekend we met with a number of the kids and coaches, emphasizing the importance of education, teamwork and sportsmanship. The weekend culminated with the kids playing games at the HSBC Arena, home of the Buffalo Sabres, and attending the Sabres’ 8-2 win over the Atlanta Thrashers. Dominic Hasek made the trip from the Czech Republic to be on hand and was honored by the Sabres prior to the Saturday evening game. I was fortunate enough to spend a lot of time with O’Ree at the conference and at the Sabres game, and he is a true ambassador of the game and an excellent role model for the kids.

Jim Britt, COO of the “Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation,” was with us, as well. Britt, Cliff Benson, and I are all good friends through hockey. This past weekend we hosted the second annual ‘Commonwealth Youth Hockey Classic’ at Penn State, which features kids from Benson’s “Pittsburgh I.C.E.” (Inclusion Creates Equality) team, Jim Britt’s “Ed Snider’s Youth Hockey Foundation” team, and for the first time, teams from Washington D.C., and Columbus, Ohio. In the next few years there are plans to add teams from Boston, Detroit, Buffalo and New York City to showcase Penn State and Penn State hockey to several hundred minority students representing these teams.

Hockey is for everyone!

Finally, I spent this past weekend alternately watching my son Ryan’s basketball tournament by day and watching the NCAA Regional Hockey playoffs on ESPN U and ESPN3 online by night! I saw eight fantastic games, including four that went into overtime and one into double OT.  The “Frozen Four” on the men’s side will take place April 7 and 9 in St. Paul, Minn., and will feature top-ranked North Dakota, Minnesota-Duluth, Notre Dame and Michigan. 

I hope that some of you will take time to watch the games to see the excitement of college hockey, especially at playoff time!

After all, hockey is for everyone!