If you haven't heard, the UMass hockey team is on a roll. The Minutemen just completed their best season in four years, and for just the second time in the program's history, the Hockey East tournament will come to Amherst.
UMass (No. 15 in the country) beat Maine twice in a row this past weekend to move into fourth place in the division - the last spot to earn a home game in the opening round of the playoffs. Now, the Maroon and White will square off against the very same Black Bears squad in a three-game set in the Mullins Center Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (if necessary).
Why am I telling you this when I tell people in the Collegian all the time? Because when I say it here, I can also ask you to try to make it to the games this weekend. Attendance has been up and down this season, but Saturday night, when the team clinched home-ice, the second-largest crowd ever was in attendance. As new and modern as that building is, I swear from the press box, it feels like the Mullins Center shakes when 8,300 fans start screaming and jumping after a goal.
By covering the team as a journalist, I forfeited my ability to cheer for the team, for the sake of objectivity, just like I will in the fall when I cover the football team. But for the rest of you, don't miss the chance to potentially see history in the making in college hockey.
UMass has only been in Hockey East, with the likes of BU, BC, UNH, Maine, etc. since 1994, the year after the Mullins Center opened. The Minutemen have never one a Hockey East championship, and this year may be their best chance yet. UMass has a winning record against the No. 1, 2, and 3 team in the league (UNH, BC, and BU, respectively).
This has been a special time for UMass sports. It started with the softball and lacrosse teams making deep playoffs runs last spring and continued with the football team this past fall. Now, the Mass Attack is keeping the momentum going, so don't miss out on the action.
Hockey may be dying out in some other parts of the country, but it is alive and well here in the Northeast, and with a decent run in the conference playoffs, they may make it to the NCAA Frozen Four tournament as well (they are currently 13th in hockey's version of the RPI rating, plenty good enough to make the 16-team bracket).
Either way, this weekend should be a very interesting one. I'll be there, and I hope you will be too.
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Jeremy, I appreciate your pitch to get some butts in the seats at the hockey games. I have to say, I'm very impressed at your willpower: you attend hockey games and don't cheer? Which must mean you don't drink either...
...which is incredible. I didn't know anyone was sober at a hockey game. Not even (or especially) the players. When I was in college at Gonzaga there was only a club team, but they would have their keggers *before* the games. It was a sight to behold.
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