"This would be right up near the top, if not the top," Sacred Heart head coach C.J. Marottolo said about where the weekend personally ranked for him. "Playing in an environment where you have four Connecticut schools, it's the first so that probably puts it over the top."
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| Photo Credit: Gregory Vasil/SNY |
Connecticut Ice was the latest attempt at in-state bragging rights. Just as it exists in Boston each February. Just as it exists in Michigan in December. Just as Minnesota attempted to do for four years on the same weekend Connecticut is currently.
As those states celebrate history alongside trophies, inside Bridgeport, the future was on display. Almost out of necessity. Quinnipiac's rivalry with Yale - one showcased nationally in the 2013 national championship game - is well known. However, Sunday only marked the third time the Bobcats faced Sacred Heart since leaving Atlantic Hockey in 2005. The two schools sit 25 miles apart from one another.
The weekend began with the Pioneers officially announcing plans for an on-campus arena. It ended with Sacred Heart, celebrating its alumni weekend, winning its first-ever trophy, according to Marottolo.
"I'm excited we started this tournament," said Quinnipiac head coach Rand Pecknold. "(Former longtime Yale head coach) Tim Taylor and I talked about starting this 15 years ago. It just never happened."
Split between New England and New York, the state straddles two major markets. New York City-based SNY made a major push promoting the event. (Perhaps not coincidentally, former Mets manager and current Sacred Heart AD Bobby Valentine made a pitch to get more of his team's games on the channel, becoming New York City's college hockey team.) Those who didn't get the channel in the state were out of luck.
In a state where many top players leave for other schools, it was fitting for Quinnipiac captain Nick Jermain, a native of South Norwalk, scoring the opening game's winning goal Saturday in front of a crowd of youth hockey players who were on the same ice hours earlier.
"I wish this around when I was a little guy. I see all the kids running around in tracksuits, representing their teams. This would have been awesome to have come to as a young kid, but I'm really happy being a part of the first one," he said. "I can only see it getting bigger and better from here."
Still, Jermain was the exception. The youth teams sticking around Webster Bank Arena saw only five Connecticut-born players spread across four teams Sunday; a number matched by New Jersey natives in Sacred Heart's lineup.
Teams would like to keep the Spencer Knights (from Darien, CT) of the world in state. The talent continues to transplant from elsewhere. Knight's WJC teammate Curtis Hall from appropriately named Chagrin Falls, OH helped turn things around for Yale. Texas native Jason Cotton, who transferred from Northeastern to Sacred Heart, was named MVP after scoring his 17th goal of the season.
"It's a different type of style," Cotton said about mid-season tournaments. "The energy is higher, the atmosphere is more intense. You're playing for your life."
Creating an annual event to raise the profile would be one way to help Connecticut's hockey profile in the shadow of the Beanpot and big city. Saturday saw the largest media turnout UConn head coach Mike Cavanaugh had seen all season.
Over four games, "Brass Bonanza" never played over the speakers. References to past series and opportunities were limited to the MVP trophy, named for Gordie Howe and presented by his son Marty. Hockey legends Mike Richter, Meghan Duggan, and Megan Keller were around to drop opening pucks and tie the games to the bigger hockey world.
Inside Bridgeport were hope and desire. All four coaches mentioned wanting to build upon the event, which between the two games filled half the 10,000 seat arena. They'd like to get more. What was there were future hockey players, walking around, being amazed at a car on the ice for intermission.
Connecticut Ice may need to bring the circus to create attention, but could not ask for a better story on the ice in a state desperate for more. The biggest matchup (Yale-Quinnipiac) did not happen. It did not matter. Instead, both New Haven County schools were upstaged by an upstart. (Of the four teams, the Atlantic Hockey school - Sacred Heart - had the best representation in the stands.) The inaugural winners coached by North Haven's own with an MVP who left a Beanpot school to find a different path.
It's one the festival looks to take in comparison. Whether that's enough to build what Connecticut college hockey desires remains to be seen. On a weekend where 15 years of buildup finally came to fruition, Cotton's acceptance speech was short, sweet and to the point.
"Look out for us," he said.
As a giant celebratory bell was run by SHU fans, a second victory of the weekend - three if counting a new 4,000 seat arena - players jumped off the ice on the bench in celebration of a new major title.
To them, it was.
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