United Collegiate Hockey Cup  Day One   March 5, 2026

0:00. . . . From the Hollywood to Sino and Resort Gulf Coast studios. This is the United Collegiate Hockey Cup Live podcast brought to you by the Sennkine Community Ice Center. Three year round sheets and an outdoor winter sheet for year round ice use for hockey, figure skating and more, servicing St. Louis and the St. Charles area.

1:00Flow Hockey, the official streaming partner of the United Collegiate Hockey Cup. Hollywood, Casino and Resort Gulf Coast and St. Louis. Golf to dining experiences and top-notch entertainment all at the shores of the Mississippi River. Make your reservations at HollywoodGolfCost.com. Jets Pizza were craft meets crunch at JetsPizza.com. The United Collegiate Hockey Cup podcast is a part of the ice time hockeywest.com network. And here are your hosts Scott Strandy, Tom Hardin and Paul Hornstein. All right, welcome in hockey fans anywhere that you may be joining us on this very beautiful evening in St. Louis, Missouri, Maryland Heights. Missouri as a matter of fact, you're a little echo. I am all alone here in this building after a couple of very exciting games

2:04today here in St. Louis at the Centine Community Ice Center. Scott Strandy with you, Paul Hornstein and Tom Hardin are off tonight. But I did have the opportunity to watch a couple of really good games. Talked to a lot of great players, coaches. The Independent Cup day one was a resounding success in my opinion. Everything that was supposed to happen, I think, happened. We have a very tight game in the first one. A three nothing win that went the way of Stone Hill with an empty net goal. So a real battle right down to the very end. The second game as you would expect to very, very talented offensive teams in Long Island and Lyndon Wood battled to basically a four four tie with eight point eight seconds left. The Lyndon Wood Lions pulled it out and moved themselves on to the championship game, which will be played on Saturday tomorrow.

3:07The number one seed Alaska will face off against Stone Hill. And then of course the losers of these two games will face off in game two. So that would be, let's see, that would be trying to keep us all straight. It's not that easy folks, but it'll be Alaska Anchorage. And who will play tomorrow Anchorage and Long Island will play the second game tomorrow night. Anyway, lots of great college hockey played tonight. If you were wondering what independence would be playing for, they're playing for pride. They're playing for a cup. They want to be a champion of anything. It's the first time a lot of these guys have played in their college career in a quote-unquote playoff type environment. And Kudos to everybody here at the Lyndon Wood University who hosted this event. And also to the Centine Community Ice Center for the fantastic job that they did it. Bringing this all about and making sure it went off without a hitch.

4:11I did have a chance to talk with both coaches in the press conference. David Barard from Stone Hill gave me a really nice little interview that I'll play for you here in just a minute. And then we'll play the press conference from just a few minutes ago with the Olympic Lions and the Long Island sharks. First thing first, let's get to coach David Barard and get his thoughts on tonight's win versus Anchorage. Let's go to the next workshop. It's the proudest one in the head. Go from Stone Hill. You had to be impressed as a 3-0 victory in Game 1. Yeah, I was really happy with the way we defended. Yeah. We defended really well. You know, they're a transition-based team. So you have to be really good with your fun decisions and management and fun. I thought we did a good job with that. But then you know, inevitably they're going to get opportunities. And they did.

5:11I thought we did a good job keeping it to the outside for the most part. A couple of times you broke down. We got some big blocks. And then obviously Connor had a really good game and our penalty kill was good. So all aspects of our defensive play were really on point. You need that in a play-out situation. Tell me about your goal, then. They're saying, though it's good that I came back home, played in front of some family and friends today. And he was stellar. Yeah, I know. He was great. You know, when I, when I first got the job, he was one of the first guys that we got out of the portal. Okay. He played four years in name. Yep. And he had just graduated. I actually talked to him on his graduation day. That was my first home call with him. And, you know, he's been our backbone for two years. And he's a heart and soul kid. You know, he didn't play a lot of names. So this was like his first play-off experience since you're young. Right. And to be able to come back to St. Louis and do it in front of family and friends. And this environment was really special for him to accomplish.

6:12And hopefully we can use that positive momentum going into our instruments. Yeah, I was just going to ask you that. What do you do tomorrow besides using that momentum that you built up? How do you want to play against them? So we're going to watch some video on them today. We watched a little bit. We didn't play them this year. Right. And we haven't really had that many situations where they were playing someone that we were playing. Yep. So we don't have a lot of notes on them. I know the job that Eric has done. I know some of their players from when I was at Providence. They were at Providence. Michael Suterra chased the ball. They're really good players for him. Yeah. But, you know, what I anticipate with them is a hard work to team, a physical team. Really good goalcending when the net fronts. And they have some guys that they've made some plays for. It's going to be a really tough opponent. We do a lot of work tonight. I'll be a long night to get ready. And then we'll be ready to go to Providence. Tell me how much confidence is there to be able to get that first one on the way.

7:12So I think over the last month we built a lot of confidence in our identity. I think we won seven of our last eight, which has been really good going into the playoffs. And we found out what works for us. You know, like how we have to play defensively, how we need to play offensively. What our identity is, how hard it is to win. And we've invested in that. And we've gotten better. And we've been able to kind of replicate it over the course of the last month. So the point where this is our game, this is what we do, this is all we play. So even playing a really good team like Fairbanks, I think it's going to be really important that we play our game. Right. There's going to be things that we have to be aware of. And things that we have to take away especially on special teams that they're going to do. But really, it's going to come down to like what team dictates how the game may play. I would say probably first blush. I would say we're probably very similar. Right. I think we're built a little differently than the Linda Wood Long Island in East Anchorage. I think we're more similar Fairbanks.

8:12So I'm expecting a rock fight and I'm expecting a really physical tough battle. All right. Look at your line chart today. The first guy that's worked for you is Brady. Yeah. And he would do that before or at least on the line chart. Yeah. But that's the point. You or did you feel like doesn't really make a difference for you? I don't think it really makes a difference. You know, we don't really go one through four. We just we have guys that have developed some chemistry together. Yeah. You know, Frank Ireland, who's our captain. For example, he was on one of our top lines. He was out for about three and a half weeks. He came back and we just have a bit slow with other lines. And guys, we just been able to create that bottom line if you want to say. Oh, we got a senior captain. We got Justin, Mexico on it, who's got 15 or 16 points. And then Brady's a really good. He's a hard worker. He's got offensive instincts. And he made that line. It was him, Zach necklace and Justin. They had a great shift. They got to the net and he put it in. But I think that's the strength of our team is we don't have to rely on one line.

9:15And each line does different things. And we've been able to get scoring from all four lines and all six defensive end. And I think that's what helped us be successful over the last one. Final one for you. I was the best of the way you floated out. They want to go down to about four minutes ago, trying to get back in it. I thought you guys were very steady and very composed. Did you feel the same way? I did. I'll be honest with you this guy. I got a little nervous when JJ missed the net. Yeah. As he's going to shoot it, you can see the puck roll and then wire it over there. Usually it goes back the other way. We're able to get a whistle and then settle down. And you know, it's a situation we actually work a lot on. Yeah. Not in practice, our five on six defense. And early in the year, we lost one of the act, five on six. They tied it late and then they won it right before the end of regulation. So since that point, we've probably fractioned once every couple of weeks. But in the last month, usually once every week.

10:16So I think when we get there, we have a calmness about it and a confidence. We know what we're doing. We've watched video on it and we've rehearsed in practice. And you know, when you get to these tournaments, you got to close games out. And that's an important situation. Yeah, I agree with you. I get so frustrated when I played. When that open net was there, it was like another year. Exactly. You got to find it because it's open. Right. Nobody to stop it. But I thought you guys did a great job. Congratulations on the win. We'll check in with you again tomorrow. Thank you. Okay, there you go. David Barard, the head coach from Stonehill with the opportunity there that got his team advanced on to play the number one team tomorrow, which would be the Alaska, Alaska Fairbanks Nanooks. So that's what's coming up on that. We're going to take quick break. We can come back and I'll take you right to the press conference that we just completed. With Lyndon Wood and a long island, we'll get to that in just a second here.

11:22In the meantime, like I said, if you're in the area, man, you want to get out here and see this because this is a pretty impressive hockey being played right now. And I think, I think a lot of people enjoy it, but let's take a quick break and let's come back to talk about game two. Whether your program of study lands you on the L.I.U. main campus on Long Island's Gold Coast or its downtown Brooklyn campus, Long Island University can accelerate your future with our nationally ranked programs with iconic locations to vision one athletics and more to go with our top ranked research institution. L.I.U. has something for you. For information on our 150 plus degree tracks to our unique campus life, visit us at liu.edu.

12:26March 4th through the 7th, the Centine Community Ice Center will be the home of the first ever United Collegiate Hockey Cup. Be there as Lyndon Wood University will host Alaska, Alaska Anchorage, L.I.U. and Stone Hill as the five schools battle it out for supremacy of college hockey's independent teams. General admission tickets for this first of its kind tournament are $20 for adults and $10 for children and are on sale now at LyndonwoodLions.com slash tickets. Whether your program of study lands you on L.I.U. is Brookville campus located on Long Island's Gold Coast or our downtown Brooklyn campus, Long Island University can accelerate your future with our nationally ranked programs with iconic locations to vision one athletics and more to go along with our top ranked research institution, L.I.U. has something for you.

13:32For information on our 150 plus degree tracks to go along with our unique campus life, visit us at liu.edu. Discover your roar at Lyndonwood University, a college town lifestyle with big city access located in St. Charles, Missouri just 30 minutes from St. Louis, Lyndonwood University can help you make your unique mark on the world. Low student teacher ratios to a rich, very campus life from athletics to community involvement, awakens the lion in you at Lyndonwood.edu. Welcome back in hockey fans to the United Collegiate hockey cup podcast.

14:42This is day one as we wrap up today. Scott Strandy with you in the sentient community ice center where it's getting very dark. Nobody around here but me right now. My co-hosts are off tonight, Paul Hornstein and Tom Harden will be back with us tomorrow night for day two. As I mentioned at the top, it's been a really exciting day. I think I did 16 or 17 different interviews including with Brian Riley, the I call Moroilty of college hockey, great opportunity to visit with Brian and talk about his son Brendan taking over the program at Long Island this year. Let's step away for a minute and let's go back to a game that just concluded a five four victory goalscord of eight point eight seconds to go in regulation and the Lyndonwood Lions move on to the championship game. Here's their coach key Fisher and. So I'm and sell them rego.

15:44Really proud of the guys not to start that we wanted in the first period, but give a lot of credit on how they respond in the second. And after they tied it up in the third that was just kind of stuck to our game and so it was great team win. Yeah, I mean, good to use fight away. I think that's a big thing. Big credit to me environment and steps to this head today. He's fantastic for us. And I thought in the third second and third, you play well. Obviously they got those two back to back, but again, like I said, like good to find a way to win it. So we found a way to win. When you start with the obvious question, what do you see on that in that game where they're worried? I will be made a great change. And I just got the opportunity to kind of hop out there. And then you know, I made a fantastic pass. And then I mean, the rest of history, I guess. Coach, I mean, I feel like we gotta give him a few minutes. Flowers was probably the best game.

16:44There's so far this career. I was still a freshman, but we got to talk about it. What's the first step for you to first ever post games for him and to have a game like that? Pretty incredible. Yeah, I mean, I was solid as the meter doesn't change road that game, which is just as a common effect on our team. You know, and things went haywire for a couple minutes there. And he just, he doesn't change at all. The message of positive effect on our team and how we go about the game. You know, in couples, Ken Bell says we needed him, so he was awesome tonight. Well, another night coach, we had all five different goals for us. We just talked about the depth. That means that's pretty big. It's a much stronger game. Yeah, I think that's a big part of our success this year is we're not relying on one line before. I think the depth for our lineup has been great all year. You know, what I give. It's a great diverse kind of credit. I mean, they get a score with the first shift of the game.

17:45And it's awesome for a shift and they've finished it too. You know, at this time of year, we'll play a hockey deep scoring and we got it done. On the defensive side of the game, you guys shut down the best power play here in this tournament on a couple of their opportunities. What do you like about the truck in on the defensive side of the game? Well, I think the big part is not taking a lot of penalties. We only kill one full one and one half one, so we don't really have to. It's so that really helps to kill. But I thought we did a great job of wasting clearing parks. Well, that's where it starts with a base of clearing parks and doing a good job. So what do you get to the game like this? Like last year, it was tight, it was intense, but nothing like it was tonight and so back and forth. As a player, that just seemed to fuel you guys out when you get games like that that kind of start off hot and just continues on throttles again.

18:48Yeah, I mean, given them a lot of credit, they came out real hard and they stayed. They played really hard the entire game through 60 minutes. I mean, for us, like we just got to stick to our game point and Coach says a lot like get pucks and eat and work them. And if we stick to that recipe, like we're going to have success. So if we just keep doing that, I feel like we're at the top team to beat. How much of it is for you guys as forward looking when you guys going through the motion of a game to face a gold tender, like new years, who holds the stick and has been floating on the right hand side? I mean, I don't really think that changes much. I mean, we just got to get pucks and then get in front of them and make them make them earn every save he makes. So I mean, as long as we get pucks and then add a crash heart and kind of play our style, it doesn't matter if we're always ready or lefty. I mean, we're going to find a way to score. Are you talking about a terrorist or not? You thought, yeah.

19:48You're pushing, trying to push through him. When he's making those incredible saves, how do you keep that head up thinking, man, it's kind of just like you're manageable. You guys know you got to find a way to score here. Like I mean, like I said, we just got to keep on getting pucks and then that. You played fantastic, but I mean, our team gets score goals. And we know we can score goals. We create all kinds of players that we work really hard. So I mean, there's zero doubt in my mind that we can't score goals and we can score goals against any team in the country. Coach, we saw a really strong back. I actually went forward to doing a lot of times in the offensive zone, seemed like you guys were the first one to get to the puck. Did you think you could more check? It was a really strong day too. Yeah, it's been a point of emphasis. Not only this weekend, but all the year over. You know, I thought they did a great job having a treatment back. A lot of the time. So you're going to have to dump it in and you have to watch first on that. Third back check was great tonight. You know, not allowing them to be on bad Russians and breaking up a lot of plays.

20:51I mean, in terms of transition, which would be a game for both teams. Coach, you talked to a former game just a little bit about team of little things. And it seemed a couple of those plays that even like a flutcher goal where it made the little plays of. The Southgate and the Strong. It's on tape. It pulls it out. The flutcher is right there ready for that one time. It seemed like tonight a lot of this, a lot of your minds were just firing through, making it a little plays. It has to create a lot of chances. Is that the day I think you mentioned it as an emphasis when you think of their game. That's how the game is tonight. That's just staying on parks. You know, in the offensive zone, just staying on it. Stay on it. You're going to get a turnover and a couple of times or third men high points from soft ice. They will get opportunities for men. But I put it all search for 4 check before getting in there and getting 6 on par. And I'm pretty happy now. Coach, you talked about the ability to have a day off if you won this one. It's coming to fruition right now. Do you like having the opportunity to have a day off?

21:52Yeah, you know what? This was a big emotional game. A big one. We can write ourselves, you know, emotionally. Tomorrow, we'll look at some film. A couple of adjustments that we need to make. But it will, you know, come back fresh on the Saturday. It will be big. And Selma, you guys find ways to win. It seems like last minute, whether you're trailing or leaving. There's different ways this team finds ways to win. Does it feel that way and hasn't felt that way all year? I mean, I came in after the first period. I kind of said something. I said, boy, we're great. Come in from behind. Someone's not right there. And it's the true all year. I mean, I got no doubt with my teammates. I really no doubt at all that we're going to come back. Any game you play and then we're down. I know we can come back and win. And I mean, give credit to the older guys. They're real great in the room and obviously have a lot of experience.

22:54And they've helped a lot of the guys coming in and the freshmen a lot. And kind of just piggybacking off of them. And then they're setting examples on the ice. And they're made by example. And that just helps us come together and find a way. Selma, obviously coach always says, you know, just play your own game clear style. I mean, it doesn't matter what kind of game it is. But for you guys in a room, you know it. I'm going to throw that champion to be on Saturday. I mean, I'm super excited. And I'm super excited for our seniors. I mean, Drew Prude must have been here for four years. I mean, this is the first year that the opportunity to play in the post season. So I know not just myself but everybody's playing for guys like that. Have an opportunity to win something on Saturday. I mean, we're super fired up and excited to get the opportunity to play. Thanks guys. Thanks. Thank you. All right. There you go. That was a head coach, Keith Fisher and then Selmo Reco, the guy who got the game winning goal tonight.

23:56For Lyndon, where does the advance to the championship game on Saturday? They won't know who they play until after tomorrow's three o'clock game, which would be Alaska Fairbanks and Stonehill. So we'll check in on that. Just a few more minutes. I want to play the clip from the Long Island head coach Brendan Riley. And let you hear what he had to say despite a very tough loss. Well, apparently we don't have Brendan Riley sound my apologies on that. But I do want to wrap it up real quickly tonight because I know everybody wants to get out of here. I'm about the last one left in the building.

24:57But we appreciate everybody listening to the United collegiate hockey podcast. And once again, today's games. The two that were played Stonehill wins three zero over a very good Alaska Anchorage team. And in the nightcap, the Lyndon Wood Lions finish off a five four victory with eight point eight seconds remaining over Long Island University. So that's it for tonight. Thank you all again for tuning in tomorrow night. We'll have full recap and I believe my partners will be back. So we'll have a little bit more content for you. But thanks for listening tonight.