Things you could do while awaiting a west coast puck drop

As the Hurricanes head out on a three game, west coast road trip against Vancouver, San Jose and Phoenix - all of us East coast players are doomed to staying up until at least 12:30 at night just to see the team on TV. With a 10:00 start, you might find yourself getting just a tad anxious for the game. With that being said - be glad that we here at COI are by the people, for the people, of the people and we're here to keep you occupied while you anticipate your Pacific time zone game.

Here's some things that I'll be doing and maybe you should try too:

You could drink a beer or twelve.

You could step on over to the new and improved Canes Country via the ever expanding SB Nation. Congrats to Bubba and Cory who are professionals at this game by now.

You could drink a Smithwick's. Dark, smooth, yet not too heavy.

You could scope out the competition's bloggers, with my personal favorites being Waiting for Stanley on the Canucks end, Five for Howing for all your Coyotes action and Fear the Fin is great for the Sharks. Also including the Sharkies is one of my all time favorite blogs - the Battle of California. Earl Sleek (even though he's a Ducks fan) is one of the most free-thinking, creative and entertaining hockey bloggers out there today. His twisted mind is on par with only a select few in the elite of the blogosphere. Here's a favorite from his series of "Pucktoons" with Sir Sleek:

You could drink a Fat Tire, if you're anywhere in the Nashville area or further West. What a great MF beer. (For the longest time you couldn't get the Colorado brewed beer anywhere East of the Mississippi. If it hits NC and you find out, let me know and the first rounds on me.)

You could congratulate East of Here on the birth of his first born this week! While he's obviously not going to be around here too much in the coming months if at all - enjoy a little collection of the best of East's twisted mind:

The Professional Chotchkes Union Must Be On Strike East breaks down the Eric Staal bobblehead

About those shoddy Hurricanes car flags they tried to skimp on

We're boned, seriously: regarding East's assurance that the return of Paul Maurice meant the inevitable return of dump and chase (as well as being teh Suck).

Congrats again there, bud.

You could drink an Eye of the Hawk beer. Strong at 8% but the copper, amber color with the caramelly (is that a word?) flavor take the edge off. Good stuff. It's kinda fun to start squawking like you're some giant bird of prey while you drink this too.

You could check out the qual that my cohorts have been spewing over at Barry Melrose Rocks, or view only posts written by yours truly if you must. I also highly recommend the author's thread of Kevin Schultz at the NHL Fanhouse for AOL Sports.

With Mardi Gras right around the corner, you could appropriately drink a "Hurricane". Duh.
You could rip some bingers swim like an Olympic champ.

You could check out my favorite new blog, F You, Penguin. An excerpt:

"This jerk refuses to be my friend"

"What the hell, Dog? Like I'm not good enough for you. I have 6,000 friends on Facebook! YOU'RE NOT EVEN ON FACEBOOK BECAUSE YOUR PAWS WOULD MAKE TYPING IMPOSSIBLY AWKWARD. What am I doing wrong here? We hung out that one time, and I thought things were going pretty well. I made some jokes, you ate your own poop, WE HAD A NICE DAY TOGETHER."

You could go and drink dozens of different beers at any of the Carolina Ale House locations, with the Cary location on Walnut St. hosting a Cool Bars with the Storm Squad there on Saturday night for the Phoenix game.

You could also head on up to Hillsborough to check out the UNC vs. Duke hockey game on Saturday. It starts at 4:15. Guarantee you that one will be a chippy affair. Let's just hope that you staying up so late is warranted by a Hurricanes team worth watching. That is - they don't ride west only to crap the bed in a different time zone.

NCSU UNC Shootout @ Caps game

A quick note - there will be a shootout during intermission tonight featuring a select few players from NCSU & UNC. Woot! Highlights from a previous one:



Also - Happy Birthday to Big Mike from the Storm Squad - you poor man you!

Go Canes.

COI Season preview: The Citadel Bulldogs Hockey team

What follows is the first of what I hope to see several more of here, a team interview with the college teams. Other squads have any interweb access and want their own post here? Send some hellos to CarolinaOnIce@gmail.com.

Things should be pretty clear for the BRHC's coming season after the Annual Fall Meeting this coming weekend in Williamsburg, VA. Earlier this summer the Colonial Collegiate Hockey League ponied up with the Blue Ridge Hockey Conference. Essentially, the new BRHC is this frickin' big:

and stretches nearly the entire Southeast which should be a good thing for members of NC and SC's teams (East Carolina who is back after an independent season, ASU, The Citadel, UNC-W, UNC-Charlotte and NCSU's Division III team) as they play in broader areas and more rinks with the chance to bring in futher alumni support. They're gonna need the gas money, folks.

And because every single college kid has a Facebook account apparently, be sure to join the Blue Ridge Hockey Conference Group to keep up to date around the league this coming year.

Here's a few questions with the very clean-shaven men from the Citadel team:

Alex GRIMES

(Title: Captain. Position: Forward. Year: Senior. Company: Golf)

COI: Your biggest game of the season this year will be...

It depends on how the season goes. Most likely it will be a playoff game.

COI: Optimism = good. What does the future hold for Bulldogs hockey?

We have high hopes for the team. Our coach is dedicated to bringing in good quality players, and ensuring that the Citadel becomes one of the best teams in the South. The team has been around since 2001, and I expect it to be around for a lot longer.

Justin MENOR

(Title: Team President. Position: Forward. Year: Junior. Company: Alpha)

I went to the Citadel to become a better person and a better leader/team player. I started playing hockey when I was 10 and wanted to play rather than watching hockey games.

COI: Has the team ever done anything with the fellow Charleston team the SC Stingrays of the ECHL?

No.

COI: You should try contacting the team management at their home page.


Alexander WINTON

(Title: Assistant Captain. Position: Forward. Year: Sophomore. Company: Papa)

COI: What have been the highest and lowest points in your career as a Bulldog?

Highest: Going to the Naval Academy with 8 players and still gaining a lot of respect. Lowest: Losing 6 games in a row.

COI: Very cool and ouch. What do you think the future holds for Bulldogs hockey?

An ever expanding team and schedule...and the Citadel's greatest all-star of all time (me) pretty much dominating Grimes in life.

Marc EMOND

(Title: Assistant Captain. Position: Goalie. Year: Senior. Company: Palmetto Battery)

I ended up going to the Citadel because I was looking for a military school and it came down to Norwich and the Citadel. The Citadel was 15 minutes from the beach in the city while Norwich was in the middle of the woods with nothing around it. It was an easy choice. I started playing hockey when I was about 3 years old at public skating. My dad would bribe me with pizza to skate from one end of the ice to the other.

COI: Mmmm. Pizzzaaaa (stops to wipe drool for a sec). So VMI is the chief rivalry with both schools being military colleges?

We played them last year and it was a rough couple of games. It was really cool though because even though we both were at each others throats on the ice, after the game we were all pretty chill.

COI: How active are the coaches, staff and current players in recruiting?

Our coach has been awesome in terms of recruiting. We have two things against us, we are playing a northern sport in a southern state and also we are a military school so there are only a certain number of people who would even consider coming here. Our coach has been able to overcome these obstacles and still be able to draw in players.

COI: The team website is quite sharp and is regularly updated. What else do you do / what are you doing for promotion? How do Charleston area residents and Citadel students find out about the games?

We use such things as Facebook and word of mouth.

COI: We're a bit late to the whole Facebook party. A little off-topic here but still of interest…can you explain the Citadel tradition of weddings? (I had an old friend tell me something about the exit of the bride and groom under the crossed swords and the smacking of her behind by the best man with his blade...)

It’s about welcoming her to the Citadel family.

COI: Okay then! Good luck to the Bulldogs on the coming season.

More team features to come, ya'll.

VT Hokies take the Triangle tour

Catch the UNC Tarheels matching up against the Virginia Tech club team Friday night in Hillsborough at the Triangle Sportsplex, 10:15PM start. The Hokies will travel to Raleigh to take on the DII Wolfpack at the RecZone Saturday night @ 8:00. I will be there. Bring it.

College Hockey this weekend, by George!

Starting this Friday, the reigning ACCHL Champion Georgetown Hoyas come into Raleigh to face the NCSU Wolfpack with a 9:00PM start at the RecZone. The GUunit will then continue their tour of the triangle with a match up against Duke Saturday night (10:15PM) followed by a Sunday matinee game with UNC (4:15PM). Both of those games will be at the home of the Blue Devils & Tarheels - the Triangle Sportsplex in Hillsborough.

(aside: - Georgetown shares the Washington Capitals' practice facility - the highly regarded Kettler Capitals Iceplex - while the Carolina Hurricanes share the RecZone with NCSU - nothing against the RZ, but WOW!)

George Mason will face the Pack on Saturday - RecZone 8:00PM - and as always tickets are available to purchase the night of the game.

College Night Shootout - NCSU vs. UNC

It's really a great thing that the organ-eye-zation invites local college clubs to do shootouts on the promotional college nights. I've said it before and will say it again - there are countless numbers of potential supporters that would never even know X school has an ice hockey team. Whether alumni, casual fan or you share the love of hockey - the exposure provided by these is an outstanding way to fill you in.



This took place during last season, but perhaps seeing the Wolfpack win this can soothe the pain of watching NCSU score 13 points in the first half at the Dean Dome on Saturday. Ouch.

Next Canes' college night - Tuesday January 22 vs. NY Islanders. Be there.

College Hockey Overload

App State: It's been a tough season so far for those Mountaineer boys. The Clemson Tigers welcomed them to South Cackalack with a Shalacking double header. Clemson won both games by a combined margin of 24-3. Up next for ASU, they head "right near da beach, boi!" to face the UNC-W Seahawks, a team they have never lost to.

Duke Blue Devils: On a tear!

The Blue Devil's beat ACCHL foe NC State 4-1 on Friday to move to 4-0 in the league.

The Blue Devils' came away with two victories in their Home and Home with the Liberty Flames . On Friday, the team traveled to LaHaye Ice Center and won 4-3. Playing at home on Saturday, the Devils edged the Flames 6-4.

The Blue Devils' travelled to north to play two ACCHL opponents in Virginia and Virginia Tech. After beating UVA 6-1 on Friday, Duke outlasted Virginia Tech 3-2 Saturday night.

The Duke Blue Devils' opened up their season with a 6-0 win over Appalachian State and a 8-0 win over rival UNC.

UNC Tarheels: Despite losing to rivals NCSU & Duke, they were able to handle App State this year in OT, 5-4.

East Carolina: Since dropping one their 1st game this year to GW in the Charlotte Shootout, the Pirates are off and rolling once again and have not lost since. Despite the ECU Football team being outlasted by the Pack, the hockey team was able to hold up their end of "Rivalry Weekend?" by beating State (DII) 6-4.

ECU is wiping the floor with their competition this year. The beat UNCW handily last weekend. They now turn to their most anticipated game of the season with NCSU coming into town Friday night as part of Rivalry Weekend in Greenville.

UNC lost two games in 3 tough days. 8-0 to Duke last Friday, and 8-2 vs. VT on Sunday.

Added to Carolinas Hockey Links -- Central Carolina Hockey

Sorry for lack of posts, but I still don't have a computer yet (see the whole "fire thing")

To keep you entertained and knowledgeable for the upcoming Pens game on Friday, check out:
The Pens Blog - very funny stuff!

Upcoming Games

Canes & Sens -- can the Canes slow the Sens undefeated role?

Weekend of October 12th & 13th

Duke vs. UNC @ Triangle Sportsplex 10:15 -- Where's Dicky V when you need him?

NCSU @ Gulf Coast FLA - Quite a roadtrip for self-sufficient student athletes!

UNC-W @ ECU - Budding rivalry - can the Seahawks rally as underdogs? (double header, Fri & Sat)

Local Boys Fire Up This Weekend

This weekend at the SportsPlex in Hillsborough - App State is in town to take on the Tarheels and Blue Devils in a weekend double header.

Link: "House Of Blues" - ASU Site

Also - if you're East bound and down - load it up and truck it to Greenville for the Purple/Gold ECU Scrimmage or head down to the Dub to see UNC-Wilmington in their Teal/White Game.

Yeehaw!

How 'Bout Them Pack?

How did I miss this during the regular season this year?



It seems like they should be doing just a little more to hype up a college shootout. This is much more entertaining of an intermission than watching the pee-wee's fall down play.

Rainbow Warrior College Hockey Round-up

Clemson: Sept. 4th & 6th in Greenville, SC for you newly free-from-conference restraint le Tigres. (Tryout Application)

UNC-W has released their 2006-2007 season schedule. The friday Oct. 12 & Sat. the 13th matchup @ ECU is not to be missed.

NC State: Trying to raise money to renovate Dorton Arena.

Flashbacks anyone?

East Carolina: With their 1st game as independents scheduled for October 5th, the Pirates are holding tryouts on August 31st & Sept. 1st in Greenville, North Carolina (not South, W) (Tryout Application)

UNC always has their application available on-line. They say bring your gear and be ready 1st day of classes.

Appalachian State has a nice written farewell to their Seniors.

Support your local teams!