Jaspers Edged by Bobcats

Jaspers Edged by Bobcats

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUARY 27- Quinnipiac (12-7, 7-3), which joined the MAAC this season, defeated Manhattan (14-5, 7-3) for the second time in January on Sunday at Draddy Gymnasium in Riverdale. These meetings were the only two men’s basketball games the two teams have ever faced one another.

The Jaspers led the visiting Bobcats, except for three ties, until 7:45 of the opening half when Zaid Hearst hit a layup to give the Bobcats a 17-15 lead. The visitors then kept the lead for the rest of the half except for two ties. 

The Bobcats continued their advantage in the second half until 14:15 when a dunk by the Bronx’s Emmy Andujar put Manhattan ahead, 42-41. 

The lead changed hands several times in the next two minutes until a run by Quinnipiac raised the lead of the visitors to double figures, 70-60, at 5;33. 

Thirteen unanswered points by the Jaspers followed to give Manhattan a 73-70 lead with 2:43 remaining in regulation time. The second half ended with the score knotted for the seventh time at 77.

The Bobcats dominated the five minute overtime. The first lead of the visitors was augmented by nine successful free throws by Quinnipiac. 

Steve Masiello, Manhattan coach, gave credit to the visitors for their victory over Manhattan, “It was a tough conference game. [Quinnipiac] is a very good team. They took it to us the whole night.”

One Bronx native, Marquis Barnett, a junior at Quinnipiac, who played nine minutes, was happy about the result.

Three Bobcats scored more than 20 points. Umar Shannon and Zaid Hearst scored 25. Hearst also grabbed 10 boards. Another double-double was achieved by Ike Azlan who scored 21 and hauled down 13 rebounds.

Rhamel Brown, who led Manhattan scoring with 15 points, became the third member of the team to reach 1,000 points with the Jaspers. Brown’s five blocked shots kept him in second place in the nation in blocks.

Michael Alvarado’s 15 points hiked his career total to 1,056. His seven assists gave him 315 as a Jasper, seventh in team history. George Beamon had his fourth double-double of the season, 12 points and 12 rebounds. His 1,592 points is seventh in Manhattan history.

The Jaspers travel to New Rochelle on January 31 for a game with conference rival Iona. They return to Draddy on February 3 to host Saint Peter’s.

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Monroe's first class going to the NCAA

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Monroe's first class going to the NCAA: Monroe's first class going to the NCAA  Mustangs football graduates moving on By Gary Axelbank and RJ Troche BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUAR...

Monroe's first class going to the NCAA

Monroe's first class going to the NCAA 

Mustangs football graduates moving on

By Gary Axelbank and RJ Troche

BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUARY 27- With their six-game winning streak that pushed their second varsity season to an impressive 7-3 record, Monroe Mustangs sophomores, the team's first graduating class, are a hot commodity for NCAA scouts. As a result a number of Monroe players will be continuing their college careers at the next level.

"We prepare and compete to win every game," said Coach Terry Karg, "but we never lose sight of the big picture and that is to provide a platform for our student athletes to develop as young men and achieve on and off the field at the next level. I have confidence in all of these young men that they will all do well in football and in life."

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Rangers Defeat Devils, 7-3, at Yankee Stadium

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Rangers Defeat Devils, 7-3, at Yankee Stadium: Rangers Defeat Devils, 7-3, at Yankee Stadium By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUARY 27- A below freezing temperature of 24.9 ...

Rangers Defeat Devils, 7-3, at Yankee Stadium

Rangers Defeat Devils, 7-3, at Yankee Stadium

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUARY 27- A below freezing temperature of 24.9 degrees did not dissuade a sell-out crowd of 50,105 from purchasing tickets to the first outdoor hockey game in New York City. 

Neither the cold nor the snow showers that fell on Yankee Stadium later in the game interfered with the contest or lessened the excitement of the fans in the stands. Strangely the game was delayed for more than one hour by weather conditions, the glare of the sun. 

The winning goaltender Henrik Lundquist of the Rangers told reporters after the game, “I was out there when the sun was still out and it was kind of hard.”

After an enthusiastic and entertaining version of a half-dozen of the hit recordings of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons performed by cast members of the Tony winning musical Jersey Boys, the dramatic introduction of the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils began. Members of both teams walked to the ice to the musical accompaniment of the NYPD and FDNY Pipes and Drums. 

The first goal was scored by Patrik Elias of the Devils at 5:36 of the first period. The score was tied on a goal by Dominic Moore 3.5 minutes later. The goals kept coming. New Jersey scored the next two goals, a second by Elias and one by Travis Zajac, to take a 3-1 advantage. Jaromir Jagr assisted on both of the latter goals. His two assists raised his career total to 1,035, which passed the total of Mario Lemiux and his career points to 1,732, seventh in NHL history. The 41-year-old, future member of the Hockey Hall of Fame is the leading scorer of the Devils this year with 44 points.

The happy moments of the contest for the Devils passed quickly as the Rangers scored the final six goals of the game. After a late first period goal by Marc Staal, the game was knotted at 2:48 of period 2 on the first of two consecutive goals by Mats Zuccarello. A fifth Ranger goal was scored by Carl Hagelin. 

Rick Nash scored his 18^th goal of the season 29 seconds prior to the end of the second period. Nash extended his goal scoring streak to five games. He has scored in his last 11 games. The left winger is only two goals short of reaching a streak of 10 straight seasons of scoring at least 20 goals. 

Ranger coach Alain Vigneault commented upon Nash’s recent success, “He’s going to the net a little more. He’s an elite player and we need him to play like that now.”

The only goal of the third period was by Derek Stepan of the Rangers on a penalty shot, the first such score in an outdoor NHL game.

Devils coach DeBoer attributed the change in his team’s fortune in the second period to a mistake in plan, “We had a good first period. We started to open it up in the second and that’s not our game.” 

Lundquist was disappointed in his and the team’s start, “It was not a good start. My first thought was am I going to finish this game.” As the game progressed the goalie saw he and his team adapt, “I recovered and as a team we recovered after that start. The way we responded was just great to see. We took advantage of some mistakes they made. It felt like we had so many guys step up.”

Three Stars were awarded to: 1. Mats Zuccarello (2 goals), 2. Patrik Elias (2 goals) and 3. Anton Stralman (2 assists).

For the losing coach to make the following statement exhibits how great this rare hockey event was, “Other than the outcome, it was one of the best hockey experiences we’ve had.”

On Wednesday night, January 29, Yankee Stadium will host a game between the Rangers and the New York Islanders. 

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Future Hockey Hall of Fame Legends Brodeur and Jag...

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Future Hockey Hall of Fame Legends Brodeur and Jag...: Future Hockey Hall of Fame Legends Brodeur and Jagr Speak in the Bronx (Facebook Photo) By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUA...

Future Hockey Hall of Fame Legends Brodeur and Jagr Speak in the Bronx

Future Hockey Hall of Fame Legends Brodeur and Jagr Speak in the Bronx

(Facebook Photo)

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUARY 27- The players of the New York Rangers and the New Jersey Devils had their practice sessions on the recently constructed ice rink on the field of Yankee Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Although the result of the regular season game on Sunday is important to both teams in the tightly contested Metropolitan Division of the NHL, the seriousness of the practice was tempered by the pleasure of the presence of so many family members on the ice with the players of each team.

After the Devils’ practice concluded, two special players, Jaromir Jagr and Martin Brodeur, were invited to the Interview room in the Yankee Stadium basement for a mass press interview. Although each was born in a different part of the world, Jagr in Kladno, Czechoslovakia, then a part of the Communist world, and Brodeur in Montreal Canada, they have much in common. 

Each was born in 1972, Broduer less than three months later; each is a left-hander; each was drafted in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft of 1990, Jagr the 5^th overall selection and Brodeur the 20^{th ;} each has earned an Olympic Gold Medal with his native country’s team; each has been an integral member of a Stanley Cup champion and each will be elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame shortly after his legendary NHL career concludes.

The two greats were good humored, patient and open to all questions from the journalists in the room. Jagr humorously spoke of the huge size of the locker room, “There’s a lot of great dressing rooms, but I’ve never seen nothing like that, so big you can’t hold a team meeting; if you make a mistake, the coach can’t find you in 15 minutes. “When he first entered the Yankee clubhouse, he jokingly asked for a GPS.

The 41 year-old was asked if he believed the frigid weather would affect him. He had mixed feelings contrasting New York’s weather to Moscow, where he played in Red Square and in Los Angeles, where the Kings and Ducks were competing that night, “This is like summer compared to Moscow. If I had to choose to play here or L.A., I would choose L.A. [he laughed]. It would probably be a lot better for my body to play in different conditions.”

He was asked to express his feelings regarding playing in Yankee Stadium, “When Czechoslovakia was Communist I didn’t even know about the NHL. Since I came here [24 years ago], I follow baseball, basketball and American football. It’s very special just to play here. I took pictures, Babe Ruth.”

The experienced professional was very concerned about how the result affect the goal of reaching the playoffs, “Any points and any victory can make a big difference. We have to play better than we did yesterday. We have to make sure we get some points tomorrow.”

Brodeur shortly followed Jagr to the Interview Room. After the Devils’ practice, Devils coach Peter DeBoer announced Brodeur would start in goal on Sunday. The veteran goalie reacted, “I’m happy to play a game; it’s been more than a week.” [Brodeur last played on January 18]. The veteran said, “They felt it meant a lot to me. For me, it’s the last one [rivalry game outdoors].”

The Canadian understands the importance of the Yankees and Yankee Stadium, “After 21 years in the New York area, I know what the Yankees mean here and to the world of sport. It’s a good feeling to be in this building. To be in the first game here is very exciting. It’s an unbelievable setting.”

Brodeur recalled childhood experiences when speaking of playing hockey outdoors, “When I grew up in Montreal, for us, we took it for granted. I did it every day; it’s great memories.” He felt he was overdressed even for the cold, ‘I had too much, gloves, ski mask two tee shirts; it wasn’t bad.”

Like his teammate, Jagr, he also spoke of the importance of the game, “It’s a big event, but at the end of the day, it’s just hockey. The points are important.” 

Of the idea of this series and the game in California, he opined, “It’s a great idea to have these rivalry games outdoors.”

Hopefully, those in attendance will realize they are watching two of the legends in NHL history, Jagr and Brodeur.

Tags: NHL, Jaromir Jagr, Martin Brodeur, Yankee Stadium