This is a save the date reminder for the Pond Club's annual
golf tournament!
This year, the tournament will be held on Monday,
June 11th, 2012 at The Orchards
in South Hadley, with a shot gun start at 10am.
More details to follow. Let us know if you have any questions!
Sincerely,
Hockey Office Staff
2012 Reverse Raffle
January 23, 2012
Dear Friend of UMass Hockey:
The UMass Hockey Pond Club would like to
invite you to our eighth annual Reverse Raffle on
Friday, March 30th, 2012 at The University of Massachusetts,
Amherst, MA. The raffle social will be held on the
University campus. Please join us and bring a guest
for an evening of socializing, entertainment, an open bar
(beer, wine, and soda), an all you can eat hors d’oeuvres
bar, and of course the Reverse Raffle all inclusive for $115.00.
Our Reverse Raffle last year was a huge success. The
food was great, the evening was very entertaining, and everyone
attending had a great evening. And we can’t overlook
the lucky $ 4,999 prize-winners! Our goal was to make this
annual event more than just a fundraiser by having the Reverse
Raffle become the social event of the hockey season and serve
as a way to bring our alumni, Pond Club members, parents,
and friends together for an evening of fun. Please
plan on joining us and making this event a success.
Here is how the Reverse Raffle works. Each
ticket number (1 to 175) will have a corresponding ping-pong
ball entered into a raffle drum. Balls will be drawn
from the raffle drum throughout the evening until one ball
remains. The holder of this lucky numbered ping-pong
ball will claim the $ 4,999 Grand Prize. Additionally,
during the evening there will be other miscellaneous prizes
given out during the countdown to the final number.
Please join us in supporting UMass Hockey
with a night out with a guest, unlimited hors d’oeuvres,
open bar, entertainment, and of course your chance to win
the $4,999 Grand Prize.
To purchase your ticket please fill out the Reverse side
and make out a check payable to: The Pond Club. Return the
reverse information and check to: UMass Hockey Office, 307
Mullins Center, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA
01003. Requests will be honored for specific numbers
on a first come first served basis. You will be sent
a confirmation along with your ticket # prior to raffle.
You do not need to be present to win the Grand Prize but
you do need to be present to win any of the miscellaneous
prizes given out during the evening.
Thank you for your support,
Mike Merchant
President The Pond
Club
March
30th, 2012 Evening Schedule:
6:30 Social
Hour
7:30 60
balls drawn
8:00 60
balls drawn
8:30 30
balls drawn
8:45 15
balls drawn
9:00 Final
10 balls drawn
Golf Outing Sponsors Night at the Mullins
Friday Night March 4, 2011
Thank you to the following sponsors:
Corporate Sponsors:
Equity Builders, Inc. - Jim Harrity
Warp Speed
Hole Sponsors:
Chase The Goalie!! - Mike Buckley
The Wellman Family - Casey Wellman
Muskegon Lumberjacks, USHL - Josh Mervis
Team Wealth Investments - Jennifer Johnsrud
Courtyard By Marriott - Curt Shumway
Amherst Oakham Recycling - Gordon Palley
Amherst Insurance Agency - Glenn Allan
Spirit Haus, Inc. - Marvin Spence
Soldier's Legacy Fund - Peter Trovato
Pelham Auto Svc, Foreign Car Specialists - Jonathan Leighton
La Piazza Ristorante - Mauro Aniello
Bistro 63 at the Monkey Bar & Grill - Mauro Aniello
Mill Valley Splicing - James Boyko
Three Cod Tavern - Chip Percy
Albert Allen Insurance - Brock Hines
O'Connell Insurance Group, Inc. - Keith O'Connell
Teamsters Local 25 - Sean O'Brien
The Carzo Family - Rocco Carzo
The Lecomte Family - Francois Lecomte
The Irwin Family - Matthew Irwin
Vendetti Motors, Inc. - Joe Vendetti
Environmental Integrity, LLC - Stephen Czepiel
Thomas Pock www.fearthetriangle.com - Mark Coogan
American Equity - Bob/Bill White
WEBS - America's Yarn Store - Steve & Kathy Elkin
The Lone Wolf Restaurant - Rob Watson
The Harp Irish Pub and Restaurant - Mark Power
The Marcou Family - Jim Marcou
Dan Feldman The UPS Store and Mark Matheson '07
Bob Goodhue ('70)
James Marcou
Fleury Lumber
Budget Cabinet Sales
N. R. Bergeron Drywall
Urban & Sons Insulation
Boston Carpet - Flooring America
Willard Concrete
The Dougherty Family - Tom Dougherty
Boston Red Sox - Lou Gorman
Gormley Funeral Home - Richie Gormley
Jones Group Realtors - Justine Rosewarne
Alec & Eliza Sullivan - Steve Sullivan
Whitlock Builders - Henry Whitlock
Millipore Corporation - George Oulundsen
Liquors 44 - Andrew Morrison
Topher Bevis Golf Outing SUPPORTING THE PATTY FUND The
Patty Fund is a non-for-profit organization founded in an
effort to aid in the fight against brain cancer by providing
much needed funding for research and development in the study
and treatment of brain cancer at the Massachusetts General
Hospital and the Stephen E. and Catherine Pappas Center for
Neuro-Oncology. ...more
2010 Outing Details:
Date: Thursday July 29, 2010
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Location: Waverly Oaks Golf Club -
Plymouth, MA
AMHERST, Mass. - The UMass hockey team used a goal and three
assists from James
Marcou to knock off the Maine Black Bears 5-3 on Friday night
at the Mullins
Center. Casey Wellman added a goal and an assist, while Michael
Marcou netted
his first collegiate goal. Paul Dainton made 26 saves for
the Minutemen (3-0-0,
2-0-0 HEA) while Scott Darling and Shawn Sirman split time
for Maine (1-4-0, 0-
1-0 HEA). The Minutemen will hit the road for the first time
next weekend
against Providence at 7 PM. UMass will then return home for
a tilt with the
Friars on Halloween Night at the Mullins Center, also at
7 PM.
Shots were even at 29, while Massachusetts was 3-for-6 on
the power play. Maine
was 1-for-4 on the man advantage.
Although the shots were close at 10-9 UMass, it was the
Minutemen who dominated
play in the first period. Massachusetts jumped out to an
early 1-0 lead in the
second minute of play on Wellman's second of the season.
With UMass on the
power-play, a Matt Irwin shot from the point was redirected
by a Maine defender.
Marcou gathered the loose puck in the corner and fed a streaking
Wellman in the
slot, who snuck the puck past Darling five-hole.
Martin Nolet netted his first goal of the year seven minutes
into the frame
after the Minutemen who a neutral zone draw. Kevin Czepiel,
who played in his
first collegiate game Friday, won the puck over to David
Boehm, who then fed
Nolet as he entered the Black Bear zone. Nolet then sniped
a shot over Darling's
right shoulder for the score. Boehm, playing in his first
game since October of
2008 after receiving a medical redshirt, picked up his first
career point.
Maine made it a one-goal game 13 minutes into the stanza
on Adam Shemansky's
third goal of the season. After a breakdown in the Massachusetts
zone, Spencer
Abbott picked up the puck and went in two-on-one. Justin
Braun tried to fill the
passing lane, but Abbott slid the puck over to Shemansky
on the doorstop for the
score.
The Minutemen got their third goal late in the period on
Marcou's first of the
season. Once again, the Minutemen were on the power play
and Wellman returned
the favor to Marcou when he dished the puck to him on the
right side. Marcou's
wrist shot was initially stopped by Darling, but he could
not corral the puck as
it trickled across the goal line.
The teams exchanged goals during the second period, with
Shawn Sirman replaced
Darling at the start of the period. Will O'Neill notched
his first goal of the
season midway through the period. Brian Flynn took a pass
from Gustav Nyquist
and fed O'Neill at the point. He then let a slap shot go
from the point that
deflected off a skater on its way through traffic to make
it 3-2 Minutemen.
The Marcou brothers brought the UMass lead back to two with
five minutes to play
in the frame. After James Marcou picked off an errant Maine
pass, he skated into
the Black Bear zone. Marcou held the puck in the slot, drawing
two Maine
defenders towards him. He then fed the puck across the crease
to his brother
Michael, who buried the puck past Sirman for his first collegiate
goal.
The Minutemen added a goal in the third period on T.J. Syner's
first of the
season off a pass from Marcou. The Black Bears answered late
with a goal from
Tanner House, his first on the young season. House was alone
in the slot and
buried a pass from Brian Flynn past Dainton. The third period
saw 70 minutes in
penalties between the two teams, with four 10-minute misconducts
being issued.
Former
hockey head coach Jack Canniff, 77, of Rockport, who led
his squad to the 1972 ECAC Division II national title,
died Aug. 29.
He
served as the hockey coach from 1967-79, leading UMass
to its only conference championship in program history.
A fixture on the bench, Canniff was UMass’ all-time
leader in career victories with 120 until current head
coach Don “Toot” Cahoon passed him this past
season.
“Coach
Canniff has had a long-standing reputation in both high
school and college hockey throughout Massachusetts for
many decades,” said Cahoon. “As a member of
a great Boston College team and throughout his coaching
career at Gloucester High School to his time here at UMass
he was always considered a strong-minded, hard-nosed coach
whose players all loved playing for.”
Canniff
was named the ECAC Coach of the Year in 1972 as he led
the squad to a 19-7-0 overall record. UMass captured the
ECAC crown with an 8-1 win over Buffalo on March 11, 1972
in Amherst. In 2008, he was elected to the campus’s
Athletic Hall of Fame.
The
Arlington native ranks second all-time in career win percentage
among all hockey coaches and second among all coaches in
career playoff appearances. He developed three All-Americans,
all from the 1972 team (P.J. Flaherty, Pat Keenan and Brian
Sullivan). Canniff graduated from Boston College in 1954.
Per
his wishes, there will not be a wake and a funeral, but
instead, he will be cremated and his ashes spread at sea.
Canniff’s
family is planning a celebration of his life October
4th, 2pm at the Gloucester Elks on Bass Rocks. They
are hoping that many of his friends, teammates, and
former players can attend and bring their stories to
share.
Condolences
may be sent to the Canniff family,
107 Granite Rd., Rockport
MA 01966.
From left, Jack Canniff with Boston College
teammates Bobby Babine
and Billy Maguire.
(Courtesy of Boston College)
College Hockey: Unsung No Longer
For UMass' Watson, Good Works Both On Ice And Off
by Mike Scandura/Special to USCHO
Jan.
23 - Brett Watson may be the unsung hero on the Massachusetts
hockey team, as evidenced by the fact his teammates have voted
him the Jack Caniff Unsung Hero Award each of the last
two seasons.
But
to a seven-year-old boy in western Massachusetts, Watson's
a hero -period.
Watson,
a junior forward, last September signed up for the Big
Brothers Big Sisters Program of Hampshire County.
Each
volunteer is paired with a boy or girl who "needs
an extra special friend in their lives - who needs extra attention,
who needs a positive role model that can help them learn
to express themselves, make healthy personal choices and
have fun."
Brett
Watson is making a difference on and off the ice (photo:
Melissa Wade)."I got word of it last year from Mike Kostka,
who was our senior captain," said Watson. "He mentioned
it to some of our guys about volunteering. Four guys (Paul
Dainton, Brian Keane, Chase Langeraap) and me decided to
do to it.
"My
initial reaction was, am I going to have enough time because
of school and hockey? But it's a way to give back to the
community. I'm trying to make a difference in the life
of a kid who needs some help.
"After
talking with people in the program," continued
Watson, "it was do-able."
Volunteers
are required to sign up for a year and spend a minimum
of three to four hours per week with their "little."
"The
boy I'm with is on the younger side but he's a big ball
of energy," said Watson. "We do have events to
go to and I'm working on having the program come to one
of our games.
"Some
times I'll pick up my little brother, who's a pretty athletic
kid. I live by some fields so some times we'll just throw
a football around. He's also been bugging me about playing
hockey. And, of course, I try to help him with his schoolwork."
Among other things, that includes reading.
"One
of the things I asked myself is how can I make more of
a difference in a kid's life," said Watson. "He
talked to me about having trouble reading in school, so
I sit down and help him with his reading.
"I
try to reassure him and help him understand things when
he has a problem."
Before
being allowed to join the program, prospective volunteers
undergo an extensive background check that includes visits
to their dorm rooms and an interview process that can take
several months.
"Obviously,
they need to make sure that responsible people are taking
care of the kids," explained Watson. "I interviewed
with a case manager regarding who I could be matched with.
I had three or four references they contacted and they asked
pretty extensive questions about our character.
"They
want to know how far you're willing to go to pick up your
kid. What age? What interests would you like the kid to
have? They'll ask the kids what interests they want their
big brother to have.
"For
certain people, the process takes longer," said
Watson. "For me, it was quicker because they found a
kid that would work for me."
How productive is this program?
A
recent study conducted for the Big Brothers Big Sisters
of America by Public/Private Ventures, an independent research
company, found that, compared with their peers, "littles" who
met regularly with their "bigs" for a year were:
. 46 percent less likely to use drugs.
. 27 percent less likely to start drinking.
. 52 percent less likely to skip a day of school.
. 33 percent less likely to hit someone.
. More likely to attain slightly higher grades.
. Less likely to lie to their parents.
Etc., etc.
Watson
also is conducting a systematic evaluation of the local
program which will culminate in a list of recommendations
about how to improve it and how to recruit more volunteers.
The project is a part of a full-year independent study course.
"Part
of it is the work I'm doing with my little brother as well
as helping coordinate this big-brother night at one of our
games," said
Watson. "I still have some work to do. But they do have
a large need for volunteers.
"There
are a lot of little brothers and sisters that haven't been
matched yet. I want to get more athletes involved at UMass
and will tackle this more in the second semester."
Whatever Watson tackles will be done with a large dose of
humility.
Watson
centers the Minutemen's checking line and also is one of
the top skaters on the team's penalty kill, which entering
the week of January 18, led Hockey East in that department.
He
does a lot of the proverbial little things, like forechecking,
knocking mguys off pucks and playing smart, positional hockey,
which helps the Minutemen on defense.
"My
point production's not what I want it to be," said
Watson, who through mthe first 91 games of his career had
scored only two goals and assisted on 11. "But it's
good that the guys recognize what I'm contributing to the
mteam.
"(The
Caniff Award) was an honor, especially since it's voted
on by your mpeers. I pride myself on working hard every
day and being a good teammate."
And
if the last name Watson sounds familiar, it should. His
father Jim and his uncle Joe played 10 years in the NHL
and were on the Philadelphia Flyers' Stanley Cup championship
teams in 1974 and 1975. And his older brother, Chase, played
for Providence.
"As
long as I can remember I picked up a stick," said
Watson. "My Dad always had been my coach growing up.
He helped my brother and me as players and we always looked
to him for advice.
"My
brother and I and some friends always were outside. Dad
always
encouraged us to go outside and play something."
Even
though Brett Watson also played basketball and baseball
and ran track, his father let his sons choose their preferred
direction.
"I
remember Dad saying when we were young, 'If you don't want
to play hockey, it will be fine with me,'" he said. "He
always encouraged us but he never put pressure on us to play.
He always has been there to help and support us."
Just
like Brett Watson is there to "help and support" his
little brother.
UMASS HOCKEY SALMON SKIN LEATHER LOGO WALLETS OFFERED IN
BLACK & MAROON WITH VEGETABLE
TANNED LEATHER LINING.
ALL PROCEEDS GO TO THE POND CLUB .
CONVENIENT , UNIQUE & CLASSY ,THE NUMBER ONE FRONT POCKET
WALLET IN THE USA !
OFFERED FOR : $ 20.00
SEND CHECK TO : TIM HOWES
245 FITCH RD.
CLINTON, MA.
01510
The
Patty Fund is a non-for-profit organization founded in an
effort to aid in the fight against brain cancer by providing
much needed funding for research and development in the study
and treatment of brain cancer at the Massachusetts General
Hospital and the Stephen E. and Catherine Pappas Center for
Neuro-Oncology. 
A
CELEBRATION OF JACK CANNIFF’S LIFE
The
Arlington native ranks second all-time in career win percentage
among all hockey coaches and second among all coaches in
career playoff appearances. He developed three All-Americans,
all from the 1972 team (P.J. Flaherty, Pat Keenan and Brian
Sullivan). Canniff graduated from Boston College in 1954.
Jan.
23 - Brett Watson may be the unsung hero on the Massachusetts
hockey team, as evidenced by the fact his teammates have voted
him the Jack Caniff Unsung Hero Award each of the last
two seasons.