Hello, everyone.
It was an awesome experience playing in the Beanpot Tournament semifinal at TD Garden on Monday (a 3-2 overtime win against Harvard). It's a big deal for all the Boston schools to play in the Beanpot, so to finally be able to play in it in such a dramatic [game] was great. It was an awesome goal by [forward] Ty Amonte in overtime and we're really happy with the win. Now we have a tough test against Northeastern in the Beanpot final (on Monday). Before the final, we have a big regular-season game against the University of Massachusetts with two valuable points on the line.
We know Northeastern defeated us twice this season and we remember not only the losses, but how we lost. In the first game, we lost 4-1 (Nov. 4) and were dominated, and then we lost 6-1 (Nov. 10) at Northeastern. But it's a new year and we're in the second half of the season and we've been playing well. I think it's going to be a better game; we're confident as a group and there's belief in the locker room.
I think my experience in the World Juniors helped boost my confidence when I returned to Boston University. I feel like I've been able to step up and play better. I'm just playing my game and it helps playing with [forward] Jordan Greenway. He's such a force down low, so strong down low. I think we're going to miss him the next couple of weeks while he represents the United States men's team at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, but we know he's going to do well in South Korea.
I think Jordan and I have a lot of similarities down low; we're big powerful guys and like to be around the net. During and after practice we do 1-on-1's; try to take the puck away from each other. That's helped both of us.
Coach David Quinn has stressed to me to just keep playing the power-forward game. He wants me to go to the net hard, dominate and have the puck.
Finally, while I try not to look at the NHL Central Scouting's midterm list of North American skaters, every player winds up looking at it at some point. It was pretty cool, but I definitely feel I can get better and keep improving. To be honest with you, those rankings go in the head and then go out. I'm just focusing on every day with how I can get better and what things I can do to improve.
Thanks for reading this month
