The Observer, February 8, 2008
Volume XL, Issue 16
Spartans look to defend home ice against Edinboro
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When you're writing for a newspaper, you never want the story to be about yourself. But this week I have no choice.
I wanted to watch the hockey team's Tuesday practice and interview the players afterward. They practice at the Cleveland Heights Community Center from 10:15 to 11:15 at night.
I got there around 10:20 and tried the main entrance, which was locked. Then I tried all the other ones. They were locked. I'm sure you remember Tuesday night, but if you don't, it was in the low 40s and raining pretty hard.
I walked around the building a couple more times, retrying the doors with no luck. There was a game going on in the first rink. I tried banging on the door, but none of the parents noticed. Then I walked back to the main entrance and saw the hockey team practicing on the second rink. There was no way that they would hear me, so I waved my wet yellow legal pad stupidly for five minutes. No one noticed.
A couple minutes later, I heard a door off to my right open. I ran toward the door and saw an older gentleman carrying a box walking out. I yelled, "Wait" as the door shut. "Oh," he said.
After that I went back to my Saturn for about 20 minutes because I was wet and cold. When I walked back to the entrance, I saw the Zamboni crisscrossing the ice. That's when I knew it was over. I looked at the building hours, which stated that the building closed at 10 p.m. I don't know how there were activities still going on at 11:20, but I believe that it's some sort of a paradox.
I suppose that this has been a roundabout way of saying that I don't have a lot for you this week. Here's what I can say:
The opposition
The Edinboro Fighting Scots have had a tough year. Their record is 1-16. They lost their last game 15-0 against Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC). Two days before that, they lost to SUNY Fredonia 15-3. That's a worse weekend than Hud had in Cloverfield. Not to spoil anything, but he dies.
Their only win came in overtime against Medaille College on Nov. 18. The Scots have seen their program drop off dramatically in the past three years. They were back-to-back division champions ('03-'04, '04-'05) and went to the Final Four of College Hockey East's playoffs in '05.
The last meeting
If the two schools' last meeting (Oct. 28 at Edinboro) showed anything, it's that Case has a better team. They won the game handily, 6-3. The Scots were weighed down by twelve penalties. They spent 24 minutes of the game shorthanded.
The goalie situation
The Observer reported last week that goalie Rob Walls has missed several games due to mono. "[Walls is] the best in our league," said senior club president Jim Lowe. When Walls is in, the team always seems to be in the game. He's the C.C. Sabathia of the College Hockey Association. Walls could be back for tonight's game. If he isn't, senior Dan Pawlowski will once again fill in.
"I had played goalie in pickup games this summer, so I had a little bit of experience. But, pickup isn't really indicative of the play in real games," said Pawlowski in an e-mail. "People don't play much defense in pickup and the shot selection is way different. People in pickup never really shoot through screens or from the point, but rather look for pretty pass plays."
Practice has been helpful. "I'm getting used to moving around in the net and getting comfortable back there. Fortunately, the goaltending in our league isn't very good, so most games I'm not much worse, if not better, than the other team's goalie."
One problem with Pawlowski at goalie is that he's a good offensive player. In only six games at forward, he's scored eight goals and notched 16 assists.
Another issue, according to Lowe, is that they've had to shift quality defensemen Jeff Barbarits and Matt Grabowski to fill in at center.
