ENNalty Box

---

This week's events: LAST HOME GAME OF THE YEAR!!!!!!!! Friday, February 8, 5:15 pm Class of 1923 Ice Rink  vs. Lafayette University Saturday, February, 9:00 pm Floyd Hall vs. Montclair University

News and Notes: PENN is currently in first place in the MACHA with a 10-1-1 league record. Friday, PENN beat Montclair University 5-3, handing the Red Hawks their first league loss in since 1999.  Senior Whit Matthews had two goals. Saturday, Penn beat UMBC 8-3.  Dan Remick and Micah Cohen each had 2 goals.

By Amy Potter February 06, 2002 The Daily Pennsylvanian                                  When Whit Matthews signed up for the Penn men's ice hockey club four                                  years ago, he had no idea what he was getting himself into.                                  Fast-forward to present-day.                                  Matthews is now the president and captain, coping with the difficult task of                                  managing one of the most high-maintenance clubs at Penn.                                  Largely due to the dedication of Matthews and his fellow seniors -- Ryan                                  Redpath, Ross Giambalvo, Brian Reagan and Frank Bastone -- the men's ice                                  hockey club has been transformed from a laid back group of friends into a                                  regionally competitive hockey club.                                  "When we got here four years ago, we were just a bunch of guys who drank                                  beer," Matthews said. "The enthusiasm of the four seniors -- plus the juniors                                  -- have really made it possible for us to build up our notoriety in the                                  Northeast."                                  Though this season may be the seniors' last hurrah, they aren't complaining.                                  Thus far they've been going out in perfect style -- posting 10 wins in their first                                  12 games.                                  This just goes to show that a complete turnaround in competitive athletics is                                  not impossible. It just takes hard work and a serious commitment -- the                                  Penn men's ice hockey club is living proof.                                  Tearing up the Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Hockey Association this season, the                                  Quakers have raced out to a 10-1-1 league record.                                  The only blemish in conference play for the Red and Blue came against                                  Rider University in early December. Since then, the often-underestimated                                  Quakers have been taking down league opponent after league opponent.                                  The seniors "have been great," Penn junior forward                                  Todd Leri said. "When they came into the                                  program, they were like 3-23, and they really                                  turned this program around."                                  When MACHA powerhouse Montclair traveled to                                  Penn's home ice --the Class of 1923 Ice Rink -- on                                  Feb.1 the Red Hawks expected their typical                                  rollover win against the Red and Blue.                                  And through the majority of the first two periods, it                                  looked as if Montclair would claim yet another                                  win.                                  The Red Hawks rifled through Penn's defense,                                  knocking in three goals in the first 40 minutes. But it was the home team's                                  potent offense that Montclair could just not handle.                                  In the greatest momentum change of the game, the Quakers' Owen Callahen                                  struck back, tying the game at three.                                  Bolstered by 24 saves from goaltender Patrick Baude, Penn came back to                                  win, scoring two more goals to steal a 5-3 win, despite playing most of the                                  game with men in the penalty box.                                  The win over Montclair is emblematic of Penn's entire season.                                  "It was a huge confidence booster and it just shows our discipline and our                                  depth," Matthews said.                                  Due to their stellar performance thus far this season, the Quakers have a                                  very good chance of capturing their first MACHA league championship.                                  Whether they will win their first championship or not hinges upon Penn's                                  performances this weekend against Montclair and next weekend against Seton                                  Hall.                                  "We obviously have to finish strong," Leri said. "To determine the                                  regular-season champion, we need to win against [Montclair]."                                  With two wins, the Red and Blue can clinch the league championship.                                  Not bad for a team that performed so poorly only four years ago that the                                  seniors have chosen to erase the season record from memory.                                  So what exactly is the difference between this year's Quakers?                                  The Red and Blue's seniors have instilled a sense of commitment into the                                  heads of the entire team over and over again.                                  There's no disillusioned fairy tales in ice hockey. Success depends on early                                  mornings, lots of money, strong coaching and plenty of bruises.                                  "I think its just the fact that everyone's committed themselves to a team that                                  plays and trains at a superior level to the average," Matthews said. "We pay                                  all our own costs. We practice two times a week, and we place two times a                                  week. Our team is has really dedicated themselves to the cause."                                  Because the team's expenses run as high as $30,000 -- and the University                                  only funds a small portion of the cost -- each player has to pay over $600 per                                  season.                                  So it quickly becomes clear as to why a dedicated team is necessary. As                                  Matthews has quickly learned, convincing teammates to show up at seven in                                  the morning wouldn't be possible if they didn't love the sport.                                  Their assets "are hard work and commitment from the players, which on a                                  club team isn't always there," the team's first-year coach Dean Winter said.                                  The recent success stems from not only the seniors' hard work, but also the                                  surge of interest in the club team, especially from a high-impact freshman                                  class this season.                                  Rookie Micha Cohen, from Wynnewood, Pa., has played in all 28 of the Red                                  and Blue's games this season. He is the second leading scorer, with 19                                  goals -- two of which he slipped in when the Quakers were shorthanded.                                  "We had a very good freshman class this year," Winter said. "We have a                                  couple of guys that are important to the team. They seem to be learning from                                  Whit and the other seniors what commitment is."                                  Besides having a committed squad, perhaps the Red and Blue's greatest                                  asset this season is their depth.                                  With a roster 29 players deep, Penn has the luxury of building up multiple                                  offensive and defensive lines and the ability to put its second or third line out                                  on the ice with complete confidence.                                  "Our strongest asset is certainly our depth," Matthews said. "Scoring from                                  all four lines. Any line that we can put out there can get a goal. It's just the                                  depth overall is far superior than it has been. It's terrific."                                  As the Red and Blue close out this season, they are hoping that the recent                                  success will garner greater support amongst the Penn community.                                  This Friday, the Quakers take on Lafayette in their final home matchup of the                                  season at 5:15 at the Class of 1923 Ice Rink on Walnut Street.                                  "As a team we would like to encourage students to come out," Winter said.                                  "We'd like to get a better turnout."                                  And with the Red and Blue playing some of their best hockey in years,                                  turning out for Friday's game might not be that bad of an idea at all.