March 5, 2010

"The Secret Weapon"

WILLIAMSTOWN, MA -- Williams sophomore Nick Fogel (Williamstown, MA/Mt. Greylock) has had an interesting winter going from serving as the men’s ice hockey broadcaster to adding the duties of team reporter and then assuming the role of “The Secret Weapon.”

When senior goalie Marc Pulde was injured just before the Amherst game, Eph head coach Bill Kangas was in a bind. The rules state that you have to dress two goalies for each game and now his team was down to just one--sophomore Ryan Purdy.

Fogel had aspirations of playing for the Ephs this winter, not in goal, so he joined the team at captain’s practices prior to the season. But just before the preseason was to begin he realized that his time away from the game was too great an obstacle to overcome and discontinued his quest.

Kangas attempted to convince a Williams student with high school goalie experience to join the team, but that did not pan out. Then Kangas contacted Nick Fogel, because he knew Fogel had entertained thoughts of trying out for the team in the fall. “We wanted to find an athlete who knew the game and was willing to help out the team,” noted Kangas. “We knew that Nick knew all of the guys, but we did not know if he would be willing to go in goal, especially with goalie being a position where you can get embarrassed. Everyone was appreciative of Nick’s willingness to help us out and they all respected his efforts.”

“I play student/faculty/staff hockey on Wednesdays and Fridays,” said Fogel. “After playing on Wednesday, coach Kangas came to the locker room and asked to talk to me. I’d just listened to a voicemail from Ryan Purdy, telling me to call him. Coach Kangas told me that the team was in dire straits and wondered if I had any interest in playing backup goalie. He thought I might be OK as a backup because I play hockey and I know all the guys.

“Playing college hockey has always been a dream of mine, and even though I never thought it would be as a goalie, I was excited to give it a try. I told him I’d love to try it out. I went down Wednesday afternoon and tried on the pads and took a few shots from some of the guys and the assistant coach. The pads were much bigger and heavier than I expected, but I could move around on the ice better than I thought I’d be able to. I made some big glove saves, which really pumped me up and I just had fun with it. There was no pressure because I’d never played before. Everyone was having fun with it and the guys were really supportive.”

“Nick has a huge heart and just loves the sport of hockey,” said senior captain Alex Smigelski. “I honestly wish there were a few guys on our team that love the sport and want to play the sport in the way that he does. He has shown me a lot this year about love of the game and passion and I thank him for that. It takes a special person to get in net for a college team with never having played there before.”

“Coach Kangas was watching and some of the guys were in the stands too,” recalled Fogel. “I still didn’t know whether I would dress or not because there was a guy who played in high school at Williams they were trying to get. He didn’t turn out to be too good and really didn’t want to play, so I got the call about four hours before the game that I would dress. I called my friends and family, who all had the same reaction: ‘What??’

“While coach Kangas thought it’d be a neat opportunity for me, obviously he was also praying five times a day that Purdy wouldn’t get hurt. It was sort of a down-low thing. Williams people knew, but we didn’t want other teams to know that I was the backup. I didn’t dress for warm-ups. Pulde would go out and glide around to make it look like he was still an option.”

Fogel had to be the Ephs’ secret weapon because if the opposing team knew that Pulde was not available they might make more trouble for Purdy so they could get the untested and inexperienced Fogel between the pipes.

Fogel kept a diary of his experience:

Ryan Purdy '12

Amherst (Day 1): “I found out at 2:30 that I would dress for the game at 7. I’d already told my family that I might be dressing and I immediately texted my friends. Being a Williamstown native, most of my friends from home were still home [on break] and I got a pretty big group to come out to the game.

“I got to the game a little over an hour before face off and was led to a back office to fill out the paperwork to make me eligible with the NCAA. I’d never been in the locker room before the game, and the scene was much different than what I’d experienced in my youth hockey days. Pump-up music was blasting; people were getting back from warm-up jogs, stretching out, getting taped, etc. Marc Pulde’s dad had brought up his old equipment for me to use, and I had a spot in the room next to the main locker room where everyone changes.

“Since I wasn’t going out for warm ups, I sat in the stands to wait. I was sweating and kept imagining nightmare scenarios where I would have to go into the game. I only watched about two minutes of warm-ups, but I saw the shots from the Amherst players and knew it would be ugly if I were called upon.

“I didn’t really know how to put the pads on so I got help from Evan Sealy, the student coach. When I walked into the main locker room, everyone was back from warm-ups, and they all laughed looking at me. They probably also got a little nervous, glancing to make sure Purdy was feeling OK.

“Leaving the locker room, there is a certain order to how everyone leaves--some players stay and give high-fives, some leave quickly. I didn’t know when I should leave, so I just found a spot and went for it. I’d never skated on goalie skates so I was afraid I’d fall, but Pulde gave me some pointers and reassured me.

“The most embarrassing part was when my dad came over with his cell phone to take pictures during the national anthem. I’m sure the team was wondering who the crazy guy was.

“One thing you can’t really tell from the stands is how much passion there is in a college hockey game. In the huddle around the net before the game, everyone was very focused, ready to go. This is the highest level of hockey most of the guys will play, and everyone goes all out.

“Early in the game some students noticed I was on the bench and started yelling for me–my moment of stardom, opening the door. After one period it was 0-0. In the locker room everyone was talking about what we had to do better. People would comment on the goalie, how many rebounds he was giving up. There’s a lot of leadership in that locker room and everyone does a good job of motivating each other. It’s like war on the ice and everyone comes back and fights for each other.

“We gave up two in the 2nd to go down 2-0. The mood was much different from after the first. People were pissed and couldn’t wait to get back on the ice. One of the captains yelled: ‘If anyone in here doesn’t think we can beat these ---------- get the -------- out of here.’ I kept my mouth shut.

“We scored with two minutes left, which was fun because we sort of came alive and rallied. Nobody stopped believing that we could win, and people fought right to the end. After the game it was pretty quiet in the locker room.

“I met the team parents after the game and they invited me to the post-game dinner, but I had to get back to write the article. It was hard to remember how each goal happened because the game was a blur and seemed to happen so fast. “

Brian Malchoff '11

Hamilton (day 2): “The Hamilton game had a much different feel than the Amherst game. The crowd was largely at the Williams vs. Amherst basketball game. The team was still pumped up to play and avenge the night before. I was a little more comfortable in my role and knew what to do a little more.

“The game was just as intense as the night before. We went up early, and I think there was a confidence that we were going to win, but Hamilton just hung around. They scored a late goal and suddenly there was a fear that we could lose two on the weekend. I was less worried that I would have to play, but Purdy took a couple of shots after the whistle that got me nervous again.

“Mostly, I just enjoyed watching the game from a great seat. The highlight came when Cody Skinner scored in OT. I saw the whole play develop and it was just like, ‘Come on, Cody, come on.’ When he buried it, I opened the door to let everyone out and then rushed the ice. I still wasn’t too comfortable in goalie skates so I almost fell and Brian Malchoff was chipping at me on our way to the pile.

“The post-game was great as everyone was sky high. Everyone was praising Cody and joking around. Coach told Cody that it was good he scored because that was going to be his last shift of OT.

“I took a picture in the gear with my girlfriend. The parents got a kick out of that. Steve Maier’s dad commented: ‘Hey, you got this figured out. Purdy can play the games, but you get the girl.’”

Practice Week 1: “I didn’t practice until Tuesday. I got a call at lunch saying that Pulde still couldn’t play. I had felt pretty good taking shots the week before, but I quickly realized that they were not really trying on those shots. On the first drill I was way out of position, giving up goals on every shot. Eventually coach Sealy told me I was playing like a defenseman, guarding the man not the puck. I always thought playing goalie wouldn’t be too tiring, but I quickly realized that I was wrong. I started sweating almost the instant I stepped on the ice.

“The next day I started to feel more comfortable in goal, but not for long. Up to that point, I stopped so few shots that none of them actually hurt. I thought I could get hit anywhere and it wouldn’t hurt. Then Malchoff hit a slap shot from the top of the circle, which got me right on the cup. I was pretty much crippled for a couple minutes and had to leave the net during the drill.

[“I gave Nick a little technical advice here and there about angles and positioning, but for the most part he picked up the position on his own,” stated Purdy. “I remember him struggling the first few practices, but he actually worked really hard to get better and after a couple of weeks he was stopping a lot of pucks and giving the guys a tough goalie to shoot at. I think he might have beaten me in a few drills!”]

“Later I got hit in the stomach on a Ryan Scott one-time shot from the point. My pads were ones that Pulde’s brother used when he was 12, so they were pretty small and I had a section of my stomach that was uncovered. I got hit again in the cup on a drill in front of coach Kangas. I couldn’t leave the net so I stayed in, sort of hunched over, until the drill was over.

“I thought I was playing better by the end of the week, but then we did a three-on-three scrimmage drill. It seemed like I was facing two-on-zeros the whole game and there was nothing I could do. For all of the drills, we’d switch goalies halfway through and keep track of goals. I was behind 8-0 when we switched. The whole time, the guys were very encouraging.

“I’d stay after some days and take shots from the guys. Octavian Jordan asked me how it felt to take shots, saying that he’d be scared to be in there. He’s like 6’ 3” and outweighs me by at least 40 pounds, so I felt a little better after that. All the guys wanted to know what it felt like to play goal and whether it was really as hard as Pulde said it was.”

Wesleyan (Game 3): “I found out on Thursday that I’d be traveling with the team. The trip down was pretty uneventful. My dad, however, just loved the opportunity to be a hockey dad again, so he was coming down for the weekend. We got to the rink about three hours before game time. I hadn’t brought my running stuff down because I wasn’t warming up, so I just sat around and tried to stay out of the way as much as I could.

“Wesleyan was on break so there wasn’t that big of a crowd but it was still exciting to come in as the road team and try to quiet their crowd and steal a win. They were the worst-ranked team in the league at that point and we were in first, but it was evident quickly that they had come to play.

“We went down 4-0 after the first and we were totally outplayed. Skating over to the locker room was like awaiting a firing squad. Everyone was pissed off and fired up. There was still a strong sense that we were going to come back and I still figured we’d find a way to win. Zach Miller reminded the team that they’d practiced battling back from deficits all week in practice because we had switched goalies halfway through drills (meaning I always let in a lot of shots and then I switched ends with Purdy).”

Trinity (Game 4): “Everyone woke up fired up and ready to prove we were better than we’d showed the night before. Without my running shoes, I ran with the guys around downtown Hartford in my sandals. It was warm and sunny out so I stayed outside kicking the soccer ball until they went to change for warm-ups. I did some sit-ups and push-ups in the hall so that I’d feel a little tired on the bench and so I could empathize with the guys.

“We came out firing in the first period and it was fun to watch everyone get their confidence back. We scored one goal but had a ton of chances. Trinity responded in the second and started to take control of the game, going up 2-1. I still felt like we were going to win, but they scored late and then added an empty netter.

“After starting the season undefeated, the team was 1-3 since I joined and we were playing #3 Plattsburgh on Monday. I was beginning to think that maybe I was a curse.”

Plattsburgh (Game 5): “It was a tough weekend and Plattsburgh was a chance to prove that we were a top team and capable of winning big games. There was optimism in the locker room before the game and a focus that wasn’t there during the weekend. Nobody was afraid of Plattsburgh. just eager to show that we belonged.

The game was a battle from the start. By this point, I was pretty sure that I wouldn’t be going in because Marc Pulde was taking shots now and progressing pretty well. I was just enjoying the opportunity to be a part of the action. Midway through the second period, we scored, but they answered shortly after. The game ended in a 1-1 tie, but it was redemption from the weekend. Plattsburgh had beaten Trinity 9-0 earlier in the month and we had just lost 4-1 to Trinity, so coming away with the tie and really battling Plattsburgh was key.”

Practice Week 2: “I started to feel a lot more comfortable in goal during the second week. I let in some really soft goals, but I made a few big saves. My glove hand started to catch up to some of the shots and I was able to look like a real goalie (maybe a JV high school goalie, but still…). The guys were really encouraging and whenever I made a good save, they’d let me know. Purdy and Pulde gave me pointers along the way and always seemed to be watching when I made a good save. It became a lot of fun to play and try to make saves. There was no pressure, and I let in a lot of goals, but I got better and each practice was a new challenge.”

St. Anselm (Game 6): “We traveled to St. Anselm in New Hampshire the next Friday. St. Anselm is a Division 2 team that’s trying to become a Division 1 team. Their rink was really nice and modern. When we came out of the locker room to start the game, the lights were out and there was a searchlight going like in the pros. They were playing Herb Brook’s speech from the movie Miracle on Ice.

“They had a PA guy who really tried to fire the crowd up but all they got was a few claps. He goes, ‘And now your St. Anselm Hawks,’ and there are a few whistles… ‘Crickets.’ They had giveaways during the game and they had a fairly rowdy cheering section.

“When we’d walk past them on our way to the ice, they’d yell, but since we went up 4-0 after the first period, they didn’t have too many good insults. We pretty much dominated the game and ended up winning 6-2. The mood was much different from the previous road trip. Everyone was pretty pumped and confident. After the game, I had to write the article on it. I was able to ask guys how they scored and get feedback on how the recap sounded.”

Alex Smigelski '10

New England College (Game 7): “New England College [NEC] has a pretty small rink and we were cramped into the soccer locker room, which barely fit everyone. I put my bag in the showers while the guys changed for warm-ups. We had to do the dry land warm up in the bleachers and we played soccer under the bleachers in the hallway. Before the game I went for a little run to warm up and tour the campus. It was a really nice day out and I found some trails around campus to run on.

“We started strong again and did a good job of carrying our momentum. By this point, it seemed like we’d gotten back on track after the previous weekend. They scored late to draw within one, but we held on for the win. It was a great trip back, everyone was pumped about the weekend, and we were in good shape in the standings.”

Final Week of Practice/Recap: “I practiced two more days after the NEC game. Pulde was healthy again and I mostly just filled in when he or Purdy wanted a break. The next weekend I didn’t dress and helped out in the penalty box as a stat guy. I found myself missing going to the locker room during intermissions and hearing what was going on. I feel lucky to have gotten the chance to be so close to the action and be a part of the team for three weeks. The team went 3-3-1 during my stint, so I guess I didn’t bring too much bad luck.”

What others said:

Alex Smigelski: “Nick is a great kid. The team appreciates everything that he does for us. It was great to see him help us out by getting in net, and I love the fact that he will do anything for our team. He’s a true team guy and there are plenty of guys on our team and on other teams that can learn from him. I also give him a lot of credit and respect for having the courage to skate with us in the preseason.”

Mark Pulde: “Nick is one of my best friends and a really amazing guy. I think the commitment, effort, and spirit he put into even just a temporary role on the team shows what kind of a person he is. I had a great time watching him from the other end of the ice and rooming with him on the road and he'll always have a special place on our team.”
The final word:

“I’m grateful to all the guys, Coach Kangas, Coach [Peter] Langella, and Coach [Evan] Sealy for making me feel like I was a part of the team,” stated Fogel. “I’ll always remember those seven games and may one day play goalie again.”