Miami Ohio University Athletics
Pod Points: The Blog
12/1/2020 4:44:00 PM | General, Hockey
This blog will update daily with a summary of Miami Hockey's day-to-day events from the NCHC pod in Omaha. The 2020-21 Miami Hockey season is presented by Kroger and Cintas.
Sunday, December 20, and Monday, December 21, 2020:Â Home at lastÂ
Sunday was Miami's last day in the pod. Most players and staff were thankful for that, even though the last three weeks have been tremendous.
Because the team did not finish playing their game Saturday night until around 10:40 p.m. local time, the coaches thought it wouldn't hurt to let them sleep in a bit Sunday morning, with breakfast not getting underway until 10 a.m.
On the menu was french toast, bacon, eggs, hash browns, oatmeal, and fruit.
The meal was followed by an 11:15 a.m. rapid COVID testing session inside Baxter Arena's club lounge, Miami's last of the pod.
One thing to add here – no teams in the pod had any major trouble with positive tests. It's amazing how great the pod format was from a COVID perspective.
Also, credit to the great folks at the University of Nebraska Medical Center who handled all of the testing, contact tracing, and other medical components of the last three weeks. They did an outstanding job with the number of teams, officials, and other staff they took care of during the pod.
At noon, an optional morning skate took place on the main arena at Baxter. Only a handful of players went out, participating in short, quick drills led by assistant coaches Barry Schutte and Eric Rud. The majority of the team decided to stay back at the hotel and rest.
At 1, players and coaches reviewed video of Saturday's game against Colorado College back at the hotel, before the pregame meal was served around 1:15. The team enjoyed brisket, rice, vegetables, salad, and brownies (which quickly disappeared).
Players and staff went up to their rooms for a few hours of rest before departing for the rink.
The team bus arrived at the hotel Sunday morning, as the plan was to depart Omaha right after Sunday night's game.
Before players walked to the rink, they met the bus outside the hotel between 5-6 to load on their personal bags and belongings. The bus eventually made its way to Baxter during the game.
Players and staff were inside Baxter at 6, and the pre-game team meeting was held at 6:30.
Miami fell to North Dakota in their final game of the pod, 6-2.
Following the game, players and staff jumped into organized chaos as the team prepared to depart.
Miami used a different bus than usual for the return trip home. Because the team would be driving through the night, they got a "sleeper bus," which holds bunks and couches throughout so people can stretch out and sleep.
There was not enough room on one bus to hold all of the team's cargo, so a trailer was attached to the back to hold players equipment, equipment and medical supplies, and some personal bags.
Players loaded their own equipment into the trailer, then assisted the equipment and medical staffs with loading their supplies into the trailer: trunks holding stick tape, tools, medicines and medicine tape, some of the six bags that were packed with players' sticks, sports performance equipment, cases of water and Gatorade, a skate sharpener, glove dryers, and bags containing practice and game jerseys.
After some quick good-byes with Omaha and building staff who saw players and staff out the door, those in the travel party who were heading back to Oxford were loaded up and on their way by midnight local time.
Just to note, the coaching staff allowed players and staff to leave directly from Omaha to their homes, which is what about 14 or 15 team members did. If players or a staff member's family or home was closer to Omaha than Oxford, this is what they did.
After a dinner on the bus of pizza and salad from a local restaurant, it didn't take long for players and staff to settle into their bunks and head to sleep for the night.
Most of the players were surprised at how well they slept. The beds on the bus are actually pretty comfortable, with blankets, pillows, and twin-size mattresses.
The team made one stop during the trip in Champaign, Illinois, to drop a couple of players off who live in the Chicago area. They had family members pick them up from Champaign. Coaches thought this would be easier for them rather than going all the way to Oxford and then driving back to Chicago.
The bus arrived at Goggin Ice Center around 11 a.m. eastern time Monday. The team worked together again to unload and unpack all of their stuff.
Players unpacked the equipment out of their bags and into their stalls in the locker room. They placed the extra equipment and medical supplies next to the rooms where they are stored.
Players and staff said good-bye and wished each other a happy holiday as they departed Goggin around 12:15. The players then made quick stops at their houses, dorm rooms, or apartments, before leaving Oxford for their drive home. For the players that came back to Oxford, it was only a drive of a few hours for each.
The equipment and medical staffs stayed behind for a few hours to unpack and put away all of their supplies.
As we look back on the past three weeks, most players and staff say they had a tremendous experience in the pod, but are glad it's over. The repetitive nature everyday made it long and tough, but those who enjoy hockey (the entire travel party) couldn't get enough of it. Things certainly were challenging at times, but the players, coaches, and staff persevered and got through it.
I want to show my gratitude to all of Pod Points' loyal readers over the past three weeks. Whether you read just a few days or every day, I hope you got something out of the blog. For those who reached out with messages of appreciation, a special thanks to you as well.
I also want to thank the tremendous people in the Miami Athletic department, namely Lindsay Sparks, Jude Killy, and David Sayler, who allowed me to go to Omaha and chronicle this experience for the fans. Without them, their generosity, and support over the past many weeks, none of this would have been possible.
As we close the book on a crazy year called 2020, I hope you and your loved ones enjoy a healthy, peaceful, and joyous holiday season and New Year.
The RedHawks return to the ice on Saturday, January 2nd, 2021, at Western Michigan. It's the first of a two game series to kick off the unofficial second half of the season. Â Â
Saturday, December 19, 2020: Like a youth tournament
The weekend kicked off with a 9:30 a.m. breakfast on Saturday, followed by testing at 11 a.m. in the Baxter club lounge. The team ate pancakes, bacon, eggs, hash browns, and fruit.
At noon, players took the ice for their morning skate, where the coaches worked them through a short practice of quick drills.
Things transitioned back to the hotel at 1 p.m., when the team held their pre scout meeting in the meal room. Coaches and players reviewed video of Miami's last game against Saturday's opponent, Colorado College. The team meal was held immediately after.
Players and staff headed up to their rooms for rest. There was a little extra time for that on Saturday, with an 8 p.m. local start. Pretty much everyone was at the rink by 6.
Coach Bergeron addressed the team 90 minutes before the game, and eventually, the puck was dropped.
Miami and Colorado College tied 1-1, with the Tigers taking the extra point in the NCHC standings with a shootout victory.
Players and staff got out of the rink pretty quickly after the game. A chicken fajita buffet was waiting for the team in the meal room when they got back, catered by a local restaurant.
About half the team stayed behind to eat in the meal room, while the other half took their food up to their rooms.
Sunday's schedule includes a COVID testing session and morning ice available to the team. It's Miami's final day in the pod.
I wanted to share this picture from yesterday, taken about two hours before the Miami and Colorado College game.
Denver and Western Michigan were playing in the game before, which turned out to be a tie. Denver won the shootout.
A lot of people in the pod have compared this to a youth hockey tournament, where there are games going all the time and teams intermingling closely with one another.
That's Miami's players on the left, and Colorado College's on the right. Both teams are watching the finish to Denver-Western Michigan. There's a clear divide, but both teams took breaks from their pregame routines to catch the end.
It was interesting to see both teams, who were about to play, standing right next to each other waiting for their turn on the ice. There were even a few shared laughs and jokes as everyone enjoyed the exciting finish.
Friday, December 18, 2020: Just chilling, and your questions answered
There isn't a whole lot to talk about in terms of what went on in the pod on Friday.
The team ate breakfast in the meal room at 10 a.m., which consisted of french toast, eggs, bacon, hash browns, and fruit.
Although ice was available to the team, coaches told players to take a complete day off and not skate, with two games in two days coming up.
There was nothing else on the teams' schedule until dinner. Some players came over to watch the 3:30 game between Western Michigan and Omaha, many stayed in their rooms to rest, and a few gathered in the meal room to play cards and hang out.
Players and staff reconvened at 7 inside a local restaurant for dinner, where they enjoyed beef tips, mashed potatoes, chicken, rice, salad, and rolls.
The team had their own private room, as well as a private entrance and exit. Coaches and staff who have cars in Omaha made round trips between the restaurant and hotel to get players to dinner.
After dinner, the majority of the team stayed behind at the hotel to rest. A few watched the late game between St. Cloud and Colorado College at the arena. The equipment staff came to the arena to switch out the team's red helmets for their white helmets, as well as prepare the locker room for the morning skate.
The team will go through their normal routine on Saturday with an 9:05 p.m. eastern time start against Colorado College.
Before we wrap, I wanted to address a question many fans have asked over the years about players' sticks. The question is, usually how many sticks does a player use at one time?
That answer varies. A typical player will have one "primary stick" and then a couple backups ready to go in case one or two of their sticks break.
Some players, however, will have 3 or 4 backups taped up and ready to go at a moment's notice. There is one Miami player who has 5 backup sticks always ready.
At the beginning of the year, the equipment staff will order around six sticks per player. The player will customize the stick's curve, flex, model, and shape to how they want it.
If the player likes those first six, the equipment staff will order 18 more for the season. If the player doesn't like the first six, they adjust the stick to more of their liking, then 18 of the changed sticks are ordered.
The picture above shows some extra sticks on Miami's bench before a game. Players will put backup sticks they'd like on the bench in a designated area before puck drop, and the equipment staff will carry them to the bench usually before warmups.
Some players send up to three backup sticks to the bench, others typically have one.
Again, it just depends on the player. Everyone has their own liking and preferences.
Thursday, December 17, 2020: Smiles and laughs
The team began their day at 9:30 a.m. with a breakfast of pancakes, bacon, eggs, and fruit in the meal room. Not much was said while players and staff ate.
A 10 a.m. COVID rapid testing session took place in the Baxter Arena club lounge following the meal.
At 11, players got on the ice for a full team morning skate, where assistant coaches Eric Rud and Barry Schutte walked the team through quick drills.
Players and staff headed back to the hotel for a little rest before a 12:50 team meeting in the meal room, where coaches walked through video of Miami's last game against Denver. At 1, the team had lunch of chicken, rice, broccoli, and salad.
Everyone headed up to their room for some rest, before the entire team arrived at the rink no later than 5:30. 90 minutes before puck drop, Coach Bergeron addressed the team.
The RedHawks took the ice and played tremendously. Miami shutout Denver 3-0.
There was a great feeling in the locker room after the game. Smiles, high-fives, and laughs were shared by everyone. Robby Drazner received the game puck from his teammates after scoring his first career collegiate goal.
Players sang the fight song after Bergeron talked to them. (Apologies for not a great picture here... it is a small locker room. You can watch a video of the team singing here).
Players and staff arrived back at the hotel around 10:30 p.m., where a make-your-own chicken salad meal was waiting for them, catered from a local restaurant.
Most of the team stayed in the meal room to eat and enjoy each other's company after a great night on the ice.
Friday is a scheduled off day.Â
Wednesday, December 16, 2020:Â Special people
Things got going on Wednesday with a 9:30 a.m. breakfast in the meal room of french toast, bacon, eggs, hash browns, and fruit. Players and staff took their time eating.Â
The team trotted to Baxter Arena between noon and 12:30 p.m. for a scheduled 1:30 p.m. practice.
Coaches decided to spend the ice time playing small area games. Players split themselves into two teams and played 2v2 and 3v3 matchups for around 45 minutes. Things got competitive at times.
After practice, players and staff headed back to the hotel for a little rest. Some stayed behind to watch the start of the 3:30 game between Minnesota-Duluth and Omaha.
At 6:30, players and staff walked to a local restaurant near the hotel for dinner. They had their choice of salmon, steak, and chicken marsala. The team had their own room with a private entrance and exit.
After dinner, players and staff headed back to the hotel for a relaxing night. Many players stayed in their rooms to play video games, watch TV, and rest. A few went over to the rink to watch the late game, an exciting matchup between St. Cloud and North Dakota that was decided in overtime.
Thursday, the team plans to carry out their normal gameday routine with an 8:35 pm ET start against Colorado College. Fans can find a way to follow the game here.
Today in the blog, I want to highlight the special people working at Baxter Arena to keep everyone in the pod safe, welcome, and full of holiday cheer.
Linda and Ted (pictured below) are just a few of the tremendous staff members who check people into the building, assist teams with their needs, and patrol hallways to make sure everyone is in the correct area based on their testing tiers.
Linda, originally from Chicago, has worked part time at Baxter for 4 years. She's retired from a career in the travel industry.
At the beginning of the pod, Linda made a Christmas tree for each team to put in their locker room. She also handed out large buckets of candy canes to the teams a few days ago.
"I feel bad for them," she told me, referring to players, coaches, and staff. "They're spending all this time here with no families and little support during the holiday season."
Linda insists her efforts are on behalf of the entire Baxter team, in order to make everyone feel at home.
"People have been very appreciative of it," she said. "Several members of different teams have come up to me and said thank you."
Ted, who's worked at Baxter part time for five years while still holding a career in the banking industry, said the bond that's developed between everyone inside the pod has been special.
"We've seen everybody so much they feel like family now," he said. "You get to know everybody, we're familiar with each other because we've spent time together almost every day for three weeks."
Like all the staff from Baxter, Ted's gone out of his way to make sure teams have what they need when moving into a new locker room or preparing for a game. He's delivered folding tables, called for cleaning staff, and answered any building-related questions teams have asked. His entertaining stories have kept people in the pod laughing.
It's gotten to the point where some refer to him as Uncle Ted when they check into the building.
Both Linda and Ted told me hockey players are a special breed.
"They're so polite," Linda said. "When I worked in the travel industry, I could always pick out the hockey players. They're respectful, cooperative, always well dressed, there's something different about them."
"They've created such a good atmosphere," Ted added.
And the same goes for the Baxter employees who have given so much to make the pod work.
"We're going to miss you guys," Linda said.
Tuesday, December 15, 2020: Game six
It was a pretty normal game day in the pod for the team on Tuesday.
Food was brought out a little late for a scheduled 9:30 a.m. breakfast, but the team enjoyed their pancakes, bacon, eggs, and potatoes after a chance to sleep in a bit.
Because the team was COVID PCR tested on Monday, there was no rapid testing before Tuesday's game.
An 11 a.m. morning skate took place on Baxter's main ice, featuring the entire team. Like always, coaches walked the team through quick drills just to get their heart rate up.
A 12:50 p.m. pre-scout meeting was held in the meal room at the hotel where the team reviewed video of Colorado College's last few games. That was followed by a lunch of chicken, rice, vegetables, and salad.
Players and staff went up to their rooms afterwards to get some rest. The team was at the rink by 5:30 for the 7:35 p.m. start.
Players went through their own gameday routines, and before you knew it, the puck was dropped.
Miami fell to the Tigers, 4-1.
Things were quiet after the game. The team moved out of their locker room back to the same space they had for the games last weekend, a setup where part of the team is in the Omaha men's basketball room, women's basketball room, and volleyball room.
Colorado College was in that space for the game on Tuesday, so players took their bags and all the supplies to a holding area next to the new space as Colorado College moved out and the room was disinfected.
Players headed back to the hotel after that for a postgame meal of chicken fajitas and rice. Some stayed in the meal room, most went up to their own rooms.
The equipment staff stayed behind to move and unpack player bags and the other team supplies into the new locker room after it was cleaned. They received help from Omaha's equipment manager, trainer, and strength coach. All of them walked out of the rink around 1 a.m.
The team has ice available Wednesday afternoon.
Monday, December 14, 2020: Getting readyÂ
Players got the chance to sleep in with a 10:00 a.m. breakfast on Monday morning. French toast, bacon, hash browns, and eggs were on the menu.
At 11, another COVID testing session occurred at the rink, the last PCR test for the team in the pod. The great folks at the University of Nebraska Medical Center tried an experimental PCR test on the team that only goes about half as deep as the previous ones players and staff in the pod have received.
Most players went back to the hotel after the 11 a.m. test to reset, then came back to the rink to get dressed and ready for a 12:50 p.m. team meeting prior to the 1 p.m. practice on Baxter's main ice.
The team spent between 30-40 minutes on the ice working through a variety of drills and skills. Some teams got to practice on the main ice Monday as there were no games scheduled.
After practice, everyone went back to the hotel to spend the afternoon chilling out. Some staff worked out and went on walks.
The team reconvened in the hotel lobby at 6:15 to head to a 6:30 dinner at a local restaurant. Because temperatures were in the teens and wind chills in single digits, the coaches thought it would be a good idea if the players didn't have to walk the 0.7 miles to the establishment.
The coaches and staff who have cars here, (there are three) made a couple round trips each to transport the team over to the restaurant. A handful of the remaining coaches and staff walked anyway.
Players and staff enjoyed a buffet of salad, rolls, pasta, sauces, and chicken. The team had their own pre-sanitized private room, as well as a private entrance and exit.
After dinner, the team was transported back to the hotel, where they decided to spend the rest of the night. A few players sat in the meal room to watch the NFL game again on the big screen, while others stayed in their rooms for the night.
Tuesday's game against Colorado College is scheduled for 8:35 p.m. eastern. The team plans to go through their normal game day routine throughout Tuesday.
Sunday, December 13, 2020: Much needed rest
There's not much to report from the pod on Sunday.
No events were scheduled on the team's itinerary after their win against Omaha Saturday night.
Most players and staff took advantage of the opportunity to sleep in. For meals, players got carry out from local restaurants. Â
The team spent the majority of the day in their rooms resting, getting ready for their four games coming up this week.
At one point during the day, a handful of players gathered in the meal room to watch an NFL game. Someone plugged their laptop into the room's projector and the team watched on the big screen.
Some players went over to watch the three NCHC games that were played at Baxter.
After the 4:00 game at the arena, the equipment staff moved into another locker room the RedHawks will be in for Monday and their game Tuesday night.
In a moment of forgetfulness earlier in the day, Andy Geshan, Miami's equipment manager, needed to vacate Miami's storage locker room space they moved into after Saturday night's game quickly. There was a misread in the schedule.
Help was provided by many staff in the pod. Omaha's strength coach and equipment staff, Minnesota-Duluth's equipment manager and players, and the North Dakota equipment manager stepped in to get Miami out of storage.
It was an early night to bed for the team, who wanted to be well rested for a morning COVID testing session and afternoon practice scheduled for Monday.
Saturday, December 12, 2020: Good feelingÂ
There was a different vibe around the team at the beginning of the day.
Saturday started with a 9:30 a.m. breakfast of french toast, bacon, hash browns, and eggs. Players and staff took their time eating, as Saturday's COVID testing session was not until 11 a.m. at Baxter Arena.
At noon, the full team headed on the ice for a morning skate on Holland Ice, Baxter's practice sheet. The coaches walked players through quick drills to get their legs moving.
Around 1, players and coaches met up in the meal room again for a video meeting, where the team pre-scouted Omaha. Coaches showed video to players of Omaha's previous games and explained their common tendencies.
After that, the team enjoyed lunch of chicken, pasta, alfredo and marinara sauce, salad, rolls, and vegetables. Brownies and cookies were for dessert. The players quickly made those disappear.
With an 8 p.m. local time start, there was plenty of time for players to head back to their rooms and rest before getting to the rink between 5:30-6.
Coach Bergeron addressed the team 90 minutes before the game, and before you knew it, the puck was dropped.Â
The RedHawks pulled it out in a fistfight, 1-0. It was the season's first win.
After the game, players and staff joined each other in singing the fight song. There was a sense of relief on everyone's faces. The players took their time leaving the rink, blasting music in the locker room.
There was a good feeling all around.
The team had to move locker rooms again after the game. Players carried their equipment bags to the storage area that was converted into locker rooms, which will be Miami's space for the next few days. Coaches and support staff wheeled around trunks with extra equipment and medical supplies.
After the move, players and staff headed back to the hotel to enjoy the rest of the night.
Sunday is a scheduled off day.
Friday, December 11, 2020: Catch your breath
Players, coaches, and staff were ready to get the game on Thursday night behind them when they woke up Friday morning.
Things got going with a 9:30 breakfast of pancakes, bacon, eggs, and hash browns. Ice was available to the team until 10:30 a.m. following breakfast, and a handful of players went over to take advantage.
Most of them dressed in sweats to go out and wheel around for about 15 minutes, with the goal of breaking a sweat.
The team went through another COVID testing session at 11 a.m. in the Baxter club lounge.
There was nothing on the calendar for the rest of the day. Players stayed in their rooms to rest and relax with another game scheduled for Saturday night. Exams and schoolwork are mostly done for the players, so they didn't have to worry about that.
The team gathered in the meal room at 6 for a team meeting, where they reviewed video of the game against Denver. Following that, a local restaurant catered a meal of lasagna, salad, and breadsticks for dinner.
The team was finished by 6:45. Five players went over to watch the only game in the pod that day, a 7:35 start between Western Michigan and Colorado College. Others took advantage of the time to rest for Saturday's game day against Omaha.
Before we leave, I wanted to share this picture taken Saturday morning of the game puck freezer located in the penalty box at Baxter.
The "home" team in each game during the pod is required to supply the officials with game pucks showing their team logo. Of course, teams give the officials more than is needed, so there are always leftovers.
A lot of fans ask why the pucks are kept frozen before they're used on the ice. The reason is the rubber contracts when the puck is cold, allowing the inside of the puck to be denser and the molecules inside of it to have limited movement. This helps the puck slide better on the ice during game play and prevents it from bouncing.
If a "warm" puck is put into a game, it's expanded molecules are freer to move, which creates bouncing, making the puck harder to play with.
So, there's your science lesson for the day. It's kind of unique to see all the different teams' pucks from the league in one freezer. Â
Thursday, December 10, 2020: The halfway mark
By the time the team ended the day on Thursday, the NCHC pod was halfway over.
The day started at 8:30 a.m. with breakfast of pancakes, bacon, eggs, and fruit. Players ate quickly and made their way over to Baxter Arena for a 9 a.m. testing session, which was followed by a 10 a.m. morning skate.
The skate was optional, but a good number of players decided to go out and break a sweat before the 3:30 p.m. start against Denver. The team ran through a few quick drills with assistant coaches Barry Schutte and Eric Rud.
A team meeting was held at 11 in the meal room, where the coaches reviewed video of Denver's previous games with players.
After that, the team ate lunch of chicken, rice, broccoli, rolls and salad as the pre-game meal.
It was pretty interesting going to that pregame meal yesterday. Denver's meal room is right next to Miami's, (Denver's on the left, Miami's on the right) as both teams are staying in the same hotel. Miami has to walk past Denver's meal room to get to their own.
So RedHawk players and staff were making eye contact with the Pioneers as they walked by, with both teams eating at the same time prior to Thursday's game.
On a "normal" college hockey weekend, you wouldn't have both teams eating their meals literally right next to each other.
The RedHawks headed back up to their rooms after the meal (looking at Denver again) and rested until it was time to head to the rink. Some Miami players even shared the elevator with Denver players when they went back to their rooms.
Everyone is professional and classy in the pod, so of course there were no shenanigans when players or staff of opposing teams came in contact with each other.
Everyone was inside Baxter at about 1:30, with the team meeting taking place at 2.
Miami fell to Denver 5-1.
There was a quiet mood around the team following the game. Players and staff got carry out from local restaurants for dinner.
Some players came back to watch the nightcap, a terrific game between North Dakota and Minnesota-Duluth that ended in a shootout. Others decided to stay in their rooms for the night.
Optional ice was available to the players Friday morning.
Wednesday, December 9, 2020: Another move
Wednesday began with a 9:30 a.m. breakfast in the meal room, where French toast, bacon, eggs, hash browns, and oatmeal were enjoyed by the players. At 10, another rapid testing session occurred for the team at Baxter Arena.
Players went back to the hotel after testing and trickled over to Baxter again for practice by noon.
The team was on the ice at 1. They went through various drills for a practice that lasted around 30 minutes. The coaches' goal was to get them out and moving, rather than touch up on any heavy things.
The ice block ended around 2:30. Some players stayed out even until then working on their own.
After practice, a few players made their way to the hotel, while others stayed behind to catch some of Wednesday's early game, a 3:30 puck drop between Western Michigan and St. Cloud.
At 6:30, the team reconvened at a local restaurant for dinner. The establishment was about 0.7 miles from the hotel, so some players got rides from coaches and staff who have cars here, while others walked.
The team had beef tips, mashed potato, grilled chicken, tossed salad, green beans, and rolls. The Minnesota-Michigan hockey game was on a few TV's, which kept the team entertained while they ate.
Again, players and staff entered and exited through a private door and had a private, pre-sanitized room to themselves in the restaurant.
After dinner, players and staff headed back to the hotel for a relaxing evening prior to Thursday's game.
Everybody except the equipment staff, who went right back to the rink for another late-night locker room move. Miami was moving out of a storage room that was turned into a locker room, and into a space where they would use Omaha's men's basketball, women's basketball, and volleyball locker rooms.
Because there is not enough space for everyone to be in one room, the forwards were placed in the men's basketball room, the defense in the volleyball room (pictured below), and goalies in the women's basketball room. Coaches are in the women's basketball coaches' room.
After practice in the afternoon, players packed up their equipment bags and took them to a holding storage area just outside the new locker room, where the team couldn't move in yet because St. Cloud was in the new space and played in the early game.
The equipment staff had to wait for them to move out, and got to work around 8 p.m. local time.
Andy Geshan and his helper unpacked every players' bag and put their gear in their stall, set up the stick rack and unpacked all the sticks, put out materials for the stick work area, set up a skate sharpener, the coach's room, and handed out clean laundry.
They started working about halfway through the first period of the late game between Colorado College and Omaha, not finishing until that game was in the late stages of the third period.
Everything was set up and ready to go for Thursday's morning skate, scheduled for 10 a.m.
Tuesday, December 8, 2020: The gameday gauntlet
With the RedHawks playing in the late game on Tuesday against Minnesota-Duluth, things got going a little later than typical.
Everyone took advantage of extra sleep as breakfast started at 9:30 a.m. The morning skate took place at 11 on Holland Ice, Baxter's practice sheet, and involved the entire team.
A newly acquired soccer ball provided entertainment for players before the skate. The team played a game where they stand in a circle and try to keep the ball up in the air while kicking it to each other. If you're the one who makes it touch the ground, you're out.
It's a popular pre-game pastime that hockey players of all levels use to warmup for games and practices.
After the skate, players and staff we're COVID rapid-tested at 12:30, then headed back to the hotel for a 12:50 p.m. pre-scout meeting, where coaches showed players video of Minnesota-Duluth's tendencies.
At 1 p.m., the pre-game meal was brought out by the hotel staff featuring chicken, brisket, rice, vegetables, and a salad. The players ate quickly, and went to their rooms afterward for rest and a nap.
With a 7:35 p.m. local time puck drop, most of the team was at the rink by 5. Players took their time going through their pre-game routines, and eventually were addressed by Coach Bergeron 90 minutes prior to the game.
Miami lost a close one, 4-2.
Not much was said by anyone after the game. The team moved to one of the new "storage room" locker rooms in near silence, reflecting on the pod's first four games. Players were out of the rink by 11.
A chicken salad buffet was waiting for players and staff in the meal room at the hotel. A few stayed behind to eat in the meal room, others went up to their own rooms and had a quick night to bed.
The team has a practice scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.
Before we wrap, I wanted to share a beautiful sunset the team was treated to as they walked to the rink for the game Tuesday evening.
And a reminder that despite whatever trying times you may be going through right now, the sun will come up tomorrow. Â
Monday, December 7, 2020: Much needed rest
There wasn't a tremendous amount of activity for Miami in the Pod on Monday.
The team got to sleep in. Because some players had exams Monday morning that didn't end until around 9:30, they could come to breakfast anytime between 9:30-10. Fresh fruit, eggs, bacon, hash browns, and French toast was served in the meal room.
Miami's ice block began at 1 p.m. and was fully optional. Only a handful of players took advantage of the extra time to work on skills and get a skate in. Mostly players who haven't dressed in games went out. The ice time ended at 2:30.
At 3, another COVID testing session occurred in the Baxter Arena club lounge. It was the weekly PCR test the team is given here in Omaha, which goes deep into the nose and to the entrance of the brain.
A lot of players said this kind of test was better than the last time they did it (the night Miami arrived) because they knew what to expect. Still, it's not a pleasant experience, and everyone was happy to get it over with. There were still looks of shock on faces when people walked out of the testing room.
Nothing else was on the schedule for the team through the afternoon. A lot of players studied for remaining exams and/or took some. They mostly spent time chilling in their rooms.
The team gathered again at 7 p.m. for dinner at a local restaurant near the hotel. Players and staff entered a private entrance/exit and sat in a private room without contact with the general public. The team had their option of ribeye steak, salmon, or chicken marsala along with a salad.
After that, the team headed back to their rooms for another night of good sleep before playing again on Tuesday night against Minnesota-Duluth.
On a side note, I thought it would be interesting to show you Miami's outdoor storage pod, which sits outside Baxter's main entrance in the parking lot. The league rented eight of these so each team could have one while in the pod.
While the majority of Miami's equipment and medical supplies can be stored inside their locker room and in the rink, some of it is sent out to storage when not being used. There are some things like snacks, medical supplies, and medicines that have to be inside because they can't freeze.
Miami has game jerseys, extra towels, the color of helmets that aren't currently being worn, extra sanitizing spray, extra coat hangers, game pucks, a pair of crutches, and some of the 300 sticks the team brought with them outside in the storage pod.
With what was originally storage space teams could use in the building turned into locker rooms, more and more staff are using the outdoor pods to hold their stuff.
It's fun to be in a pod while in the pod.
Sunday, December 6, 2020: Another gameday. You know the routine!
If you've followed the blog so far, you probably have Miami's gameday routine memorized.
Sunday, players and staff got to start it one hour later, because they were the home team in the game against Minnesota-Duluth. This means Miami got the 10 a.m. block of ice for the morning skate rather than the road team's 9 a.m. Players, staff, and yours truly were all very thankful for the extra hour of sleep.
It makes a huge difference, especially for athletes playing on back-to-back days.
Breakfast was at 8:30 a.m. in the meal room. Pancakes, bacon, eggs, and hash browns were set up for the team to grab. There was also an oatmeal and fruit station.
At 9, the team participated in their game day COVID testing session over at Baxter Arena. That was over by 9:15.
The staff here from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, who handle the testing in the pod, have been tremendous in working efficiently for quick testing sessions. They are also very personable, kind, and explanatory when giving tests. Kudos to the league for hiring them.
At 10, the morning skate took place on Holland Ice, Baxter's practice sheet, because the building staff had to get the game ice ready for the North Dakota-Western Michigan game, which was slated to face off at noon.
A handful of players went out and twirled around. The coaching staff was very clear that if players didn't want to skate (it was the second half of a back-to-back after all) they certainly could stay at the hotel and rest. The ice block ended at 10:45.
Another meeting was held in the meal room at 11 a.m. Coaches walked the team through video of Minnesota-Duluth's previous games and explained their special teams and 5-on-5 tendencies.
When that wrapped up, lunch was served. The team had chicken, rice, and broccoli for their pre-game meal. Everyone went back to their rooms to rest when finished.
With another 4 p.m. local time start, the majority of the team was at the rink by 2. Chris Bergeron held the usual 90 minutes before puck drop final team meeting, and the players began to lock into game mode.
With the RedHawks being the home team in Sunday's game, there was some extra work behind the scenes before puck drop. The equipment staff had to supply game pucks to be used during the game. They are pictured below. The design on Miami's game pucks changes every year. This season, it features the logo representing unity between Miami University and the Myaamia tribe of Oklahoma. A pretty cool and unique look. Â
Trainer Drew Ruckelshaus also had to make sure the benches were set up properly from a sports medicine standpoint.
The RedHawks ended up falling in a close one to the Bulldogs, 5-3.
There was no plan for a team meal after the game, so players got carry out from restaurants around the hotel. Some brought it back to the meal room and ate in socially distant groups, others just went up to their rooms.
It was a very laid-back night in the hotel. Everyone needed to catch their breath after two long days of playing games. Some players had exams Monday morning and needed to be rested for those.
Everyone got to bed pretty early. Monday is a scheduled off day with optional ice available to the players.
Saturday, December 5, 2020: Gameday, and more friendship storiesÂ
The weekend started off pretty routinely. Players and staff had breakfast in the meal room at 7:30 a.m., followed by an 8 a.m. testing session at Baxter Arena.
The team then held an optional morning skate at 9 a.m. About ¾ of the players went out. Assistant coaches Barry Schutte and Eric Rud led the team through drills for about 20 minutes. Afterwards, players spent time on the ice working on what they wanted up until 9:45.
At 11, coaches and players held a "pre-scout" meeting in the meal room. These meetings usually take place the day of a game against a new opponent, which in this case is Omaha.
In these meetings, the coaches show video of the opponents' previous game. They walk Miami through the opponents' tendencies on special teams and certain plays they run in 5-on-5.
That wrapped up by 11:15, then the team ate their typical pre-game meal of chicken, pasta, and salad before resting in their rooms.
The majority of the players and staff had walked over to the rink by 2 p.m., as the game against Omaha had a 4 p.m. puck drop.
Coach Bergeron met with the team in the locker room around 90 minutes before game time to go over some final things, and before you could blink, the game was over.
Miami lost 2-1 in overtime. Â
After the game, players trickled back to the hotel, where a chicken fajita buffet was waiting for the team from a local restaurant in the meal room. Players ate quickly and headed back to their rooms to rest for Sunday's game against Minnesota-Duluth.
It was only a matter of time before they were going to get up and do it all over again.
On a side story, the pod got a new team yesterday in Colorado College, who arrived Friday night after taking two busses and making the drive from the Springs. The Tigers had to shut down for two weeks in late November after a positive case on the team, delaying their entrance to the pod.
Their equipment manager, Gord Hamilton, who is very well liked and known around the league as "Spud," was trying to move all his stuff into Baxter Arena from the outdoor storage unit in the parking lot around 10 a.m.
Andy Geshan, Miami's equipment manager, noticed the amount of bags and supplies Spud needed to deal with and decided to give him a hand.
Just like Western Michigan's equipment staff wanted to help out Miami's the other night when they moved into a new locker room, Miami's decided to help out Colorado College yesterday with their move into the pod.
There's been other instances of cross-equipment managing, too. St. Cloud State's equipment manager Jeremiah Minkel told me yesterday that Chris Garner, Minnesota-Duluth's equipment manager, helped his staff out with a locker room move on Friday night.
When teams move into new locker rooms too, equipment guys who were in the room before tell the equipment manager moving in their suggestions for how to set up the room, where to put the coaches, where to put the trainer, etc. Â
Like it was mentioned before: friends are helping friends here to make this thing work.
Friday, December 4, 2020: Calm before the storm
After a restful Thursday, the team was ready to get back at it with another game in one day.
Friday started off with a 9:30 a.m. breakfast, allowing players to sleep in or even get ahead on more studying for exams. Pancakes, bacon, eggs, hash browns, and oatmeal was the menu.
Around 11:30, players started trickling over to the rink for practice, slated to schedule at 1. Practice took place on Holland Ice, Baxter's practice sheet, where the team refined some things to get ready for Omaha on Saturday.
Another locker room move was scheduled after practice. The team took locker room 6, which during normal times is Omaha's pro shop. It's pretty interesting how they turned it into a locker room, with folding chairs and makeshift racks to hang equipment.
Earlier in the day, there was a call between the league and teams, who all agreed the locker room situation of moving just about every day was not feasible for the remainder of the pod. The teams unanimously supported turning the indoor storage space at Baxter into extra locker rooms. That way, teams could always have a locker room in the arena. Extra items would be stored in outdoor storage pods in Baxter's parking lot. At the beginning of the event, the league rented one for each team to use how they wished.Â
Originally, the league thought teams would rather have locker rooms closer to the game ice when they played games, which meant moving a lot, but enough teams told them it was too much moving. They would sacrifice a longer walk to the ice rather than having to switch locker rooms often.
Because of this change, Miami will remain in the pro-shop locker room until past their two games this weekend, a relief to the support staff who dreaded moves.
After practice Friday, the team ate in groups on their own and made it back to the hotel for relaxing, more studying, or taking online exams.
Just before 6, the coaches held a team meeting in the meal room to go over video of the North Dakota game and make adjustments.
Following that, the team headed to a local restaurant for dinner, about 0.7 miles from the hotel. Some staff who drove to the pod and had cars gave players rides to the restaurant, while others walked.
It should be on the record the team had a completely private room and entrance/exit at the restaurant. The league has been very strict about members of teams dining in publicly at restaurants, and has followed teams' compliance of this rule with relentless vigilance.
Players and staff enjoyed a buffet of chicken, pasta, and salad.
After dinner, the majority of the team walked back to the hotel. Some stayed in for the night, while others went back to the rink to watch the Denver-North Dakota game, a one-goal thriller that North Dakota won in 3-on-3 overtime.
It was an early night to bed for the team, as Saturday would begin a stretch of 3 games in 4 days.
Thursday, December 3, 2020: "Friends helping friends"
Thursday was day five of Miami's NCHC pod experience, and it felt good for the players and staff to step away for a little bit on a scheduled day off.
Things started off with a 9:30 a.m. breakfast in the meal room, where french toast, eggs, bacon, and hash browns were on the menu.
Miami gets a block of ice each day to use how they want, and with yesterday's at 11 a.m. on the Baxter practice sheet, the coaches decided to create an optional skate for players to use how they wished.
Half the team skated, and half the team stayed at the hotel to rest and unwind. A handful of players took exams yesterday in the morning online, as this is Miami's exam week.
Following the skate, players and staff had lunch on their own. Everyone spent the afternoon at the hotel. Most players studied for exams, some staff worked out, others rested in their rooms.
Because the team's stay here is three weeks in length, personal laundry is a necessity. The lovely staff at the hotel offered to do the whole team's laundry once a week in the hotel's facility. The players put their personal laundry in mesh bags provided by the equipment staff and into a large hamper on the second floor of the hotel, where the entire team is staying.
Eventually, the hotel staff took care of the laundry and placed the clean clothes back in the hamper, wheeling it to the second floor. Just one example of how everyone involved with the pod is helping each other out during a unique experience.
The team also had dinner on their own. A few players tried out a local Thai restaurant, while others hit up a pizza place a few blocks from the hotel.
One of the players' favorite things to do in the pod is watch games featuring other teams, especially in the evenings. Only one game took place on Thursday, a 7:35 p.m. puck drop between Omaha and Western Michigan.
Anybody who has a credential to get into the building (the entire travel party) can walk in to watch. Each team was given an assigned section to sit in the arena when they choose to come over.
Players enjoy watching other teams because they used to play with a lot of players on other teams in the league and continue to have friendships with them. Plus, why not go over and watch a game for free when not many others in the world can right now?
Other than sitting in your hotel room and watching TV or streaming a show, there aren't many other decent entertainment options in the pod other than watching games in the arena.
A handful of players attended Thursday's Omaha-Western Michigan tilt.
Coaches from various teams attend the games too, which they use as an opportunity to scout the competition. Each team got a suite in Baxter Arena to use however they wanted, and this is where coaches of respective teams typically sit when they watch.
Around 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, every player on Miami's team went over to the rink to pack their equipment bags in preparation of another locker room move that took place after the Omaha-Western Michigan game Thursday night. Miami was going to move into the same locker room Western Michigan had for Thursday's game.
Players grabbed their equipment bags and took them to carts inside a hallway behind the home team's bench at Baxter Arena. They also assisted the equipment staff in moving supplies out of the previous locker room, which during normal times is Omaha's pro-shop. It was converted into makeshift locker space during the pod.
The new locker room is the visitors' locker room during normal weekend series when Omaha hosts an opponent, and features a separate training room, coaches' space, and equipment room.
Just like on Tuesday night when the equipment staff had to make a late-night move to prepare for practice the next day, Andy Geshan again got to work after Western Michigan moved out of their game locker room around 11 p.m. following the 10-2 loss to Omaha.
The carts of players' bags and other supplies were wheeled around the arena into the new room, where Geshan and his equipment staff began unpacking.
Suddenly, the Western Michigan equipment staff, who had just worked a game and moved out of their locker room, stepped forward and offered Geshan their help so he could move in more quickly.
So the Western Michigan equipment staff, along with Geshan and his helper (yours truly), were all taking Miami players' bags off carts and putting them in the locker room next to each player's stall. The Broncos' staff also helped wheel around Miami's other carts and trunks with supplies from the storage area to the new locker room. They stayed until the move was complete around midnight.
Geshan thanked them endlessly for their help. Western's equipment manager replied, "it's just friends helping friends."
The selfless actions of people around the pod are making this thing function and run.
In Omaha, it's not eight teams working against each other. It's eight teams working as one for each other.
All for everyone to play, watch, and be around the game they love.
Wednesday, December 2, 2020: Gameday. Finally.
It was almost nine months ago to the day that last year's Miami hockey team walked off the ice at Western Michigan in a Saturday night tilt at Lawson Ice Arena in front of a full crowd.
At the time, no one knew this would be the RedHawks' final game of the season, let alone their final game in nine months.
But that nine month span without games ended Wednesday, and everyone here in Omaha could not have been more thrilled or giddy.
The day began with a 7:30 a.m. breakfast in the team's meal room. Each team in Miami's hotel (there are two others: Western Michigan and Denver) gets their own "ballroom" where teams eat all hotel meals, can have meetings, or just hang out.
On the menu were giant pancakes, eggs, bacon, and hash browns. The hotel staff also put oatmeal out, which a few players selected as their option. One staff member described the pancakes as "the bomb."
The team then walked the half mile over to Baxter Arena for a morning skate and testing session. All members of the travel party are rapid tested for COVID-19 on game days. Testing began at 8 a.m. in the Baxter Arena club lounge. It took 15 minutes for the entire team to go through, and the results were in the hands of Miami's medical staff by 9.
At 9, the majority of the team headed out to the main Baxter ice for an optional pre-game skate, where assistant coaches Barry Schutte and Eric Rud ran the team through quick drills to loosen their legs. The drills ended after about 20 minutes. Some guys stayed out until the ice block ended at 9:45 a.m. working on their skills, while others went straight back to the room.
The team reconvened at the hotel meal room for an 11 a.m. pregame meal. Every pregame meal features chicken and pasta with marinara sauce and a salad. White chocolate and chocolate chip cookies were on the menu for dessert.Â
With a 3:35 p.m. local time puck drop, everyone went back to their rooms after lunch to take a quick nap before the team was set to walk over to Baxter around 1.
While the team typically walks over together in large groups for a practice or testing session, players like to trickle in for games in small groups and individually, as this helps them get focused.
When players arrive at the rink, they tape and wax sticks that will be used in the game, stretch out, and spend time by themselves to focus individually. Everyone has their own pregame routine that they've used since playing at lower levels, and it's interesting to watch how different players prepare for each game.Â
Before the game, there was a feeling of quiet excitement and energy around the team. Everyone was more than ready to finally get going again.
Eventually, the team made their way to the ice, putting up a decent performance in the season's first game against North Dakota, falling to the nation's #1 team 2-0.
After the game, Miami had to move back out of their game locker room and into a locker room next to the practice rink. The players took their own bags down the hall and unpacked them in their new stalls, while assisting the equipment and training staff in moving their supplies to the other room as well.
The players ate on their own for dinner. Most went to a taco restaurant next to the arena, which serves a wide variety of tacos and other quick Mexican food. The staff went to a carry-out barbecue restaurant next to the hotel.
Eventually, the players and staff made it back to their rooms and took a breath following a long afternoon.
Thursday is a scheduled off day. Â
Tuesday, December 1, 2020: Late nights, early mornings, and back to the swing of thingsÂ
It's safe to say flexibility has been a skill we've all put good practice toward in the year 2020. The pod in Omaha is no exception.
The team started the day with what was supposed to be a 7:30 a.m. breakfast at the hotel prior to a 9 a.m. practice at Baxter Arena. The team sat in the breakfast room for a few minutes past 7:30 waiting for their food to come out but there was none.
Eventually, the hotel staff, who could not be more attentive and kind during the team's stay here, came into the meal room and admitted they thought the breakfast started at 8:30. Immediately they began filling the buffet line with waffles, eggs, bacon, and hash browns. The food was all out by 8:15.
Players were told not to rush and eat, as the ice block went from 9-10:30 on Holland Ice, Baxter Arena's adjacent practice sheet. Everyone took their time and the team was on the ice by 9:15.
Tuesday's practice was more intense than Monday's. Special teams, breakouts, and small area games were on the agenda. Players and coaches were off the ice at 10:15.
The rest of the day was spent on schoolwork and rest. The travel party had lunch on their own, hitting local spots in Omaha's Aksarben Village, a new shopping, retail, and entertainment area where the hotel is located.
Some players came over to Baxter Arena to watch the pod's first game between Omaha and Minnesota Duluth, which began at 3:35 p.m. local time.
The atmosphere in the building was eerie and quiet. Although the league pumps in fake crowd noise during play, the players said the experience of a Division I game in an empty building is awkward.
The team went to a local restaurant for dinner around 7, and enjoyed their choice of ribeye steak and salmon. Following that, the majority of players went back to the arena and watched the nightcap game from the pod, a one-goal thriller between St. Cloud State and Western Michigan.
Not many know, but to pull this pod off, behind the scenes work is done by dozens of staff in and around Baxter Arena 24/7. Miami's equipment staff is part of it.
Because there is not enough locker rooms for each team to have their own at Baxter, teams are constantly moving in and out of spaces each day for practices and games. When not using a locker room, teams place their equipment in assigned storage rooms dotted around the building.
Miami had to move out of the locker room they used for Tuesday's practice and into storage following the skate. Players transported their own equipment bags to the storage room and hung their gear to dry on makeshift racks. Other items, including stick tape, extra skate blades, a skate sharpener, equipment chests, sports performance equipment, and sports medicine supplies were also moved to storage to make way for Denver, the team using the locker room next.
Miami was scheduled to use the same locker room on Wednesday that Western Michigan was in for their game Tuesday. Because Miami's morning skate was scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday, they had to move in after Western Michigan moved out following their one goal loss Tuesday night against St. Cloud.
Head equipment manager Andy Geshan got to the rink during the second period of the St. Cloud-Western Michigan game and began placing all player equipment bags and his extra supplies in the storage facility on carts, wheeling it to the other side of the arena to wait outside the Western Michigan locker room. After the Broncos' equipment staff moved out of their room around 11 p.m. central, the space was disinfected and cleaned so Miami and Geshan could move in.
The equipment staff took all equipment out of each player's bags and hung it in their stalls. They also set up a stick work area, practice jerseys, a skate sharpener, and stick rack.
Not easy work, especially at that time of night. It took about two hours to complete.
After not getting to bed until 2 a.m., Geshan planned to wake up at 6 to sharpen skates and make finishing touches on the locker room before the 9 a.m. morning skate.
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Monday, November 30, 2020: Sitting and Waiting
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After receiving their initial PCR COVID-19 Tests on Sunday night, the majority of Monday was spent by players and team staff quarantining in their hotel rooms until results came in.Â
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Players spent the time resting, playing video games, and catching up on school work. Coaches made preparations for Wednesday's game against North Dakota.Â
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Boxed breakfast and lunch meals were brought to the hotel by a local restaurant. A handful of support staff delivered the food to each player's room.Â
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Originally, the team was supposed to hold their first practice in Omaha at 1:30 in the afternoon, but due to a minor delay in testing results, the travel party was not all fully cleared to exit quarantine until around 2 p.m. local time.
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The team arrived at the rink around 6 p.m. for a rescheduled 7 p.m. practice.Â
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Things were kept fairly light. Players spent around 45 minutes on the ice playing small area games. The goal of the ice block was to loosen players up after they spent all of Sunday on the bus.Â
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Following practice, players and staff headed back to the hotel for a dinner of chicken, rice, broccoli, and salad. Dessert was vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce, a popular choice that one player described as "the play."Â
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After dinner, the team headed back to their rooms to relax and sleep before practice Tuesday morning.Â
Sunday, November 29, 2020: The Road to Omaha
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At 8:30 on the morning of Sunday, November 29, 2020, the Miami hockey team loaded a pair of busses at Goggin Ice Center and embarked on a 23-day journey to Omaha, Nebraska, and the NCHC pod.Â
On the busses were a combined 300 hockey sticks, 300 towels, 200 rolls of stick tape, 100 rolls of sock tape, 28 player equipment bags, two sets of on-ice underwear, two sets of off-ice workout apparel, 200 game pucks for use when Miami is the designated home team, a skate sharpener, and personal luggage for all those in the travel party.Â
14 players and a handful of staff members boarded each bus in Oxford.Â
The ride's first few hours were silent as players and staff eagerly caught up on sleep. After a quick stop in Champaign, Illinois, for lunch, some players powered on their video game systems while others watched NFL games and chatted football as the heartland of America filtered through the windows.Â
The team arrived safely in Omaha at 8:30 p.m. local time.Â
The first stop was Baxter Arena, the site of games in the pod, where players and staff unloaded all hockey equipment and supplies to a large storage room under the stands. Teams will keep their equipment here when not using a locker room in the pod.
The travel party then headed upstairs to receive an initial PCR COVID-19 test, given by the pod health experts at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.Â
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The test went to the top of the nose, and many claim it touched their brain.Â
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There were mixed reactions following the test. Some teared up, others sneezed, a handful possessed a look of shock. When some players and staff were waiting in line asking those who already went how it felt, a few choice words were used to describe the experience.Â
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Following that, the team bussed the half mile back to their hotel where room keys and a boxed dinner were distributed. Players and staff headed to their rooms for the night to quarantine and await their test results before a scheduled practice Monday afternoon.Â
