When The Game Ends

Luke and I caught with former Denver Pioneers Attackman Eric Law in this episode, we talked all things lacrosse in this episode. We went back to Eric's days growing up in Colorado and what got him started in lacrosse, the process for him to go to college and play at D3 Salisbury (MD), a D3 powerhouse, before he left after 1 season to attend and play lacrosse at Denver under legendary head coach Bill Tierney. We talked about some memorable moments in Eric's career at Denver. After Denver, Eric was drafted by the Denver Outlaws of the MLL, with the Outlaws, Eric and his teammates won 2 MLL titles in 2014 and 2016, we discussed those titles and some of the moments he remembers, including playing with lacrosse great, John Grant, Jr. We also discussed Eric's move to the PLL and playing for Atlas, and we talked with Eric how he works to continue to help lacrosse grow, great time talking lacrosse with Eric in this episode!! 

In this episode we catch up with a man who has won 3 NCAA Hockey Championships as a head coach, Scott Sandelin of MInnesota-Duluth! Sandelin joined Fred Pletsch and I, and we dropped the puck talking about his Bulldogs, winners of the last 2 NCAA titles, and how they were primed to try and become just the 2nd team in NCAA history to win 3 straight titles, (Michigan did it in the 50's, only other team), and this years Hobey Baker Award winner, Scott Perunovich, who hails from the same hometown, Hibbing, MN, as Sandelin. We also talked about Sandelin's time growing up on the Iron Range of Minnesota, what ultimately made his chose North Dakota as his college choice, being drafted 40th overall, 2nd round, by the Montreal Canadiens, his time in pro hockey and what ultimately forced him out of the game as a player. We chatted about his 1st head coaching job, his time as an assistant coach under Dean Blais at North Dakota, his relationship with the now retired Blais, and so much more in a really enjoyable episode! 

In this episode we catch up with Grand Rapids Griffins Captain/Forward Matt Ford. I first met Matt in Cleveland when he was playing for the Lake Erie Monsters and I was the team broadcaster, in fact as Matt tells Fred Pletsch and I in this episode, his time w/Lake Erie was big in his development as a pro hockey player. Matt starts from the beginning with us as he tells us the story of his grandfather moving his family from Toronto to Southern California and Matt's first memories of hockey and how he started to play as a kid. In his teen years he would attend Shattuck St. Mary's School in Minnesota, a program that has helped produce dozens of players that have gone on to play college and pro hockey. From Shattuck, Matt attended the University of Wisconsin and was part of their 2006 NCAA Title team, he discusses that, and one teammate who helped teach him more about the game. Matt's pro hockey career started in 2008 with Charlotte, in 2009-11 he played for Lake Erie, leading our team with  26 goals in his 2nd season & was a part of our late season run to the Calder Cup playoffs! Matt has been with Grand Rapids since 2016, later that season, the Griffins would hoist the Calder Cup as AHL Champions. Matt is 35, and he's now showing the younger players in the Detroit Red Wings organization what it takes to be a pro player, all while still playing the game he loves!!! 

In this episode, we chat with former Western Michigan Forward & Captain Jeff LoVecchio. Fred Pletsch joined me on this episode, we talked with Jeff about his roots in hockey in St. Louis, MO, to his tryout with the Omaha Lancers in the USHL, to his commitment to Western Michigan, a school that wasn't even on his radar when his college recruitment was going on. After 3 years playing in the CCHA at Western MIchigan, Jeff signed a pro deal with the Providence Bruins of the AHL, Boston's top farm team. Due to concussion issues, he had to sit out for a full year, concussions eventually made Jeff decide to walk away from the game, he had several in his career and talks openly about dealing with concussions. From the AHL, Jeff went to Europe and played pro, eventually he was playing pro hockey in Asia. After his playing career concluded, Jeff set his sights on staying involved in the game of hockey, he now owns RIPT Hockey in St. Louis, MO, where he trains and works with pro players in the NHL and AHL, his business is doing good and we discussed that as well! 

In this episode, we catch up with Army Hockey Coach Brian Riley, who is the 3rd member of his family to coach the hockey team at West Point. Fred Pletsch and I talk with Riley about his early days of playing hockey in Waterloo, Iowa, his time playing at Brown University and how he started his coaching path, which eventually led him back home, he was born in West Point, NY, to take over for his brother Rob, who he worked under as an assistant coach prior to taking over the program in 2004. Riley's father, Hall of Fame coach, Jack Riley, who won 542 games in his career at Army, started the Riley Legacy at Army when "Red" Blaik hired him in the 50's to coach the team. Riley also talked with us about coaching against his 2 sons, both played at the college level. He also discussed the legendary story of his father and Herb Brooks, who before the 1960 Olympics was cut by Riley. Brian also shared a great story about where exactly his dad kept his gold medal from the '60 Olympics, fascinating stories in this episode. We also chatted about 2 former players Brian coached at Army, who were killed in action while serving as officers in the U.S. Army. Brian also shared with us how the men that have played for him at Army have impacted and continue to impact his life, powerful stories. This episode is inspiring, moving and very motivating!!

In this episode, I'm joined by Fred Pletsch as we chat with Penn State Hockey Coach Guy Gadowsky who was hired to help start the Nittany Lions program 9 years ago. We chat with Gadowsky about his hockey roots in his hometown of Edmonton, Alberta, he grew up as the Oilers glory years with Wayne Gretzky were starting, we also discuss his path to playing in the WCHA at Colorado College, his playing career after college, which included some time in minor league hockey and playing pro roller hockey, We also discussed Gadowsky's coaching path and his rise through the coaching ranks, which started in roller hockey and eventually led him to his first college hockey job as the head coach at Alaska-Fairbanks. It was in his tenure at UAF, that Gadowsky had a very meaningful conversation with the late, great Ron Mason, the head coach of Michigan State at the time, a conversation that has stuck with Gadowsky to this day. We also talked about his time as the head coach at Princeton, a program he helped turn around in his tenure, and his hiring at Penn State in 2011, since then he's led the Nittany Lions to a pair of NCAA tourney berths. We also chatted with Gadowsky about a very special hockey stick he wanted as a kid for Christmas, great conversation all the way around! 

In this episode, longtime friend & college hockey broadcaster Sean Ritchlin joined me to talk all things college hockey. We started out talking some golf, and anyone who knows Sean won't be surprised by that!! As for the hockey discussion, we talked about several different topics, including Sean's 1st ever TV broadcast of college hockey, with yours truly, who inspired him to one day get involved in broadcasting, the Frozen Four being cancelled in the state we both live in, Michigan, our time together in the AHL and doing the NCAA regionals for ESPN for several years, the 2 National Championship teams he played on at the University of Michigan, the 1997 team at Michigan, a team retired legendary Head Coach Red Berenson has called the best team he ever had, and the future of college hockey and the role expansion will play in it down the road! Great talking with Sean, just a couple of guys talking pucks, enjoy!! 

Lex DeMolina is a young, up & coming hockey coach who recently was hired TPH (Total Package Hockey) in New Jersey. Lex told in this episode his first memories of hockey were watching NY Rangers games with his Dad, Carlos DeMolina, a longtime veteran TV producer, who i've worked with the last 6 season of the NCHC on CBS Sports Network. He fell in the love with the game and eventually played in college, after his playing career, Lex embarked out into the world of coaching, he's done everything from hauling equipment to sharpening skates, you name it, this young man has done it all as he continues to work his way up in the coaching world! Among the stops he's made, the USHL with the Muskegon Lumberjacks, a job in Division 3 College Hockey in Duluth, Minnesota, and many other stops which we cover in this episode. We also talked about his new role with TPH and how he's helping develop young hockey players and guide them with coaching and mentoring, Lex is a young man with loads of passion in what he's now doing with his life!! 

On the latest edition of the No Holden Back podcast, we discuss the PLL (Premier Lacrosse League) starting quarantine play on July 25 in the Championship Series. We also talk about the latest episodes of "The Last Dance" and some of the interesting takeaways from episodes 5 and 6. We also discuss the ongoing debate of paying college athletes and also Luke announces that he will be playing lacrosse at Concordia Ann Arbor next school year! We hope you enjoy! Stay safe and Stay healthy!

In this recent episode NCHC Commissioner Josh Fenton joined Fred Pletsch and I to talk all things NCHC, including the days and moments leading up to the cancellation of the season and some updates on next season. We also went to back to Fenton's roots in the hockey rich state of Minnesota to chat about the sports he played growing up, the sport he played in college, the Minnesota H.S. State Hockey tournament and a little trip down memory lane about his time in Oxford, OH at Miami University and much, much more!