Sunday Scoreboard

Friday, October 21, 2011


Northeastern 1 @ Merrimack 4 BOX

UMass Amherst 2 @ Boston College 4 BOX

Minnesota-Duluth 5 @ Providence 2 BOX

UNH 5 @ St. Cloud State 7 BOX

Vermont 0 @ Minnesota 6 BOX

Saturday, October 21, 2011


Holy Cross 5 @ Boston University 4 BOX

Boston College 4 @ Northeastern 3 BOX

Connecticut 0 @ Merrimack 5 BOX

Minnesota-Duluth 2 @ Providence 2 BOX

UNH 3 @ St. Cloud State 3 BOX

Sunday October 23, 2011


Vermont 5 @ Minnesota 4 BOX

True Life: I am a Video Coordinator

It has dawned on me that I am yet to describe exactly what I do as a video coordinator. The normal reactions I get when I tell someone my position is, "Oh, so you video tape the hockey games.....cool?" Pretty standard. While this blatant lack of understanding, and to some degree respect, bothered me, I couldn't blame these people because I was never able to give a clear job description in response. Well, its been two years and I've finally been able to pinpoint exactly what I do, and why I do it. The following is a brief overview of my day to day responsibilities:

• Use a special software to dissect live and pre-recorded game film

• Make sure this video and data get onto all four computers, belonging to all four coaches.

• Organize this data into cutups as requested by coaches and players and present them during team meetings. 

• Develop scouting reports on upcoming opponents and present them to the coaches.

• Upload weekend game video onto EzXchanges, a collegiate video exchange site.

• On game days, log live game video and present to coaches in between periods.

As you can see, this job is far more involved and time consuming than simply video taping the games. In fact, I think I saw the camcorder under some boxes collecting dust the other day. The main point here, is that this job is an important part to the development of players and successful teams.  Does anyone remember the scene from Miracle, where Herb Brooks' wife gets upset because he's watching game film into the wee hours of the morning? This still goes on. Judging from the bags under our coaches eyes sometimes, I question if they even sleep. Coaches dedicate hours and hours of time reviewing game film so they can help find strengths and weaknesses in the team as a whole, as well as individual players. 

And let's face it, many coaches these days are technologically handicapped. Without younger, tech-savey video coordinators around doing their job, coaches would not be able to do theirs.

Sunday Scoreboard

Friday, October 14, 2011


Boston University 3 @ Providence 5 BOX


Bentley 3 @ UMass-Amherst 5 BOX


Denver 4 @ Boston College 2 BOX


Maine 1 @ North Dakota 3 BOX


UMass-Lowell 4 @ Minnesota State 2 BOX


UNH 0 @ Northeastern 4 BOX

National USA U-18 2 @ Vermont 1 BOX


Saturday, October 15, 2011


Denver 3 @ Boston University 5 BOX


Army 2 @ Merrimack 3 BOX


Boston College 5 @ UNH 1 BOX


Maine 3 @ North Dakota 3 BOX


UMass-Amherst 4 @ Providence 6 BOX


UMass-Lowell 4 @ Minnesota State 1 BOX 




Box Scores Courtesy of USCHO.com 

5 Reasons Why Home Games Are Such An Advantage

Hey, is anyone out there? To those who have been keeping up with Beyond the Game, I apologize for the absence of new and exciting posts. The truth is, I have been internally debating and reject post idea after post idea on account of unremarkable content. However, the relocation of the blog and new and improved design has really got my creative juices flowing. So in honor of todays big home game I present to you the 5 Reasons Why Home Games Are Such An Advantage [to the home team, of course].


5. A Home Cooked Meal

What does a home cooked meal have anything to do with home ice advantage? It all relates back to game day as a whole. When you get to the college level, there is a game-day routine that starts with a pre-game skate followed by team meal. For home games, the team all goes to their favorite restaurant, in Boston University's case its the famous T Anthony's Restaurant, to fuel up. This meal can be seen as a family meal shared in the comfort of their own living room. This meal is crucial to setting the stage for the big game.

4.  Location, Location, Location. 


Home games mean playing in your own backyard. For college teams, dorm rooms or houses are usually within walking distance of the rink. There is comfort knowing that you are footsteps from your barn. Such close location also means that players can spend an additional hour or two or three in their rooms relaxing and getting mentally focused on the game. There is no rush to getting on a bus and driving to the game. This has a subconscious effect on mental focus and preparation.




3.  The Wheels on the Bus don't matter 


Playing at home means not having to be cooped up in a Peter Pan bus for hours. They might have TV's and a surprisingly fancy bathroom, but the leg room is sufficient enough for an ant. Hockey players are generally big guys and their legs are arguably the most important body part. Sitting in a vertical fetal position for an hour ride is going to cause the leg muscles to get tight and cramped up. Home games are great because the bus stays parked in the garage and the legs are loosey-goosey before game time.


2.  The Sacred Game-Day Rituals 


For those who may not be aware, hockey players as a group are the most superstitious athletes around. From the peewees all the way up to the pros, each and every single player has a special routine that starts in the second they roll out of bed until the final buzzer sounds. It is a science; it is a sacred ritual. Some guys listen to the same song over and over again, while standing in the same corner of the same hallway, taping their stick with the same roll of tape at the same time hours before the game. Others, perform the same stretching routine, with the same few teammates, in the same order. One of my personal favorites is when a group of guys will circle up and play hacky-sack with a small soccer ball and not stop until achieving a certain number of taps without the ball hitting the ground.

I have had the (un)fortunate opportunity to experience these rituals first hand, and let me tell you, the slightest interruption or change in a routine can result in a complete loss of focus. "Well that's just silly! All of these routines can be done on the road as well," you might argue. This was also my initial reaction. Watching guys become noticeably affected when their favorite roll of tape was left at the rink, or their lucky jock-strap accidently got washed. But to these guys, their routine is sacred. Road games are a major obstacle in the proper execution of a ritual. Some rinks don't sell cherry gatorade or a warm room to stretch in. And even if they did, it's not the same as being in their own barn, where the routine originated. Being at home provides a familiar, comfortable setting where these sacred rituals can be properly and efficiently done.


1.  The Home Crowd. 

Absolutely, the home crowed is the number one advantage of playing at home. The beauty of the home crowed at the collegiate level is that the majority of the fans there are students who simply go to the games to show their school spirit and don't necessarily know much about the game at all. Because of this, every minor hit or impressive play results in crazed fans "ohhh-ing" and "aahhh-ing" and screaming at the top of their lungs. Nothing gets a team more fired up than when they know their home fans are behind them. Players subconsciously try to be the reason that fans erupt, which causes them to perform and the highest levels, making the team better as a whole.

Sunday Scoreboard

So, I have decided to add a weekly addition to the blog called Sunday Scoreboard. I will be posting the weekend scores from the teams around the Hockey East with a link to the Box score courtesy of USCHO.com. Enjoy.  

Friday October 7, 2011

Merrimack 2 @ Maine 1 BOX

Michigan State 2 vs. Boston College 5 (Icebreaker Tournament) BOX

UMass-Amherst 3 @ Northeastern 3 BOX

Saturday October 8, 2011

Boston College 6 vs. North Dakota 2 (Icebreaker Tournament) BOX

New Brunswick 3 @ UMass-Lowell 3 (Exhibition) BOX

New Hampshire 0 @ Boston University 5 BOX

Sunday October 9, 2011

Northeastern 3 @ Maine 6  BOX

Inspirational/Pump Up Video 2011-2012 BU Hockey

Here is a video I made for the team last week. Mike Bavis, the Associate Head Coach, is a strong believer in using inspirational quotes and media to motivate the players. He came to me over the summer with the idea for some sort of pump up/inspirational video that we would show during the preseason. I spent a lot of time gathering clips from TV shows and highlights from past seasons that I felt would be good to use. We showed the video last friday before the preseason home opener. The players, coaches, and staff all seemed to enjoy it.I hope you will as well.

Please, feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you think.

My "Proverbial" Rookie Post

That is right; this is my first ever post on my first ever blog. While I have been toying with the idea of diving into the wild world of blogging, I never found the inspiration I needed to take the leap. However, after some self-assessment and a little push from my college writing professor, well, here I am. For my 'rookie' post, I want to first give some insight into the subject and direction of this blog, and second, to explain my story and my credentials.

First, the name of this blog is 'InsideTheHE'. No, I do not intend on blogging about the male anatomy or anything of the sort. The HE stands for Hockey East. My plan is to write one post per week on the activity that is happening throughout the Hockey East. However, I will not be simply writing about the star players or the play by play of the weekend's biggest games. What I will be doing is providing a behind the scenes look into the entire business of a division 1 hockey league, with a focus on the communication aspect.

What makes me qualified to do this, you ask? It's actually a fairytale story.

My name is JP Buckley, Boston native and an avid hockey fan. I grew up going to the Boston University hockey games at the Walter Brown Arena, literally. My mother used to have to change my diaper in the stands after a big hit or highlight reel goal caused the student section to erupt in a harmonious, eardrum-busting roar. My love for the game began in that Arena. My goal was to play on that ice as a member of the Boston University Terriers. Twenty years later, despite a monumental hockey career, I did not fulfill my goal as a player, but rather as a member of the staff. I am currently going into my third year as the Video Coordinator for BU's Men's Ice Hockey Team. This job has opened up my eyes to the extensive work that happens behind the scenes both on game day, throughout the week, and in the offseason. I have gained a much greater appreciation for all college and professional sports because I know understand the amount of time and dedication that people give to provide entertainment to the fans.

Although being the Video Coordinator is a full-time job, I also dedicate a lot of my time and energy into my school work. I am a junior in the College of Communications here at BU, concentrating on the science of communication in Public Relations. Working behind the scenes for the hockey team has allowed me to get first-hand experience in the world of sports communication. My intentions for this blog is to try and share my experience with you all, to try and help you understand that there is an entire world going on beyond game that is just as important.

With that being said, I will not bore you with technicalities of sports media, but rather will put a spin on the obvious happenings of division 1 college hockey from a communications standpoint.

I hope you will all enjoy.

Preseason: Foundation For Success

It is that time of year again. Hockey communities at all levels are preparing for another year. The memories of last season remain but a mere learning tool. The glories, and the follies, of the past mean nothing. A fresh beginning.

At the division 1 collegiate level, preseason is the most exciting and crucial factor in developing a work ethic that will lead to a winning season. A fresh aroma permeates through the executive offices down the stairs into the hallways, where constant motion from the entire organization's members help diffuse the smell of a new year into the locker room, the gym, the video room, the equipment room, the training room, and finally into the entire arena.  The vibrant colors of freshly painted logos are almost jumping out from underneath the untainted ice-surface.

BU Head Coach Jack Parker 

Returning players shuffle through the hallways, ready to get back into the swing of things. New players arrive, anxious to be accepted into their new team; their new family. Equipment managers work hastily to accommodate the team with everything they need in order to get the season underway. Video Coordinators work tirelessly on retrieving old film on upcoming opponents and making motivational, pump-up videos that will help set the tone for the new season. Media relations   personnel are busy at work planning new ways to promote and advertise the new season.

No matter where you look throughout the entire organization, from the coaches and players, to the staff, to the front offices, and even down to the rink managers, the work being done all stems from one source: the head coach.The role of the head coach is one of the most fascinating features of a college hockey program. He, or she, is not only the head of the twenty-something players on the roster, but rather the head of the entire organization. For the head coach, preseason is a time where his, or her, strategy for the new season is sent through the ranks and instilled in everyone's minds. That is why communication is a major factor in the development of a winning program. If a coach can properly communicate his goals through the organization in a way that will get everyone on the same page, especially his staff and players, then there will be no confusion about the approach to what lies ahead. A general going into battle cannot afford to have his army running aimlessly through the battlefield, using whatever weapon he chose. That is a recipe for disaster. Rather, a smart and victorious general sends his strategy through the ranks so that his entire army is united under one goal.

Many contemporary hockey fans watch the game and think that it is the talent of the players on the team, or a few individuals that make for a winning club. What they fail to recognize is that these players are simply players, performing according to the plan communicated from above. Communication is key to a winning season and it all starts in preseason.