Ramblers 11/14/24 – International student and KCSU sports volunteer Josephine Snowden hopped on Ramblers to chat about the CSU Hockey Team. Snowden watched the team’s game against the University of Central Oklahoma and gives her honest thoughts of CSU’s performance. Each period was full of strength and high energy, with Connor Pietrangelo mentioned in regards to being sent off for a 5 minute power play. Snowden also interviewed Kyle Greene, who reflected over the game and CSU’s disappointing loss.

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Transcription of episode (provided by Ava Barbieri) 

Phoenix Behrens (intro)
This is Phoenix Behrens, the sports producer here at KCSU, and welcome to the KCSU sports podcast. This podcast takes the best segments from our staple sports show, Ramblers. Ramblers is live Thursdays from 7-9pm. This is a pre recorded broadcast.

Austin Martin
Right now, we’re going to be talking some CSU hockey. One of our volunteers here at KCSU, Josephine…

Josephine Snowden
Hello.

Austin
…did a game recap and talked with a player too. After we talk some hockey, we will get you that post game interview that Josephine did with one of the players. But let’s just start off, what was, you know, when you got there, what was the atmosphere like, and how, what was your impressions when you first got there?

Josephine
Yeah, I was super excited. I went with a few friends, and that was a big crowd, like, pretty much every seat was taken. So that was a really good atmosphere. And everyone was super hyped up, like there was so much support, and everyone stayed up right until the end. So it was a really good atmosphere. Yeah, for sure.

Austin
Absolutely. Yeah, I’ve been to one of, one of the most packed games. It was the Rocky Mountain Showdown when they hosted the Colorado Buffaloes, and it was just absolutely packed in there. And it’s like not a, it’s not big in that little arena or whatever, but they they can pack up that one side of bleachers, yeah, really get some noise. It gets a little rowdy. Who are they playing the Central, Central Oklahoma?

Josephine
Central Oklahoma, yeah, no, it was super exciting. And they played Oklahoma the weekend after. So is that this weekend? But, yeah, no, it was. It was really great. It was really cool just to see everyone now, I think there’s a few people in cowboy hats and stuff, which they were told to wear. So that was great. But no, it was, it was a great atmosphere, sure.

Austin
So let’s get into the game here. So in that first period, what were the vibes like throughout that first period, and how, how did it kind of unfold the match?

Josephine
So I think everyone was feeling super positive at the beginning. We looked really strong. We were up in that half of the majority of the first period. We didn’t manage to score, unfortunately, which we discussed a bit in the post match interview. But yeah, I think it was, it was a bit of a knock to their confidence near the end of that first period, because Central Oklahoma managed to score against us just through breaking through the defense, one player, one B1, at that point. So yeah, it was a bit tough. But the, yeah, the first period went super well, and people were pretty excited, I think, positive.

Austin
Yeah, it’s always like with the with the hockey matches and hockey games, that first period can be influential with that remaining part of the match. And do you do you feel like there was anything that they were really struggling with in the beginning, or it was just kind of getting a feel for the game? Or what do you think?

Josephine
Yeah, I mean, they looked strong. They looked like they knew what they were doing. They had a lot of control, but I think it was mainly just scoring. They were struggling against the defense and the, they just couldn’t get it quite, quite in. So I don’t know what was, what was going on there, but it was it. It doesn’t mean that they weren’t playing well. I think that they looked strong in the first, it was just the second two periods kind of hit to the confidence, as I said. And that second period, obviously they, they had less control, and we, it was more even in terms of which ends we were on. But yeah, that was mainly what I thought.

Austin
Yeah, absolutely. And so going into the second one, they’re, they’re down one-zero in the second, the second period.

Josephine
Yeah, one-zero.

Austin
And then when, when did the game start getting a little out of hand, do you think?

Josephine
So that was, the second period became a little bit more feisty. I think between the two teams, they really wanted it, and we managed to score. And that was who was it? Who scored? I think Connor Pietrangelo?

Austin
Pietrangelo, yeah.

Josephine
Pietrangelo scored, but then he was quite swiftly sent off. So that kind of knocked the team’s confidence as well, because they were down a player for five minutes there, but they did manage to stay really strong, but it did mean Central Oklahoma scored against us, which brought it back up to two-one, so we were losing again. But I think it was good for the team to get a score, and you could definitely feel like the excitement and confidence from not only the crowd but the team themselves,

Austin
Let’s get into what you mean by sent off, because when I go to hockey games, that is one of my favorite aspects of it, is when the teams are just getting a little physical out there.

Josephine
Yeah.

Austin
You know, some feisty language?

Josephine
Yeah, it’s definitely…

Austin
Some physicality as well. So what happened? With Mr. Pietrangleo? Because…

Josephine
I don’t want to […] him out!

Austin
5 minutes is a long time. He ended up getting ejected, right?

Josephine
He did, yeah, for five minutes. So…

Austin
Okay, so, a five minute power play.

Josephine
Five minute power play, they had a couple power plays up until that point, but only two minute ones. It wasn’t really a big deal, and they were pretty strong in their power plays, in terms of defensively, but yeah, the…

Austin
Yeah, what did he do?

Josephine
The five minute power play…

Austin
What did he do?

Josephine
…was from a punch in the face, as far as I’m aware. So, yeah, I don’t know what led to that. I didn’t see anything, you know…

Austin
Just some chirping.

Josephine
…Kind of, yeah, friendly competition, I don’t know.

Austin
Yeah, friendly competition. That’s what’s my favorite thing about, about hockey is just getting a little physical out there, like you could have a facilitator out there that really manages the piece. And if somebody’s doing something that you don’t like, just getting in there, and smack them around a little.

Josephine
I mean, that’s something that I definitely didn’t know coming from the UK. Obviously, hockey’s not a massive sport over there, so when I came to watch it here, I was shocked, all their fighting and everything, and looked up the rules. It’s like pretty much part of the game. So, yeah, no, that was surprising, but very entertaining. I think the girls I went with are also international students, so they found that just as exciting as I did.

Austin
Absolutely, when you’re getting into new sports, what? What is your, you know, what excites you about that? Because, you know, you think you want to cover rugby, which we’re going to be covering some rugby.

Josephine
Yeah.

Austin
Here this week. You’re going to the football game and you watch some hockey. What excites you about getting in and learning about a new sport?

Josephine
I mean, for sure, I think that the American sports and the American sports culture is just amazing. And we know that from like in the UK, everyone, like a lot of people, are very interested in American sports, so. And I also thought about it at university, I think that it has like a special place, because people love to support their teams, and it’s like a really big deal, and I love that. So that was just, you know, the whole vibe.

Austin
It’s an easy transition, for you, then.

Josephine
It’s great.

Austin
Similar cultures, because UK culture is very, or UK sports culture is, yeah, very prominent as well, and people are very invested. So…

Josephine
Yeah, no.

Austin
It was an easy transition for you then.

Josephine
It’s an easy transition, and I, but I love it, because it’s, there’s so many differences, you know, the tailgates and all of that is very different. And I think that the, you know, the variety of sports that you have here is really great, like ice hockey to volleyball to American football, all sports that I’ve really started to learn about here, and they’re so different to one another, but I enjoy them all equally, and I’ve loved learning all the different rules. And it’s just like, so exciting, I think.

Austin
Absolutely. And then, let’s get back into the hockey match, the third, the third period.

Josephine
Yeah.

Austin
It got, what was the score heading into the third, or it was…?

Josephine
It was two-one to them, I believe.

Austin
Two-one Central Oklahoma at the end of the third. Kind of give us a little breakdown of what happened in that third period, and…?

Josephine
So at the start of the first period, we’re still on the five minute power play time, because we ended on that…

Austin
Little overlap.

Jospehine
Little overlap. So the goalie, I think, played brilliantly throughout the match. Obviously we, so unfortunately, we did end up losing. But the goalie played brilliantly and and he was very strong in defense. And there was some great defensive player, defensive pressure by some of the some of the players, and they did, CSU did look like scoring a few times, breaking through Central Oklahoma’s defense, but they just managed to turned over quite quickly. And I think that was our issue, that we just couldn’t, it was our teamwork really, just managing to in the attack, passing it to the right person and getting into the goal, but yeah. Overall, I think it was a lack of confidence near the end.

Austin
Yeah, and sometimes when the game gets out of hand, it’s just like trying to throw everything in the kitchen sink and get get some plays going. But we’re with you, the CSU hockey team.

Josephine
Yeah, for sure.

Austin
We are with you. We’re going to be given some more coverage as well at the tail end of their season, in the spring semester as well, once, once volleyball and football cool down, and we’re just really covering some basketball. So right now we’re gonna be playing some post game interview, or a post game interview that Josephine did with…?

Josephine
Kyle Greene.

Austin
Kyle Greene for the Colorado State University club hockey team. We hope you enjoy it.

Josephine
Hi. My name is Josephine Snowden. I’m here with Kyle Greene. So firstly, how would you assess the team’s overall performance tonight?

Kyle Greene
Not great. Definitely started out good in the first period, and then slowly, just trailed off, had a weak second, and then just hard to bounce back in the third.

Josephine
Yeah, of course. So what was it about Central Oklahoma’s defense that caused you trouble? Because I know you said started off you were in there half the majority of the first period.

Kyle
Yeah, I don’t know if it was mostly their defense, just our lack of forward check. Definitely need to have better pressure when we dump it in. Just support each other more on the offensive zone. But, yeah, not too much great things to save our own play today.

Josephine
Okay, and how do you think the team executed on power plays, both attacking-ly and defensively tonight?

Kyle
We had a couple good PKs. We got a five minute penalty kill, which they scored one on in the first 30 seconds. But other than that, our PK looked good. Our power play was alright. Definitely could be better. Goal from Connor Pietrangelo, that was nice, but definitely to work on some things before tomorrow.

Josephine
Okay, cool. And how do you feel about your personal performance today?

Kyle
Not great. Had a few rough shifts here and there. But overall, pretty average, definitely looking to be better tomorrow.

Josephine
Okay, good, yeah, no. So the game was very tight. Can lead to some tense moments. How did you manage to stay focused through these moments?

Kyle
Yeah, it’s definitely hard when the game gets chippy and physical after the whistle and things like that, but just trying to keep the boys dialed in on the bench and making sure everyone’s focused on the actual game.

Josephine
Okay, and what will you be building upon, technically, from tonight’s game, going into tomorrow?

Kyle
I’ll probably just be looking to play a little bit more simple, probably chip it in a little more and forecheck harder rather than trying to skate it through the zone, but definitely, just try to be simple and play physical.

Josephine
Yeah, and of course, it’s really tough to lose in such a tight match, but how do you think this loss will motivate the team moving forward?

Speaker 2
Big rivals with UCO, haven’t beat them in quite some time, so definitely, it can motivate the boys to try and get a win against them tomorrow.

Josephine
Yeah, of course. Well, thank you so much for joining us.

Kyle
Yeah, thank you.

Josephine
Thank you.

Phoenix
Thanks for listening to the KCSU sports podcast. If you liked what you heard, you can listen to more on our website at kcsufm.com, our Spotify at KCSUFM, or anywhere else you get podcasts.