Women’s and men’s hockey adds new faces to coaching staff – The Daily Free Press

Commonwealth Avenue has new faces for both women’s and men’s hockey this season. In addition to Kerst Matthews and Mollie Fitzpatrick, with Walter Brown Arena and Jay Pandolfo joining Agganis Arena, the Boston University hockey program has gained real talent on the bench.

Matthews and Fitzpatrick fill shoes for Tara Watchorn and Liz Keady Norton, who left their jobs with the women’s team in the summer for head coach positions at Stonehill College and Dartmouth College.

It’s somewhat of a return home for Matthews, who, along with current head coach Brian Durocher, moved the women’s team to the Division’s Level I program during BU 2003-2008. Thirteen years later, he has returned more.

One of the main reasons I wanted to return to Comm Ave. area, there is support given by BU to its hockey program, Matthews said. There is nothing better than being in a school that supports hockey, as Boston University does.

Another moment of the whole circle is coming to Matthews ’calendar. A graduate of Providence College and senior captain of the hockey team, Shell will return to his alma mater as terriers instead of a warrior on Oct. 31. Matthews expressed his appreciation for the league he played once and now coaches in.

Taking this tradition with you every day reminds you how far the women’s game has come and how far it will continue, she said.

Fitzpatrick, the new women’s assistant coach, sees BU with fresh eyes when she enters the program after six seasons at the University of Norwich, where she helped lead her team to four straight NCAA tournaments. After the success, Fitzpatrick said he was in a place in his life where he was ready to take the next step in his career.

BU is a place I know can be very successful. To me, it was like okay, how can I take what I’ve done at college level, Division 3 level and see if it can move to Division 1 level, he said, and I was lucky to have this opportunity.

Fitzpatrick was a disappointment, however. He said he believes players need to be supported in every way in the game and in life to succeed.

I put my head on the pillow and go, great, Fitzpatrick said thinking about how he wants to feel at the end of each day. I did my best for them, whether I would defend them, encourage them, I have those difficult discussions.

Durocher expressed enthusiasm for his new coaching team on October 1 at a post-match press conference. In particular, she talked about how Fitzpatricks ’past has a positive impact on the future of BU women’s hockey.

Mollie [Fitzpatrick] is someone with eight or nine years of experience who has been successful anywhere, he said. That success and being with other good coaches who have taught him will only help us, and I see good karma, a good chemistry team.

On the men’s side, they had a high salary without assistant head coach Paul Pearl, who left this summer and took the lead at Cushing Academy. Head coach Albie OConnell’s bench behind this season is Pandolfo, a former captain from the 1995-96 Terrier team who has served as the Boston Bruins assistant coach for the past five years after a successful NHL career.

Pandolfo could not be reached to comment at the time of publication.

The NHL veteran and former hometown favorite Bruins ’former leader brings new excitement to BU’s men’s locker room.

In addition, Pandolfo has played under the leadership and captain of his team and knows one or two Terrier prides and what it means to wear a red and white blouse night and night. The new assistant coach is now allowed to be on the other side of things.

OConnell had only good to say about Pandolfo at a press conference on October 2nd.

He’s a professional at everything he does, OConnell said. He has a good mood for the game, he is a very good coach. Pretty light too. The boys really like him, and it’s pretty exciting to get not only Jay but also Doug [Friedman] also on the bench.

Friedman is the male leader of hockey operations and was also hired this summer. Friedman, who was captain of the BU team in 94 before graduating, was teammates with Pandolfo as terriers.

Matthews, Fitzpatrick and Pandolfo will see all the regular season matches with the Terriers this weekend as the men’s team opens its season against the University of Connecticut and the women’s team expects their winning streak to continue against Northeastern University.