Hurricanes 2011-15 Alumnus Patrick Rodgers talks about the strides this program has taken in just over 10 years to get to this point.
Before we talk about this game and what this means just kind of walk us through uh what the process was of being a part of that transition from roller to ice hockey yeah it was awesome being a part of that process when I came in in 2011
The roller hockey team had just won the national championship and there was a big group of guys on that team that wanted to get back to ice hockey so they started the process and when I came in I jumped right in and helped them transition and right away we had a
Dominant team we were winning almost all our games the first year second year and then by the third year we were back at uh regionals we made it to Nationals and we made it to Regionals our fourth year as well so it was it was an awesome
Transition with a great group of guys uh and we played high quality hockey with guys all over the uh with all of the country what does this tournament and the showing that the canes have put on uh in this championship game what what does it mean to you as an architect of
This program it’s awesome to see what the program has become I’ve been talking to a lot of the alumni over the past week while they’ve been playing and we’re all so proud of what this program has become from the national championship roller hockey team that we
Had to the infant ice hockey team that we had over a decade ago um and then just falling short at Nationals when we made it to see this team make it all the way back after all the trial and tribulations that they made to is just
Awesome to see and for me I’m just so proud of what the programs become and I can’t wait to see what they do next what has impressed you most about this team and this program especially over the past couple years as it’s kind of grown
Into what it is now I think seeing these guys right now the chemistry they have is amazing they have a full bench of guys that seem completely committed to this team and that makes all the difference and you could see it on the ice their passes are crisp they’re
Supporting each other out there and I love to see that more than anything because when you got a group of committed guys like this I think you can do anything just make you want to get back on the ice and play oh I miss it like crazy it’s awesome watching them I
Just want to jump in there with them and get right in the action you think you could do it I don’t know I don’t know if I can do it anymore
