The Stanley Cup Finals begins Wednesday in New Jersey with the Devils and LA Kings facing off to crown the next Stanley Cup champion. It is a big event and there are plenty of stories and angles to look at. As an alum of Miami University, it is exciting to have two friends and teammates battling for the Cup, ensuring that Miami will have a Stanley Cup winner this season. It is is more meaningful, however, than just the cliched "6 AM workouts together" or "Brotherhood" terminology thrown around.
Miami University has ascended to the top of college hockey over the past decade. The hockey program has played in 7 straight NCAA tournaments and two Frozen fours, once losing in OT in the national championship game. Miami has won two CCHA championships, one CCHA playoff championship, and perennially been ranked in the top ten for the better part of this time. Numerous players have played in NHL games and many more future NHL players are either currently at Miami or recruited to be there soon. When you talk recent college hockey powers, you would be remiss not to list Boston College at the top. Miami is in the elite group right behind that powerhouse university and with a national championship win would be the unquestioned number two program in college hockey. Hard work and commitment from it's players and staff have put Miami in the fortunate position it now finds itself.
What makes this Cup final more exciting is having Andy Greene and Alec Martinez facing each other in a seven game battle for the Stanly Cup. Greene went to Miami before it was a national power. He helped lay down a foundation for a strong program. One where Seniors and Freshmen would hang out together. One where teams were more than just teams. They were families that of course did the 6 AM workouts together, but more importantly did everything away from the rink together, truly enjoyed each others company no matter what was going on, and built a culture of excellence in all that you do.
Alec Martinez came to a program that was on the brink of fulfilling all the promise that had been built at Miami. He was part of a class that continued the culture of family and excellence, and was the first to reach 100 career wins also graduating as the winningest class in the country for 2005-2009. These two players, along with every other member of the Miami hockey program, built a tradition of excellence on the ice, in the classroom, and in the community.
Greene and Martinez are the current face of the Miami hockey tradition on the grandest stage of hockey. With such a great program in place, others will soon come along to take the place of them. But for now, being two guys I got to play with and share some great times, I will excitedly watch this finals series and know that what has been accomplished by these two is proof of the excellence every member of Miami hockey has shown through the programs history.
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