League News

Bear: Where were you born?

Phillip: Portsmouth, NH

Bear: Where do you live now?

Phillip: Barrington, NH

Bear: Team and position?

Phillip: The Red Army, Defense

Bear: Why play hockey?

Phillip: Why not play hockey? I love playing because for that hour+ on the ice, I'm able to focus just on the game. It's very good therapy.

Bear: Does anybody call you "Marshy?" "Salty?" "Saltmarshy?"

Phillip: Captain Salty is the "unofficial" go-to. I also answer to "Coach or something" after one of our summer fill-ins wondered who the hell I was yelling at the team from the bench in street clothes.

Bear: What is the best thing or event that has happened to you while playing?

Phillip: Before Covid, I was helping my Dad run some of the practices for the Wolfeboro She-Wolves team. Coaching alongside him was pretty great since he was usually my coach growing up. Maybe I'll get him on the Red Army some day.

Bear: What is the worst thing or event that has happened to you while playing?

Phillip: Broke my wrist during my freshman year of high school.

Bear: If you were lacing up your skates one day and the Hockey Genie appeared to give you 3 hockey-related wishes, what would they be?

Phillip: The post game beers are always cold, the defenseman always sets a screen for his goalie when I'm going in 1 on 1, more hockey related wishes.

Bear: Who would win a fight between a mongoose and a cobra?  Why?

Phillip: Don't mongooses typically kill cobras? I looked it up, they're immune to cobra venom, so definitely a mongoose. There's also a photo of two mongooses humping on the Wikipedia page in case that’s in anyone's wheelhouse.

Bear: Which player on the Red Army has improved the most?

Phillip: Ryan Jones

Bear: Do you learn anything from watching televised hockey?

Phillip: I like to look at the positioning of the pros because that's something we can somewhat emulate. Other than that, I notice how their passes and shots go where they want, which is weird.

Bear: Does anybody on your team call you "General?"

Phillip: Usually just "Coach or something."

Bear: Where do you work?

Phillip: Market Square Architects in Portsmouth.

Bear: What do you do there?

Phillip: I'm a Project Manager so I usually get to tell people what to do (just like on the bench). I basically oversee the drawing process and construction process from an Architectural perspective.

Bear: What's your skate sharpening profile preference?

Phillip: My last cut was 3/8" (or whatever one off from normal is). I noticed my skates were slipping so I want more bite.

Bear: Does summertime hockey violate general laws of nature?

Phillip: Absolutely not. Who doesn’t want to hang out in a giant air-conditioned building?

Bear: How long do you estimate you will play hockey?

Phillip: I'll be like Bernie, I'll never stop (hopefully).

Bear: If a meteor were headed straight for earth and you could save the planet by encapsulating hockey in only 5 words, what would they be?

Phillip: Do it for the cup. 


Bear: If hockey were a vegetable, what vegetable would it be?  Explain your answer.

Phillip: Beer has plants in it, so I guess beer is a vegetable.

Bear: If you could magically attain one skill from a specific NHL player, who is that player and what is the skill?

Phillip: Pavel Datsyuk's filthy mitts (I know he’s in the KHL currently, but Ben went with the speed answer last week).


Bear: When did you start skating on ice?  When did you start playing hockey?

Phillip: I think I was either 5 or 6, my town didn't have a learn to skate program, so my first skating was actually a figure skating program. After that I played youth hockey from Instructional all the way to Bantams. I didn't have my size back then and was kind of burned out, so I didn't keep going into High School Hockey.


Bear: If you could change one thing about the coed league, what would it be?

Phillip: I think it would be cool if we played maybe twice a week. Hard to stay in shape if you only skate one night a week! Plus, who doesn't love more hockey!


Bear: Name a second thing.

Phillip: Games that start after 10 suck.


Bear: When is the last time you washed your equipment?

Phillip: I “cleaned” it after the Covid summer break.


Bear: Any special procedure?

Phillip: I spray it down with a vinegar solution which kills any bacteria. The last time I tried washing it in a tub, it turned the water brown and it took about a week for everything to dry out.


Bear: What's your go-to move in a shootout? 

Phillip: Straight into the goalie’s chest. Sometimes it winds them and helps the next shooter on our team.


Bear: What do you wish it was?

Phillip: Actually making a deceptive mood instead of skating at the goalie really fast.


Bear: Your defensive "minesweeper" move is very effective at knocking the puck away from advancing forwards. How do you time it? [Full disclosure: as a right winger, I occasionally have to deal with the "minesweeper."]

Phillip: Trade secret, I can't give away my one move.

Bear: Were you ever in the military?

Phillip: Nope

Bear: Ever wanted to play goalie?

Phillip: Back in Instructional league (pre mite first year playing) every kid played goalie for two games. One of mine got canceled and I think the puck came down to our end once in the other. So I've retired from the position with a 0.00 GAA. I also played goalie in a floor hockey league in college, it sucked.

Bear: How do you think playing hockey affects your life?

Phillip: I think it's a great stress management tool, being able to not worry about life's problems for an hour is pretty great. Of course once playoffs start, I start worrying about that.


Bear: Are you one of those dads who builds a backyard rink?

Phillip: I’m the kinda dad who starts lots of projects but also likes to leave them generally unfinished. Luckily we've got a lake across the street from our house that I've skated on a few times (although I did break a skate blade on it).

Bear: Favorite hockey movie? Are there any good hockey movies?

Phillip: I think Miracle is a great movie (despite the Red Army losing). Plenty of other great movies too; Goon (like Ben said), Mighty Ducks (they haven't aged well), Threat Level Midnight has a great hockey scene (RIP Cherokee Jack).


Bear: Favorite professional hockey player?

Phillip: Patrice Bergeron of course! I think he’s got great work ethic and plays a solid defensive game from the center position. Adam Oates before that, so I guess playmaking centers.


Bear: Tastes great or less filling?

Phillip: Tastes great of course! That's why I bring PBR or 'Gansetts to the games.