* BU feature: http://www.insidehockey.com/beanpot-semi-finals-terriers-g…/

* BC vs Harvard recap: http://www.insidehockey.com/beanpot-semi-finals-eagles-def…/

Apparently I was credentialed by three publications for the 2016 Beanpot semi finals (oops), but I ended up working for four; Inside Hockey, BU News Service, WTBU Sports, and SBNation’s Boston Bruins blog, Stanley Cup of Chowder.

I have been covering hockey since I was 15 years old as a credentialed member of the National Hockey League media. I’ve covered roughly 35-40 Bruins games at the TD Garden, and about 10 more Boston Blazers games (RIP), but this was the first time I had covered a team other than the Bruins at the Garden since 2011.

I have had many chances to cover the Beanpot, or the Hockey East playoffs, or the college hockey playoffs in New Hampshire but never took the opportunity for whatever reason. After working for the Boston University hockey team most of the season, and broadcasting for them a couple of times, I knew that experiencing the Beanpot was something that I had to do.

(Apparently three different publications agreed and I still am confused by this).

The day began in a rather exciting fashion on Monday morning as it was. I had it confirmed I would be the Boston University Patriot League Network lacrosse color commentator, and between that and meeting with the lacrosse coach, Ryan Polley, to get quotes for my own lacrosse website, I was asked to cover the Beanpot (and lacrosse) for BU News Service. At first I thought it was BU Today for whatever reason, but after looking up what BUNS was, I was quick to jump on board to help build up that sports department.

Then I had to figure out how the Green Line worked, because I am a terrible Bostonian and was clueless. However, I somehow was never lost and got to the Garden and back without a hitch.

After beginning Bruins coverage for Inside Hockey in 2011, they have been the only organization I have covered hockey for in Boston. So it felt strange to go up and request my credential through a different outlet, and it was almost fitting that my credential/assigned seat was still under the Inside Hockey umbrella.

The first game was an exciting one between Boston College and Harvard, and also the first time I’ve ever been at a non-BU college hockey game. I wrote that game recap for IH, and the site’s photographer Brian Fluharty was there as well so we got terrific game photos, which was a cool experience to work with a photog on a deadline.

I went downstairs between games and got audio from the Harvard head coach Ted Donato to use in a class project, and returned in time for the BU game against Northeastern, which the Terriers won. I wrote a feature story for IH and a general recap for BUNS, using post game audio from Danny O’Regan and coach Dave Quinn.

All the while, I noticed there were a ton of Bruins prospects in both games and wrote a prospects feature for SBNation about it. After all, hard not to make a connection with the NHL club with the logo dead center in the middle of the ice.

It was the kind of experience I wanted to be a sports journalist for. Working on deadlines, the pressure of getting stories in, getting quotes and audio into stories, attending the press conferences, and being able to analyze a game that I love. Just doing the work that I love to do, and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else with my life than doing what I love.

I’ve wrote over 1,000 stories between lacrosse and hockey (and some baseball), and the past few months in school and student media have been a whirlwind, but going to the Garden feels like going back to my roots, and I can’t wait for the finals next Monday night.