Massachusetts Daily Collegian: October 9, 2014: Hockey Special Issue

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DAILY COLLEGIAN HOCKEY SPECIAL ISSUE

Thursday, October 9, 2014

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Troy Power vital to Minutemen’s 2014-15 success B y Anthony C hiusano Collegian Staff

roy Power wasn’t an unfamiliar name to Massachusetts hockey coach John Micheletto when the coach arrived in Amherst in 2012.

As part of the Vermont coaching staff in 2009, Micheletto said that he closely followed Power in his junior hockey days with the Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey League (USHL) when the coach was recruiting some of Power’s teammates. However, with the forward already committed to UMass, Micheletto’s knowledge of Power was limited to his hockey skills, leaving the coach with “no idea of what kind of person he was.”

That question was quickly answered after Micheletto’s hiring.

“From the first conversation, I was really impressed with how mature he was,” Micheletto said. “You combine that now with what I’ve seen from him as a player and as a leader, and I’m putting him in the upper echelon of the guys that I’ve been able to work with in my career.”

The combination of Power’s success on the ice and leadership off of it paid dividends last

T

year during his redshirt junior campaign. He was named co-captain midway through the season, and he accumulated career highs with 10 goals and 17 points, good for fourth and sixth most among the Minutemen.

Micheletto revealed Power’s co-captaincy – joining then-senior Conor Sheary – on Nov. 24, prior to UMass’ 14th game of the season on the road against Vermont. On a team that boasted nine seniors, Power said the announcement was a little bit unexpected.

“It was a nice surprise,” Power said. “It was definitely an honor and I was fortunate enough to do it with (Sheary), who is a great friend of mine and a great leader himself.”

Micheletto said that Sheary was the clear choice as captain in the preseason, but Power continued to stand out as a second candidate as the season progressed.

“We felt that he had earned it,” Micheletto said. “Since we had so many other seniors, we let it settle and see who would continue to emerge. And that was clear to us at the midway point that that was where (Power) was at.”

Although Power was already an established

veteran presence before gaining the new title, he said that being officially named captain allowed his impact and influence on teammates to grow.

“I’m a pretty vocal person, but I think having the ‘C’ really allowed me to become even more vocal in the locker room,” Power said. “You have to hold guys accountable a little more and make sure the guys are doing things the right way.”

Now, entering the 20142015 season, Power prepares to continue his captaincy in his senior year, as he aims to lead a young Minutemen team to its first Hockey East tournament win in six years.

California dream Hockey has never been the most popular youth sport in California, as baseball and football often attract the majority of the warm-weathered state’s residents. However, it was where Power got his start in the sport.

Power was born and raised in Camarillo, California, into a selfdescribed “sport family.”

His interest in hockey arose when his mother and uncle decided to bring him, his older brother and older sister to a Los

CADE BELISLE/COLLEGIAN

Troy Power (above) captains a young UMass team that features 15 underclassmen on the roster.

Angeles Kings game in the early 1990s when Power was three or four years old.

Power described how watching the “old school era” team play, led by Wayne Gretzky and Luc Robitaille, immediately attracted him.

“I saw it one time and I said, ‘Hey mom, this is kind of what I want to do,’” Power said. “That’s where my love for the game started.”

It didn’t take long for

Power to begin developing his own skills, as he hastily took advantage of the slow-traffic cul-de-sac he lived in.

“It worked out perfectly,” Power said. “I put a net at the end and there wasn’t a lot of cars, so I just threw on rollerblades and played all day.”

After transitioning from the streets to the ice, Power went on to play for two of Southern California’s elite travel hockey teams during his high school year

– the California Wave and Los Angeles Jr. Kings.

While he said he often napped in the backseat during the drives to practices, Power praised his mother, who drove roughly an hour and a half to the training arena four or five times a week.

“It was definitely a lot of hard work for my mom behind the steering wheel,” Power said. I f his first Kings game was the moment that he develsee

POWER on page 5

INSIDE THIS ISSUE UMass prepared for 2014-2015

‘He’s a huge presence’

Around the world

Youth and energy will carry Minutemen.

Oreg Yevenko will be relied on to be a shutdown defender.

UMass boasts talent from across the globe.

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A scoring pedigree

Beyond his years

Sophomores stepping up

Frank Vatrano finally gets to display his offensive skills.

Dennis Kravchenko looks to make immediate impact as a freshman.

The Minutemen will lean on their sophomore class for leadership.

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Thursday, October 9, 2014

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UMass prepared for 2014-15 Minutemen face BU in Friday’s opener

By Ross Gienieczko Collegian Staff

The ice at the Mullins Center is set. Skates are sharpened, sticks are taped and home white jerseys look as crisp as they will all year.

About 45 minutes before the game starts, both teams will take the ice for warm-ups. As music blares and fans slowly trickle in, the resulting crescendo of noise and energy in the arena can only mean one thing.

It’s hockey season.

That will be the setting Friday night in Amherst, when the Massachusetts hockey team opens its season at 7 p.m. against No. 20 Boston University. After months of preparation, the Minutemen can barely wait to get started.

“There’s a lot of energy (within the team),” said UMass coach John Micheletto, who is back for his third season coaching the Minutemen and 24th year coaching hockey. “It makes coming to the rink fun, not only for the coaching staff, but for the players. That’s contagious.”

It’s been a long but productive offseason for UMass since its season-ending defeat against Vermont in the first round of the Hockey East tournament. After losing their top three scorers to graduation, the Minutemen will reload with a freshman class of nine players, many of whom are expected to step in right away.

“We’re going to need (the freshmen) to be productive and be solid contributors from the get-go,” Micheletto said.

Several young players are primed to do just that.

Freshman Dennis Kravchenko will likely start the season on UMass’ top line alongside captain Troy Power and sophomore Frank Vatrano. Kravchenko has impressed thus far, scoring twice in an exhibition against Dalhousie on Saturday.

Vatrano isn’t a freshman, but is still a new addition to the Minutemen lineup.

He sat for all but one game last season due to eligibility issues after transferring from Boston College, but already figures to be a top offensive producer for UMass.

CADE BELISLE/COLLEGIAN

UMass celebrates a goal in an exhibition win against Dalhousie. UMass’ regular season schedule begins Friday. “(Vatrano’s) a name that’s going to pop up in the score sheet an awful lot,” Micheletto said.

Fellow freshman Patrick Lee – from Calgary, Alberta – also earned himself a top-six spot early. He’s played alongside sophomores Ray Pigozzi and Steven Iacobellis on the second line for UMass.

Pigozzi and Iacobellis return after combining for 39 points last season.

Together, the top two lines will be relied on to replace the production of last season’s top three scorers – Conor Sheary, Michael Pereira and Brandon Gracel.

All three graduated, and together they accounted for 43 percent of goals scored by the Minutemen. It’s a void that Power said would not be filled by one line.

“We need scoring from everyone, all four lines and defensemen,” Power said.

“In the past, we’ve been kind of top heavy as far as our contributions offensively went. If we want to be the team we expect to be, (offense) is going to have to come from everyone.”

Micheletto agreed, and echoed Power’s message of balance.

“If you look at our last two years, we relied on those guys so much,” Micheletto said. “This year, it’s about balancing that offensive production over the course of at least three lines of forwards.”

In their defensive zone, UMass is led by 6-foot7 senior Oleg Yevenko, a defensive stalwart for the Minutemen over the last

three seasons. The stay-athome defenseman is a vocal, physical presence on the blue line, and Micheletto said the team is counting on him to play shutdown minutes against the opposition’s top scorers.

“When he’s on his game, he’s really effective at keeping offensive players chances to a minimum,” Micheletto said. “Defense is going to be first in his vocabulary.”

Fellow defensemen Mike Busillo, Mark Hetnik and Ben Gallacher will also play important roles for the defensive corps. Midway through the season, UMass will add top recruit and Anaheim Ducks second round pick Brandon Montour to their defense. He’ll play junior hockey for the Waterloo Blackhawks of the USHL until he becomes eligible in December.

Through it all, UMass will be backstopped by experienced senior goaltender Steve Mastalerz.

“He’s our rock,” Power said of Mastalerz. “He’s going to be a big part of this team’s success.”

Starting in net for all eight of the team’s wins last season, Mastalerz saw a lot of pucks flying his way, but still posted a save percentage of .907. He had two shutouts and made 30 or more saves 11 times, and will be counted on again to provide strong play in net.

BU enters the contest ranked No. 20 in the country, and is expected to be one of the top teams in Hockey East after a down season last year. The Terriers are

led by Robbie Baillargeon, who returns after leading the team with 27 points last year, and other top scorers Ahti Oskanen and Danny O’Regan will also be back.

Despite the talent returning up front, the spotlight will be on another player for the Terriers – freshman forward and Massachusetts native Jack Eichel. Expected to be a top pick in next year’s NHL entry draft – many scouts project he’ll go No.1 overall – Eichel is a dynamic presence and already notched Hockey East Rookie of the Week honors after assisting on five goals in BU’s seasonopening exhibition against St. Thomas.

The Terriers represent a daunting challenge to open the season, and Micheletto said that UMass needs to focus on playing its own game rather than sit and react against BU. “We want to make sure that we’re the best version of UMass that we can be,” Micheletto said. “We want to play fast. We want to take pucks away. We want to try to play in transition offensively as much as possible.”

The stage is set. Final adjustments are being made. And nobody is more excited for the start of the season than the Minutemen.

“There’s a distinct energy in the room and on the ice,” Micheletto said. “We’re eager to strap on the helmets on Friday and see how it all comes out.”

Ross Gienieczko can be reached at rgieniec@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @RossGien.

Front page photo by Cade Belisle | Front page design by James Desjardin

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Thursday, October 9, 2014

‘He’s a huge presence’

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Minutemen defenseman Oleg Yevenko using experience to aim for shutdown role on defense.

By Ross Gienieczko

O

Collegian Staff

leg Yevenko draws a lot of attention as a senior defenseman on the Massachusetts men’s hockey team.

It comes from fans, who frequently compare Yevenko to Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara because of his size. It comes from UMass coach John Micheletto, who looks to the senior to play important minutes against tough matchups. And it comes from his teammates, who literally and figuratively look up to the 6-foot7 defenseman. It’s tough to have that kind of focus and spotlight on you from so many people.

But Yevenko is fit for the challenge.

Shutdown Defender The word “shutdown” is not thrown around lightly when it comes to defensemen. It takes a special kind of player to line up every night against the other team’s top scoring lines and keep them in check. However, it is exactly the role Micheletto envisions Yevenko playing in this season.

“Oleg will continue to see the bulk of the action in shutdown roles,” Micheletto said. “Defense will be first in his vocabulary.”

For his part, Yevenko embraces the challenge that comes with playing against the best the other team has to offer.

“Being matched up against really good players is what you want,” Yevenko said. “You want competition, that’s why hockey is fun.

“I just want to make sure I’m ready (for those matchups) physically and mentally and make sure my teammates and coaches can rely on me.”

One of the main reasons Yevenko plays well in such defensive situations is his size. Yevenko towers over most of the smaller, quicker forwards in Hockey East and capitalizes on his opportu-

Yevenko was happy to get the chance to play with and against world class players.

“It’s always good to measure yourself up against the elite players in the world,” Yevenko said. “You don’t get that opportunity very often.”

Besides his performance on the ice, the World Championship held special importance to the 23-yearold. The tournament was the first time Yevenko’s parents had seen him play since he was 16.

“It was really, really great,” Yevenko said. “My parents hadn’t seen me play live in the longest time.

“With them being there, the atmosphere of the sold out crowd and wearing your national jersey, it was something special.”

His offseason wasn’t done, however. In July, Yevenko was invited to and participated in the Boston Bruins player development camp along with over 20 other Bruins prospects and invitees. It was a chance to showCADE BELISLE/COLLEGIAN case his abilities and also to Oleg Yevenko appeared on the Belarus National Team and participated in the Boston Bruins player development camp this summer. hone his skills against top prospects in the Bruins organization. “(They were) long days,” Yevenko said of the five-day camp. “We did a lot of skating, testing, off-ice stuff. A lot of learning, too. That was the whole premise of the camp, to teach and really develop players who came in there.”

Like his experience at the IIHF tournament, Yevenko said the camp represented an opportunity to see how he stacked up against the talented group he was a part ALEC ZABRECKY/COLLEGIAN of.

At 6-foot-7, Oleg Yevenko provides valuable size for the UMass defense.

“To play against and with players who are considered nity. to be top prospects is a very A Busy Offseason – and dressing in all eight players Seth Jones, Justin good experience,” Yevenko “He’s a huge presence Yevenko, hock- games -Yevenko recorded Abdelkader and Olli Jokinen. said. “It helps you evaluate physically,” Micheletto said. For “When he plays the game ey didn’t stop when the two assists and helped lead Yevenko also played with yourself.” right, he can use his size to Minutemen’s season ended Belarus to a quarterfinal NHL talent on his own team Working to Improve – Nashville Predators forhis advantage and keep play- after the Hockey East tour- appearance. ward Sergei Kostitsyn and

Along the way, Yevenko nament last March. In May, ers on the perimeter.”

Throughout his tenure “He’s a big man,” fellow he skated for his home coun- played against some of the his brother, former Montreal in Amherst, Yevenko has best players in the world, Canadien Andrei Kostitsyn, senior defenseman Mike try Belarus in the IIHF World always worked hard to make including former NHL Most skated for Belarus, as well as Championship.

Averaging Busillo added. “He plays himself a better player, and over 17 minutes of ice time Valuable Player Evgeni New York Islanders forward mean out there.” see YEVENKO on page 5 per game in the tournament Malkin and fellow NHL Mikhail Grabovski.

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Thursday, October 9, 2014

Beyond his years Dennis Kravchenko is only a freshman, but is expected to fill a major role

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UMass will rely on leadership by sophomores Underclassmen must fill big shoes

By Anthony Chiusano Collegian Staff

CADE BELISLE/COLLEGIAN

Dennis Kravchenko scored two goals in UMass’ exhibition win against Dalhousie on Oct. 4 playing on the Minutemen’s top line.

By Jason Kates Collegian Staff

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hen cur rent Massachusetts hockey coaches John Micheletto and Joey Gasparini left as assistants at the University of Vermont in 2012 to coach in Amherst, Dennis Kravchenko – who was then committed to the Catamounts – had one thing on his mind: he wanted to join them.

Following the two coaches’ departure, Kravchenko said that he never built a great relationship with Vermont’s current coaching staff, leading him to look elsewhere for an opportunity to play Division I hockey.

“When I came to visit UMass everything came hand-in-hand,” Kravchenko said. “The school was great, the campus was great and I had a couple guys on the team that I knew so that relationship really grew.”

A California native, Kravchenko moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he graduated from high school as a three-sport athlete in soccer, lacrosse and hockey.

Because playing collegiate hockey was always his main goal, Kravchenko put the other two sports behind him.

Prior to his arrival at UMass, he participated in many leagues and competitions, playing with some of the most elite prospects in hockey throughout the world. For Kravchenko, playing in the United States Hockey League was a great experience that served as great preparation for playing in a conference of Hockey East’s caliber.

“The USHL is a quick, fastpaced league. Everything is a step quicker than other junior leagues,” Kravchenko said. “It was hard to get used to in the beginning, but after a while you get used to making quicker decisions.

“There’s a lot of high talent there, a lot of the kids who play in the USHL end up coming into D-1 and playing either in the Hockey East, WCHA or other leagues.”

In three seasons, two of which came with the Sioux Falls Stampede, Kravchenko finished with a total of 129 points, 86 of which came from assists. In his final campaign with the Stampede, he played alongside Keith Burchett, who is also a freshman for the Minutemen.

On the ice, Kravchenko has a tremendous sense for the game and knows which attributes he can use to his

advantage against the opposition.

“I feel like I’m a quick guy, I see the ice pretty well and I’ll be physical when I need to be,” he said. “As a center I try and back up all my players and do whatever job I need to do. Becoming more of an overall player is really what I’m striving for.”

Captain K Kravchenko added another accomplishment to what was an already impressive resume in the fall of 2013, when he won the gold medal as the captain of Team USA at the World Junior A Championships in Nova Scotia.

In the four games he played, he recorded four points, scoring one goal and tallying three assists.

Representing his country on such a big stage at that level was something he said he will never forget, especially since he had the letter “C” embroidered on his chest.

“That was honestly awesome,” Kravchenko said. “I got nominated by the teammates and the coaching staff to be the captain. I was one of the older guys on the team and we had tons of players all over the team that had so much skill that literally put me in the background.

“I just did my part and tried to be an older guy with experience and help out as much as I could. It was a great experience and never thought I’d participate in anything like it.”

Reunited

much easier.

“They know how to handle me and they know my ups and downs, so from there things moved a lot smoother.”

Miller, who is beginning his second season coaching under Micheletto, said he vividly remembers when the Minutemen recruited Kravchenko and could tell right away that he had elite hockey skills.

“Operating on a special level was the first thing that stood out to me when I saw him,” Miller said.

“He’s got a really good stick, makes a lot of plays, and is a very good athlete.”

Since their days together at KUA, Miller said he noticed a lot of growth in Kravchenko’s play on the ice.

“When I had him at KUA he was somewhere around 15 or 16 years old and his play around the puck needed a lot of maturity,” Miller said. “So it’s great that he was able to go out to junior hockey and play a lot of games at a high level.

With a puck on his stick he was good back then and is pretty good now.”

Miller later added that a player like Kravchenko brings outstanding playmaking abilities, which is an attribute the coaching staff looks for in players that could fit in a fast system.

As for Mastalerz, he said he believes the freshman will adjust well to the Minutemen’s style of play and will bring a much needed energy boost to the team.

“He’s obviously adjusted to each level he’s been a part of, and I’m sure he’ll do the same here,” Mastalerz said. “He’s a good two-way player.”

Before playing in the USHL, Kravchenko attended Kimball Union Academy in New Hampshire from 2009-2011, where he played with current teammate and senior goaltender Steve Mastalerz. The team was also coached by Ryan Miller, who is a current assistant coach at UMass.

Kravchenko said that being able to reunite with his ex-teammate and coach has made for a comfortable transition and was something he looked forward to since committing to the program.

“It’s awesome. We had a great relationship when we were back in school,” Kravchenko said. “Having all three coaches really on Looking Ahead my side here to help me out really made my decision so Like his teammate Frank

Vatrano, Kravchenko will be called upon to carry the offense with the departures of Conor Sheary, Michael Pereira and Branden Gracel – last year’s top three scorers for UMass.

“We lost a lot last year, but also gained a lot too,” Mastalerz said. “Every year the new guys have to step up and whether it’s (Kravchenko) or another guy, we have a lot of good skill which could help us in the long run.”

Kravchenko displayed his offensive abilities on Saturday when he scored two goals in a 5-2 exhibition victory over Dalhousie. The forward played on the first line with Vatrano and senior captain Troy Power.

Even though the game didn’t count record-wise, he said it still was nice finding the score sheet in his first appearance for the Minutemen.

“It was an exhibition, but it felt great getting the first one out of the way, it was a weight off my shoulders,” Kravchenko said. “Getting that pass from (Power) made it even easier for me; I told him I owed him a steak dinner after that one.

“It made me relax a little more and overall it was just a great feeling.”

With the regular season set to begin this Friday night against Boston University, Kravchenko said he will do whatever it takes to help the team.

“I’m gonna try and do my best as an individual to do everything I can to help us out,” he said. “Anything I can do to help the team out, whether it means going to the gym an extra day or staying on the ice for an extra 30 minutes, I’m willing to do it.”

Jason Kates can be reached at jkates@umass.edu and followed @ Jason_Kates.

When looking at the Massachusetts hockey team’s roster, one can’t help but notice the absence of many of its stalwarts from its past few seasons.

Gone are Conor Sheary, Michael Pereira and Branden Gracel – the team’s 2013-2014 top three point scorers – who graduated following their senior seasons. Joel Hanley and Colin Shea followed the same path after overseeing the defensive unit in all 34 of UMass’ games last year.

In total, the Minutemen lost nine seniors to graduation.

As a result of this transition, UMass is left with a young team entering the 2014-2015 season, composed of nine freshmen and six sophomores.

Minutemen coach John Micheletto said that this newfound youth presents a refreshing atmosphere that has provided general excitement and anticipation for the upcoming year.

“It’s a different energy, a different dynamic with the group,” Micheletto said. “Now you’ve got a handful of young guys who are just eager to make a good impression on both the coaching staff and their teammates.”

While the freshmen continue to familiarize themselves to the college level, it’s been UMass’ sophomore class that has helped ease the adjustment period and continue to take on elevated roles, according to Micheletto.

“That group in general we’re leaning on an awful lot to make sure they’re helping with the freshmen since they were just in their shoes a year ago,” Micheletto said. “So, it’s not only the captains and the seniors that you’re asking to kind of get those younger guys acclimated.”

In particular, Micheletto said that forwards Steven Iacobellis and Ray Pigozzi have looked comfortable in their preparation to help lead the Minutemen offense in their second years.

Iacobellis was named the team’s 2013-2014 Rookie of the Year after recording 11 goals and 10 assists, which placed him fourth on the team in points (21).

Pigozzi finished right behind Iacobellis with 18 points in 33 games for UMass, notching five goals and 13 assists.

The two forwards played the majority of games on the same line last year, along with redshirt senior captain Troy Power.

According to Iacobellis, Power played a crucial role in aiding their development in their first seasons.

“He showed us the ropes,” Iacobellis said. “We had a lot of questions and he always did an unbelievable job in explaining exactly what we wanted to know.”

Pigozzi added that observing how Power handled himself served as inspiration for how to act.

“Playing with older guys, like (Power), who has been here for many years, that’s obviously a huge help,” Pigozzi said. “You can simply look what he’s doing on a daily basis, and just follow behind him.”

Micheletto said he sees Iacobellis and Pigozzi tak-

ing on a similar teaching role with this year’s group of freshmen, which includes forward Patrick Lee, who has been regularly matched on the same line in practice as the two sophomores.

“He has a great personality and is always a kid that is going to want to be there to learn,” Iacobellis said about Lee. “He’s got a great attitude toward the game, he asks questions and he is excited to play.”

On the defensive side, Micheletto noted the important roles that sophomores Brennan Baxandall and Marc Hetnik will play on the backline in creating turnovers and initiating a quick transition into an aggressive offensive attack.

“In this day and age, if you don’t have four guys involved in the offense on a somewhat consistent basis, you’re going to be limited in terms of what your scoring is,” Micheletto said. “Finding those soft spots in the second layer of the rush really becomes important.”

Baxandall, wh o appeared in 21 games for the Minutemen last season, is fully-recovered from offseason surgery, according to Micheletto.

The coach said that he expects the 6-foot-2 defenseman to return to the fast and aggressive style of play that he displayed last year.

As for Hetnik, Micheletto praised the flexibility he showed last year when he was moved to forward midway through the season to help a struggling offense. Hetnik, who has since moved back to defense, finished with a goal and an assist.

“I would certainly like to contribute offensively a little bit more,” Hetnik said. “I think last year, we didn’t have much productivity on the blue line as far as offense goes, so I would like to be one of those guys who is active on the play and helps contribute to the scoring.”

In addition to their solid core of true sophomores, the Minutemen will also have redshirt sophomore forward Frank Vatrano available for a full season following his ineligibility that lasted through last year’s regular season.

Vatrano, who Micheletto said “loves scoring goals like nobody else” he’s ever seen, showed a glimpse of his offensive expertise in UMass’ Oct. 4 exhibition game against Dalhousie, when he tallied a goal and an assist in a 5-2 victory.

Micheletto said that although Vatrano is still relatively new to the team, he is already regarded as a veteran presence in the Minutemen locker room.

“He’s a gifted player who does things the right way and approaches practice and games with an unbelievably competitive mentality,” Micheletto said. “Guys respect him because of the way that he approaches the game.”

With this year’s collection of young talent, Hetnik said the loss of last year’s graduating class will not be a hindrance in its ultimate goal of making a run in the Hockey East tournament this season.

“I think that everyone brings a certain aspect to the table that will help us be there in March,” Hetnik said. “I like what I see.”

Anthony Chiusano can be reached at achiusano@umass.edu and can be followed on Twitter @a_chiusano24.

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Thursday, October 9, 2014

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A scoring pedigree

Frank Vatrano’s offensive prowess can finally be displayed

By Jason Kates

A

Collegian Staff

fter the Massachusetts hockey team fell to Vermont in the first round of last year’s Hockey East tournament, forward Frank Vatrano was already looking toward the next season.

For the redshirt sophomore, the loss was the only game he participated in during the entire 2013-2014 campaign due to NCAA rules that prohibited him from playing in the regular season following his transfer from Boston College.

Now, after a long and difficult wait, Vatrano can finally hit the ice for his first full season as a member of the Minutemen as a stronger person, not just physically, but mentally as well.

“I think that was the biggest thing I needed to work on, especially sitting out for that long,” Vatrano said. “I think there were times when I got away from that, and it was tough to get mentally ready when you sit out for an extended period of time like that.

“I think from doing that it’s made my mindset a lot better. I’m excited to finally get a full year under my belt.”

Growing up, Vatrano said that he always had a dream of competing at the collegiate level. Now, he will finally get to showcase his

POWER

talents in a loaded Hockey East.

“It feels awesome,” he said.

“Unfortunately I had a bit of a delay to that, but now I’m finally excited to get started.”

Vatrano said that he focused on improving many areas of his game in the offseason, as he prepared for a rigorous UMass schedule which includes games against Boston University, Providence College and his former school, the Eagles. He spent an ample amount of time improving his conditioning.

“I think just getting faster and getting my conditioning up,” Vatrano said. “You know hockey is a really fast game, so with better conditioning and the faster you are, the easier the game comes to you.”

Minutemen coach John Micheletto praised his young forward regarding his development in the offseason and said he believes Vatrano can have the breakout year that everyone is expecting.

“Nobody has worked harder than Frank Vatrano in a no-carrot situation like he’s been in,” Micheletto said. “He knew that he wasn’t gonna be in the lineup and a lot of times not having that carrot dangling in front of you puts you in situations where you have highs and lows with your effort and focus.

“That never happened with Frank last year and to his credit, he worked harder than anybody

to try and get better, despite not being able to play in any games.

I think we saw on Saturday night that although it’s not a finished product with Frank right now, he’s in a good spot.”

Micheletto said that having a player of Vatrano’s caliber on the sidelines for an entire season makes him excited to watch him perform immediately this year.

“It’s huge,” Micheletto said.

“We were hopeful that things work out differently last year and that we would get him for at least half the year. That was a disappointment and certainly hurt our lineup, but to have him now for a full season, not only what his skill set is but what he brings to the rest of the team is important as we continue to build a championship team.”

As an offensive player, creating chances and scoring goals is something Vatrano said he prides himself on, as well as using his shot to set up his teammates when they enter the offensive zone.

With UMass losing its top three leaders in points last season due to graduation in Conor Sheary, Michael Pereira and Branden Gracel, Micheletto said he believes a player like Vatrano could step up and fill the void as an offensive threat.

“The pedigree that he (Frank) comes with and the productivity

CADE BELISLE/COLLEGIAN

Frank Vatrano (14) appeared in just one game for UMass a season ago due to eligibility issues following his transfer from Boston College. he’s had in years past will certainly put him in a situation where he can make up for that,” Micheletto said. “Hopefully at some point he exceeds that sort of production.

As we look at it right now, he’s certainly a guy we will turn to and he’s gonna carry a big load for us.”

In an exhibition against Dalhousie on Saturday, Micheletto placed Vatrano on the starting line with senior captain Troy Power and freshman Dennis Kravchenko.

The three combined for five points,

A blessing in disguise After playing in 18 games his freshman season, Power emerged as a key contributor for UMass during his sophomore

ALEC ZABRECKY/COLLEGIAN

Troy Power scored 10 goals and added seven assists a season ago for UMass, which were both career highs. year where he saw heightened action (31 games) and recorded nine points.

With this increased production came raised expectations entering his junior season in 2012, as Power was expected to be a major component of the Minutemen’s offensive attack.

The 2012 season started promising for Power, as he tallied two goals and four assists in UMass’ first 11 games. However, Power’s season was cut short as a knee injury suffered against Northeastern in November sidelined Power for the remaining 22 games in 2012-2013.

“We missed him that first year after the knee injury,” Micheletto said.

“That was a loss on the ice and in the locker room.”

Power said that while sitting out the remainder of the season was initially disappointing, he now looks back on the trying experience as a “blessing in disguise.”

“That year was very tough for me and it was really hard to just watch a lot of the games,” Power said. “But at the same time, it opens your eyes and makes you realize how much you love playing hockey and doing things with your team.”

Power returned to the ice for the Minutemen for the start of the 20132014 season as a medically

Jason Kates can be reached at jkates@umass. edu and followed @Jason_Kates.

YEVENKO

continued from page 1

oped his love for the game, Power said that his high school years were when he began to realistically see a future in the sport.

“Playing under those two programs really helped me mature as a teenager and elevate my game,” Power said.

“Overall, I think that was the start of when hockey got a little more serious for me.”

After g r a d u at i n g from high school in 2008, Power began his USHL career with the Tri-City Storm, based in Kearney, Nebraska, where he scored five goals in 58 games.

“It was a little bit of a culture shock but it was great,” Power said. “I kind of grew up and it was my first time leaving home.

I turned from a boy into more of a man.”

The following year, he joined the Lancers, where he said he continued to be shaped as a hockey player and as a person.

Power’s development in the USHL drew interest from UMass in 2010. He ultimately decided to commit to the Minutemen after speaking with his former youth hockey teammate from Southern California, Darren Rowe, who was a freshman defenseman for UMass at the time. “(Rowe) has always been a good friend of mine and he had nothing but great things to say (about UMass),” Power said. “When the process started, he was one of the first people I called and he thought that I would be a great fit here. From there, it was the official visits and checking things out and I fell in love with it.”

Power’s official decision to sign with the Minutemen came on March 29, 2010, which was a special day for him: his 20th birthday.

“I made my decision on my birthday, which is something that I will probably always remember,” Power said.

with Vatrano tallying a goal and an assist.

“I think we’ll stick with it for a while,” Micheletto said.

“Obviously, you never know how things are gonna work out, you see guys continue to mesh and mature together.

“Right now their skill sets complement each other and personality-wise it seems to be a good fit, so I think we’ll stick with it.”

cleared redshirt junior.

Completely healthy and with no setbacks, Power lived up to the expectations that were present prior to his true junior season, finishing with 17 points.

Micheletto said that one noticeable difference in Power’s play was his skating speed – which he said is continuing to develop – to go along with his already “quick and deceptive” shot.

However, Power maintained that it was confidence in his health and in his overall play that led to his success last season.

“I remained healthy which was really important for me and just stayed confident,” Power said.

“When you get settled down and get more confident, you’re not pressing or trying to put up points.

It just kind of happens.”

A “ticking clock” Despite Power’s personal success in his return last season, UMass struggled to find consistency and finished 8-22-4 (4-133 Hockey East) in a year characterized by close losses and missed opportunities. After losing nine seniors from a season ago, the Minutemen were selected to finish 11th out of 12 teams in the 2014 preseason Hockey East coaches’ poll.

However, Power said

that this year’s young team is dangerous and has the ability to pick up its first postseason win in six years.

“I try not to look too much at the preseason predictions, because, to be honest, I don’t think they are ever right,” Power said. “There’s always that team or two that surprises everyone and there’s always a team that is supposed to finish in the top three or four but ends up finishing seventh or eighth.

“I really like where we are headed.”

For now, though, Power said that it is important for UMass to focus on the beginning of its regular season and to continue to improve in the offensive zone, where he said the Minutemen struggled at times last season.

H oweve r, Powe r acknowledged there is always a sense of urgency in the back of his mind when it comes to his desire to achieve postseason success.

“With this being my last year, there’s a ticking clock,” Power said. “I definitely want to take advantage during my senior year and leave UMass with its best season possible.”

Anthony Chiusano can be reached at achiusano@umass.edu and can be followed on Twitter @a_chiusano24.

continued from page 3

it’s something that has stood out to coaches and teammates. ”He’s evolved every year into a better, stronger, more complete player,” UMass captain Troy Power said. “He works tirelessly on his game and has the NHL attitude of getting better every day and working hard.”

Busillo also praised Yevenko’s work ethic.

“He works hard day in and day out. After offseasons, he always comes back better, stronger and faster.

He’s got a lot of respect from his teammates. He comes to the rink every day ready to go.”

Power thinks that Yevenko’s experiences this offseason have helped him as well, noting the defenseman looks more confident coming into his senior year.

“His confidence with the puck seems a lot better this year than it has in the past,” he said. “His passes are crisp, and his footwork has gotten night and day better (over the years).”

Power continued: “He’s done a great job of continuing to work on his feet and movement as a big guy, and that’s been a great benefit for him.”

Skating – along with communication and puck skills – was something Yevenko said he’s focused on improving throughout his years with the Minutemen. Micheletto also noted that improved conditioning has helped Yevenko over the past few seasons.

A Senior Leader With nine incoming freshman and 15 underclassmen in total for UMass, Yevenko is being counted on to be a leader on and off the ice, something the senior is adjusting to.

“It takes a while to get used to,” Yevenko said. “It seems like you came in here a freshman yesterday, and now you’re a senior.

It puts more responsibility on your shoulders.”

Micheletto said Yevenko’s role as a leader was important with all the underclassmen still getting used to the system this

year. “(His) leadership is going to be counted on,” Micheletto said. “You can’t just have Troy Power being the one guy trying to lead the team.”

As one of just three upperclassmen on defense, Yevenko knows that other players are looking up to him.

“I try to lead by example for our young group of freshmen and do the right things,” Yevenko said. “You have that thought in the back of our head of always trying to be the leader you want to be led by.”

Part of being a leader is being vocal, and by all accounts Yevenko is a strong communicator on the ice. Micheletto praised him repeatedly for facilitating communication with his teammates.

“He’s really vocal, and the guys thrive off that,” Micheletto said. “He never allows guys to not be in communication on the ice.”

Looking Ahead Yevenko is optimistic about the upcoming season, and saw a lot of good things out of his teammates in the preseason.

“I really like how our team has improved communication with each other,” Yevenko said.”We have a good work ethic – a really good work ethic – and a great attitude.”

He also spoke of the dedication and focus of the team on one thing – hockey.

“Everyone realizes that they’re here for a reason and hockey is a priority,” he said. “Once you have that in place, everything else is going to take care of itself.”

Friday night against Boston University, the puck finally drops on the 2014-15 season. It’s a moment that’s been building for awhile for Yevenko.

The Terriers boast an impressive lineup of scoring forwards and future NHL players and are sure to put a lot of pressure on the UMass defense.

In other words, it’s a perfect matchup for Yevenko.

Ross Gienieczko can be reached at rgieniec@umass.edu and followed @ RossGien.

6

Thursday, October 9, 2014

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

DailyCollegian.com

MEN’S SOCCER

UMass falls to Hartford 2-1 in crushing OT loss

By Adam Aucoin Collegian Staff

The game was a tale of two halves for the Massachusetts men’s soccer team.

The Minutemen (1-9) came out strong controlling the ball and putting pressure against the Hartford Hawks (5-4-2) defense and redshirt freshman goalie Scott McKirgan.

But Hartford’s Romario Jones put all that work to a crashing halt when he scored the game-winning goal in the 94th minute, securing a 2-1 win for the Hawks.

“I am really proud of the way my team played,” O’Neill said. “We’ve played well, not just hard these past few games. We have been in every game we played

recently, so that is a good sign moving forward.”

Four minutes into overtime, Hartford forward Jeff Tyron took a shot that was blocked by UMass goalkeeper Ryan Buckingham. The ball then rolled back into the box where Jones got a foot on it that ended the contest, giving the Minutemen their fourth consecutive loss, all of which by one goal.

UMass was the first team on the scoreboard when midfielder Luke Pavone put a hard shot past McKirgan in the 34th minute to put the Minutemen up 1-0 late in the first half.

“I thought we competed very well in the first half,” interim head coach Devin O’Neill said. “We had many second balls and when we

“I am very proud of the way my team played.

We’ve played well, not just hard these past few games.”

Devin O’Neill, interim UMass coach won the ball we transitioned well.”

“Luke had a great game for us today,” said O’Neill.

“He got out and spaced the field and helped us transition well. It really helped us get a rhythm in this game.”

Unfortunately Payone’s goal would be the only one UMass had in Wednesday’s game. McKirgan stopped almost everything that the Minutemen put on him. The game could have been well out of hand going into halftime, but it was McKirgan’s performance that kept the

Hawks in the game.

McKirgan faced 22 shots from the Minutemen offense, 10 of which were on goal, yet he only let one past him.

Meanwhile, his team didn’t help him out, not putting a single shot on Buckingham in the first half.

“Our finishing needs to be a little sharper,” O’Neill said, “If we are able to finish those scoring chances, we would have won this game.”

Coming out of the half, there was a sense of urgency from the Hawks, who for the most part were pushed

FOOTBALL

When struggles collide

around in the first half by UMass defenders. The team had clear control of the ball and made much crisper passes and it was leading to better chances.

It wasn’t until the 55th minute that the Hawks put their first shot on goal. One minute later Hartford would even up the game with a goal by Romario Jones that was assisted by Omar Tall.

“A bunch of the credit has to be given to Hartford in that second half,” O’Neill said. “They got off to a great start in the half and they controlled the ball a lot better than we did.”

As the half progressed, both teams had plenty of chances to take the lead..

Late shot attempts by the Minutemen, most notably by freshman Matt Mooney

UM squares off with UConn in first dual-match

By Victor Pusateri Collegian Correspondent

Blake Frohnapfel (7) attempts a pass against Bowling Green on Sept. 27, 2014 in a 47-42 loss.

UMass, Kent State both seek first win

By Andrew Cyr Collegian Staff

Despite showing major signs of improvements on the field, whether it’s week to week or year to year, there’s one thing that the Massachusetts football team can’t change: its record.

The Minutemen’s offense has nearly surpassed its totals for the entire 2013 season just six games into their season. Although the defense has been spotty at times, between linebackers Stanley Andre and Jovan Santos, and defensive backs Randall Jette and Joe Colton, UMass has a core group of players that are more than capable of making big plays and causing turnovers.

But if the Minutemen can’t come away with a victory this Saturday against winless Kent State, it will be time to hit the panic button.

Offense has been hard to come by for Kent State who has scored only 41 points through five games. Its 8.2 points per game average is second worst in FBS football.

Although scoring has been the biggest struggle for the Golden Flashes this season, head coach Paul Haynes doesn’t know who his team’s quarterback will be. Starter Colin Reardon left last Saturday’s game

against Northern Illinois with an ankle injury, then just two plays later backup Nathan Strock was taken out after taking a big hit while standing in the pocket.

“We have no idea (who’s playing quarterback),” Santos-Knox said. “It’s tough to prepare when you don’t know who the guy is. We have no idea what they’ll be running but we are preparing for just about everything.”

Haynes said in his press conference on Monday that he’s taking both Reardon and Strock day-to-day, but believes that both will be doubtful. If they are both inactive for Saturday’s game, then Jack Williams will likely slide into the starting role after throwing an incompletion in his only pass attempt against the Huskies. Freshmen George Bollas will also get first team reps in practice as well.

Williams originally made the team as a walk-on tight end, but changed positions in the spring after the 2013 season. Bollas has not played a snap this season.

“We really don’t know what they’re going to do,” Minutemen head coach Mark Whipple said. “We’re just trying to get as much information as possible.

We’re going to have to delegate practice time preparing for everything.”

CADE BELISLE/COLLEGIAN

Jovan Santos-Knox (17) said UMass is “preparing for just about everything.”

One thing that Whipple noted was his thought that Kent State will try to run the ball against them. Nick Holley is the only player with over 100 rushing yards on the season (171) and Reardon is currently the only player with a rushing touchdown on the season.

Like the Minutemen’s first two conference games, they expect Saturday’s contest to be another up-tempo game that features a lot of no-huddle, hurry-up offense that will likely end in a shoot-out with plenty of points.

“There’s a lot less thinking involved when you’re going against a fast, uptempo team. We get out play call and we have to go because they’ll snap it on us quick. Sometimes when you’re just standing out

there you start to think to much and it messes you up,” said Santos-Knox.

Although on paper UMass has had more success this season, Whipple expects this to be another barnburner between two hungry teams trying to stay afloat in the MAC. “Whoever they have I’m sure it will come down to the fourth quarter. I don’t think they’re better than us and I don’t think we’re better than them. It will all come down to who makes the plays at the end,” Whipple said.

Kickof f from Dix Stadium will be at 2 p.m. and can be see on ESPN3. com.

Andrew Cyr can be reached at arcyr@ umass.edu, and can be followed on Twitter @Andrew_Cyr.

Adam Aucoin can be reached at aaucoin@umass.edu.

TENNIS

Prior success key for Minutewomen

MARIA UMINSKI/COLLEGIAN

who hit the left goal post in the 83rd minute, which would have given UMass the lead.

The Hawks had a great chance from Udi Cohen in the 87th minute that went just wide of the Minutemen goal post would have ended the game in regulation.

“I think we are playing quite well right now,” O Neill said. “Hartford is a really good team so being able to compete with them is a very good sign for our program.”

UMass will look for its second win again on Saturday as it takes on Virginia Commonwealth University at Rudd Field at 1 p.m.

The Massachusetts women’s tennis team travels to Connecticut to face the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Connecticut Thursday for the Minutewomen’s first dual match of the year.

UMass will try to build off a solid outing at the Army Invitation, where it took home multiple singles and doubles victories. Dominant performances by Anna Woosley, Chanel Glasper, Carol Benito and freshman Ana Yrazusta Acosta kept the Minutewomen in contention in the finals for their numerous fights.

Both teams are very familiar with each other, as they have faced off in many close matches over the years. UMass has had the upper hand the last few times these two teams have met, most recently at the Army Invitation where UMass won two matches against the Huskies.

Prior to that matchup, the Minutewomen rallied to beat UConn from threematches down last year at the Mullins Center courts.

Every time these two teams meet, it has a rivalry feeling to it, according to head coach Judy Dixon.

“Both teams really want to beat the other,” she said. “We’ve beaten them the last couple of times but they’ve improved over the last couple of years and are really set on beating us.”

Leading up to this match, UMass has only participated in tournament play this season.

This dual match will give Dixon a good idea of how much progress her team has made not only overall, but in doubles competition as well.

A point of emphasis coming into this season for the Minutewomen was to improve on their doubles play as Dixon felt it held them back last year.

Throughout the season, Dixon’s main focus has been on doubles positioning and breaking down doubles progress in attempt to improve from last year year’s struggles.

According to Dixon, they are “light years” ahead of where they were last season at this time.

Dixon also believes this

“We’ve beaten them the last couple times but they’ve improved over the last couple of years and are really set on beating us.”

Judy Dixon, UMass coach match will be good experience for her younger players as it will give them big game experience. This will be Acosta’s first dual match at the collegiate level, so it will be good for her to get accustomed to playing away from home.

There are a few things that Dixon expects from her team in the upcoming matchup against the Huskies. For starters, she wants her players to play tough and aggressive because that’s when she believes they are at their best. If UMass plays conservative, it allows UConn to control the match, preventing the Minutewomen from playing their game.

Dixon also wants to see improvement and maturity from her team.

Having already beaten the Huskies earlier this season, she expects nothing less than to win those matches again. Dixon believes every match is winnable as long as her players do their jobs, stay focused on the task at hand, and don’t get effected by outside factors. In the past, UMass has relied on team depth to win matches from the bottom up.

Another factor that worries Dixon is the change in weather. Due to the drop in temperature the ball travels slower and makes it harder for someone who doesn’t normally hit the ball fast to put speed on it. Also the temperature at the start of matches is drastically different from when the sun sets down.

With the match starting at 2p.m. it will be worth nothing whether or not there’s a big decrease in temperature by the final matches and to see if it has a noticeable impact on the players.

Victor Pusateri can be reached at vpusateri@umass.edu,

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

Thursday, October 9, 2013

News@DailyCollegian.com

@CollegianNews

Dancing queens

Amherst Alert system improves UM security Tests scheduled for twice each semester

By Shelby Ashline Collegian Staff

BRYN ROTHSCHILD-SHEA/COLLEGIAN

Dancers perform at the 40th annual Multibands concert in the Fine Arts Center Friday. Multibands showcased 15 music, choral and dance ensembles.

ESPN reporter speaks to sport law students B y Mark C hiarelli Collegian Staff

completely.

“They’re not scared of the NCAA, that’s the issue,” Goodman said. “The only time (the NCAA) really punished people is for lying to them…That’s where they get hit now. Other than that, nobody is intimidated by the NCAA.” The class spent time this year learning contract law, tort cases and current issues surrounding sports. Recently, a U.S. District Court judge struck down the NCAA’s use of a player’s likeness or image for commercial purposes, saying it violated antitrust act in the Ed O’Bannon case. The decision was an important swing of power in favor of collegiate athletes, and left the NCAA “backpedaling,” according to Goodman.

Goodman discussed one of the NCAA’s responses to the measure.

NCAA President Mark Emmert currently supports a plan to offer a $2,000 stipend to scholarship athletes in an effort to further accommodate players. Goodman believes this is a decision that the top Division I programs will support and will further support the players.

“I’m not sure Emmert ever wanted to give a stipend, but there’s so much pressure right now,” Goodman said. “And if he doesn’t, I think then, these schools are going to get together and say ‘Well, you know what, if the NCAA isn’t going to change, we’re going to look at other avenues.’”

Goodman, who graduated from the University of Arizona, also discussed his career path. He originally worked in public relations before freelancing for the Associated Press, Washington Post and USA Today.

Eventually, he earned a spot at a startup recruiting website covering basketball and football recruiting.

Goodman acknowledged that it’s helpful to have a background in sport law when covering the sports industry.

“I think it all helps,” Goodman said. “If you want to get into sports, it’s so broad now. You have to know about everything. People are asking me about every aspect and I wish I had more knowledge about sport law and about other parts of the industry.”

Jeff Goodman, a national college basketball reporter for ESPN, spoke to sport management students enrolled in an introductory sports law class Wednesday morning.

Goodman and Professor Glenn Wong held a “radio show” style discussion, as Wong asked Goodman about current legal issues in sports, the recruiting landscape in college basketball and Goodman’s personal career.

A veteran basketball reporter with experience covering professional, college and high school basketball, as well as doing recruitment for a variety of outlets including Fox Sports and Scout.com, Goodman appears on digital ESPN platforms and television productions.

“I try to be the only guy who can (cover) all three levels of basketball,” Goodman said.

He spoke at length about the issues college basketball teams face in terms of recruiting players. Goodman noted that recruiting is a competitive environment between various Division I programs and that teams will go to great lengths to gain an advantage.

In particular, Goodman acknowledged that many schools will work in conjunction with sneaker companies such as Nike and Adidas to persuade players to join particular programs. Those same players play for specifically-branded Amateur Athletic Union teams in high school and often attend college programs which wear the same brand of apparel. So, if a high school student plays for a team outfitted

by Nike, that student could be pressured to attend a college that also wears Nike apparel.

“There are certainly some programs out there that are not doing it the right way,” Goodman said in an interview with the Collegian following the discussion. According to Goodman, schools have found ways to skirt around NCAA regulation.

“It trickles down. Now, it’s different levels of cheating. But again, the hardest part is trying to catch them,” he said.

Goodman believes teams sidestep recruiting rules established by the NCAA because programs aren’t afraid of the repercussions.

The NCAA generates billions of dollars in revenue from its NCAA Tournament every March, Mark Chiarelli can be reached at mchiarel@umass.edu and can’t afford to alienate powerful programs and followed on Twitter @Mark_Chiarelli.

At least twice each semester, sirens echo across the University of Massachusetts campus. Students hear a monotone voice call out over the speakers and feel their phones buzzing, with text messages and e-mails conveying the same information as the voice –“This is a test of the UMass Amherst Alerts System.”

The Office of Emergency Management conducted this semester’s first test of the UMass Amherst Alerts system last Thursday, Oct. 2, at 11:15 a.m.

Although the test may have seemed routine, Jeff Hescock, director of University Emergency Management and Business Continuity, said improvements made to the system over the summer sped up the delivery of the messages on Thursday. “(The new system) allows us to be more streamline in the way that we send the message,” Hescock said.

“Once you hit ‘send’ you’re

sending (the message) to both e-mail and text at the same time versus before we had two different systems…

We kind of went from having two red buttons to one red button.”

Hescock assessed last week’s test as being “extremely successful,” and said he and his staff have not run into any problems with the system that need to be addressed.

Before each test, the Office of Emergency Management staff members are positioned around campus to act as spotters. They give Hescock feedback once the test is over regarding how well they could hear the sirens and the voice.

Hescock explained that even though there are eight strategically placed outdoor warning sirens across campus, depending on the day of the year, time and weather conditions, people might have more difficulty making out the voice’s message. All the same, hearing a warning siren indicates to the 30,000 students and faculty on campus that they should check their phones for emergency emails and texts that will provide them with more information.

“Through the years, (the sirens) have been tested so much, we really feel like we have great coverage on the campus,” Hescock said. Federal law requires that UMass test the UMass Amherst Alert system at least once per semester, according to Hescock, but the Office of Emergency Management chooses to test twice per semester and once during the summer.

Hescock emphasized that part of the purpose of testing the system so frequently is to gauge the sound quality of the sirens and voice so adjustments can be made, if necessary, in addition to combatting any potential problems with delivering the automated e-mails and texts.

“Preparedness is key,” Hescock said.

“We’re always practicing before we respond (to) an emergency.

We update our procedures, update our plans and update our checklists.”

Hescock and his staff’s preparedness extends beyond just the tests of the alert system. He and the Campus Emergency Operations Center Team, which consee

ALERTS on page 2

Amherst socialist group fears for state of environment Organization has 80 branches in US

By Christopher McDonald Collegian Correspondent

The International Socialist Organization of Amherst held a meeting last week at the University of Massachusetts to discuss capitalism and its effect on the environment. The meeting, which involved a speech

by Washington-based activist Brian Ward, stressed the incompatibility between capitalism and ecological sustainability.

The ISO believes that systemic overhaul toward a socialist society will help harmonize the relationship between man and earth. Its stance is based on the belief that socialism can allow for material production based on, as Ward put it, “human need, not profit.”

Based on the organization’s website, the ISO has upward of 80 branches across America. It publishes a newspaper, Socialist Worker, which comments on

news of the day through the lens of Marxism. Socialist Worker centers itself on the idea that “War, poverty, exploitation, and worldwide environmental destruction are products of the capitalist system. … The alternative is socialism, a society based on workers collectively owning and controlling the wealth their labor creates.”

Ward started the discussion of capitalism and ecology in the wake of a massive climate change rally in New York City. Noting the far-reaching capabilities of the climate change discussion, Ward stressed the possibility of a partnership between environmental policy change advocates and a national socialist movement.

“Socialism is eco-friendly,” Ward said. In his opinion, capitalism can never bring about the change needed to help the environment because need for profit will always overshadow sustainable ecological practices.

The ISO believes that the solution to ecological problems is ending a capitalist system that promotes over-

production of goods, unsustainable growth and exploitation of labor.

David Woodsome, an ISO member, synthesized this point by stating, “Accumulation, accumulation, accumulation are the Moses and all the prophets of capitalism. Capitalism needs to expand or else it will falter.”

Socialism is the ideal system in the minds of Ward, Woodsome and their associates, allowing laborers to take back the means of production. This, according to socialist theory, will allow for a sustainable future based on the needs of all people, not just the needs of a profit seeking, powerful elite.

One of the major points of discussion at the meeting was multinational oil companies. The socialists see the companies’ refusal to limit fossil fuel extraction as an example of the incongruity of capitalism and ecological sustainability. This discussion led to the idea that the see

ISO on page 2

US Ebola patient dies Tuesday in Texas

By Matthew Watkins Robert T. Garrett and Jeffrey Weiss The Dallas Morning News

DALLAS — The condition of the only person diagnosed with Ebola on American soil improved a bit Tuesday, as Dallas County officials defended their initial response to the infection.

Thomas Eric Duncan, 42, remained in critical condition on dialysis and a ventilator, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital said.

But his liver functions improved slightly from the weekend. And members of Duncan’s family said his fever was lower and his blood pressure was normal.

Local and national health officials said that none of the 48 people known to have had direct or indirect contact with Duncan while he was potentially infectious have developed symptoms of the virus.

And federal officials discussed ramping up inspections of people coming into the U.S. from parts of West Africa where the virus is active.

The World Health Organization estimates that more than 3,400 people have died of Ebola in West Africa, with at least twice as many infected.

Duncan’s 19-year-old son, Karsiah Eric Duncan, thanked his father’s caregivers at a news conference Tuesday night.

“I want to thank the hospital for all of their support and for trying to help my dad stay alive,” he said.

Karsiah, who said he hasn’t seen his father since he was 3, felt like he was “being called by God” to see him. He tried on Tuesday night but was unable to see him.

“Keep praying that my family is going to be OK and my dad makes it out safely,” he said.

The handling of his father’s case was a topic at Tuesday’s meeting of the Dallas County Commissioners Court.

Commissioner John Wiley Price said race and a lack of insurance played into Presbyterian’s decision not to admit Duncan when he first showed up at the hospital’s emer-

gency room on Sept. 26. Duncan, who complained of abdominal pain and a slight fever, told a nurse he had recently been in Africa, according to the hospital. He was sent home with antibiotics, only to return by ambulance two days later.

“We know why what happened at Presbyterian happened,” Price said. “It is historical what has happened in this community. If a person who looks like me shows up without insurance, they don’t get the same treatment.”

The hospital released a response to Price’s accusation through spokesman Wendell Watson: “Mr. Duncan was treated the way any other patient would have been

treated, regardless of nationality or ability to pay for care. We have a long history of treating a multicultural community in this area.”

The hospital has not explained why Duncan was discharged on the first visit, despite clear guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that say he should have been hospitalized and isolated.

In fact, a doctor treating Duncan at Presbyterian refused Tuesday to answer questions at a hearing of the state Senate Health and Human Services Committee.

Pulmonologist Gary Weinstein told senators that he couldn’t talk see

EBOLA on page 3

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Thursday, October 9, 2014

ALERTS

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

ISO

continued from page 1

sists of 18 people from different functional areas across campus, have regular meetings where they perform tabletop exercises, practicing how they would respond to mock scenarios.

Additionally, the Office of Emergency Management conducts a full-scale mock exercise each year.

This year, the Office of Emergency Management, in collaboration with UMass Police Department, received a grant from the Department of Homeland Security for $106,500, which will fund an all day, regional exercise sometime during the spring semester. According to Hescock, it is expected to integrate all of the Five Colleges, campus, local and state police forces, the Massachusetts Emergency

Management Agency and the Campus Emergency Operations Center Team.

However, the UMass Amherst Alert system is not only used during tests or to alert people of danger on campus. During particularly harsh winters, the system is utilized to alert students, faculty and staff when the University closes due to weather conditions.

“We probably used it a half a dozen times for school closures this past year,” Hescock said.

Although the system doesn’t need to be used frequently, Hescock is convinced that when and if an emergency situation does occur, he and the Campus Emergency Operations Center Team will be ready to respond because of their

extensive preparation.

“At the end of the day…when (the Campus Emergency Operations Center Team needs) to come together, we do so effectively because we’ve trained, we’ve exercised, we all know each other…We can kind of finish each other’s sentences at some points,” Hescock said.

The UMass Amherst system in turn “becomes kind of a well-oiled machine.”

Hescock encourages anyone who has not signed up for text message alerts to do so to further enhance communication of the urgent messages.

Shelby Ashline can be reached at sashline@umass.edu.

DailyCollegian.com

continued from page 1

As the service sectors of the working class start to strike across America, the ISO hopes other sectors will join. They know it is an uphill battle that starts with one conversation at a time and by challenging conventional belief systems. only way these companies can be stopped is through threat to profit by way of labor strikes.

The Socialist Worker explains that capitalism is “a system in which a minority ruling class profits from the labor of the majority. … Workers create society’s wealth, but have no control over its production and distribution.” To see change in the system, they call for the

working class to withhold their labor, and therefore withhold profits.

As the service sectors of the working class start to strike across America, the ISO hopes other sectors will join. They know it is an uphill battle that starts with one conversation at a time and by challenging conventional belief systems.

ISO member Donna Stern exemplified this personal

struggle with capitalism through a popular figure of speech.

“I was drinking the KoolAid, and Kool-Aid is bad for the environment,” she said.

The ISO of Amherst will continue to hold meetings regarding contemporary issues and how they relate to socialism throughout the month of October.

“Race, Class, & Rebellion: The Lessons of Ferguson” will be held Oct. 8 in the Campus Center at the University of Massachusetts. All meetings are free and open to the public.

Christopher McDonald can be reached at ckmcdonald@umass edu.

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

DailyCollegian.com

Harassment of student leads to investigation Autistic student duct taped to pole Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The Highlands School District near Pittsburgh has suspended its soccer coach and two of the team’s players after an autistic teenager was found duct-taped to a goal post over the weekend.

Harrison, Pa., police said the incident happened Sunday night at the school’s soccer fields. The police department is investigating.

Austin Babinsack, 16, told police that he was left duct taped to the post for about 15 minutes, while several students went back to the school to get another student.

An off-duty Pennsylvania state trooper found him.

“He was terrified, he could have died, he could have had a heart attack from being so stressed out.

He was screaming at the top of his lungs,” Austin’s mother, Kristy Babinsack told KDKA-TV. Kristy Babinsack said Austin is autistic.

The school district said coach Jim Turner and two of the players, both 17, have been suspended for at least five days. The Associated Press reported that Turner was not present at the incident.

The district released the following statement about the incident: “Highlands School District does not take matters such as hazing and bullying lightly. The district issues strict disciplinary action on students who think these actions are appropriate and harmless.”

EBOLA

Thursday, October 9, 2014

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continued from page 1

about initial treatment decisions. “Events preceding his first admission are being thoroughly reviewed,” he said.

Price and county health director Zachary Thompson both defended the response by local health officials, once the infection was identified.

“There was no misstep

by Dallas County Health and Human Services staff.

And I will defend that. I will call the individual out personally that they are lying,” Thompson said.

The health department learned of the possible virus on Sept. 29, Thompson said. It briefed the Commissioners Court the next day – the same day the virus was confirmed.

One day after that, a health department official notified members of the family that had been staying with Duncan that they needed to stay in their apartment, he said.

However, officials didn’t immediately guard the apartment to make sure people who were supposed to be isolated stayed inside.

One child who was supposed to stay home showed up for school the next day.

Sheriff’s deputies sent into Duncan’s apartment to serve a containment warrant that ordered the other occupants not to leave were not told about possible health risks nor given gloves or other protective gear.

The health department has been criticized for how long it took to send a sample of Duncan’s blood to state and national labs. And it took days to clean out the apartment where Duncan

Some hospitals ... are so worried about a proper Ebola response that they’re secretly hiring actors and sending them into emergency rooms reporting mock symptoms. had fallen ill – and where people were still living.

On his official blog, the CDC director said that the Dallas experience was being used to educate other cities.

“Today we hosted a conference call with the 50 state health commissioners to arm them as they work with their state hospitals and health care facilities. We shared lessons learned in many areas including how to prepare hospital emergency departments, how to take travel histories, and how to deal with potentially infected waste,” Dr. Tom Frieden wrote. “And we (are) working with Dallas County, Texas, health officials and others to create a catalogue of information, The Big Book of Ebola, for clinicians who need to know in the moment how to respond to a concern about Ebola.”

Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said it was legitimate to ask questions about the county’s response, but it’s not yet time for that.

“There will be an exhaustive look at this by a variety of sources,” he said. “Right now, our focus is on keeping you safe and not looking in the rearview mirror.”

One U.S. Coast Guard sector, covering parts of New York and Connecticut, announced that its ships would be checking on passengers of any boats coming in the area from affected parts of West Africa.

“We wanted to have those specific steps identified in advance, so we’ve prepared the captains of these vessels doing business in our ports for the questions we’re going to ask,” said Capt.

Edward J. Cubanski III, the sector commander.

Increased restrictions for inbound air travelers are still in the works, said Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Health’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. He told CNN that plans were underway to check the temperature and ask questions of some passengers arriving at U.S. airports.

Some hospitals in New York City are so worried about a proper Ebola response that they’re secretly hiring actors and sending them into emergency rooms reporting mock symptoms, The Associated Press reported. And one of the nation’s biggest ambulance companies has issued step-by-step instructions on how to wrap the interior of its vehicles with protective plastic sheeting.

And the CDC is searching for better ways to get information to the public.

The agency has scheduled a Twitter question-andanswer session from 2 to 3 p.m. Dallas time on Wednesday.

Opinion Editorial THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

Thursday, October 9, 2014

“If you want to change the world, pick up your pen and write.” - Martin Luther

Editorial@DailyCollegiancom

Male privilege and ‘megaphone guys’ in the SGA In “The Braindead Megaphone,” George Saunders defines the phrase “megaphone guy” as follows: “…

His main characteristic is his dominance. He crowds the other voices out. His rhetoric becomes the central rhet-

Josh Odam

oric because of its unavoidability. In time, Megaphone Guy will ruin the party.

The guests will stop believing in their value as guests, and come to see their main role as reactors-to-the-Guy … They’ll become passive, stop believing in the value of their own impressions …

What’s important to him will come to seem important to them … He has, in effect, put an intelligence-ceiling on the party.”

Think about that passage for a moment. It is my hope the consciousness-ceiling can be raised by the end of this piece.

I speak not as the Secretary of Diversity, but as Josh, a male student who wants to spell out the behavior I have borne witness to.

I have observed several of my female colleagues, whether by being inside or outside of the SGA, being a new or returning senator or by expressing anxiety about bringing up issues such as sexual misconduct, Title IX or rape culture in the senate. Many fear that they will be targeted, misinterpreted, drowned out or blatantly disregarded by male voices.

On a daily basis, I am reminded of some of my male colleagues’ inability to take “no” for an answer.

Whether it is an already rejected romantic advance being re-proposed or forcing her to remain in a conversation when she has said three times she cannot speak right now, the blatant disregard for her space is glaring. It has created a hostile work environment where I see the discomfort and trepidation some women have while in the SGA office.

I am certain there will be those who ask why we did not try to settle these matters internally. However, when legitimate concerns by female-bodied individuals, some of which one could classify as harassment, are being repeatedly ignored, one has to seek alternative venues to bring light to these

issues.

I had my reservations out of concern that I would indirectly perpetuate a form of male privilege – a male voice talking about sexism because men are more likely to listen to other men.

However, to put it simply, we as men need to do better – executive branch members, senators, area government

“It has created a hostile work environment where I see the discomfort and trepidation some women have while in the SGA office.” and house council officials need to increase our efforts to ensure that these kinds of inequities do not continue within the SGA and on this campus as a whole. We need to pressure ourselves, use our privilege, our “megaphones,” to call attention to the sexism which persists in these various arenas.

As men, we possess many privileges simply due to our physical makeup. We have the luxury to convey our opinions and not think about voices which are being suppressed and/or smothered by our presence. We must also be cognizant that women holding leadership positions typically occupied by men are forced to make significant sacrifices to do so, and they are harshly critiqued while in these positions. As men, especially in leadership positions inside and outside of the SGA, we must recognize the figurative and literal space we occupy, take a step back and work with our female colleagues to provide a safe, gender-inclusive environment.

Again, I speak not to some backwards theory in which women need salvation and protection from a male figure. I speak only as a man bearing witness to the destructive, overbearing and domineering ideals of masculinity, and how we are allowing it to permeate all levels of the SGA.

Protesting is coming back, and it’s a good thing I was inspired by the recent People’s Climate March in New York City on Sept. 21. I wasn’t able to attend the demonstration, but the event itself

Ian Hagerty is amazed me and I have long been a believer in the human impact on climate change.

When I see large-scale protests, I think of the 1960s. I think of masses and masses of angry, youthful liberated minds throwing caution to the wind and taking a stand for what they believe in. Back then, with the civil rights movement and the Vietnam War, the people had good and clear reasons to be upset. They wanted equality and they wanted their brothers home.

Because of this, people banded together. They knew their enemies.

The air of rebellion and protest that washed over this country and much of the world in the 1960s never went away. Most educated people I’ve met practice a healthy amount of questioning their authorities. However, it isn’t hard to notice that there are still problems in the world, and people don’t seem to be taking to the streets with the fervor that they once possessed.

A couple of years ago, we had the Occupy Wall Street protest. Peaceful protests began near Zuccotti Park in New York City and continued until the police successfully disbanded and arrested the protesters. I remember having a glimmer of hope then.

However, it just looked like the movement didn’t have enough support.

Ever heard of mob rule? Mutiny? The entire premise of a successful protest

“Even those who don’t believe in climate change would be terrified by the potential problems it causes ... Our warming planet is our own fault, and it is an enemy most of us can agree is bad.”

and demanding attention together. A demonstration such as this cannot be swept under the carpet and ignored.

New York welcomed the march, and there weren’t any real problems between police and demonstrators. All the same, even if the police wanted to enforce some sort of rule over the demonstrators, they didn’t have the ability. They just didn’t have the manpower. With a mob this big, demonstrators are protected from prosecution by the sheer size of their force, and this collective protection guarantees that the protesters will be able to voice their concerns. A group of this size also attracts more media attention and can spread the word further along to interested parties that couldn’t attend or even those who weren’t informed at all. Everything about a bigger demonstration is better.

The 1960s was a decade of love, peace and incredible conflict. Many used the incredible surge of love to battle oppression and abuse to whatever extent they could. Those hippies made an impact. Now, after seeing the People’s Climate March, I can’t help but think a similar stir is in the air.

The last time there was a major student protest in China, it was Tiananmen Square. The protests ended in bloodshed. Now, students are demanding democracy in Hong Kong.

I wish them strength and luck, and I hope this trend continues.

is to outnumber those in charge and prove what the people really want or deserve. With Occupy Wall Street, the police won. The government and banks won.

Although the majority of the public should be very upset with our banks, media institutions haven’t helped to educate them about financial abuses.

This type of abuse can be lost in translation by many. Also, people rely on banks as much as they despise them.

Climate change though, is a big ugly monster shooting flames out of its nostrils. Nearly everyone has heard of the potentially horrific problems that can be caused by climate change – hurricanes, crop failure, coastal flooding, animals and plant life dying.

Even those who don’t believe in climate change would be terrified by the potential problems it causes, and even they can’t deny smog and pollution.

Our warming planet is our own fault, and it is an enemy most of us can agree is bad.

Over 400,000 people attended the People’s Climate March this September. This is a staggering num- Ian Hagerty is a Collegian columnist. He can be ber of people marching down the street reached at ihagerty@umass.edu.

Josh Odam is a Collegian columnist.

He can be reached at jodam@umass. edu.

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WEB PRODUCTION MANAGER - Claire Anderson NEWS DESK EDITOR - Collegian News Staff O p /E d DESK EDITOR - Ian Hagerty ARTS DESK EDITOR - Alex Frail SPORTS DESK EDITOR - Mark Chiarelli COMICS DESK EDITOR - Tracy Krug GRAPHICS DESK EDITOR - Caroline O’Connor

Arts Living THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

“I’m a boss, I’ll buy that ocean.” - Dr. Dre

Thursday, October 9, 2014

TELEVISION REVIEW

Arts@DailyCollegian.com

DIRECTOR RETROSPECTIVE

An HBO ‘Empire’ Fights, tattoos and seven deadly sins glance at Fincher’s takes its final walk Aillustrious resume

Period piece excels in its fifth season

By Eli Fine

Collegian Correspondent

Although the flashbacks are entertaining, they don’t provide any new insight into the man Nucky is today.

Additionally, the inclusion of these flashback segments in every episode further limits the amount of screen time given to other key members of the ensemble.

As a result, many primary characters do not appear in every episode.

The characters that do get a decent amount of screen time, however, all have fascinating storylines.

Capone delights in bullying Eli and Van Alden and gives interviews to Variety in his spare time. Chalky is at the center of an excellent episode in which he is confronted with memories of his late daughter.

Lansky and Luciano plan something new and big, and become increasingly nervous that the older gangsters in town will get in their way.

Margaret returns after being almost entirely absent last season, and she reluctantly turns to Nucky for help in dealing with a threat to her family. This is an interesting development – the couple didn’t exactly split up on the best of terms. It’s exciting to have them in the same room for the first time in a long time, as their dynamic was one of the best parts of the show in its early days. However, what distinguished Margaret from other antiheroine wives on cable dramas, like Carmela Soprano and Skyler White, was the fact that she realized very quickly that she wasn’t able to come to terms with what Nucky does for a living, and she left him. I hope that the show isn’t building up to Margaret taking him back, as that would make the character less unique and ultimately less interesting.

The beginning of any “Boardwalk Empire” season is going to be a bit disjointed, with some seemingly arbitrary subplots. Any show with an ensemble this large is going to have to face the problem of how to service all of their characters satisfactorily. “Boardwalk” in particular struggles with juggling its huge cast at the start of each season. However, the creative team behind the show, led by creator and showrunner Terence Winter, always manages to bring the various storylines to satisfying conclusions at the end of the season. “Boardwalk” has earned the benefit of the doubt, and I have faith that by the end of season five, all of the stories will come to a close in a dramatic and gratifying way.

“Boardwalk Empire” is back for its fifth and final season. I have been a fan of “Boardwalk” since the beginning, but I’m glad that the show is ending its run before it starts to lose steam. Last season was terrific, and if this season can manage to tie everything together as well as it has in the past, it will secure its legacy as one of the great television dramas of its time.

Back in season one, the writers introduced us to Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi) as he profited from the start of the Prohibition.

This season starts with a time jump to 1931, completing the saga of Prohibition, and we find Nucky dealing with the legalization of alcohol. When the season begins, Nucky is in Cuba trying to close a liquor distribution deal. He finds this to be problematic because alcohol is no longer as valuable as it was in the midst of Prohibition.

Throughout the first few episodes of the season, we check in with every living member of the ensemble. Nelson Van Alden (Michael Shannon) and Eli Thompson are now debt collectors for Al Capone, who has become something of a celebrity. Gillian Darmody is in a mental institution, Lucky Luciano betrays Joe Masseria and butts heads with Dr. Narcisse, and Chalky White is in prison.

Margaret Thompson (Kelly Macdonald) deals with the aftermath of Arnold Rothstein’s death as her business relationship with Rothstein begins to resurface.

Unfortunately, the real Arnold Rothstein died in 1928, murdered over a poker debt. By jumping to 1931, the show had no choice but to lose Rothstein, thereby losing Michael Stuhlbarg, who gave the show one of its best performances.

This loss of Stuhlbarg is magnified by the coinciding loss of Richard Harrow, perhaps the best character in the show’s history.

Nonetheless, there remain many great performances on this show. In a shortened season like this one, it may be worth having fewer characters since it will allow “Boardwalk” to spend more time with the surviving characters than would otherwise be possible.

We flashback to Nucky’s childhood in 1884, as he is beaten by his father, watches his sister die and begins to develop a relation- Eli Fine can be reached at elazarfine@ ship with the Commodore. umass.edu.

COURTESY OF HBO

Nucky (Steve Buscemi) faces the end of his empire.

By Alexander Frail Collegian Staff

A disillusioned protagonist, a propulsive dark ambient score and a bleakly ambiguous ending. Chances are if the film you’re watching contains these features, you’re watching a David Fincher flick. Few directors have amassed such an illustrious resume. From “Se7en” to “Gone Girl,” the director has enthralled audiences with films equal parts terrifying, mysterious and innovative.

Fincher got his start with “Alien 3” in 1992, an underwhelming sequel to the heavily lauded “Aliens.” Panned both critically and commercially, Fincher has remained the film’s most outspoken critic. By the late 90s, however, the director produced a string of cult hits that would lay the foundation for his mainstream success in the early 2000s.

“Se7en” (1995), a stellar noir in which the killer’s M.O. revolves around the seven deadly sins, featured a strong cast led by Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman and Gwyneth Paltrow.

The grimy, harsh opening sequence sets down a foreboding blueprint that the gloomy film follows faithfully. Featuring harrowing chase scenes, captivating performances by all three leads and a horrifying twist ending, “Se7en” is an underappreciated masterpiece from a young director.

Fincher produced what would become his most notorious work, “Fight Club,” in 1999. Initially, the Brad Pitt/Edward Norton vehicle polarized theatergoers and critics alike. Ever since, the twisty narrative has found

immense success on DVD and has transformed into a smash cult hit. Its frames unleash brutality and philosophy in healthy doses. Of all his films, this one earns the most repeat viewings.

Fincher later revisited his crime caper days with “Zodiac” (2007). An overlong but captivating study of the Zodiac killer in 1960s and 70s San Francisco, the film was Fincher’s most fully realized effort to date. “Zodiac” cemented the stylish neonoir approach he experimented with in “Se7en” and “Fight Club,” which he subsequently perfected in later efforts like “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.” After “Zodiac’s” success, he went against type for a meditative study of aging and death.

2008’s “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” introduced audiences to a reserved and contemplative Fincher, who adapted this F. Scott Fitzgerald short story with Brad Pitt in the titular role. The film, which tells the story of a man who ages in reverse, was both praised and criticized for its romantic narrative. Many viewers likened it to a stylized “Forrest Gump” in reverse, a critique that holds merit. “Button” overdoes on schmaltz at many points.

It’s never more potent than when Benjamin and Daisy (Cate Blanchett) inevitably “meet in the middle,” but Fincher’s film maintains its merit with powerful performances and thought-provoking themes.

Fincher’s magnum opus remains “The Social Network” (2010).

The film is a testament to his integrity as a director – he turns the rise of Facebook into a drama more thrilling than any of his crime sagas and more innovative than its subject. “The Social Network” time hops at

COURTESY OF TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX FILM CORP

David Fincher (left) with Edward Norton on the set of “Fight Club.” breakneck pace between the simultaneous trials against Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) and the days he spent at Harvard developing Facebook.

Fincher crosscuts between Zuckerberg’s “Facemash,” a system for rating female students upon their profile pictures, and a club party at the school, which similarly degrades women. No dialogue matches the two narratives. Only the objectification of women links them.

Poetically, Fincher portrays the transference of sexism across new mediums, an old monster disguised by digital drapes.

“The Social Network” also sparked the director’s creative partnership with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, both of whom went on to compose the director’s following films “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” and “Gone Girl.” Reznor and Ross’s dark ambient scores have become as much of a character in Fincher’s films as the A-list actors who fill the director’s frames.

The score of “The Social Network,” which nabbed the Academy Award for Best Original Score, injected the film with a sense of dread, anticipation and excitement.

Electronic blips accented Aaron Sorkin’s rapid-fire script and caffeinated the historical drama.

The film’s surgical precision of editing and direction saves its place as one of the greatest films of the millennium. Both its critical scores and commercial performance reflect its brilliance.

Whereas great American novels symbolize the era in which they were published, this film perhaps represents the first true great American film. “The Social Network” incisively studies and criticizes our brave new world.

In 2011, Fincher adapted Stieg Larsson’s smash novel “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.” The film, perhaps the director’s most brutal since “Fight Club,” was dominated by Rooney Mara’s relentless performance as Lisbeth Salander.

Last week on Oct. 3, Fincher released “Gone Girl,” an adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s successful novel. The film continues the success of Fincher’s past few films. With a tortuous plot, creepily unreliable narrators and a mammoth twist, it celebrates all that is David Fincher.

Alexander Frail can be reached at afrail@umass.edu.

FILM REVIEW

‘Gone Girl’ finds mirth in dark places A bleak meditation on modern marriage

By Alexander Frail Collegian Staff

If you’ve ever seen a film

by David Fincher, you know it never opens quietly. His most recent film, “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” opened with a haunting rendition of “Immigrant Song” over images of cascading black sludge.

That’s why his new film, “Gone Girl,” catches you off guard. It wakens to crisp visuals of a rural town. A barelythere score accompanies the opening shots, tracking the dawn before the town’s inhabitants have rolled out of bed.

Rather than soften Fincher’s point, the serene images whip up a sense of dread before we plunge into the twisted and captivating narrative that follows.

An adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s bestseller of the same name, “Gone Girl” tells a tale of a failing marriage from the words in the diary of its titular missing woman. After the reserved opening, Nick Dunne returns home to find the scene of an apparent struggle and his wife, Amy (Rosamund Pike), missing.

Played with unnerving apathy by Ben Affleck, Nick soon becomes the thunderhead of a national media circus.

An apparent sociopath, Nick

assumes the blame for Amy’s disappearance.

Affleck boasts some marvelous acting. His apathetic expressions may be mistaken for lazy acting, but here, they wonderfully represent Nick’s dissatisfaction with life. You’ll have no qualms believing he’s capable of staging Amy’s murder. When the media skewers him as an abusive husband who doesn’t care enough about Amy’s disappearance, Affleck plays the part of a slimy suspect to perfection. When Nick ponders what he and his wife have done to each other over the years, it’s enough to make you shiver.

Rosamund Pike is equally brilliant as Amy, a woman who is overshadowed by the “Amazing Amy” children’s books her mother publishes and is beleaguered by a laundry list of creeps in her past.

Pike’s narration indicts Nick from the start when the couple meets and follows years of financial and health hardships. It inevitably leads to a powerful incrimination of her husband, but never ceases to surprise along the way.

Flynn, who adapted her best-selling novel for the big screen, is a powerful trickster. She slowly chips away at Nick. He shows up at the bar he co-owns with his sister Margo (Carrie Coon), clearly spread thin from some domestic dispute, but when

he returns home to find the living room a mess of shattered glass, he might as well have found out Amy would be home late. He describes the scene to Detective Rhonda Boney (Kim Dickens) as if reading a grocery list.

Aware that it’s in danger of an inexorably obvious conclusion, the script wisely pivots midway to a satire of the media. After all, the film is built on Amy’s words, and Flynn reminds us that there are two sides to every story. It arrives at a mighty twist that turns the film into two disjointed narratives, but both Flynn and Fincher thread them together seamlessly.

Although the narratives enjoy cohesion, the tones don’t always achieve the same fluidity. “Gone Girl” begins as a neo-noir with Fincher’s gift for dark visuals. It’s not quite the same film by the end. It ranges from thriller to mystery to satire, and the transitions are rather abrupt.

The ending fits the story that builds to it, but “Gone Girl” fumbles the execution and converts a few scenes that should be satire into melodrama.

“Gone Girl,” for all its tonal inconsistencies and occasional melodrama, exceeds other crime thrillers with its cerebral study of American life. The plot has been done before. It’s not the first Fincher film with a wick-

ed twist, either. It excels by critiquing the American economic system, examining the zeniths and nadirs of marriage and the lampooning of the media. Any viewer familiar with our 24–hour news cycle will laugh, roll their eyes and nod their heads in dejected agreement.

Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’s score, which was a fixture of Fincher’s “The Social Network” and “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” takes a backseat this go–around. It appropriately changes character as the narrative does – as Nick stares down the death penalty, the score creeps up on you and catches you sleeping. For the most part, however, it’s not as impressive or innovative as its awardwinning predecessors.

“Gone Girl” exhibits an airtight mystery, powerful performances and beautiful cinematography. Despite these assets, it still falls short of Fincher’s finest. The crime narrative can’t match the spooky brilliance of “Se7en,” while the social commentary is less subtle and effective than it was in “The Social Network.”

That being said, it’s still a Fincher film. And that means “Gone Girl” is better than almost anything else you’ll see this year.

Alexander Frail can be reached at afrail@umass.edu.

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P oorly D rawn L ines

B y R eza F arazmand

Goats

aquarius D inosaur C omics

B y R yan N orth

HOROSCOPES Jan. 20 - Feb. 18

Rubbing fine oils all over your skin will make it supple and smooth. Rubbing hot oils over your skin will help you become fried chicken.

pisces

Feb. 19 - Mar. 20

leo

Jul. 23 - Aug. 22

For any successful party, remember the ratio rules: One bottle of wine, five appetizer bites, and ten pizzas per person per hour.

virgo

Aug. 23 - Sept. 22

It’s amazing that everyone woke up early to watch the lunar eclipse but not one person offered it a Band–Aid.

If you’re going to send your mom a cake for her birthday and it’s going 100 plus miles, don’t do ice cream. It’ll ruin the card.

aries

Mar. 21 - Apr. 19

libra

Sept. 23 - Oct. 22

taurus

Apr. 20 - May. 20

scorpio

Oct. 23 - Nov. 21

Apparently Red Bull is no more caffeinated than coffee, so that should make you feel some feelings.

Midterms is the perfect time to leave the tenth floor of the library and discover what’s on the eleventh floor.

gemini

May. 21 - Jun. 21

sagittarius

A great travesty in life is that Toastmaster’s clubs have approximately nothing to do with fine breads and floury goodness.

Go to YouTube and type in “Happy Birthday Kevin.” That’s your horoscope.

Nov. 22 - Dec. 21

The UMart should be the campus convenience Keep in mind that the fact that you can have store that sells mostly art supplies and maybe chicken alfredo followed by a donut sundae advil or tissues. on your college campus is a complete miracle.

cancer

Jun. 22 - Jul. 22

It’s a great truth that the more you yell and ridicule someone for not having seen certain movies, the more cultured they become.

capricorn

Dec. 22 - Jan. 19

“Dabble” is a really fun word to try to visualize happening in the physical form.