Former Greyhounds Hockey Players Make Homecoming with Ohio State

Duluth East no longer plays home high school hockey games at the DECC.

But this weekends UMD-Ohio State series will have a Greyhound feel to it.

Four former Duluth East Greyhounds are on the roster of these teams, Keegan Flaherty, Max Tardy, and Andy Welinski for UMD and Al McLean for the Ohio State Buckeyes.

For Welinski this will be his first taste of college hockey, the others are veterans of their respective teams.  Welinski has yet to even watch a full-game, much less play in a full-game at Amsoil Arena.  He said this week. "It's kind of a dream come true and I haven't even played a game in here yet.  I'm really excited to see the atmosphere and just talking to the guys it's going to be unbelieveable.  The DECC has a lot of history and tradition and they have done a good job of carrying that over to the new building in the two seasons they have been here."

He's been dreaming of playing for the Bulldogs from a young age.  "Since I was about 4 years old I dreamed of playing for the Bulldogs.  I grew-up watching their games as a kid and I was a diehard fan.  That really did play a part when I decided to play here."

He will be wearing #7 for the Bulldogs and is expected to even see some time on the special teams for the Bulldogs. He played his junior hockey at Green Bay and was named the USHL Defensive Player of the Year.

Andy was drafted by Anaheim in the 3rd round in the 2011 draft.

For Al McLean he will also be wearing #7, but will be doing so with the OSU Buckeyes.  This is his 2nd year with Ohio State and had 11 points last year, as a freshman on three goals and 8 assists.

The other Duluth East connections for UMD are Max Tardy who had two goals and five assists for a total of 7 points. And Keegan Flaherty who had 11 points on 7 goals and 4 assists.

Both games will be at 7pm at Amsoil Arena and will be live on My9.

The Bulldogs have yet to beat the Buckeyes in three prior games, the last coming back in 2006.

UMD is ranked 13th in the country and was 25-10-6 overall and finished in 2nd place in the WCHA.  They were led by Jack Connolly who won the Hobey Baker Award, which goes to the best college hockey player in the country and J.T. Brown who turned pro and played with Tampa Bay at the end of last year.

Of course they lost many other seniors, like goaltender Kenny Reiter, defenseman Brady Lamb and forwards David Grun and Travis Oleksuk.  All of them signed pro contracts after their UMD playing days were over.

The Bulldogs Head Coach, Scott Sandelin will have 9 new freshman on this years roster and says it will take some learning from both the players and coaches.  UMD was picked to finish in the middle of the pack in the WCHA this year.

This will be their final season in the WCHA, before they move to the NCHC Hockey conference in the fall of 2013.

Next week the Bulldogs head on the road to Notre Dame.

It just so happens this weekend is the Duluth East Hall of Fame induction 2012.  Don't be surprised if one of these former Greyhounds gets a call to the hall someday too!!