The Prep Team went 1-1 against OHA for their last weekend of games including their senior game on Sunday. The weekend was intended to honor the graduating seniors but wound up being a dual celebration. Thomas “Brody” Broderick hit his 400th win as a hockey coach, with all 400 wins at Northwood.
John Biechler ’10 in action at the Olympic Center earlier this season (Photo: Michael Aldridge).
On Saturday evening the Prep team faced OHA in the 1932 Rink. The game started tight with both teams holding out until Aleksei Rutkovskii (Forward, 2019) scored Northwood’s first goal of the night with an assist from Cisco Delliquadri (Forward, 2020). OHA scored one themselves to tie the game. A short while after Ryan Panico (Forward, 2022) scored his first goal of the night with an assist from Lukas Klemm (Defense, 2022). Panico proceeded to score two more, giving him a hat trick with both assists from Tristan Allard (Forward, 2021). Panico scored one more goal with an assist from Trevor Souza (Defense, 2019). Kyle Bavis (Goaltender, 2019) saved 12 of the 13 shots on net. The game ended 5-1 Northwood, allowing Coach Broderick to hit the 400th win milestone.
The next day was the Prep boys Senior Game in the USA Rink. It was the first game to honor the Prep team Seniors in years. The game was scoreless until about 12 minutes in when OHA scored the first goal. Three minutes later Tristan Allard (Forward, 2021) scored Northwood’s first goal assisted by seniors Trevor Souza and Aleksei Rutkovskii. The second period saw one goal from OHA and none from Northwood. In the third period John Biechler score seconds in to tie the game assisted by Sutton Allard (Forward, 2019). Biechler’s goal was followed by two from OHA putting them in the lead 4-2. Trevor Souza cut the lead to one with a goal assisted by Cisco Delliquadri (Forward, 2020) and Jason Ziegler (Defense, 2019). Northwood pulled the goalie with over a minute left in the game and had a handful of scoring opportunities that they just missed. Wyatt Friedlander (Goaltender, 2019) had a total of 19 shots with 15 of those being saves.
See the Prep Senior Photos in the Slideshow below.
Brody began his coaching career fresh out of Hamilton College, and while he doesn’t remember who his first win was against, he says it wasn’t about the wins. For Brody, the goal was to help the athletes grow. Brody has coached hockey for 21 of his 31 years at Northwood and never expected to hit 400 wins. He didn’t coach for 10 years but was asked to return to coach the Prep team for the 2018-19 season. In his time he’s coached both Boys and Girls teams with many who went professional. One notable thing about Brody as a coach is the connection he has with his players. When he coached Northwood’s girls’ team, many of the girls would want to be his advisees and would volunteer to babysit his two daughters. His hockey record is 400 wins – 355 losses – 109 ties with his soccer total being 159 wins – 69 losses -12 ties adding up to over 1,000 games at Northwood.
“When I was young and ignorant at Northwood, Mr. Broderick, my advisor at the time, told me that even if you screw up, you can always be a helpful person to others from the values you believe in. I can’t remember the words he used but he definitely made an impact. In my childhood, I drove with Morgan Broderick and my sister to North Country School. Growing up without a father, I especially appreciated his point of view for whatever he had to say. Mr. Broderick as well as coaching me in hockey, has shaped me to be the man I am today.” Wyatt Friedlander said about Coach Brody. Friedlander is a senior goaltender who’s been at Northwood for four years.
Brody is known for being the Lake Placid CAN-AM Power Skating coach. One of the kids who was touched at an early age by Brody’s coaching style was Four Year Senior John Biechler. “I’ve known Brody probably since I was about 8 years old. I’ve been coming to Northwood doing CAN-AM camps and he was always the instructor every year. He was kind of my coach back then and it was pretty cool to have him as my coach my Senior year. To be a part of his 400th win, that was special.”
NWHL Buffalo Beauts Defensemen Blake Bolden, class of ‘09, was one of Brody’s female athletes. When asked about her time with Brody, she said: “Wow!! 400th win that’s iconic! Brody has always given his heart and soul into the many responsibilities he’s had at Northwood School. I was privileged enough to be one of his athletes and to be coached on the ice and in life. He is a second father to me. Although he is not my coach now, I hear him in my head often motivating and pushing me to go harder. Congrats Brody! Love you!”
To Brody’s many athletes he’s been a coach, mentor, and friend. He enjoys his many responsibilities on and off the ice and looks forward to working with kids as much as possible.
