For the first time since the 2012-13 season, the men’s hockey team advanced to the semifinals of the ECAC Tournament following a series sweep over No. 5 Quinnipiac University last weekend. Bruno upset the top-seeded Bobcats 2-1 in overtime Friday, before scoring four goals in the third period the following night to earn a 4-3 win and secure a spot in the final four in Lake Placid. The Bears’ offense was highlighted by a formidable performance from co-captain Tommy Marchin ’19, who notched a pair of goals — including the game-winner — to fuel the team to victory Saturday.
Marchin has made a significant mark on the program since arriving at Brown in 2015. As a first-year, he was named to the ECAC Hockey All-Rookie Team and was shortlisted as a finalist for ECAC Rookie of the Year. In his career with the Bears, Marchin has recorded a pair of hat-tricks, including one in a comeback overtime victory at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the 2017-18 season. He currently leads the team with 26 points this year and recently earned Second Team All-Ivy honors for his efforts. For his outstanding performances against Quinnipiac and achievements with the Bears this season, Marchin has been named The Herald’s Athlete of the Week.
Herald: Congratulations on sweeping Quinnipiac! How did it feel to get those wins and advance to the semifinals?
Marchin: It’s been one of the goals for Brown hockey and myself since I got here my freshman year, getting to the final four of the ECAC finals. Just for getting there, we get a banner in the rink. It’s one of the small goals we’re working for to work our way up to (being) ECAC champions and then making it to the NCAA Tournament, so it’s just a huge accomplishment for Brown and we’re so fired up for it.
When did you start playing hockey?
I first started when I was three. I started rollerblading actually while my sister was at dance practice, and in the same building there was a (roller) hockey rink. To keep me busy when she was dancing, my parents put me in the rink and I had a coach or something, and I guess I just did that every time she went to practice. I got on ice skates the year after with my sister who then switched to hockey, so (she) and I have been playing together our whole lives. She played at Yale and I played here, so we kind of did it together.
Do you have a favorite NHL team?
Probably Detroit, I’m from there — I grew up going to the Detroit Red Wings games. I always actually liked the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, back when they were the Mighty Ducks when Disney owned them because I grew up watching the movies. … One of the reasons actually why I’m playing the sport is because I loved those movies so much.
Do you have a favorite game day breakfast or meal?
I go to the Blue Room — I get a breakfast sandwich or two, depending on the day. … Then we go to the Ratty or Hope Street Pizza, and I get chicken and noodles and nothing else — no sauce, no anything. I get chicken noodles and a glass of Powerade. It’s kind of simple, but I like to keep it simple. This past month, I’ve been going to Andreas every Wednesday and then going to get Insomnia Cookies at some point in the week for good luck.
Do you like to listen to music when you work out alone? What do you like to listen to?
I do. … I love working out alone — it’s probably my favorite thing. It lets me clear my mind. Depending on my mood, I’ll probably go with either rap or like 80s or 90s rock that’s kind of not like screamo but more upbeat, faster — I like that. It’s what I listened to when I was driving to the rink as a kid because my dad always had the radio control, so it just puts me back in that kind of mood.
Has there been a most memorable experience in your Brown career so far?
My freshman year, while I was getting recruited to Brown I was also getting recruited to Providence College, and then when I decided to come here I was excited to play them for the first time. It was over winter break, and they were number one in the country and we ended up winning in overtime, and I was lucky enough to get the goal. My two captains were on the ice, and one of them tipped (the puck) off the goalie’s pad and just gave me a wide open net that I could just tap it in, and that was just the coolest thing that could ever happen to me as a freshman, and I was really fired up about that.
Do you have plans for what you would like to do after graduation?
I’m hoping to play hockey somewhere professionally — it just kind of depends on who wants me and where the best fit is. I’m looking to put off working in an office as long as I can — I’m just having fun and mainly focusing on the end of the season and I’ll figure it out after that. It’s not a big worry of mine.
What is the team’s mindset going into the semifinals in Lake Placid?
Our mindset is all just positivity — it’s one-game elimination and we know that we’ve played Cornell before, and we know that we can score goals and play good teams when we need to. It’s just kind of exciting because we’ve never been in the position to be able to do this in my four years here. It’s all positive and encouraging, so I’m really excited for it.
The Bears face off against Cornell in Lake Placid this afternoon. Puck drop is at 4 p.m.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
