Rick Bennett Reacts to Championship on 104.5 The Team

Since winning the national championship on Saturday night, Union head coach Rick Bennett says that everything has been non-stop.

“It’s actually been a whirlwind,” said Bennett, on 104.5 The Team's afternoon show Armen and Levack. “You try to answer every text and every e-mail but I got to tell you, I’m way behind.”

Bennett’s had contact from all sorts of people who have been a part of his life.

“It’s been a couple from high school I haven’t heard from in years. It kind of caught me by surprise. It was great to hear from my old coach at Providence College.

“I got off the phone today with Joe Marsh who recently retired from St. Lawrence. I’ve always had a tremendous amount of respect for Joe Lawrence of what he did and what he had.”

In the National Championship game, it was junior Shayne Gostisbehere that registered a goal, two assists and an unbelievable plus-seven, that contributed to a 7-4 victory over Minnesota.ESPN’s John Buccigross later called it, “possibly the greatest single performance we’ve ever seen at the Frozen Four level.”

“Shayne is a special player,” said Bennett. “Shayne really put on a performance for the ages. Big time players are going to show up in big time moments. That’s exactly what he did. I really feel that certain players when they are going through this run, have to be a reason [why we win]. I really thought he was one of the reasons why we won.”

Podcast: Rick Bennett on 104.5 The Team

Gostisbehere will decide next week whether or not he will sign with the Philadelphia Flyers, who drafted him, and head to the NHL.

Bennett, who’s played at every level, including the NHL with the New York Rangers, said that this championship personally compares to when he won the high school state championship in Western Massachusetts as a student.

So what’s up next for Bennett? Perhaps some time off?

“Not even close,” said Bennett. “This time of year, it seems like you can just put the feet up and watch a little TV but that’s going to be far from the case. I think it’s going to be a great busy. I’m really looking forward to it and sharing this experience with everyone here and in the community.”

The Union College National Championship parade will be on Thursday, with an estimated time between four and six o’clock.