The men’s hockey season started with a thrilling overtime victory against Providence last Friday night at Matthews Arena. Starring in the home opener was junior forward Ryan Ginand, scoring two goals for the Huskies, the second of which tied the game late in the third period.

Ginand’s play earned him this week’s Northeastern News Player of the Week honors. In addition, he was also named the CCM/RBK Hockey East Player of the Week.

Ginand led the Huskies in shots on goal in both of their games last weekend. Friday’s game against Providence marked his second two-goal game, lifting him to 18 career goals in 59 career games for Northeastern.

“I want to stay focused and keep playing to those standards,” Ginand said. “I am not about the individual play as much as I care about the team’s results.”

Ginand said he’s been rooting for the Huskies since his mother brought him to games as a child.

“My mom went here and she really got me into the Northeastern environment,” he said. “Once I visited, I knew it was the place for me.”

While attending high school, Ginand played three seasons for the Boston Junior Bruins.

While on the team, he played with sophomore defender Jim Driscoll and sophomore forward Chris Donovan, two of his current teammates. Ginand jokes about how Donovan drove them around in a white minivan and how they were friends before they came to NU.

“It was a good bonding experience,” Ginand said.

The Junior Bruins (called BJBs by the players) led them in the right direction and allowed them to be scouted by good college teams, he said. As a freshman in high school, Ginand played for a prep school, but once he joined the BJB team, he transferred to a public school.

“It was tough handling school and Bruins, but I got through it,” he said.

At Northeastern, Ginand is enthusiastic about majoring in finance, and said he wants to work in “corporate America” after he graduates. Even though he is only a junior, he said he can’t wait to get working. He said it would be nice to work in the New York Stock Exchange.

“I really want to enjoy my job,” he said.

As for his hockey, Ginand doesn’t want to stop playing just yet.

“I will see where hockey leads me and go from there,” he said.

Off the ice, Ginand, from Milford, enjoys water sports like boating, fishing and tubing. He likes Rhode Island and said that’s where he usually goes when he has time to relax. He also doesn’t mind getting dirty and says that he sometimes goes four-wheeling and off-roading.

The Huskies got off to a good start with their win last weekend and both coaches and players were happy.

“I think we have improved from last year and it’s a good start for the team,” Ginand said. “We had that home ice advantage and it’s important to win those games.”

– Jared Shafran, News Correspondent