Norwich Hockey Club, Putnam basketball, Taylor Swift and the New England Patriots

Just thought I’d empty out my reporter’s notebook while relishing the Boston Bruins explosive 8-1 start to the 2022-23 National Hockey League season.

*If you love hockey then get over to the Rose Garden Ice Arena and check out the Norwich Hockey Club. The team is composed of 15 players from Canada - and five from Connecticut, New Hampshire and Arizona - who are pursuing their high school diploma while attending Norwich Free Academy.

The Norwich Hockey Club, which is in its inaugural season, is an elite secondary hockey program playing an ambitious 40 game Tier 1 USA Hockey schedule throughout New England. The team works in collaboration with the Southeastern Connecticut Youth Hockey program.

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The team’s general manager and head coach is retired police chief, Wayne Sheehan, who currently serves as the Director of Campus Safety at Norwich Free Academy. Sheehan has extensive coaching experience at the collegiate, high school, junior and USA Hockey levels.

“This is by far the most talented team I’ve coached,” Sheehan said.

The team returns to the Rose Garden for a game against the Burrillville (Rhode Island) Broncos on Sunday, Nov. 6 at 12 p.m. The regular season ends on March 5.

The student body at NFA has embraced the team, whose players live with host families in the Norwich area. After scoring a goal during home games, the players skate over to the raucous student section and do a Lambeau Leap on the glass. That’s pretty cool stuff.

Putnam Science Academy basketball begins Nov. 4

The Putnam Science Academy boys prep basketball team begins defense of their undefeated national championship on Nov. 4 with a home game against Our Savior Lutheran’s postgrad team. The Mustangs are ranked second behind Brewster Academy in the initial coaches' poll.

It promises to be another terrific, fun season of basketball in Putnam. Mustangs coach Tom Espinsosa has assembled another talented championship contender. PSA’s recent Division I college signees include 6-8 wing Tarique Foster (VCU), 6-4 guard Miles Rose (St. Bonaventure), 6-7 forward Mouhamed Dioubante (Alabama), and 6-9 wing Blake Barkley (Northwestern).

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I always enjoy seeing the Mustangs in action, especially when they make their annual in-state trip to Oakdale, the mecca of prep school basketball, to tangle with legendary coach Jere Quinn and St. Thomas More. The teams, however, aren’t slated to meet this season.

Taylor Swift and the racket of four album covers

*I recently walked into my favorite record store - Exile on Main Street in Branford - to buy the new Taylor Swift album “Midnights” for my 14-year old daughter Anya. Did you know that there are four different album covers for “Midnights”?  Neither did I. Imagine - four different covers of the same album!

I was told by store owner and friend Paula that the Swifties - slang for Taylor Swift fans - buy all four versions! Back in my old neighborhood we'd call that a “racket.”

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Breeders' Cup at Mohegan Sun

*Where’s the best place to watch the annual Breeders' Cup thoroughbred horse racing championships next weekend (Nov. 4-5)? That’s an easy one: Mohegan Sun FanDuel Sportsbook.

All of the thrilling Breeders' Cup races will be shown on the Sportsbook’s 140-foot video wall, while special guest handicappers, Boston radio star Mike “Mut” Mutnansky and Anthony "The Big A" Stabile of America’s Day at The Races, will be on hand to help with your winning wagers.

I can’t wait to see the undefeated and powerful Flightline, the biggest star in all of sports, race in the Breeder's Cup Classic. Flightline’s breathtaking 19 ¼ length win in the Pacific Classic reminded horse racing fans of Secretariat’s legendary romp in the 1973 Belmont Stakes.

“I think you certainly have to rate his race in the Pacific Classic as one of the greatest performances any horse has ever run,” Flightline’s trainer John Sadler said. “He's a very good athlete, no doubt about that. As far as what's different, he's a horse that's just an exceptional horse. He's kind of like Lebron James; he's just a one-of-a-kind kind of horse.”

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New England Patriots vs Chicago Bears

*My son Eddie’s friend and baseball teammate at Wesleyan, Matt Halas, was in Foxboro on Monday night to see the Chicago Bears run roughshod over the New England Patriots. Matt’s father, Wally Halas, the former men’s basketball coach who built Clark University in Worcester into a New England and national powerhouse, is a member of the New England Basketball Hall of Fame. Legendary Bears coach George “Papa Bear” Halas, who was also one of the co-founders of the NFL, was the brother of Wally’s grandfather.

I believe that makes George Halas Matt’s great-great uncle.

There was no way Wesleyan’s Bill Belichick was going to pass “Papa Bear” on the all-time NFL wins list - they are tied with 324 - against the Chicago Bears with Wesleyan’s Matt Halas in the house.

*STUCK IN THE 70s: On Oct. 30, 1976 the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics made their first ever trip to San Antonio a winning one by defeating the Spurs, 126-117. The Celtics were led by Hall of Famers John Havlicek, who just missed a triple-double with 31 points, 10 assists, and nine rebounds, Jo Jo White (27 points and 10 assists), and Dave Cowens (20 points and 23 rebounds). Spurs Hall of Famer George “The Iceman” Gervin led all scorers with 37 points. This was the first season of the ABA-NBA merger whereby the Indiana Pacers, New York Nets, Denver Nuggets and Spurs joined the NBA after the ABA’s demise.

Jimmy Zanor can be reached at norwichbulletin.com.

This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Norwich Hockey Club, Putnam basketball and Taylor Swift