“When I first went to Maine, I never thought I’d play in the NHL. You always dreamed about it, but you’d never think it would actually come true. It’s pretty cool how it’s come full circle.”

Teddy Purcell to the Tampa Tribune. Purcell spent a year at Maine with Mike Lundin; Lightning teammate Brett Clark is also a former Black Bear.

“It helped make my decision easier with some friends coming back. I just went over my options and felt that the team’s got a lot to offer next year with some of the guys coming back. We’ve got a lot of underrated guys that are going to be stepping up into big roles next year. I think we have a real good shot of doing a lot of big things.”

North Dakota’s Danny Kristo on his decision to return for his junior season

[Wes] McCauley is the only former U.S. Division I college hockey player on the staff of the NHL’s 33 full-time referees.

“You know that list of former Spartans in the NHL that’s in the Michigan State media guide? I should be in there, too,” McCauley said with a laugh. “I’m in the NHL, I’m a Spartan.”

Neil Koepke caught up with McCauley for a piece in the Lansing State Journal

“It was pretty awesome to watch him back when he won the Cup and on TV. Now I’m able to join the party so to speak and to compete against him. It’s good for both of us and our alma mater.”

- Tim Thomas, to the Tampa Tribune

“It proves to a lot of young athletes and proves to a lot of guys that don’t get a break. Both are great role models for fighting their way into things.”

- Former Vermont coach Mike Gilligan on Thomas and Martin St. Louis, to the St. Petersburg Times

There is a possibility that the University of Maine men’s hockey team could play the University of New Hampshire in an outdoor game at Fenway Park in Boston this coming season.

- Larry Mahoney, Bangor Daily News

Since you’re either a) stuck inside because the temperatures in your neighborhood are approaching that of a blast furnace or b) forced indoors due to rain, here are a handful of college hockey-related links to keep you occupied.

• College Hockey Inc.’s Paul Kelly talked to Pat Hickey of the Montreal Gazette in an extremely straightforward piece.

• Former collegians Tyler Ruegsegger (Denver) and Ben Scrivens (Cornell) were among the Maple Leaf prospects training with the Ontario Provincial Police, says the London Free Press.

• Yahoo’s Puck Daddy blog says Manitoba will name a lake after Jonathan Toews, the former North Dakota star, Chicago Blackhawk Stanley Cup hero, and Winnipeg native.

NHL development camps are in full swing and college players dot rosters around the league. Two players who spent last season in the WCHA have been among those who have impressed: Ryan McDonagh, who made the difficult decision to sign with the Rangers, and Joe Colborne, who is turning heads in Bruins camp.

On Memorial Day, NBC’s Today Show looked at former UMass forward Peter Trovato’s efforts to honor fallen soldiers through the Massachusetts Soldiers Legacy Fund.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

In addition to the coverage you can find here on INCH, we’ve collected some of the best stories around to help pass the time between now and Thursday’s faceoff.

The Event

• The Detroit News takes a look at what is certainly a bold experiment for the sport.
• Early reviews of the setting are good, besides an awfully long walk for the players to the ice.
• The NHL’s ice guru is on site to help ensure the quality of the playing surface.

RIT-Wisconsin

• RIT may have crashed the party, but the Tigers clearly want to make it known: they are there to win.
• They may seem out of place, but the Tigers appear to be fitting right in with the sport’s elite.
• Two stars have led the way for RIT: hometown boy Cameron Burt, who is profiled by a hometown paper, and an unlikely hero in Jared DeMichiel.
• Back home, the Frozen Four appearance has the RIT campus buzzing.
• On the Badger side, Mike Eaves hasn’t allowed himself to look ahead at what could be come Saturday.
• We’re betting Brendan Smith, on the other hand, has at least considered the prospect of playing his brother for the national title.
• Meanwhile, some reflections on past title teams for the Badgers and the good fortune that Madtown to Motown has produced in the past.
• Just guessing, but we think this is the first Frozen Four preview focusing on a hometown kid to appear in The Tennessean.

BC-Miami

• This matchup figures to be a classic contrast of styles as well as a whole new experience for both teams.
• Miami’s oft-mentioned “Brotherhood” has been more important than ever in the past year.
• The RedHawks can’t escape the questions about last year, but this time they’ve got a different Boston school in the way.
• Boston College finds inspiration in different sources – for this game, naturally, a football coach helped out, and a Sistine Chapel reference never hurts either.
• The center of attention for the Eagles is old reliable, Ben Smith.

Neil Koepke of the Lansing State Journal has a terrific look back at the life of Amo Bessone, the “Godfather of Spartan Hockey” who left his mark at Michigan State and in the college game. Bessone passed away Saturday at 92.