I think the Hak vs Blais thing is more for the fans. We have something of a connection with Blais. Most if not all of the current players don't have that connection.
You mean hockey, the sport he sends most of the athletic department's money to? The sport he created a new super-conference for? The sport for which he chairs the NCAA selection committee?
I wonder if the crappy lighting in providence makes it tougher for the goalies to track the puck. It's pretty bad when you can tell on tv where each individual light fixture is just by looking at the ice.