The man, the myth, the legend: Jerry York. He has been coaching the Boston College men’s hockey team longer than many of us have been alive. Since he began his reign at BC in 1994, the Eagles have been conference champions nine times, made the Frozen Four eleven times, and won the National Championship four times. York is the winningest coach in college hockey history, with a total of 967 wins (and growing).
This past weekend, York hit yet another milestone when he earned his 500th win at Boston College. To celebrate this victory and the overall greatness that is Jerry York, we are going to take a look back at some of his greatest moments at BC.
The 2004 Beanpot Championship
Two years without a championship was too much for the Eagles. After dropping the championship game the previous year to BU, the Eagles were ready for revenge. With regulation ending in a 1-1 tie (after a disallowed BC goal early in the third), the odds favored the Terriers to come out on top. Sean Fields, BU’s goalie, was the MVP for the second year in a row and he was proving all doubters wrong that night. He was at his best, with 50 saves that night. However, it wasn’t enough to put BU on top. The overtime winner came on a power play at 6:07, when Ryan Murphy blasted a shot from the point. It was a great win for the Eagles not only because they knocked down the seemingly flawless brick wall that was Fields, but also because they took back the Beanpot trophy. And, who doesn’t like to see BU lose in dramatic fashion?
Boston College’s 2012 Frozen Four & National Championship Victories
The 60th annual Beanpot was one to remember for Boston College. The victory in the finals, over BU, gave the Eagles their third consecutive Beanpot Championship and solidified BC’s bragging rights as the Best of Boston (as if there were any contest at all). The winning goal, scored by Bill Arnold, came with just 6.4 seconds left in overtime and hit the Terriers right where it hurt. BU went on to lose in the first round of the NCAA tournament (pretty badly actually), and BC… well, the Eagles went on to win a National Championship. The Eagles went on to beat Ferris State to earn their fifth National Championship, their fourth under York and their third in a five-season period. Steven Whitney opened up the scoring three minutes into the game, setting the tone quickly. BC would have an uncomfortable 2-1 lead until the third period when, who other than, freshman Johnny Gaudreau scored a goal that was so beautiful it gives you goose bumps and makes your knees go weak every time you see it. The victory was solidified when Whitney scored his second goal of the night late in the third. The Eagles took that game 4-1.
York’s Jersey Retired
Following their stellar 2009-2010 season, it was only fitting that the school celebrate the dominance of the Men’s Hockey team. There was a ceremony to celebrate the team’s fourth national championship victory. The event took place on April 12, 2010, and York had his Boston College jersey retired during the celebration on O’Neil plaza. York was leading scorer, MVP, and All-American center for the 1966-67 Boston College hockey team; he ranks among all time leaders in BC hockey with 134 points during his career.
December 29, 2012: York Sets Record
The moment York surpassed Ron Mason with win number 925 (458 at BC) making him the winningest coach in college hockey history. The No. 1 Eagles beat Alabama-Huntsville 5-2 to seal the deal. Cam Spiro started the scoring with his first career goal, with additional goals by Bill Arnold, Danny Linell, Brendan Silk and Steven Whitney. York, of course, was not focused on his new jaw-dropping record, but rather the ultimate team goal of a new piece of hardware to keep in Conte. Talk about an all around winner. What makes it even sweeter: victory 924, to tie the record, came against who other than BU.
Number 500
And, of course, win number 500. This past weekend the No. 5 Eagles traveled to the mile high state to play No. 11 Denver. Ryan Fitzgerald tallied both goals in the 2-1 victory, with assists coming from Austin Cangelosi, Destry Straight, and Zach Sanford. This victory was a full team effort with Thatcher Demko coming in clutch with some big saves during a 5-on-3 in the second period and again coming up strong late in the game to keep the Eagles ahead. Demko had 25 saves total. It was BC’s fourth straight win following their season opening loss to UMass-Lowell, and before their disappointing effort last night against UConn.
So here’s to you, Jerry York. 500 wins in 811 games coached here at BC, a very impressive statistic; and with York under contract until 2020, I’m sure we will witness many more great moments.
Follow @BCGavelSports on Twitter for the latest updates on Boston College athletics.
Too pale for people to actually believe that I’m from Florida. Can rap Nicki Minaj’s Super Bass in its entirety. Leslie Knope is my hero. Breakfast is the only meal that matters.
