2008-2009 Men's Hockey Recap - "Burn The Boats."

By: Tyler Murray




“Burn The Boats.” It was the motto of the 2008-2009 Boston University men’s hockey team and it could not have been more effective. Last year, the Terriers recorded one of the most remarkable seasons in the history of college hockey, capped by an unforgettable comeback win in the national championship game, earning them their fifth national title and first since 1995.

Throughout the season, however, the meaning behind the team’s fiery slogan was kept largely under wraps. A BU fan with an above-average knowledge of 16th century Mexican history could decipher that “Burn The Boats” refers to the legend of Hernán Cortés, the storied Spanish conquistador who overthrew the mighty Aztec Empire with 600 men, 16 horses and 11 ships. Upon landing on the Mexican shore, Cortés commanded his soldiers to set fire to their ships, and proceeded to march his troops into the heart of the beast. Cortés’ message was clear, and it applies perfectly to the attitude that drove the Terriers to glory: it’s all or nothing; there’s no turning back. At this point, victory will be achieved by ultimate personal commitment and sacrifice. And if we are going home, we’re using the boats of whomever we conquer.

In reviewing the Terrier’s championship run, the word “conquer” becomes incredibly fitting. BU went 35-6-4 in Jack Parker’s 37th year as head coach, and won every single tournament it participated in. The Terriers outscored opponents 177 to 91 while killing off 87.4% of penalties and capitalizing on 21.9% of power plays. The team lost two games on the road all season.

Here are some of the Terriers' accomplishments last season:

-Ice Breaker Invitational Champions, defeating then-No. 5 North Dakota and then-No. 11 Michigan State. This weekend at Agganis was the first real barometer for the Terriers nationally and they passed with flying colors.

-Wells Fargo Denver Cup Champions, defeating RPI and then-No. 5 Denver

-Beanpot Tournament Champions, defeating Harvard and then-No. 3 Northeastern

-Hockey East Regular Season Champions, defeating Providence on the last game of the season to move into first place in the standings

-Hockey East Tournament Champions, defeating Maine, then-No. 15 Boston College, and UMass-Lowell

-Northeast Regional Champions, defeating Ohio State, New Hampshire, and Vermont

-NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey National Champions, defeating Miami-Ohio

Not too shabby, but the dream season almost never happened. In the summer of 2008, after a very disappointing season, sophomore forward Colin Wilson ('10) and senior defenseman Matt Gilroy ('09) seemed all but gone for the NHL. Wilson was drafted 7th overall by the Nashville Predators and teams were chomping at the bit to sign Gilroy. Fortunately for the BU community, the two realized the team’s potential and came back for another year. Parker was so surprised by Gilroy's decision that he had already given away Gilroy's scholarship to freshman netminder Kieran Millan ('12). Wilson would record a team-high 55 points on 17 goals and 38 assists, while Gilroy scored 37 points on 8 goals and 29 assists. For their efforts, both players were honored as Hobey Baker “Hat Trick” finalists at the end of the year.

In reviewing the season, there were several key games that highlighted the Terrier’s path to glory:

-The run to the Frozen Four truly began on October 25, when the then-No. 7 Terriers hosted then-No. 5 Michigan. BU was coming off two wins against ranked opponents in the Ice Breaker Invitational, but critics still questioned whether or not the Terrier’s were the real deal. BU left no doubt. It trounced the Wolverines, 7-2, highlighted by two goals from senior forward Jason Lawrence ('09) and three assists from Wilson. From that point on, the Terrier’s would never be ranked lower than 9th.

-By November 16, BU was in the midst of a goalie controversy between freshman Grant Rollheiser ('12) and classmate Millan. In its last game, Rollheiser had surrendered five goals in a 5-1 loss against then-No. 20 UMass. When Millan started in goal against then- No. 7 Northeastern on the 16th, it was his position to claim. Millan posted his first collegiate shutout, leading the Terriers to a 3-0 win over their cross-town rivals. After that performance, the job was Millan’s.

-On February 9, 2009, the Terriers faced off against then-No. 3 Northeastern in the Beanpot Final. BU had recently earned the No.1 ranking, but the residents of Huntington Avenue thought the Huskies deserved the top ranking, especially after the Terriers nearly dropped their opening round game to Harvard. With three-short handed goals and a decisive 5-2 victory, BU quickly put an end to those sentiments. With their 29th Beanpot title, the Terriers earned the most coveted bragging rights in Boston and would go on to lose only one more game.

-On April 9, the Terriers faced Hockey East rival Vermont in the National Semifinal. Earlier in the year, the Catamounts had taken back-to-back 4-3 victories from the Terriers, and nearly robbed BU of their dreams of Frozen Four glory in what turned out to be the second most gut-wrenching game of the season. The Terriers jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, and seemed to be in complete control. However, Vermont responded with three unanswered goals, giving them a 3-2 lead in the second period. Even after BU struck back with a tying goal late in the period, the Catamounts answered back with yet another goal. The Terriers were finally able to stay ahead for good, thanks in large part to senior forward Chris Higgins ('09). The forward tied the game at 4 with 6:54 remaining and set up Wilson for the game-winner shortly after. It was an ugly roller-coaster of a game, but it punched the Terriers’ tickets to the National Championship game.

In spite of all their other accomplishments, the Terriers’ season would have been considered a disappointment if not for a truly miraculous finish against Miami Ohio in the national title game.

Facing a 3-1 deficit with a little over a minute left, it appeared as if Terrier fans would be forced to wonder what could have been. Fortunately, the BU skaters had an alternate ending in mind. The incredible comeback began at the one-minute mark, when junior forward Zach Cohen ('10) snuck a backhand goal under the armpit of freshman Miami goaltender Cody Reichard ('12) with his back to the net, cutting the Redhawk’s lead in half.

The late breakthrough breathed new life into the Terriers, and it was only a matter of time before they would score again. In the end, it only took 40 more seconds, as sophomore forward Nick Bonino ('11) hammered home a one-timer from Gilroy, a shot that flew under the chest of a diving defender and over the glove of Reichard. The BU bench erupted. The thousands of Terrier faithful who made the trip to Washington, D.C. went berserk. Thousands of students watching from Agganis Arena rejoiced. Parker exhaled in an eternally satisfying sigh of relief. By the time sophomore defenseman Colby Cohen’s overtime slap shot deflected into the back of the net to clinch the national championship, it was all but expected. The top-ranked Terriers had marched all the way to the Frozen Four and taken home the national crown.

An often overlooked aspect of the Terrier’s comeback was Parker’s late-game decision making. When his team fell behind by two scores with about three minutes to go, he pulled Millan from his post, adding another skater onto the ice. At the time, critics saw this move as an act of desperation, but in reality, it spoke volumes for Parker’s confidence in his team. For almost three solid minutes, he trusted his Terriers to dominate control of the puck and even up the score. He certainly wasn’t let down.

Naturally, when a team achieves as much as this one did, it’s bound to accumulate a few individual awards as well. Let’s review the big ones:

- Coach Jack Parker: Winner of the Spencer Penrose Award as National Coach of the Year, and winner of his 800th game

-Freshman goalie Kieran Millan: Hockey Commissioners' Association National Rookie of the Year, posting a .921 save percentage and a 1.94 goals against average.

-Sophomore forward Colin Wilson: Hobey Baker “Hat Trick” Finalist; USA Hockey College Player of the Year

-Senior defenseman Matt Gilroy: Hobey Baker Award Winner

These accolades are impressive in their own right, but the Terrier’s success was rooted in the extraordinary contributions of nearly everyone on the roster. The list of key contributors starts with Lawrence, the team’s leading goal scorer with 25, who scored the game-winner in the opening round of the Beanpot, disappointing dozens of Harvard students and silencing thousands of Northeastern fans. Senior forward Brandon Yip ('09) deserves recognition as well, as his aggressive play earned him a team-high 118 penalty minutes and 43 points. Let’s not forget sophomore defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk ('11), who earned a captaincy this year after demonstrating strong leadership and posting 28 points and a plus-minus of +28.

Needless to say, the 2008-2009 campaign is a season that won’t soon be forgotten.

But as the 2009-2010 season approaches and last year’s run becomes a distant memory, a daunting question arises: how will the Terriers manage to do it again? In reality, there’s only one option. They’ll have to leave any inhibitions behind and make an ultimate commitment to winning. In short, there’s no other choice: burn the boats.