We’re taking you “Back To Class” for our roundup of the final weekend of action in college hockey this season. Look for more college hockey action next season on NBCSN.
If you’re the type to fill out brackets for the NCAA men’s hockey tournament and you picked Boston College to go all the way, you were a very smart person. Sure, picking chalk doesn’t do much for thrills and excitement, but when it comes to the tournament, there’s no coach better at finishing the job than Jerry York.
York won his fifth national championship, fourth time with Boston College, on Saturday as BC handily disposed of a very game Ferris State squad 4-1. Yes, Ferris State was within a goal of tying things up as late as four minutes left in the game, but the Eagles did what they always seem to do under York’s leadership: They finished the job and skated away with the glory.
Shining through all of it was Calgary Flames prospect Johnny Gaudreau whose late third period goal was the highlight-reel icing on the cake for BC. Gaudreau along with goalie Parker Milner (pictured) stole the show and gave York yet another jewel in his crown as college hockey’s best coach.
What’s amazing is that York’s teams have been a fixture in the tournament since he got to Chestnut Hill in 1994 and he’s only been named national coach of the year once in his career. I think he’ll take the four titles at BC over personal accolades just fine, but watching the teams he assembles continue to get it done in big spots is incredible.
It makes life a little easier having future NHLers like defenseman Brian Dumoulin (Carolina prospect and future NHL stud) and forward Chris Kreider (Rangers) and Bill Arnold (Calgary), but ultimately it’s what York does to bring it all together.
Sure Ferris State, Minnesota, and Union College all came into the Frozen Four on even ground with equal chances to take home the title, but with York leading the Eagles everyone else was starting at a disadvantage thanks to his success and experience at this level.
The lesson from this tournament, as always, is that when Boston College comes in on fire (BC closed the season on a 19-game winning streak) it’s going to take an extraordinary effort to knock them off. While the other three Frozen Four teams had great runs into the national semifinals, BC’s destiny wasn’t going to be interrupted by anyone.