Boston College is among the top and oldest college hockey programs in the country. The Eagles first fielded a team from 1917 to 1929. School officials briefly dropped hockey as a cost-cutting measure in the wake of the Great Depression.
The modern era of hockey on the Heights began when former player John "Snooks" Kelley agreed to coach a small team of BC students who formed a team midway through the 1932–33 season. Apart from a short break during World War II, Kelley would lead the Eagles until 1972. He led the Eagles to their first national championship in 1949, along the way establishing Boston College as a perennial powerhouse in both regular season and post-season play.
From 1933 to 2022, BC hockey only had three other full-time coaches, Len Ceglarski, Steve Cedorchuk, and Jerry York, all Boston College alumni. They all continued to build upon the success began by Kelley. Ceglarski achieved over 400 career wins with the Eagles; York attained over 600 as head coach of the program, and retired with over 1,100 career wins overall, the most by any coach in collegiate history and only one over 1,000.[2][3]
To date, BC has won 14 conference tournament titles, including 12 Hockey East titles, a conference record. Their most recent triumph in 2024 came after beating Boston University 6–2 in the championship game.
On ice celebrations after BC defeated Northeastern in the 2011 Beanpot final.
Post-season and Frozen Four
Boston College has made 36 NCAA tournament appearances, reaching the tournament's Frozen Four 25 times, second only to Michigan's 26 appearances.
Under John "Snooks" Kelley, BC advanced to the NCAA tournament three straight years from 1948 to 1950 (when the field was only four teams), winning the National Championship in 1949 after defeating Dartmouth 4–3 in Colorado Springs, CO.
After Jerry York took over as head coach in 1994, the Eagles began to work their way back to the NCAA tournament, having not qualified since 1991, and not having been to a Frozen Four since 1990. In 1998, four years after York became head coach, the Eagles were back in the national championship game, losing to the Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey in Boston. BC was back in the national championship game in 2000, facing North Dakota. They lost the game 4–2, but returned the favor a year later in 2001, beating North Dakota 3–2 in overtime thanks to a sensational Krys Kolanos goal. This was the Eagles first national championship since 1949. The championship was all the more satisfying for BC as the Eagles defeated in the process the three teams that had eliminated them from the previous three tournaments (Michigan, Maine, North Dakota). The 2001 National Championship team contained current NHL standouts Brian Gionta, Brooks Orpik, and Chuck Kobasew.
The Eagles returned to the national championship game in 2006, facing the Wisconsin Badgers in Milwaukee, WI. The Eagles lost 2–1. A Brian Boyle shot was denied by the post as time expired, securing the win for the Badgers. The Eagles made it back to the national championship game in 2007, riding on the heels of a 13-game winning streak. However, they came up short again, losing 3–1 to the Michigan State Spartans.
BC got back to the national championship game in 2008, disposing of Minnesota, Miami (OH), and North Dakota in the Frozen Four semifinals along the way. The 2008 tournament marked the third year in a row that the Eagles ending Miami's season, beating the top seeded Red Hawks 4–3 in overtime thanks to an acrobatic goal by freshman Joe Whitney. In the national championship game, the Eagles met the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, who had upset Michigan in the other semifinal. The Eagles won the contest by a score of 4–1, behind an MVP performance by Nathan Gerbe. The defeat of the Irish by BC has added fuel to the growing rivalry between Boston College and Notre Dame, carrying over to the ice what has been being fought on the gridiron for years between the two schools' football teams in the Holy War. The hockey rivalry, called the Holy War on Ice added the moniker "on ice" in reference to the aforementioned rivalry.
BC's National Championship banners at Kelley Rink prior to the 2010 championship.
After missing out on the 2009 tournament, BC returned in 2010 as a number one seed. The Eagles defeated Alaska and Yale in the Northeast Regional in Worcester, earning them a berth in the Frozen Four to be played at Ford Field in Detroit. BC defeated Miami (OH) 7–1 in the national semifinal, the fourth time in five years that the Eagles ended the RedHawks' season in the NCAA tournament. BC would face Wisconsin in the championship, a rematch of the 2006 title game. The Eagles avenged that loss by defeating the Badgers 5–0 behind a two-goal effort from sophomore Cam Atkinson and an MVP performance by senior Ben Smith, who would be named the Frozen Four's Most Outstanding Player. Junior John Muse became just the fourth goalie to record a shutout in a title game. The game was played before a record crowd of 37,592, the largest to attend an indoor hockey game.[4]
After a first round loss to Colorado College in the 2011 tournament, BC once again returned to the Frozen Four on the heels of a 15-game winning streak in 2012. After dispatching Air Force and Minnesota-Duluth with two shutouts in the Northeast Regional in Worcester, they advanced to their 23rd Frozen Four played at the Tampa Bay Times Forum in Tampa, Florida. The continued their now 17-game winning streak, making quick work of Minnesota in a 6–1 rout thanks to the efforts of forward Chris Kreider and a 30-save performance by netminder Parker Milner. The Eagles would go on to win the national championship by defeating the Ferris State Bulldogs in a 4–1 victory, featuring a highlight-reel goal by rookie Johnny Gaudreau late in the 3rd to secure the Eagles' fifth national title. Kreider would go on to join the New York Rangers in the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs, where he would score 5 goals and 7 points before ever playing a regular NHL season game, a feat unaccomplished by any player before him.
Once again, the Eagles would continue their every-other-year or even-numbered-years trend by missing out on the Frozen Four in the 2013 tournament via a 5–1 first round loss to Union College and returning the following year in 2014. After defeating Denver 6–2 and UMass Lowell 4–3 in Worcester, the Eagles advanced to their NCAA-leading 24th Frozen Four appearance played at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, having tied the record with Michigan. However, they would not continue to win the championship in their every-other-year trend, as they lost once again to Union in a close 5–4 match. Junior Johnny Gaudreau had a tremendous season, scoring 80 points in 40 games, with a 31-game point streak during the season, and was named the Hobey Baker winner, the third in school history.
The Eagles' season in 2014–15 was not up to their usual standards. Despite a respectable 21–14–3 record and finishing 2nd in the conference, the Eagles were bounced out of their 34th NCAA tournament bid in the first round, a 5–2 loss to Denver, who took revenge for the previous year's defeat.
Again finding success in even-numbered years, the Eagles advanced to an NCAA-record 25th Frozen Four in 2016 after dispatching Harvard 4–1 and Minnesota-Duluth 3–2 in the Northeast regional, held in Worcester. After heading to Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL for the Frozen Four, however, they would fail to advance to the title game at the hands of the Quinnipiac Bobcats, who defeated the Eagles 3–2 in the programs' first-ever meeting. Junior goaltender Thatcher Demko was named a Hobey Baker hat trick finalist as well as the winner of the Mike Richter Award after leading the NCAA with a school-record 10 shutouts during the season.
2017 was a down year for the Eagles, as they failed to qualify for the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2009. Although, they did finish with a strong 21–15–4 (13–6–3) record and a share of the regular season conference title (shared with UMass Lowell and Boston University). They also made it to the Hockey East tournament championship, but would fall 4–3 to the River Hawks of Lowell, ending their effort to earn an auto-bid into the NCAA tournament.
Since 1998, the Eagles have qualified for the NCAA tournament 17 times, making it to 12 Frozen Fours, seven National Championship games, and have won four national titles.
Runners-up in 1985, 1986, 1989, 2000, 2006, 2017, and 2019
Hockey East regular-season championships
Year
Conference record
Overall record
Coach
1984–85
24-9-1
28–15–2
Len Ceglarski
1985–86
23-9-2
26–13–3
Len Ceglarski
1986–87
26-6-0
31–8–0
Len Ceglarski
1988–89
16-6-4
25–11–4
Len Ceglarski
1989–90
15-6-0
28–13–1
Len Ceglarski
1990–91
16-5-0
27–12–0
Len Ceglarski
2000–01
17-5-2
33–8–2
Jerry York
2002-03†
16-6-2
24–11–4
Jerry York
2003–04
17-4-3
29–9–4
Jerry York
2004–05
14-3-7
26–7–7
Jerry York
2010–11
20-6-1
30–8–1
Jerry York
2011–12
19-7-1
33–10–1
Jerry York
2013–14
16-2-2
28–8–4
Jerry York
2015–16‡
15–2–5
28–8–5
Jerry York
2016–17#
13–6–3
21–15–4
Jerry York
2017–18
18–6–0
20–14–3
Jerry York
2019–20
17–6–1
24–8–2
Jerry York
2023-24
20–3–1
31–5–1
Greg Brown
† Shared with New Hampshire ‡ Shared with Providence # Shared with Boston University and UMass-Lowell
The Eagles achieved the highest finish in Hockey East conference standings during the 2020–21 season, however, no regular season title was officially awarded, due to disparities in scheduling caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Runners-up in 1997–98, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2009–10, 2012–13, 2014–15
BC competes in the annual Beanpot tournament with fellow Boston-area schools Boston University, Harvard, and Northeastern. The Eagles have won 20 Beanpots, their most recent being the 2016 tournament that saw the Eagles defeat Boston University.
Boston College's chief and biggest rival is the Boston University Terriers, separated by a mere four miles on Boston's Commonwealth Avenue.[6] The rivalry is often referred to as the Green Line Rivalry, as the MBTA Green Line is the principal mode of transportation between the two schools. BC-BU is considered one of the top rivalries in college sports as well as the number one rivalry in college hockey.[6][7] The rivalry has been renewed annually since the 1946–47 season, and the two teams have met at least twice a year since 1949. The schools regularly meet in Hockey East play three times each season. Besides meeting in conference play, the two schools often meet in the annual Beanpot tournament. Although Boston University has historically dominated the tournament, Boston College has commanded the cross town competition in recent years, winning five titles in a row from 2010 to 2014.
BC and BU before the start of a game at Kelley Rink on January 22, 2010.
The two schools have also met in NCAA tournament play. In their most recent meeting, Boston College skated to a memorable 5–0 victory against the top seeded Terriers in the 2006 NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey tournament Northeast Regional Final. The Eagles and Terriers have met once in the NCAA tournament championship game in 1978, with BU winning 5–3 in Providence, RI. BC and BU have combined for ten national championships, with each school having won five.
Games between the two schools are also highlighted by the intensity of the two school's student sections, the BC Superfans and the BU Dog Pound. The BU students often shout their infamous "BC Sucks" or "Sunday School" chants while the Superfans will retort with "Safety School", "Sucks to BU", or "BC Rejects" at their counterparts.
The two schools have met on the ice over 250 times, leading the rivalry to be one of the most historic and well known in college hockey. The Terriers have the edge in wins in the series; currently the record sits at 139-133 (with 21 ties).
Boston College and Boston University faced off in Hockey East play at Fenway Park on January 8, 2010. The game was the first men's college hockey game played at Fenway Park, with a women's game between Northeastern and New Hampshire played earlier in the day. BU edged BC for a 3–2 win.
North Dakota Fighting Hawks
Boston College has developed a national rivalry with the North Dakota Fighting Hawks (formerly the Fighting Sioux), a rivalry fueled by each teams post-season success. Boston College ended North Dakota's season in three straight Frozen Fours, most recently winning 6–1 in 2008 en route to a national championship, while in the 2005 tournament the Sioux beat the Eagles in the East Regional finals, 6–3.
In 2000, the Sioux triumphed over BC 4–2 in the national championship game in Rhode Island. A year later, in 2001, the Eagles and Hawks met again in Albany, this time with BC prevailing 3–2 in overtime. In 1963, the Sioux beat Boston College by a score of 8–2 in the National Semifinal game. Two years later in 1965, Boston College defeated North Dakota 4–3 in the National Semifinal game.
On October 10, 2007, the two teams squared off in a regular season match best remembered for the unusual circumstances in which the game ended. Midway through the second period, the power went out at BC's Conte Forum. When power was restored, the ice surface began to melt, leading to the game being called after two periods due to the hazardous playing conditions. The game ended 0-0.[8]
The Eagles and Hawks last met in the championship game of the 2011 Ice Breaker Tournament at the Ralph Engelstad Arena, with BC defeating North Dakota 6–2.[9]
New Hampshire Wildcats
The rivalry between Boston College and New Hampshire has grown in recent years due to the success of the two programs. UNH leads the all-time Hockey East regular season series over BC. The Eagles, however, hold a distinct advantage in Hockey East tournament play, holding an 8–3 record. Most recently, in the 2009 Hockey East Tournament, UNH hosted BC in the quarterfinals on their home ice at the Whittemore Center. UNH had the chance to end BC's season and their hopes of reaching the NCAA tournament to defend their national title. BC won the best-of-three series 2–0.
During the 2007–2008 season, the Wildcats swept the season series and won the Hockey East regular season championship. The two teams met in the semifinals of the Hockey East tournament, with the top-seeded and favored UNH squad jumping out to a 4-1 midway through the second period. The Eagles mounted a comeback, however, and won the game 5–4 in triple overtime.
Both UNH and BC have also competed closely for the Hockey East regular season championship. In the 2009–2010 season, the Wildcats cemented the title on the final weekend of the season, earning a 3–3 tie against the Eagles at the Whittemore Center in the penultimate game season after BC jumped out to a 3–0 lead. In the 2010–2011 season, the regular season title was again decided on the final weekend, with the Eagles, sitting in second place, sweeping a home-and-home series against the Wildcats, earning their 11th regular season championship.
Boston College and Notre Dame first met on the ice in 1969, and have faced-off annually since 1994. BC leads the all-time series 24–21–2, including beating the Irish in the 2008 National Championship game, as the Eagles captured their third national title in a 4–1 victory. After Notre Dame joined Hockey East in 2014, the rivalry evolved into a conference rivalry as well as a school rivalry. In their first meeting as conference foes, Boston College defeated the Irish 4–3 on January 4, 2013, played at Fenway Park during the league's third Frozen Fenway exhibit. The two teams also met in the Hockey East tournament during the Irish's first year of league membership, where Notre Dame defeated the Eagles in the best-of-three Quarterfinals at BC's Kelley Rink. The in-conference rivalry was short-lived however, as the Irish's stay in Hockey East lasted only four season, as they left to join the Big Ten Conference in 2017–18. The teams played 11 games as conference foes, with Notre Dame edging out the Eagles 6-5 during that time.
The rivalry is commonly referred to as "The Holy War on Ice," a take on the name of the football rivalry between the two schools.[10]
On March 16, 1985, BC goalie Scott Gordon and Chris Terreri (playing with Providence College) both placed water bottles on the top of their nets. This would be the first time ever that goalies would place water bottles on the top of nets in a hockey game.[13]
The Green Line Rivalry, also known as the B-Line Rivalry, the Battle of Boston and Battle of Commonwealth Avenue, is the name for the sports rivalry between Boston College and Boston University. The rivalry is named after the Green Line, a light rail line that runs along Commonwealth Avenue and links the two schools as part of the MBTA, Boston's public transit system. The two campuses lie less than five miles apart.
The North Dakota Fighting Hawks men's ice hockey team is the college ice hockey team of the University of North Dakota. They are members of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) and compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I ice hockey. North Dakota is widely regarded as a premier college hockey school and has one of the most storied programs in NCAA history. UND has made over 30 appearances in the NCAA tournament, appeared in the Frozen Four 22 times, and has won 8 NCAA Division I Championships. The program has also achieved 15 WCHA Regular Season Championships, 6 NCHC Regular Season Championships, and 12 Conference Tournament Championships. The school's former nickname was the Fighting Sioux, which held a lengthy and controversial tenure before being retired in 2012 due to pressure from the NCAA. The official school nickname is now the Fighting Hawks, a name that was chosen by the university on November 18, 2015.
The 2012 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament involved sixteen schools in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I college ice hockey for the 2011–12 season. The tournament began on March 23, 2012, with regional semifinals and ended on April 7 with the national championship game. The Boston College Eagles won their third national championship in five years, beating the Ferris State Bulldogs, 4–1, in the championship game. BC won nineteen consecutive games to end the season. It is the fifth title for both the program and head coach Jerry York – York previously coached Bowling Green to a championship in 1984.
The Maine Black Bears men's ice hockey is an (NCAA) Division I college ice hockey program that represents the University of Maine. The Black Bears are a member of Hockey East. Home games are played at Harold Alfond Sports Arena commonly known as Alfond Arena in Orono, Maine.
The 2001 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament involved 12 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college ice hockey.
The 2000 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament involved 12 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college ice hockey.
The Boston University Terriers men’s ice hockey team is the college ice hockey team that represents Boston University. They played their first game in 1918 and have won five national championships, while making 24 appearances in the Frozen Four.
The Boston University Terriers women's ice hockey represent Boston University. The Terriers play in the Hockey East conference. From 2010 to 2015, the Terriers won five Hockey East Championships and made six consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.
The 2010–11 Boston College Eagles men's ice hockey team represented Boston College in the 2010–11 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season. The team was coached by Jerry York, '67, his seventeenth season behind the bench at Boston College. The Eagles played their home games at Kelley Rink on the campus of Boston College, competing in Hockey East.
The 2009–10 Boston College Eagles men's ice hockey season was the 88th season of play for the program and 26th in the Hockey East. They represented Boston College in the 2009–10 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season. They were coached by Jerry York, in his 16th season and played their home games at the Conte Forum. The team won the 2010 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament, the 4th title in program history.
The 2007–08 Boston College Eagles men's ice hockey season was the 86th season of play for the program and 24th in the Hockey East. They represented Boston College in the 2007–08 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season. They were coached by Jerry York, in his 14th season and played their home games at the Conte Forum. The team won the 2008 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament, the 3rd title in program history.
The 2011–12 Boston College Eagles men's ice hockey team represented Boston College in the 2011–12 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season. The team was coached by Jerry York, '67, his eighteenth season behind the bench at Boston College. The Eagles played their home games at Kelley Rink on the campus of Boston College, competing in Hockey East.
The Holy War on Ice refers to the college ice hockey series between Boston College and Notre Dame. Boston College is a member of the Hockey East conference, while Notre Dame is a member of the Big Ten for ice hockey. They are the only members of the Atlantic Coast Conference who sponsor men's ice hockey at the NCAA Division I level. The two teams first met in 1969, predating the football rivalry from which the hockey series gets its name.
The 2012–13 Boston College Eagles men's ice hockey team represented Boston College in the 2012–13 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season. The team was coached by Jerry York, his nineteenth season behind the bench at Boston College. The Eagles play their home games at Kelley Rink on the campus of Boston College, competing in Hockey East.
The 2013–14 Boston College Eagles men's ice hockey team represented Boston College in the 2013–14 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season. The team was coached by Jerry York, '67, his twentieth season behind the bench at Boston College. The Eagles played their home games at Kelley Rink on the campus of Boston College, competing in Hockey East.
The 2015 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament was the national championship tournament for men's college ice hockey in the United States in 2015. The tournament involved 16 teams in single-elimination play to determine the national champion at the Division I level of the NCAA, the highest level of competition in college hockey. The tournament's Frozen Four – the semifinals and final – were hosted by Hockey East at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.
The 2014–15 Boston College Eagles men's ice hockey team represented Boston College in the 2014–15 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season. The team was coached by Jerry York, '67, his twenty-first season behind the bench at Boston College. The Eagles played their home games at Kelley Rink on the campus of Boston College, competing in Hockey East.
The 2015–16 Boston College Eagles men's ice hockey team represented Boston College in the 2015–16 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season. The team was coached by Jerry York, '67, his twenty-second season behind the bench at Boston College. The Eagles played their home games at Kelley Rink on the campus of Boston College, competing in Hockey East.
The 2021 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament was the national championship tournament for men's college ice hockey in the United States. It took place between March 26 and April 10, 2021. The tournament involved 16 teams in single-elimination play to determine the national champion at the Division I level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the highest level of competition in college hockey. The tournament's Frozen Four – the semifinals and finals – was hosted by Robert Morris University at the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh from April 8 to 10.
The 2000–01 Boston College Eagles men's ice hockey season was the 79th season of play for the program. They represent Boston College in the 2000–01 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season and for the 17th season in Hockey East. The Eagles were coached by Jerry York, in his 7th season, and played their home games at the Conte Forum.
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