{"id":343305,"date":"2025-12-12T00:36:09","date_gmt":"2025-12-12T00:36:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/343305\/"},"modified":"2025-12-12T00:36:09","modified_gmt":"2025-12-12T00:36:09","slug":"hockey-royalty-say-goodbye-to-bostons-matthews-arena","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/343305\/","title":{"rendered":"Hockey royalty say goodbye to Boston’s Matthews Arena"},"content":{"rendered":"

Former Boston College bench boss Jerry York, the winningest coach in college hockey<\/a>, was on hand, as was Jack Parker<\/a>, his longtime counterpart at Boston University and fellow Hockey Hall of Famer. Others included Ben Smith, who coached the US women\u2019s team to Olympic gold in 1998, Joe Bertagna<\/a>, who served as a commissioner for 38 years with the ECAC and Hockey East, and Marty Pierce, the former Boston Fire commissioner who coached the Matignon High boys\u2019 team<\/a> to 10 state titles in his 40 seasons behind the bench.<\/p>\n

And then there was Bill Cleary, the former Harvard coach and two-time Olympic medalist (silver in 1956, gold in 1960) with the US men\u2019s hockey team. Many in attendance were sure to pay a visit to the 91-year-old, who was quick with his customary fake handshake, leaving the recipient grasping at air. <\/p>\n

Ted Donato, who won a national championship playing for Cleary in 1989 and just surpassed his mentor as the school\u2019s winningest coach, was not about to fall for it this time, wearing a big grin and holding his coach\u2019s arm in place as he went to shake his hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s Roy Hobbs,\u201d said Smith, motioning to Cleary and referencing Robert Redford\u2019s character in \u201cThe Natural.\u201d <\/p>\n

The Gloucester native was 10 when he saw Cleary play a tune-up game in the arena with the 1956 US squad. <\/p>\n

\u201cTo me, that\u2019s a guy that can walk down the street, and people can say, \u2018That\u2019s the best American hockey player that ever was,\u2019 \u201d added Smith.<\/p>\n

Former Bruin Mike Milbury<\/a>, for whom Madigan worked as a scout when Milbury was general manager for the New York Islanders, made the rounds, as did former teammate Bruce Crowder, who coached Northeastern for nine seasons after his playing days. Keith Allain, who coached Yale to a national championship in 2013<\/a> and retired last summer, former Vermont coach Mike Gilligan, and Merrimack coach Scott Borek also were among the dozens on hand.<\/p>\n

Most were content to walk around the building one last time and reminisce with old friends and longtime rivals. But a few took the opportunity for a final skate.<\/p>\n

Smith, one month shy of turning 80, removed his vintage Olympic skate guards from his stint on the coaching staff for the 1988 US men\u2019s squad, and took to the ice wearing Team USA gloves and a helmet. He looked smooth cruising around and handling the puck in his first time lacing them up at the arena since stepping down as coach of the Northeastern men\u2019s team in 1996.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the best rink to play in, the best rink to coach in, and the best rink to watch a game,\u201d said Smith.<\/p>\n

Northeastern women\u2019s coach Dave Flint, a two-time national coach of the year who has amassed 471 wins in 21 seasons with both the Huskies and Saint Anselm, caught up with Smith rinkside. Former BU women\u2019s coach Brian Durocher, who compiled 338 wins before retiring after 18 seasons in 2023<\/a>, also was on hand.<\/p>\n

Dick Umile, who won 596 games and led New Hampshire to four Frozen Four appearances before retiring in 2018, also took a few laps. Bertagna, donning a Harvard sweater from his days playing goal for Cleary, skated alongside former Salem State coach and BU defenseman Bill O\u2019Neill, who posted 626 wins in 22 seasons with the Vikings.<\/p>\n

\"FormerFormer BU coach Jack Parker (left) and ex-BC coach Jerry York returned to Matthews Arena.Jim Pierce<\/p>\n

Madigan and York were among those who did not take the ice, instead sharing a memory from the 1982 NCAA Tournament, when coach York brought his Bowling Green squad into the arena but came up short against Madigan, then a freshman forward, and the Huskies.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh man, we beat Northeastern, and we go to the Final Four,\u201d said York, sporting a look that was at first a grin and then a grimace as he vividly recalled the 3-2, triple overtime loss.<\/p>\n

After the skating session, the group gathered near the home bench for a photo before heading back to the lobby for lunch and a short address from Madigan, who had some numbers to share. Namely the 9,493 combined wins from those in attendance across 557 years of coaching.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow many suspensions?\u201d asked Bertagna, prompting reactions from Parker, Madigan, and Umile, who were all known to have disagreements with the officials from time to time. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhen [Umile] got the UNH job, I said, \u2018Hey, I\u2019m so happy you\u2019re in the league, the refs are going to forget who I am,\u2019 \u201d said Parker, drawing laughs.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat didn\u2019t happen, did it?\u201d chimed in Bertagna.<\/p>\n

Madigan talked about the future of the site, with construction of a 310,000-square-foot complex<\/a> set to begin once the demolition of Matthews is complete. He closed the presentation by thanking those that paved the way, pointing to how they made New England college hockey special.<\/p>\n

\"FormerFormer Salem State coach and BU defenseman Bill O’Neill (left) and ex-Hockey East and ECAC commissioner Joe Bertagna took one last twirl on the Matthews Arena ice.Jim Pierce<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a special group of people in this room,\u201d said Madigan. \u201cYou can never thank a university, because the university is its people. You can never thank the building. The building is the people. These are the people. Thank you very much.\u201d<\/p>\n

The people who were able to make it seemed grateful, and lingered for a bit, exchanging hugs and farewells before exiting for the final time.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just thought of how much joy the building has given to people, whether they played or were fans, and it did it one more time,\u201d said Bertagna. \u201cIt was pretty special.\u201d<\/p>\n

Follow Andrew Mahoney @GlobeMahoney<\/a>.<\/p>\n