‘It was a real special night.’ Players past and present gathered to pay one final tribute to Matthews Arena.
The ceremony included a nod to the Bruins and their history with the arena, the organization having called then-Boston Arena home before moving to the newly constructed Boston Garden in 1925. To that end, Bruins Hall of Famer Johnny Bucyk drew perhaps the longest ovation of the night when introduced by host Billy Jaffe. The 90-year-old was escorted to a chair on the ice by his nephew, Randy Bucyk, who was a teammate and roommate of Madigan’s at Northeastern.
Former Northeastern player Randy Bucyk (right) hugged Northeastern athletic director Jim Madigan as Bucyk’s uncle and former Bruins captain Johnny Bucyk looks on during the a postgame ceremony.Ken McGagh for The Boston Globe
Representatives from each decade dating back to the 1940s were introduced: Jay Bell represented his father, Jim Bell; Art Chisholm, a two-time All-American in the 1950s; Hockey Hall of Famer David Poile, who played three seasons in the 1960s; and Wayne Turner, who played four seasons beginning in 1976 and scored the game-winning goal to deliver Northeastern’s first Beanpot title in 1980.
Jeff Hiltz, who captained the 1982 Final Four squad, represented the 1980s, as did Dave O’Brien, who was the captain for the 1988 squad that won the Beanpot and Hockey East championships. Defensemen Dan McGillis and Jim Fahey, both of whom went on to play in the NHL, represented the 1990s and 2000s, respectively. Mike McLaughlin, who captained the 2011-12 team and returned to the program as an assistant coach, represented the 2010s, and current Bruin Jordan Harris, who wrapped up his Huskies career in 2022, was on hand for the 2020s.
Jordan Harris, who played for at Northeastern from 2018-22, now plays for the Bruins.Ken McGagh for The Boston Globe
They all participated in the ceremony, with Madigan presenting a symbolic torch to Randy Bucyk, which was then passed up through the decades, making its way to Harris, at which point captain Vinny Borgesi and the rest of his teammates skated over and took the torch, then did one final lap around the rink. The team, coaches, and honorees assembled for a group photo, with McGillis and Fahey joining Randy Bucyk in getting a seated Johnny Bucyk over for the picture.
Then, it was time to part ways.
“It’s a privilege to step on that ice,” said Borgesi. “I’m happy to say that I’ve never taken a second for granted out there. I’ve enjoyed every single second I’ve stepped out on that ice, from practices to hard practices to games winning, losing. A lot of memories in this building that I’ll cherish forever.”
Northeastern men’s hockey players gathered at center ice to deliver a stick salute to the crowd after the final game at Matthews Arena.Ken McGagh for The Boston Globe
After the festivities, Madigan met with the media in the viewing suite one last time. His wife, Kim, and daughters Kelly and Kate stood off in the back. He was wearing a suit coat that was lined with family photos, which his family had given to him as a Christmas present. The months of planning had come to an end, with plenty of alums on hand the last few days for one last visit.
“It was a real special night, and you saw it on the ice. We’ve been together for a couple of days. There will be a lot of drying out after the weekend’s over I’m sure,” said Madigan, drawing a few laughs, “but it was special to be around the last 48 hours.”
More photos from the final game:
Northeastern men’s hockey players lined up for the national anthem before the final game at Matthews Arena.Ken McGagh for The Boston GlobeCollege hockey fans packed Matthews Arena for its final game.Ken McGagh for The Boston GlobeHockey Hall of Famers David Poile (center left) and Jack Parker performed the ceremonial puck drop with Northeastern captain Vinny Borgesi (left) and Boston University captain Gavin McCarthy.Ken McGagh for The Boston GlobeBoston University won the final game, 4-3.Ken McGagh for The Boston GlobeMatthews Arena opened in 1910.Ken McGagh for The Boston Globe
Follow Andrew Mahoney @GlobeMahoney.
