Paul Gallivan 1950-2023

The life of longtime Boston College maintenance worker, ice resurfacer, and field painting guru Paul Gallivan was celebrated on Friday in his native Massachusetts. He passed away on April 15 at the age of 72.

According to bc.edu, "Mr. Gallivan had already led a rewarding career when he arrived at BC in 1992. A heralded athlete in football, baseball, and hockey at Boston’s Christopher Columbus High School, Mr. Gallivan went on to play football at Northeastern University and Boston State College, making enough of an impression to earn a tryout as a kicker with the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons; he then played a season with the minor league New England Colonials. He also had a long career in amateur baseball, playing in Boston’s Park and Intercity leagues."

It was in his second career that Paul shined, whether it was resurfacing the ice at BC's Conte Forum for almost 30 years, or painting the many outdoor athletic fields at the Heights. He also lent his considerable expertise to Harvard, UMass, Salem State, and other institutions, be it laying down designs on ice, or grass, or artificial turf, all in his own inimitable style. A member of the Winthrop High School Athletic Hall of Fame, Paul was also part of four BC men's hockey national championships (2001, 2008, 2010, 2012) in his tenure in Chestnut Hill before retiring in 2020. 

I will miss Paul's friendship, his warmth, his genuineness, and his real-time Facebook updates on the Boston Bruins and New England Patriots, especially when they weren't faring very well. I can still see him atop the Beacon Street parking garage, waving to me and yelling "Don't be a stranger!" in his Boston accent as I prepared to head home from BC many years ago after a reunion.

Rest in peace, Paul. You will be very much missed. Go Eagles.

Soderquist Steps Down at Bentley

Bentley University's Ryan Soderquist stepped down earlier this week as men's hockey head coach at his alma mater, after 21 seasons at the Falcons helm.

Soderquist, 46, had served as Bentley's head coach since the 2002-03 campaign, and led them to a 277-377-85 mark (.432) in that time. His best season came in 2013-14, when he guided the Falcons to a 19-14-4 overall record. Bentley also advanced to the 2006 Atlantic Hockey championship game under his watch, where it fell to Holy Cross, while the on-campus Bentley Arena opened in Waltham, Mass. in 2017-18, also during his tenure.

The Falcons finished 11-21-2 overall and 8-16-2 in Atlantic Hockey in 2002-23. The season ended with a 5-4 overtime win against Army on Feb. 25, in what turned out to be Soderquist's final game behind the bench.

A native of Stoneham, Mass., Soderquist played four seasons at forward for the Falcons from 1996 to 2000, the first three at the NCAA Division II/III level. He tallied 65 goals and 60 assists for 125 points in 71 games his first three years, before adding 19-29—48 points in 28 contests as a senior as Bentley moved up to NCAA Division I. He finished with 84-89—173 points in 99 career collegiate outings.

More Moves in NCAA Hockey Coaching Ranks

There have been some recent happenings in the NCAA Division I men's hockey head coaching ranks, including one renewal, one hiring, and one retirement.

Alaska's Erik Largen was signed to a five-year extension after leading the Nanooks to 22 wins and within a hair of a 2023 NCAA tournament at-large berth. A former goaltender for his alma mater, Largen, 36, is 64-64-12 in four seasons at the Alaska (Fairbanks) helm.

Ohio State assistant coach Luke Strand has been named the new head coach at Minnesota State. He replaces Mike Hastings, who left MSU last month for Wisconsin. A former player for Wisconsin Eau Claire who was born in the Phillipines, Strand, 50, previously served as a head coach with his alma mater, and in junior hockey with Green Bay (USHL).

Lastly, longtime Colgate head coach Don Vaughan has called it a career after guiding the Raiders for the past 30 seasons. The St. Lawrence graduate also led Colgate to this year's Whitelaw Cup as ECAC hockey tournament champions. Vaughan, 62, from Almonte, Ont., went 472-504-123 in his tenure in Hamilton, N.Y., which began in 1992-93 and included four NCAA tournament appearances.

U.S. Wins 2023 IIHF Women's World Championship

The United States rules the women's hockey world once more—for now, at least.

Powered by a hat trick from Hillary Knight (Wisconsin), including her 100th career point in international play, the Americans upended host Canada, 6-3, on Sunday in the gold medal game of the 2023 IIHF Women's World Championship in Brampton, Ont.

Brianne Jenner (Cornell) scored twice to helped stake Canada to a 3-2 lead after two periods, but Caroline Harvey (Wisconsin) tallied early in the third stanza to tie it before Knight connected twice to put the U.S. up, 5-3, with her first goal serving as both the game-winner and her 100th career international point. Cayla Barnes (Boston College) then closed out the scoring to lift Team USA to its 10th world title overall, and first since 2019. Either Canada or the U.S. has won gold in each of the 22 Women's World Championships contested to date.

Aerin Frankel (Northeastern) made 24 saves in goal for the Americans, while Ann-Renee Desbiens (Wisconsin) had 16 stops for the silver-medal Canadians. Desbiens was named the tournament's Best Goalie, while Harvey was tabbed as Best Defender and Sarah Fillier (Princeton) earned Best Forward accolades. Czechia won the bronze medal for the second straight year, after again defeating Switzerland.

Next year's Women's World Championship will be contested in Utica, N.Y.

2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs Start Tonight

It's the most wonderful time of the year ... or at least the spring.

The 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs commence tonight with the round of 16, beginning with four games tonight and four more tomorrow. Just under two months from now, after four grueling rounds, this year's NHL champion will be crowned, whether it be the defending titlist Colorado Avalanche again, or someone else.

The first -round matchups are as follows (higher seed listed first):

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Boston Bruins vs. Florida Panthers

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

Carolina Hurricanes vs. New York Islanders

New Jersey Devils vs. New York Rangers

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Colorado Avalanche vs. Seattle Kraken

Dallas Stars vs. Minnesota Wild

Vegas Golden Knights vs. Winnipeg Jets

Edmonton Oilers vs. Los Angeles Kings

Returning to the NHL playoffs this season after missing out last year are the Islanders and Vegas, while New Jersey is back in the postseason for the first time since 2018, Second-year franchise Seattle is in the postseason for the first time in its short history. Toronto-Tampa Bay and Edmonton-Los Angeles are repeat matchups from last year's first round, won by Tampa Bay and Edmonton, respectively. Tampa Bay has also won three consecutive Eastern Conference crowns.

First-round winners will advance to the conference semifinals. All four rounds are again best-of-seven, as has been the case in the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 1987.

By the time Lord Stanley's prize is finally hoisted by the winning club in June, a number of former NCAA players will again have made an impact, just as they did during the 2022-23 NHL regular season. 

Boston's Jeremy Swayman (Maine) was fourth overall among NHL goaltenders with a 2.27 goals-against average during the regular season, while Winnipeg's Connor Hellebucyk (UMass Lowell) tied for fourth with a .920 save percentage and was third with 37 wins along with Dallas' Jake Oettinger (Boston University). Boston defenseman Matt Grzelcyk (Boston University) finished second among all NHL skaters with a plus-46 plus-minus rating, while Dallas forward Joe Pavelski (Wisconsin) was fourth with a plus-42 mark.

Raymond Sawada 1985-2023

Former NCAA player Raymond Sawada (Cornell) died of an apparent heart attack during a recreational senior league game last week at home in Richmond, British Columbia. 

Sawada, 38, played four years at forward for Cornell (2004-2008), where he tallied 31 goals and 45 assists for 76 points 137 career games. He also helped the Big Red to two NCAA tournament berths, an ECAC Hockey regular-season championship, and an ECAC Hockey tournament title.

Drafted 52nd overall by the Dallas Stars in 2004 after playing junior hockey with Nanaimo (BCHL) and Richmond (PIJHL) in his home province, he had one goal in 11 career NHL games, all with Dallas. He also played with Iowa, Manitoba, Texas and St. John's in the American Hockey League in his pro career, along with Colorado (ECHL), Tappara in Finland, Belfast in Great Britain, and Oji in Japan before retiring in 2016.

Sawada was a married father of two who was serving as a firefighter in Burnaby, B.C. at the time of his passing. A Go Fund Me account to benefit family has been set up in his name at gofund.me/a4e1e229.

UND's Toews Goes Out In Style With NHL's Blackhawks After 16 Seasons

Jonathan Toews (North Dakota) has played his final game for the Chicago Blackhawks. The team captain and three-time Stanley Cup champion, who will not be offered a new contract by the Blackhawks, closed out his Chicago career with a goal in a 5-4 overtime loss to the visiting Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night at the United Center.

A Winnipeg native, Toews, 34, has been plagued by injury and illness the last two years, including COVID, and was limited to 53 games this year in which he tallied 15 goals and 16 assists for 31 points. Drafted third overall by Chicago in 2006 following his freshman season at North Dakota, he made his NHL debut in 2007-08 and has spent his entire pro career with the Blackhawks, while also never playing a game in the minor leagues. 

In 1.067 career NHL regular-season games, Toews has tallied 372-511—883 points, to go along with 607 PIM. In 137 career Stanley Cup Playoff contests, he has notched 45-74—119 points and 84 PIM, while captaining Chicago to Stanley Cup titles in 2010, 2013 and 2015. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy as NHL playoff MVP in 2010, and has also accumulated a total of six gold medals while representing Canada at the World Junior Championship, the World Championship, the Olympic Winter Games, and the World Cup of Hockey.

Toews played two NCAA seasons at UND, collecting 40-45—85 points and 32 PIM in 76 outings while leading the then-Fighting Sioux to back-to-back NCAA Frozen Four semifinal appearances, following two junior campaigns at Shattuck St. Mary's in Minnesota. It is not known at present if he will retire from playing, or try to continue his hockey career elsewhere.

Philadelphia defenseman Justin Braun (UMass), who skated for the Flyers, San Jose Sharks and New York Rangers in a 13-year NHL career that spanned from 2010 to 2023, definitively played his final NHL game on Thursday night in Chicago, announcing his retirement afterwards. Braun, 36, from Minneapolis, totaled 34-165—199 points and 317 PIM in 842 career NHL regular-season games, and added 3-13—16 points in 119 Stanley Cup Playoff outings. 

Drafted 201st overall by San Jose following his freshman year at UMass, where he helped the Minutemen to an NCAA tournament berth, Braun patrolled the blueline in Amherst from 2006 to 2010. He registered 23-64—87 points and 120 PIM in 150 career NCAA games, after prepping two junior seasons with Green Bay (USHL).