by Bernie Corbett
With 4:08 remaining in the
third period of the 2009 National Championship Game, the winningest team in the
illustrious annals of BU Hockey was now on the verge of losing its last game. The underdog Miami Red Hawks had just extended their lead to
3-1. Without hesitation BU associate head coach David Quinn approached his
current boss and former coach Jack Parker, the iconic 36 year mentor,
the man who had recruited and coached Quinn, a first round draft selection of the Minnesota
North Stars, a quarter century earlier.
The associate head coach
offered a bold unconventional observation “The next offensive faceoff I think
we’ve got to pull him (goalie Kieran Millan).” Checking the clock Parker was not
convinced. “There’s a lot of time.” Quinn persisted. “We’re on life support
right now.” The Terriers' prolific offense had been effectively neutered by the
Red Hawks for most of the third period. Parker’s top lieutenant and “defensive
coordinator.” supported by assistant coach Mike Bavis. recognized that the
Terriers needed to fundamentally alter the game’s direction.
Following a time out at
the 3:31 mark, Parker acquiesced to his associate’s plea and Millan
vacated the BU crease. The Terriers established near-permanent residency in
the Miami zone, tallying twice with the extra attacker in the final minute en
route to a stunning 4-3 overtime victory at the Verizon Center in Washington,
D.C., to capture the program’s fifth National Championship.
At the post game press
conference, Parker gave full credit to Quinn for
suggesting the move that resuscitated his hockey team.
Some eighteen years
earlier, Parker’s Terriers found themselves in the unenviable position that
they had been in the previous year. Providence College’s routinely spectacular
goalie Chris Terrerri was on his way to leading his Friar club to victory over
favored BU in the 1986 Hockey East tournament semi final round for a second
consecutive season. Trailing 2-1 late in the third period that rabid Terriers
had the apparent tying goal disallowed.
Without hesitation a scant
:16 later All-Hockey East BU sophomore defenseman David Quinn pinched hard to
the half wall in the Friar zone, gained possession of the puck and threaded a
pass to the Terriers all-time leading scorer, John Cullen to set up the tying
goal. The Terriers went on to a stirring 3-2 victory and then captured the
Hockey East title the following night crushing arch-rival Boston College 9-4.
This past January, the Boston
University hockey team was a disappointing 8-11-1 after the first semester. Acknowledging that “you are
what your record says you are,” Quinn, without hesitation espoused to his hockey team his belief that they were the “best
team in Hockey East.” The Terriers embarked on a 14-2-3 run that included the
Hockey East Championship before falling to Michigan in the NCAA Northeast
Regional final. The unwavering faith of the head coach was rewarded with an
impressive sustained stretch of winning hockey.
A man who was forced to
handle a career-ending medical diagnosis to his playing career, he soon channeled his
passion for the game and consummate competitive nature to coaching. The results have produced
a winner at every step on his twenty-five year Odyssey leading up to this New
York minute.
Expect the Rangers' new
coach to bring an up-tempo, puck possession approach that will allow for
offensive creativity while stressing the all-important concept of recognizing
the appropriate time of transition to the defensive side.
Coaching defensemen and
the defensive aspect of the game has been a priority for Quinn. In fact all six
of BU’s blueliners on the 2009 National Championship team – Matt Gilroy, Kevin
Shattenkirk, Eric Gryba, Colby Cohen, Brian Strait and David Warsofsky went on
to play in the NHL. An unprecedented achievement for a college hockey team and
a testament to Quinn’s ability to develop players at the position.
This veteran observer is predicting a long-running Broadway hit. I’m not sure he could outrun
Justify but David Quinn has passed “The Test of the Champion” while overcoming
the adversity of a promising playing career that was curtailed to become an elite coach.
There will be 40 performances of “Mighty Quinn and his Rangers” beginning in
October. Be sure to catch the show, Ranger fans.
Bernie Corbett has been the “Voice of BU Hockey” for 33 years and Harvard
Football for 20 years. He has authored, co-authored, ghost written and contributed to two dozen
books including an oral history of the Most Memorable Games In New York
Giants History and Rolling Stones 50 Licks with the late WNEW
and KROCK disc Jockey Pete Fornatale for Bloomsbury Publishing.
