Greetings from the Fenway Park press box, where I am among several USCHO writers on hand for the “Frozen Fenway” battle between Boston College and Boston University. It was also where we just got a visit from the 2009 Hobey Baker winner, BU alum Matt Gilroy.
Gilroy, whose younger brother, Kevin, is a sophomore forward for the Terriers, is in town with the New York Rangers for a Saturday afternoon game against the Bruins at TD Banknorth Garden (or as I still call it, the KurtCenter), and was at Fenway along with Rangers teammate and BC alum Brian Boyle, who took his share of smack talk in the Rangers locker room this week from Gilroy and fellow BU Hobey winner Chris Drury.
“We were giving it to Boyle, me and Dru,” Gilroy said. “All in good fun.”
And while the 2009 Hobey Baker winner – only the fifth to win the Hobey and an NCAA title in the same season – certainly authored a healthy share of memorable moments in his time as a Terrier, he couldn’t help but be a bit envious as a spectator Friday night.
“I wish it happened in my four years,” Gilroy said. “It was supposed to happen, everyone was talking about it, but it’s cool that it finally happened. I’m glad I’m in town for this, that I get to see this game, the rivalry, and that I get to see my brother play.”
And while both he and his brother are born-and-raised New Yorkers, the elder Gilroy wasn’t about to quarrel with the Terriers’ special jerseys, which went heavy on the Red Sox homages with special Red Sox-style lettering for “BOSTON” on the front, red numbers (with white outlines) on both sides, and a variation on the Sox logo (with skates) on the sleeves.
“Actually,” Gilroy said, “I think the jerseys look pretty cool. I’ll give it to them. BU did a good job with them. It’s cool to see it out there, and I can’t believe Fenway Park is a hockey rink in the middle of the winter.”
