FADEM: Reflections from DC

Wow.

There is really only one word in the English language that sums up what Saturday night was like for me, my friends and the Terriers of Boston University: UNBELIEVABLE.

Honestly, that’s the only word that truly captures the experience.

I’ll let you in on what my night was like on Saturday ‘-‘- what I was feeling, what I was thinking, what it was like to be part of arguably the most epic, most exciting, most amazing national championship in the history of the sport.

Let’s just jump to the 17-minute mark of the third period: the score is 3-1 with a faceoff coming in the far end. Coach Jack Parker elects to pull the goalie, and when I see Kieran Millan skating to the bench, my thoughts are something like, ‘This is it. We’ve come all this way, accomplished all these great accolades, but the dream is over. It’s all for naught.’ I can’t help but sigh, clasp my hands around my head and put the hood of the hot dog on.

I’m clenched up, my palms seem as if they’ve been immersed in water for an hour; my fingers are pruned. I’m fighting to hold back the tears of complete and utter defeat.

Play continues, and it doesn’t seem very good ‘-‘- a minute ticks away, now with only two to go. The extra attacker is still on, and I’m wincing every time a pass is made or a dangle is performed ‘-‘- anything really. I’ve become exhausted.

I strain my eyes to see the far end of the ice as best I can ‘-‘- Nick Bonino shoots right into the goalie, and a RedHawk gets the puck. This unfortunate soul is about to clear it, but Nick shoots his stick in and pokes it right to Zach Cohen. Call it puck luck, call it Zach’s glorious aim, call it what you will, but all I see is a red light and Terrier skaters’ arms fly into the air. One goal down, one to go ‘-‘- we haven’t won anything yet, but with one minute to go, I’m starting to become a believer again.

BU wins the faceoff and sets up the offense to get the extra man out there again. The seconds tick away ‘-‘- 59.5 seconds go to 40, then 30, then 20. After some good looks, close shots and great hustle, Matt Gilroy receives the puck at the point. I quickly say to myself, ‘This is good.’ He fakes a RedHawk out of his skates and gently leaves the puck perfectly for Bonino. The next 20 seconds for me are a blur.

I hear the obnoxiously loud goal horn go off. The Terrier bench is going crazy, my fellow fans and I are grabbing each other, hugging each other, screaming as loud as we can ‘-‘- this can’t be happening. We just tied this game?

No. Way.

I’ve fallen onto the seats behind me, I’m getting dogpiled by my friends, I can hardly breathe, and for a minute, I think I’m being suffocated. I get myself out of there and look at the ice to make sure what I thought I had just seen was actually true.

Yes, it was.

I think now, just kill these last 17 seconds and let me try to gain some sanity before overtime. It wasn’t pretty, but we get to OT.

My voice is completely gone. I am still shaking uncontrollably. I can’t put together a coherent sentence. I make for the concourse hallway, and there is an eerie sense of disbelief among everyone walking by.

I see Jack Parker’s secretary in the hallway and her eyes are wet with tears ‘-‘- at this point, I can’t hold back my emotions as I feel tears trickle down my face. I can’t believe this just happened.

Jumping to 11:47 into the overtime period, Colby Cohen fires that puck at the net, it hits a diving RedHawk and I lose sight of it. All I see is Vinny Saponari throw his arms up in the air ‘-‘- then another pile-on. I embrace Jesus, he embraces me and everyone else around us piles on.

That. Just. Happened.

My legs are destroyed from getting slammed into the seats and arm rests around me. I couldn’t care less. I’m being suffocated again, but I break free in time to watch the Terrier bench empty and make for Colby to jump on.

A wave of text messages come in, all with a similar message ‘-‘- ‘That was unreal. Congrats.’ A wave of phone calls come next, but I know there’s no point in answering. I wouldn’t be able to be heard because A) I have no voice at all, and B) It’s complete pandemonium around me. While I struggle to hold back tears of joy, I try screaming out in victory, but I can’t even hear my own voice.

This is what it’s like to win a national championship? Jesus, there isn’t a better feeling in the world. Nothing can top this. Surely, BU did it in the most dramatic, gut-wrenching, spectacular way, but I’ll look back on my Saturday night and remember it as the highlight of my life. I will rewatch that last minute and overtime on my DVR and immediately become overjoyed.

UNBELIEVABLE.