Monday, April 30, 2007

Red Hot Hockey




For immediate release: 4-29-2007
Contact: Peter Charbonneau, Boston University Sports Marketing, 617.358.4173

Red Hot Hockey Comes to Madison Square Garden; Boston University to face Cornell in renewal of one of college hockey’s classic rivalries

BOSTON – In a rekindling of one of college hockey’s oldest rivalries in one of the most iconic venues in the world, Boston University will face Cornell University in a non-conference NCAA Division I men’s ice hockey match-up at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Nov. 24, 2007, BU Director of Athletics Mike Lynch and Cornell University Director of Athletics and Physical Education Andy Noel announced today.

It marks the first time either school has played in the current incarnation of the “World’s Most Famous Arena” and the first college hockey game hosted by Madison Square Garden since 2003. Tickets for this historic event are already on sale directly through Ticketmaster.com and through the respective Boston University and Cornell University Athletic Ticket Offices.

“We think this is a great opportunity to not only reach out to our schools’ alumni, which number over 60,000 combined in the tri-state area, but to also bring some hard-hitting, exciting college hockey to New York City,” said Lynch, who added, “It is great to have Cornell back on our schedule.”

"Cornell Athletics and the Big Red hockey program are excited to renew our fierce rivalry with Boston University in one of the grandest venues in America," said Noel. "This will provide our hockey fans and New York City alumni an opportunity to support our team in what I expect will be one of the most anticipated college hockey games of the season."

“This should be a fabulous event for the players and their families as well as our fans and alumni,” said legendary BU head coach Jack Parker, whose 762 career wins ranks second among active NCAA Division I college hockey coaches. “Hockey is a passionate game and these are passionate hockey schools. It should make for an exciting game.”

Each school is steeped in hockey tradition. BU has won the national championship four times (1971, 1972, 1978 and 1995), while Cornell has claimed the title twice (1967, 1970). The Terriers boast the “Olympic Four” of Jim Craig, Mike Eruzione, Jack O’Callahan and Dave Silk, who helped lead the United States to Olympic gold at Lake Placid in 1980. Cornell alum Ken Dryden is an NHL legend; a five-time Vezina Trophy winner as the league’s best goaltender and winner of six Stanley Cups as a member of the Montreal Canadiens. Combined, the two schools have seen nearly 80 former players forge careers in the National Hockey League, including the likes of Chris Drury, Keith Tkachuk and John Cullen (BU), as well as Dryden and Joe Nieuwendyk (Cornell).

“We are excited to bring two of college hockey’s most storied programs to The Garden and the hockey fans of New York,” said Joel Fisher, senior vice president, Madison Square Garden Sports Properties. “Boston University versus Cornell certainly will add to Madison Square Garden’s rich tradition of hosting some of the best rivalries in college sports.”

The BU–Cornell rivalry began on Jan. 10, 1925, with a 7-2 victory by the Terriers, and includes two match-ups in the NCAA title game (1967, 1972). However, the schools have met only sporadically since BU left the ECAC to join Hockey East in 1984-85. Madison Square Garden, the 19,500-seat home to the NHL’s Rangers and NBA’s Knicks, will serve as the venue to re-launch this storied rivalry. Two additional games will follow the Madison Square Garden event, to be played at each school’s home site in the coming years.

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