It’s not very often Boston University and Boston College play nice together, but Friday’s matchup between the Hockey East rivals wasn’t an ordinary game.
The Terriers and the Eagles joined forces for the Comm Ave Charity Classic at BU’s Walter Brown Arena to raise money for Compassionate Care ALS, a nonprofit that provides support to ALS patients and their caregivers. Former Eagles Pat Mullane and Andrew Orpik organized the game, and it was a huge, star-studded success.
Former BC and BU players from the NHL, AHL and even the Hockey Hall of Fame took the ice for the game, which the Terriers won 7-5 behind a Charlie Coyle hat trick. And they were able to raise $55,000 for ALS through ticket sales and a silent auction.
“A lot of people reached out to me and said, ‘Hey Pat, I’d love to get involved. Do you need anything donated?'” Mullane said, per FOXSports.com’s Arielle Aronson. “It shows how willing this community is to participate and to raise money. Obviously, it was easy to get the guys who were playing to bring a stick or a couple of gloves, but for everyone else to step up and say, ‘Hey I want to donate something,’ it’s a class act.”
The event turned out to be a great night for all involved. BU had some trouble finding players, as one of its 2008-09 NCAA champions got married over the weekend and celebrated with many members of that team, but former Terrier Chris Bourque brought his father, Ray Bourque (maybe you’ve heard of him?), to help out. Things also got a little chippy on the ice even though it was a charity game.
And of course, former BC baseball player, ALS patient and Ice Bucket Challenge inventor Pete Frates was in attendance.
“We didn’t know if he was going to be able to come, so for him to be there and to be on the ice and for the fans to see him and have him be a part of it, for him to watch the game, it made the night perfect,” Mullane said.
Thumbnail photo via Twitter/@bcinterruption
