AFTER A DAY OF THANKSGIVING, IT’S TIME TO RENEW HOCKEY’S ‘HOLY WAR’
By John Fineran
Whenever Notre Dame and Boston College meet in any athletic competition, it’s known as “The Holy War.” Even that most famous native American from suburban Chicago, Pope Leo XIV, will smile and tread this discussion lightly if it’s ever brought up in Rome.
Two of the nation’s most prominent Catholic universities, the Notre Dame-Boston College rivalry extends beyond its sporting fields. Notre Dame is known to be a more traditional, more conservative school given its direction by the priests of the Congregation of the Holy Cross (C.S.C). Boston College is considered to be more liberal based on its association with the Jesuits, the religious community called the Society of Jesus.
On this Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving when holiday shopping begins in earnest, the Fighting Irish (4-8-1) and Eagles (7-5-1) renew their hockey rivalry at 1 p.m. at the John “Snooks” Kelley Arena in the Silvio O. Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill, Mass., about a 10½-mile drive west and south of downtown Boston. Both teams are led by proud alumni defensemen – Brock Sheahan (Class of 2008) is Notre Dame’s first-year head mentor and Greg Brown (Class of 1990) is in his fourth season at Boston College.
The athletic intensity between the two schools probably began following the 1940 football season when Frank Leahy, a former offensive lineman from Winner, S.D., for Notre Dame’s legendary coach Knute Rockne, bolted Chestnut Hill for South Bend after leading a two-year resurgence of the Eagles. Leahy was asked by his alma mater to return and replace Elmer Layden, one of the famous “Four Horsemen” on Rockne’s 1924 national championship team. The sudden move came after Layden left to become the NFL’s first commissioner, and some Jesuit old-timers even today believe their Holy Cross “brethren” poached Leahy following the Eagles’ 19-13 victory over Tennessee in the 1941 Sugar Bowl.
Since then, the athletic rivalry between the two Catholic universities has cooled somewhat as it moved indoors to frozen ice hockey rinks in Massachusetts, Indiana and other famous arenas in Chicago, New York and Denver (and even Boston’s Fenway Park) and you can thank the head coaches for that.
It was 1930 Boston College alumnus and former coach John “Snooks” Kelley who offered a helping hand and guidance to Notre Dame’s first varsity coach, Charles W. “Lefty” Smith, a 1951 graduate of St. Thomas University in hockey-mad Minnesota, by agreeing to schedule games between the Eagles and Irish. Since those first two games in the 1969-70 season – a 7-3 Boston College victory on Dec. 20, 1969 in Chestnut Hill and a 7-4 B.C. victory nine days later at Notre Dame – the two programs have met annually for the most part ever since and lately usually during the week of Thanksgiving.
The exceptions came after the COVID-19-impacted 2020-21 season when the two teams were scheduled to play in the first round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament at Albany, N.Y. But Notre Dame was forced to withdraw because of positive tests. The two teams did not meet last season as Notre Dame participated with Merrimack, Harvard and Boston University in the Friendship Four tournament at Belfast, Northern Ireland over the Thanksgiving break.
Notre Dame’s last victory in the series was a 5-2 triumph during the 2022-23 season under 20-year head coach Jeff Jackson, who oversaw the building of the Compton Family Ice Arena where the Irish play their games on the “Lefty” Smith Rink. During the 2023-24 season, Brown was behind the Eagles’ bench at Compton for a 6-1 Eagles victory on Nov. 24.
The biggest of the ice “Holy War” games came on April 12, 2008 at Denver’s Pepsi Center for the NCAA Championship when Jackson’s Irish fell to Hockey Hall of Fame coach Jerry York’s Eagles 4-1. Jackson’s successor, Brock Sheahan, who was recruited out of Alberta by former associate head coach Andy Slaggert, is still haunted by that setback.
“Speaking as a player, losing to them in the national championship game still hurts,” Sheahan said.
Like some Holy Cross vs. Jesuit philosophical differences, the two hockey programs can’t seem to agree on its common record. If you’re a fan of the Eagles, the rivalry is at 50 games and counting with B.C. leading 25-22-3. But if Notre Dame’s record book is your hockey bible, Friday’s game will be the 50th with B.C. leading with one less victory.
At least the hockey coaches haven’t allowed the rivalry to get too hot for the ice. Smith certainly enjoyed his rivalry with Kelley, who coached the Eagles for 36 years, own an NCAA title in 1949 and became the first college hockey coach to amass over 500 victories.
Two of Kelley’s protégés – Len Ceglarski and Jerry York – later succeeded him at Chestnut Hill. Ceglarski, an All-America left wing on the 1949 NCAA team, later won 673 games as Clarkson and Boston College. York, who captained Kelley’s 1966-67 team, became an assistant to Ceglarski at Clarkson and succeeded him before replacing Ron Mason at Bowling Green where he won the 1984 NCAA title. He then returned to Boston College upon Ceglarski’s retirement and won NCAA titles in 2001, 2008, 2010 and 2012. York became the first coach to win over 1,000 games, finishing with 1,123 victories during his 50 years behind the bench.
Sheahan’s Irish are fresh off their 5-4 victory Wednesday afternoon at Merrimack, scoring four times in the third period to end a six-game losing streak which was part of a seven-game winless skid. Brown’s 15th-ranked Eagles, meanwhile, are coming off a 3-0 Hockey East loss last Saturday at home to No. 10 Maine that followed up a five-game winning streak.
When it comes to the “Holy War” on ice, only God, Jesus and Mary know who Friday’s winner will eventually.
And They ain’t talking – just smiling like all true college hockey fans should be.
WHO: Notre Dame Fighting Irish (4-8-1) vs. Boston College Eagles (7-5-1).
WHEN: Friday at 1 p.m.
WHERE: John “Snooks” Kelley Rink at the Silvio O. Conte Forum (7,884), Chestnut Hill, Mass.
RADIO: WZOC-FM (94.3) and UND.com (Tyler Reidy).
TV/STREAMING: NESN and ESPN+ (Eric Gallanty and Jim Connelly).
COACHES: Notre Dame, Brock Sheahan (Notre Dame, 2008). Records: 4-8-1 in first season and overall. … Boston College, Greg Brown (Boston College, 1990). Records: 82-35-10 in fourth season and overall.
LAST TIMES OUT: Notre Dame ended a seven-game winless and six-game losing skids with a 5-4 victory Wednesday afternoon at Merrimack … Boston College split a Hockey East series last weekend at home against No. 10 Maine, winning 7-3 Friday before falling 3-0 Saturday, ending a five-game winning streak.
RANKINGS: Boston College is ranked No. 15 in both the USCHO.com media and USA Hockey/The Rink Live coaches polls. … Notre Dame is not receiving votes in either poll.
SCOUTING THE FIGHTING IRISH: Graduate center Sutter Muzzatti (6-6-12) and junior defenseman Paul Fischer (3-9-12) continue to pace Notre Dame in scoring. … After his one-goal, three-assist performance in Wednesday’s victory over Merrimack, junior right wing Cole Knuble (3-8-11) is now third, two points ahead of junior right wing Evan Werner (4-5-9) and freshman left wing Cole Brown (3-6-9), who had two goals and an assist against Merrimack. … Junior center and co-captain Danny Nelson (5-3-8), junior left wing Brennan Ali (3-5-8) and freshman center Pano Fimis (1-7-8) are next followed by three defensemen – senior Axel Kumlin (1-6-7), senior co-captain Michael Mastrodomenico (3-3-6) and junior Henry Nelson (2-3-5). … Sophomore goaltender Nicholas Kempf has started and played in all 13 games and has a 3.07 goals-against average, a saves percentage of .906 and one shutout (3-0 over St. Lawrence on Oct. 17). … Sophomore defenseman Jimmy Jurcev leads the team with 16 blocked shots followed by Henry Nelson (13), Fischer and Mastrodomenico (12 each). … Fimis leads team in faceoff-win percentage at .637 (100-57) ahead of Jayden Davis’ .607 (34-22), Danny Nelson’s .544 (129-108) and Muzzatti’s .508 (100-97). … Werner and Danny Nelson each have three power-play goals. … NCAA statistics (through Nov. 26): Scoring offense, 2.77 goals per game (42nd); scoring defense, 3.38 goals per game (45th); scoring margin, -0.62 goals per game (45th); power-play percentage, 0.308 (12 of 39) (3rd); penalty-kill percentage, 0.837 (41 of 49) (15th); faceoff-win percentage, 0.546 (432-359) (5th); penalty minutes per game, 14.38 (8th); shots per game, 31.31; shots allowed per game, 33.08; team blocked shots, 134.
SCOUTING THE EAGLES: Like Notre Dame, Boston College has two players tied for the team’s scoring lead – sophomore center James Hagens (6-7-13) and sophomore left wing Jake Sondreal (5-8-13). … Next come sophomore center Dean Letourneau (5-6-11) and sophomore left wing Teddy Stiga (3-7-10) followed by junior right wing Ryan Conmy (6-3-9), junior right wing Will Vote (3-6-9), junior defenseman Drew Fortescue (3-5-8), freshman defenseman Luka Radivojevic (0-8-8) and senior defenseman and co-captain Lukas Gustafsson (1-6-7). … Freshman goaltender Louka Cloutier has a 7-3-1 record in 11 starts with a 2.11 goals-against average, a saves percentage of .914 and two shutouts on the road (5-0 at Vermont Nov. 8 and 4-0 at Massachusetts Nov. 15). … Sophomore defenseman Will Skahan leads team with 17 blocked shots, two more than Radivojevic. … Conmy leads Eagles with three power-play goals, one more than Letourneau and Stiga. … Freshman center Will Moore leads Eagles in faceoff-win percentage at .558 (63-50). … NCAA statistics (through Nov. 26): Scoring offense, 3.23 goals per game (22nd); scoring defense, 2.46 goals per game (16th); scoring margin, 0.77 goals per game (18th); power-play percentage, 0.243 (9 of 37) (17th); penalty-kill percentage, 0.857 (36 of 42) (14th); faceoff-win percentage, 0.466 (344-394) (53rd); penalty minutes per game, 12.69 (14th); shots per game, 31.62; shots allowed per game, 24.69; team blocked shots, 136.
WHAT BROCK SHEAHAN HAS TO SAY ABOUT:
(The rivalry with Boston College) “I think it (the rivalry) is awesome. Back when I played, the rivalry was a little bit more than what it is right now, I guess. A lot of the students are looking at both of these schools. I think it’s important for us to come out East for the recruiting side, to have a presence there. It’s something we’ll continue to do as long as Boston College wants to play us, we’ll go there and hopefully they will come here.
“Again, speaking as a player, losing to them in the national championship game still hurts. Luckily, all the games we played in the regular season when I was a player, we won all those games and they were massive memories for me, especially when the program was turning around. I remember going out my junior year (2006-07) we went out there and played Providence (6-1) and B.C. (7-1). It was like our arrival. We were the No. 1 team in the country and won 32 games. Those types of games are really important for our program, and we’ll continue to do it as long as it’s possible.”
NEXT UP: Notre Dame returns to Big Ten Conference play Dec. 5-6 against No. 2/2 Wisconsin at the Lefty Smith Rink in the Compton Family Ice Arena in South Bend. … Boston College returns to Hockey East competition with a home-and-home series against UMass Lowell, at the Tsongas Center on Friday and at Kelley Rink on Saturday.
BIG TEN STANDINGS AND SCHEDULE
(Numbers in parentheses are school’s rankings in this week’s USCHO.com media/USA Hockey-The Rink Live coaches polls):
Conference Overall
GP Pts W-L-T-SW-OW-OL GF-GA W-L-T GF-GA
(1/1) Michigan 8 17 6-2-0-0-1-0 37-22 13-3-0 83-34
(2/2) Wisconsin 8 16 6-2-0-0-2-0 33-25 10-2-2 55-34
(9/9) Penn State 8 13 4-4-0-0-0-1 17-25 11-5-0 51-46
(3/3) Michigan St. 6 12 4-2-0-0-1-1 19-10 10-3-0 47-23
(nr/nr) Minnesota 6 9 3-3-0-0-0-0 13-14 6-9-1 41-49
(rv/rv) Ohio State 6 4 1-5-0-0-0-1 18-27 5-7-0 36-37
(nr/nr) Notre Dame 6 1 0-6-0-0-0-1 7-21 4-8-1 36-44
THIS WEEK
Wednesday, Nov. 26
Notre Dame 5, Merrimack 4
Michigan State 5, Colgate 2
Friday, Nov. 28
Notre Dame at Boston College, 1 p.m.
Ohio State at Arizona State, 5 p.m.
Michigan at Harvard, 7 p.m.
Colgate at Michigan State, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 29
Ohio State at Arizona State, 7 p.m.
Michigan at Harvard, 7 p.m.
Minnesota at Denver, 9 p.m.
UPCOMING
Thursday, Dec. 4
Minnesota at Ohio State, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 5
Wisconsin at Notre Dame, 7 p.m.
Minnesota at Ohio State, 6 p.m.
Michigan at Michigan State, 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 6
Wisconsin at Notre Dame, 6 p.m.
Michigan State at Michigan, 7 p.m.
SCHEDULES FOR TOP 20 TEAMS IN USCHO.com MEDIA POLL AND OTHERS
1. Michigan (Big Ten) (13-3-0) at Harvard Friday and Saturday. Next: Dec. 5 at No. 3 Michigan State, Dec. 6 vs. No. 3 Michigan State.
2. Wisconsin (Big Ten) (10-2-2) is idle this week. Next: Dec. 5-6 at Notre Dame.
3. Michigan State (Big Ten) (10-3-0) beat Colgate Wednesday, 5-2. Next: Friday vs. Colgate, Dec. 5 vs. No. 1 Michigan, Dec. 6 at No. 1 Michigan.
4. Denver (NCHC) (9-4-1) (OT) vs. Minnesota Saturday. Next: Dec. 5-6 vs. Miami.
5. Minnesota Duluth (NCHC) (12-4-0) is idle this week. Next: Dec. 5-6 at No. 7 Western Michigan.
6. North Dakota (NCHC) (8-4-0) at Bemidji State Friday, vs. Bemidji State Saturday. Next: Dec. 5-6 at St. Cloud State.
7. Western Michigan (NCHC) (9-5-0) is idle this week. Next: Dec. 5-6 vs. No. 5 Minnesota Duluth.
8. Quinnipiac (ECAC) (10-3-2) beat Holy Cross Wednesday, 7-6 (OT). Next: Saturday vs. Stonehill, Dec. 5 at RPI, Dec. 6 at No. 20 Union.
9. Penn State (Big Ten) (11-5-0) is idle this week. Next: Jan. 3 at RIT, Jan. 4 vs. RIT.
10. Maine (Hockey East) (8-5-1) is idle this week. Next: Dec. 5-6 vs. New Hampshire.
11. Northeastern (Hockey East) (8-4-0) vs. Brown Saturday. Next: Dec. 6-7 vs. No. 18 Massachusetts.
12. Connecticut (Hockey East) (7-5-3) tied Stonehill Tuesday, 3-3 (Stonehill won shootout, 2-1). Next: Dec. 5 at Merrimack, Dec. 6 vs. Merrimack.
13. Dartmouth (ECAC) (6-0-0) vs. Vermont Friday, vs. Merrimack Saturday. Next: Dec. 5 vs. Brown, Dec. 6 vs. Yale.
14. Minnesota State (CCHA) (8-2-4) at Northern Michigan Friday and Saturday. Next: Dec. 5-6 vs. Ferris State.
15. Boston College (Hockey East) (7-5-1) vs. Notre Dame Friday. Next: Dec. 5 at UMass Lowell, Dec. 6 vs. UMass Lowell.
16. Providence (Hockey East) (6-5-2) at Colorado College Friday and Saturday. Next: Dec. 9 at Brown.
17. Cornell (ECAC) (6-2-0) vs. No. 19 Boston University Saturday at New York (Madison Square Garden). Next: Dec. 5 at Clarkson, Dec. 6 at St. Lawrence.
18. Massachusetts (Hockey East) (8-7-0) at Army Saturday. Next: Dec. 6-7 at No. 11 Northeastern.
19. Boston University (Hockey East) (6-7-1) vs. No. 17 Cornell Saturday at New York (Madison Square Garden). Next: Dec. 5-6 vs. Vermont.
20. Union (ECAC) (8-3-2) vs. Sacred Heart Friday in Friendship Four at Belfast, Northern Ireland, vs. Miami or RIT Saturday in Friendship Four at Belfast, Northern Ireland. Next: Dec. 5 vs. Princeton, Dec. 6 vs. No. 8 Quinnipiac.
Others
Harvard (ECAC) (5-1-1) vs. No. 1 Michigan Friday and Saturday. Next: Dec. 5 vs. Yale, Dec. 6 vs. Brown.
Colorado College (NCHC) (7-6-1) vs. No. 16 Providence Friday and Saturday. Next: Dec. 12-13 at Miami.
Michigan Tech (CCHA) (8-5-1) vs. St. Thomas Friday and Saturday. Next: Dec. 12-13 at Ferris State.
Bemidji State (CCHA) (9-5-2) vs. No. 6 North Dakota Friday, at No. 6 North Dakota Saturday. Next: Dec. 5-6 at Augustana.
Miami (NCHC) (8-4-0) vs. RIT Friday in Friendship Four at Belfast, Northern Ireland, vs. Union or Sacred Heart Saturday in Friendship Four at Belfast, Northern Ireland. Next: Dec. 5-6 at No. 4 Denver.
Holy Cross (Atlantic Hockey) (9-6-1) beat Alaska Anchorage Sunday, 1-0; lost at No. 8 Quinnipiac Wednesday, 7-6 (OT). Next: Dec. 6 vs. Mercyhurst.
RIT (Atlantic Hockey) (9-4-0) vs. Miami Friday in Friendship Four at Belfast, Northern Ireland, vs. No. 20 Union or Sacred Heart Saturday in Friendship Four at Belfast, Northern Ireland. Next: Dec. 5 vs. Canisius, Dec. 6 at Canisius.
Omaha (NCHC) (5-7-0) at Yale Friday and Saturday. Next: Dec. 12-13 at No. 6 North Dakota.
St. Cloud State (NCHC) (7-7-0) is idle this week. Next: Dec. 5-6 at No. 6 North Dakota.
Bentley (Atlantic Hockey) (8-4-1) won at Army Tuesday, 3-1. Next: Saturday vs. New Hampshire Saturday, Dec. 5-6 vs. Niagara.
Ohio State (Big Ten) (5-7-0) at Arizona State Friday and Saturday. Next: Dec. 4-5 vs. Minnesota.
Arizona State (NCHC) (5-8-1) vs. Ohio State Friday and Saturday. Next: Dec. 12-13 at No. 5 Minnesota Duluth.
Minnesota (Big Ten) (6-9-1) at No. 4 Denver Saturday. Next: Dec. 4-5 at Ohio State.
Merrimack (Hockey East) (5-7-0) lost to Notre Dame Wednesday, 5-4. Next: Saturday at No. 13 Dartmouth, Dec. 5 vs. No. 12 Connecticut, Dec. 6 at No. 12 Connecticut.
Augustana (CCHA) (6-4-1) at Lake Superior State Friday and Saturday. Next: Dec. 5-6 vs. Bemidji State.
Sacred Heart (Atlantic Hockey) (6-5-1) vs. No. 20 Union Friday in Friendship Four at Belfast, Northern Ireland; vs. RIT or Miami Saturday in Friendship Four at Belfast, Northern Ireland. Next: Dec. 5-6 vs. Army.
Notre Dame (Big Ten) (4-8-1) won at Merrimack Wednesday, 5-4. Next: Friday at No. 15 Boston College Friday, Dec. 5-6 vs. No. 2 Wisconsin.
Lindenwood (Independent) (7-5-0) vs. Long Island Friday and Saturday. Next: Dec. 13-14 at No. 10 Maine.
SCHEDULE AND RESULTS
Sunday, Nov. 23
Non-conference
Holy Cross 1, Alaska Anchorage 0
Tuesday, Nov. 25
Atlantic Hockey America
Bentley 3, Army 1
Non-conference
Stonehill 3, Connecticut 3 (OT) (Stonehill wins shootout, 2-1)
Wednesday, Nov. 26
Non-conference
Notre Dame 5, Merrimack 4
Michigan State 5, Colgate 2
Quinnipiac 7, Holy Cross 6 (OT)
Friday, Nov. 28
Non-conference
Notre Dame at Boston College, 1 p.m.
Ohio State at Arizona State, 5 p.m.
Vermont at Dartmouth, 6 p.m.
RPI at Niagara, 6 p.m.
Princeton at Bowling Green, 7 p.m.
Michigan at Harvard, 7 p.m.
Colgate at Michigan State, 7 p.m.
Omaha at Yale, 7 p.m.
Long Island at Lindenwood, 7:40 p.m.
North Dakota at Bemidji State, 8:37 p.m.
Providence at Colorado College, 9 p.m.
Friendship Four at Belfast, Northern Ireland
Sacred Heart vs. Union, 9 a.m.
Miami vs. RIT, 2 p.m.
Adirondack Winter Invitational at Lake Placid, N.Y.
Alaska Fairbanks vs. St. Lawrence, 4 p.m.
Clarkson vs. UMass Lowell, 7:30 p.m.
Atlantic Hockey America
Air Force at Canisius, 1 p.m.
Robert Morris at Mercyhurst, 7 p.m.
CCHA
St. Thomas at Michigan Tech, 7:07 p.m.
Minnesota State at Northern Michigan, 7:07 p.m.
Augustana at Lake Superior State, 8:07 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 29
Non-conference
Merrimack at Dartmouth, 4 p.m.
Brown at Northeastern, 4 p.m.
Stonehill at Quinnipiac, 4 p.m.
Massachusetts at Army, 4 p.m.
RPI at Niagara, 5 p.m.
New Hampshire at Bentley, 5 p.m.
Long Island at Lindenwood, 6:10 p.m.
Michigan at Harvard, 7 p.m.
Ohio State at Arizona State, 7 p.m.
Omaha at Yale, 7 p.m.
Princeton at Bowling Green, 7 p.m.
Bemidji State at North Dakota, 7:07 p.m.
Providence at Colorado College, 8 p.m.
Providence vs. Cornell at Notre Dame (Madison Square Garden), 8 p.m.
Minnesota at Denver, 9 p.m.
Atlantic Hockey America
Air Force at Canisius, 1 p.m.
Mercyhurst at Robert Morris, 7 p.m.
CCHA
Minnesota State at Northern Michigan, 6:07 p.m.
St. Thomas at Michigan Tech, 7:07 p.m.
Augustana at Lake Superior State, 7:07 p.m.
Friendship Four at Belfast, Northern Ireland
Sacred Heart/Union loser vs. Miami/RIT loser, 10 a.m.
Sacred Heart/Union winner vs. Miami/RIT winner, 2 p.m.
Adirondack Winter Invitational at Lake Placid, N.Y.
UMass Lowell vs. St. Lawrence, 4 p.m.
Alaska vs. Clarkson, 7:30 p.m.