Happy Time: Michael Holovak and Men's Hockey

Happy Time, people.

There are no BC birthdays of note this week that I could dig up. If you know of any, leave them in the comments section. So Happy Birthday today (January 31) to my brother Drew.

A melancholy Happy Trails to Michael J. Holovak. As many of you read earlier in the week, Holovak passed away at the age of 88. Holovak was a member of the 1940-41 BC Eagles undefeated season, capped with a victory in the 1941 Sugar Bowl, 19-13 over Tennessee. During the 1942-1943 season, Holovak finished fourth in the Heisman voting. He served in World War II and played a few seasons in the NFL (first round draft pick of the Cleveland Rams). Holovak later came back to the Heights as freshman coach and then head coach, leading the Eagles to a 49-29-3 record. Holovak later went on to coach the AFL's Boston Patriots.

Happy Anniversary BC men's hockey. On this date 5 years ago, you blanked UMass Amherst 9-0. The offensive onslaught was lead by Tony Voce (2 goals, 3 assists), Ben Eaves (2 goals, 4 assists), and Stephen Gionta (2 goals). BC netminder Matti Kaltiainen only had to turn away 10 shots over 2 periods to record the shutout. That Eagles team would go on to suffer two heartbreaking double-OT losses in the postseason. They fell to BU 6-5 in the Hockey East semifinals and then fell to Cornell 2-1 in 2 OT for a chance to go to the Frozen Four.