Boston College Hockey Completes Unprecedented Run To 2012 Title

We are spoiled. There's no other way around it ...

For the third time in five years, the Boston College men's ice hockey team has won the National Championship. Given the randomness of the NCAA's four round, single elimination format, this is about as close to a dynasty as you are going to see in college hockey. Maybe ever.

Jerry York has simply built the most dominant college hockey program of the modern era. Sure, there are programs that have won more titles -- Michigan, North Dakota, Denver and Wisconsin all have more titles, Minnesota and BU are right there with BC -- but no program has won more over the last 15+ years.

In an era of an expanded NCAA Tournament format, these numbers are jaw dropping:

-- Frozen Four appearances in 10 of the last 15 years ...
-- Eight National Championship game appearances -- 1998, 2000, 2001, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012
-- Four National titles since 2001

The Eagles finish the season on an unprecedented 19-game winning streak, the longest streak under York and second longest in program history. The senior class of Barry Almeida, Tommy Atkinson, Paul Carey, Tommy Cross, Edwin Shea and Chris Venti finished with a four-year, postseason record of 22-2. If last night was juniors Chris Kreider and Brian Dumoulin's last game in the maroon and gold, they finish with a 20-1 postseason record. A record that includes three consecutive Beanpot Championships (three-Pot!), three consecutive Hockey East Tournament Championships and two National tiles. Over the last six Frozen Four games, BC has outscored opponents 32-5.

For all of this, we have one man to thank.

York has built a juggernaut of a college hockey program at the Heights. Boston College hockey is the modern era Alabama Crimson Tide football, the basketball equivalent of Duke or Carolina. And York is now firmly planted among the all-time greats of college athletics coaches. Coach York is the embodiment of our school's motto -- Ever To Excel -- and there is no finer representative for our alma mater.

Relish this victory. It's a rare thing when the best program in the country wins the National Championship (this year, obviously, was an exception). But we may never see a run like this again. Simply put, three titles in five years -- and five title game appearances in seven years -- is such a rare thing that you should take none of this for granted. It's silly that we've come to expect a trip to the Frozen Four every year and are satisfied with nothing less than another trophy at the end of the season.

Thank you, Jerry York, for representing our alma mater with class, dignity and humility. You make us all proud to be an Eagle. Ever to Excel.

Is it October yet?