NEWTON, Massachusetts — In the Boston College Eagles` hockey dressing room, a prayer board stands as a poignant reminder. Before this season commenced, three names were inscribed upon it, and they remain there still.
Tony Voce
Johnny Gaudreau
Matthew Gaudreau
Around the dawn of the 21st century, Tony Voce shone as a prolific scorer for the Eagles, earning the team`s MVP title twice. Tragically, last summer, he succumbed to a fatal heart attack at the age of 43.
The Gaudreau brothers, Johnny and Matthew, also passed away last summer, merely weeks after Voce`s untimely demise. Johnny was 31, Matthew two years younger. Both had illuminated the ice at Boston College and met their end in a manner that mirrored their intertwined lives.
Together.
Their lives were cut short in a bicycle accident on a rural road in southern New Jersey, struck by a driver allegedly under the influence. Eyewitness accounts suggest the driver was behaving erratically, attempting to overtake another vehicle when he hit the Gaudreaus. The brothers were in town to celebrate their sister`s wedding that weekend. Both of their wives were expecting children.
News of Johnny`s death—a dazzling NHL player, a seven-time All-Star with Calgary and Columbus—and Matthew`s—a coach—sent ripples through the hockey community. The tragedy resonated far beyond hockey circles, touching hearts worldwide. It was an incomprehensible loss—two vibrant young men robbed of decades of life, their wives widowed, their children, both born and unborn, left fatherless, and their families utterly devastated.
At Chestnut Hill, the pain was palpable and persistent. The brothers were pivotal figures in the esteemed college hockey program at Boston College. Their legacy is etched in the program`s history, and their sudden absence challenges those left behind to find meaning in the face of tragedy.
Jerry York, who helmed the Eagles from 1994 to 2022, expressed the sentiment, “Some events defy explanation. We can search for reasons, but ultimately, they remain unexplainable.”
York`s tenure includes five national championships, four with BC, his alma mater. Perhaps the most unforgettable was clinched in 2012, largely thanks to freshman Johnny Gaudreau`s championship-winning goal against Ferris State.
York`s face still lights up at the memory.
“Late in the game, protecting a one-goal lead in the national championship, I remember thinking, `Johnny, just dump the puck and get off,`” York recounted. “With two minutes left, the coaching strategy was to play it safe and change lines. But Johnny held onto the puck, navigated through two or three players, and fired it into the top corner. All I could say was, `Oh, Johnny, nice play.`”
That goal remains etched as a legendary moment in college hockey history.
Unlike Johnny, Matthew Gaudreau didn`t immediately dominate at BC. Size was a factor. Johnny was slight, around 5-foot-9 and 150 pounds in college, but Matthew was even smaller, same height but just 110 pounds as a freshman, according to York (team roster listed him at 135). Yet, his resilience was extraordinary.
“His ability to rise after bone-jarring hits, the most brutal I`ve witnessed in hockey, and keep playing, was remarkable. It happened repeatedly throughout his career. He was just incredibly tough,” York noted.
In his senior year, Matthew topped the team in scoring.
Greg Brown, a BC alumnus, former NHL defenseman, and York`s successor in 2022, was an assistant coach during the Gaudreaus` time. He received the devastating news early on August 30 from Ted Donato of Harvard.
“It`s just such a profound loss,” Brown reflected. “They were truly exceptional individuals. Anyone fortunate enough to know them couldn`t help but smile in their presence. Always positive, always joyful. Radiant smiles, infectious energy. It`s utterly tragic to lose such remarkable people so young.”
“They were inseparable, brothers in the truest sense. They cherished each other`s company,” Brown added.
Brown`s team has held the top national ranking for much of the season and is embarking on their quest for a national title, beginning Friday at 2 p.m. ET (ESPNU) against Bentley in the regional semifinals in Manchester, New Hampshire.
Honoring the Gaudreaus and Voce has become integral to the Eagles` season.
From a pre-game ceremony in November to uniform patches and Johnny`s Team USA jersey displayed in the dressing room at the World Junior Championships in Ottawa, where six Eagles won gold for the U.S., their memory is alive.
Eamon Powell, a Hockey East all-star defenseman and graduate student from upstate New York, while not personally acquainted with the Gaudreaus, feels their presence.
“Every player, if asked if we`re playing for them, striving to win for them, would unequivocally say yes. Wearing this jersey means you`re always an Eagle,” Powell stated. “I believe they`d echo the same sentiment if they were here.”
For Powell, it`s about the Gaudreaus` passionate play, their deep bond, and the suddenness of their passing—a profound lesson extending beyond hockey.
“It`s about cherishing every moment together, not taking anything for granted,” he concluded.
