Bringing Out The Best In The Green Line Rivalry

Very few rivalries match the intensity of when Boston College and Boston University meet in a hockey rink. Separated by less than five miles, they might as well be sitting on opposite ends of the planet, with a hatred dating back to their sport's collegiate infancy. When they play, the games have a second-to-none parochial appeal, where families and friends divide their loyalties between sweaters bearing the familiar, respective colors.

The Eagles and Terriers might claim generations of old-fashioned hate against one another, but it stems from a mutual respect. Though they want to beat each other every year, they also know how to break down walls when it comes to helping each other off the ice and in the world.

On July 14, Boston College and Boston University will unite their massive, talented hockey alumni base to play a charity hockey game at fabled Walter Brown Arena. Now in its third incarnation, the Comm Ave. Charity Classic is just that - an exhibition hockey game built on the deep-rooted family parochialism that makes them two of college hockey's greatest brands.

"It's a great event and I am absolutely looking forward to it," said Pat Mullane, the game's founder and 2013 BC graduate. "This is our third year doing the game, and I'm blown away by how receptive the fans and players really are of attending and playing in it."

It's an event stemming from exposure to similar events. As a Connecticut native, Mullane found himself playing in The Big Assist, a charity game started by fellow Eagle graduate Ryan Shannon. A member of the 2007 Stanley Cup Champion Anaheim Ducks, Shannon hosted the game in Darien, Conn., with players ranging from the NHL, AHL, Europe and NCAA. A great, notable event in the Nutmeg State, it provided a spark and an inspiration.

"I wanted to start an event like The Big Assist," Mullane said. "When I got to Boston, I noticed how many BC and BU alumni still are in the area, so it seemed like a no-brainer. I knew that the fans would latch on and fall in love with it. But the big question was who this event would benefit. About that time, [former BC assistant athletics direct of communications] Dick Kelley passed away from ALS, and it was right about the time we started to get more awareness about Pete Frates with his own ALS diagnosis. Dick was so influential to all of us at BC and Pete is just like one of us.

"So it was a no-brainer to use this event for Compassionate Care ALS," he continued. "We then paired with the Travis Roy Foundation to give it a BU side to the event and that made the decision to put on this event that much easier."

But the event still needed to catch on with prospective players. Though the event seemed like a great cause, professional hockey players only get so much time off, and although the Eagles and Terriers have traditions built from on-ice success, scheduling still stood in the way of the event's ultimate success.

"Everyone was a little hesitant in the beginning, which was totally understandable," Mullane said. "Guys didn't really know what it was and they didn't know who else would be there. We ran into a challenge where there were a number of BU weddings that offseason. But after the first year's success, a lot of BU guys like Nick Bonino and Brandon Yip all reached out to play. That was a really cool feeling."

Now heading into its third year, the Comm Ave. Charity Classic is a must-see summer event. At a time when summer hits its dog days, rosters brimming with star-studded alumni on both sides lace up skates for a go-round against one another. That will include two NCAA players who never played against one another but still seem sewn together in collegiate fabric: BC's Johnny Gaudreau and BU's Jack Eichel.

Stanley Cup champions like Brooks Orpik and Nick Bonino will suit up for their respective sides, and heroes from national powerhouse teams will dot both the Maroon and Gold and Red and White teams. Both Kevin and Jimmy Hayes will be back, as will Paul Carey. Matt Gilroy will skate for the Terriers, bringing with him Adam Clendening, Charlie McAvoy and Dave Warsofsky. Cory Schneider and John Muse will man the crease for the Eagles, while Matt O'Connor is back for BU.

"The hockey community is unlike any other in the world," Mullane said. "Hockey players aren't naive to think they could make it without the help of others and they're always receptive. NHL players can be tough to schedule because they only get so much downtime; it can be hard to ask for time. But it's a true testament to both Pete and Travis, and also to the hockey culture, that these guys are willing to pick up their sticks to play for that reason. And I hope the fans can realize how fortunate they are to see the world's best hockey players play in an intimate setting. Even playing in the game, I was getting star struck to see some of these guys on the ice."

By tapping into that BC-BU rivalry, it tugs at the heartstrings of fans who remember when these players suited up for both teams. By playing the game at a classic barn like Walter Brown Arena, it recreates an atmosphere of days long gone when college hockey was a raucous family dinner gone wild.

"Everything about Walter Brown is perfect," Mullane said. "It seats about 3,200 people and it has an old college hockey feel to it. It has a low ceiling, so it gets really loud. It's intimate and it makes us feel like we're back playing like we did when we were in that rink. Most importantly, it benefits great causes for people like Travis Roy and Pete Frates. We want to sell out Walter Brown because that means more ticket sales and more people for auctions and raffles.

At its heart, though, the game is a chapter in what makes this rivalry one of the most storied rivalries in all of sports. Separated by just a few stops on the B line, players grow up learning how to hate each other. In the end, they play together for a greater cause, typifying what brings them together as a family.

"That first year, we didn't know what to expect," Mullane said. "But it was a near sellout and Pete Frates came out to a standing ovation. People were there in BU jerseys and the bands battled each other like old times. The emotion and the rivalry were still there. It was special to see that idea come to fruition. And I'll never forget that reaction for Pete.

"There are some great rivalries in college hockey, but nothing matches BC-BU," he continued. "The majority of us were New England kids who grew up playing against one another. Kids grew up around here dreaming of playing for either BC or BU since we were 10 years old, so we've all been natural rivals since we were that age. Then we all made it and even though we've graduated, there's a good amount of us who still live in and around Boston. So we're always around the rivalry. We're friendly, but it's always there, especially when BC plays BU."

It's a great game for great causes. It will give so many people a chance to relive great memories. And for the players, it's one more chance for bragging rights in a battle that seemingly never ends.

"I know it's a charity game," Mullane said with a laugh. "I know it's for a great cause. But it's still BU. I always want to beat BU."

Boston College Athletics

Bringing Out The Best In The Green Line Rivalry

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