Following a hard loss to Boston College on Saturday, the Massachusetts hockey team remained on the ice to celebrate and honor its seniors with a ceremony.
“These kids sacrifice certain things to be division one athletes and they’re not pros, but they surely look like pros,” head coach Greg Carvel said. “It’s a nice memory for the families and we’ve got a lot of kids here on their way out, so there’ll be a bunch to recognize.”
Following the game, the carpets were rolled out and players ready to celebrate the seniors who have contributed so much to the program. While the team took the time to recognize them, it was hard to see past what had just happened over the course of the 60 minutes.
“It’s muffled by the result of the game,” Carvel said about the game on Saturday. “They’re awesome kids and I’m going to miss them.”
Nine members from UMass (19-12-2, 14-8-2 Hockey East) were recognized on Saturday night, including seven players and two support staff. Garrett Wait, Ty Farmer, Colin Felix, Anthony Del Gaizo, and captain Bobby Trivigno, along with graduate students, Cam Donaldson, and Matt Murray were among the players honored.
Murray was a part of the senior night celebrations last year, but after uncertainty surrounding his return, he chose to put on a Minutemen jersey once again and took the ice for his final collegiate regular season game.
“I think coming back, everything was just having another year here in this program, to be a part of this team and be a better person as well,” Murray said. “That was a special moment and I’m sure this year is just as special if not even a little bit more because I’ll actually be able to have my family down here this time.”
Last year, COVID-19 prevented spectators from partaking in the celebrations, but this year, the players were able to be alongside their families, with the entire ceremony being held at the conclusion of the game. Each senior received a plaque and was able to take photos with Carvel and their families. While they were upset about the loss, it was still a time where they could reflect on all they have accomplished while at UMass.
During the recruiting process, Del Gaizo, Farmer, Trivigno, and Felix were players who the coaching staff saw important qualities in and that they believed would fit in with the culture.
“They all were passed over and nobody really wanted them,” Carvel said. “And I give them more credit than anybody for us winning the national championship.”
These four members of the team spent all four years at UMass and are appreciative of the support from their fellow teammates.
“My four years have gone by super fast, and the season [has] as well,” Trivigno said. “It was important for the team to appreciate that and appreciate the work that they put in and what they’ve contributed to this program as a whole.”
However, despite the celebration, Trivigno, Del Gaizo and the rest of the Minutemen squad or solely concerned with the playoffs and refining the mistakes present throughout Saturday’s matchup.
“When things don’t do out way, we always seem to respond,” Del Gaizo said. “The senior night, it’s like cool or whatever, but we have a lot of games left to play. And this team’s capable of going for a deep playoff run like we do every year, and I’m excited for the next couple of weeks.”
Sophie Weller can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter @SophieeWellerr.
