He is a dad choosing between hockey sons in this Stanley Cup Final.
Jerry York swears he has no rooting interest, which might seem odd given one of the famed coach’s former Bowling Green stars is the master builder and general manager of the Vegas Golden Knights.
While not busy walking on water at the Bellagio, George McPhee — whose wizardry on skates used to bring down the Madhouse on Mercer — has hatched a monster set to bring down the biggest house of them all. The Sin City team that began its maiden season as 500-1 Cup dreamers is within three wins of cashing the most lucrative ticket in NHL history.
It is a great story.
But not the entire one.
Remember, we said McPhee was one of York’s former Falcons stars.
Another is the suit on the other side, Brian MacLellan, who in a knock-me-over-with-a-falcon-feather twist as remarkable as the matchup itself is the GM of the Washington Capitals.
Not to mention McPhee’s college roommate and one-time best friend.
“Funny how life goes,” McPhee told reporters.
We’ll say.
“So it’s hard to root,” said York, now 72 and in his 24th year at Boston College, where he has added another four national titles to his one from BG in 1984. “I’m just hoping it’s going to be an outstanding series. This is unique and something I’m very proud of.
“All of Bowling Green’s community should be.”
Well, at least the few who won’t be preoccupied. Flip on Game 2 on Wednesday, and here, there, everywhere will be a former Falcon, the pursuit of Lord Stanley’s silver chalice turning into the BG Invitational, from the ice (Vegas center Ryan Carpenter) to the bench (Caps lead assistant Todd Reirden) to the booth (NBC announcer Doc Emrick).
But no one has evoked the glory-days nostalgia like the two men in charge. McPhee and MacLellan grew up together in Guelph, Ont., and arrived together at BG in fall 1978. Both were big-time prospects, and when then-Falcons coach Ron Mason left for Michigan State after their freshman season, most anticipated they would follow him.
That included the anonymous young coach BG hired from Clarkson University.
“But they said they just loved the Bowling Green community, they loved the school, they were committed,” York said. “What a terrific three years we had with them.”
The star forwards lived together off the ice and took names on it, MacLellan an All-American, McPhee the 1982 Hobey Baker Award winner as the nation’s best college player.
From there, they went on to journeyman careers in the NHL, then reunited in the front office. McPhee spent 17 years as GM of the Caps — yes, he drafted Alex Ovechkin and acquired a majority of their current roster — the final 13 with MacLellan on his staff.
Read between the blue lines, and McPhee’s firing after the 2014 season — and his confidant’s subsequent promotion — strained their relationship. “I think it just took a little time for things to evolve,” MacLellan said.
Still, deep down, their orange-and-brown-shaded bond endures. McPhee calls his time at BG the “best four years of my life.” MacLellan fought back tears this week remembering it.
The two friends traded texts before the series. “It's a little awkward,” MacLellan said. “But it’s going to be a fun experience, I hope.”
Either way, just like old times, a Falcon will rise.
Contact David Briggs at: dbriggs@theblade.com, 419-724-6084, or on Twitter @DBriggsBlade.
First Published May 29, 2018, 5:01 p.m.
