2009 Irish Hockey Classic: CHAMPIONS Ahearn Division

Dropkick Murphys defeats BU Alumni in a shootout to capture title.

The Irish American Hockey Association is proud to congratulate the TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS FOR the AHEARN Division of the Irish American Ice Hockey Classic 2008: DROPKICK MURPHY’s HOCKEY TEAM. What a finals it was for the Division 1 Championship. Boston University Alumni stormed out to a 3-0 lead over tired and not so well rested Dropkick Murphys team Sunday afternoon before team Dropkicks shook things up a bit and started driving hard to the net. Dropkick Murphy’s offense had been led throughout the tournament by former BC standout Brian O'Hanley, Former Boston Bruin Bob Sweeney as well as Mike Sullivan, Brian Riley, former Norwich All American Paul Cocinos, Ken Cusack, Brian Ecklund and Doug Nolan. The boys were a bit rusty early Sunday and the BU Alumni were a bit more rested and it showed as the former Terriers’ were sitting pretty with a comfortable 3-0 cushion to start the second frame. It must have been one heck of a between period speech by team captain Bill Dailey of Dropkick Murphys as the DK’s popped a quick 2 in the second to bring it 3-2 game. With just over a minute and a half left in the game and the pressure all in the Terriers end, Paul Noonan popped in a quick wrister from high in the slot to send the game into overtime. The action was quick and fast paced in overtime with a couple of highlight reel saves by former BC star goalie Joe Pearce as the Terrier Alum’s peppered him throughout the overtime period. Still knotted at 3-3, the finals then went to a shootout where Pearce once again proved to be the difference with Dropkicks popping in 2 to Boston University Alumni’s 1 thus giving DROPKICK MURPHY’s HOCKEY TEAM the coveted Ahearn Division Championship for 2008.