Yale Athletics

After a rivalry tilt against Harvard (10–15–2, 8–10–2 ECAC) on Friday night, the Yale men’s ice hockey team (6–18–3, 5–12–3 ECAC) will honor their six-member senior class on Saturday during their “Senior Day” game against Dartmouth (13–12–2, 10–9–1 ECAC).  

With the celebration approaching, coaches and players alike have reflected on how much has changed over the last four years.

“It has been wonderful to see the growth in these six young men during our time together, and each of them has been enriched by their experiences here,” Head Coach Keith Allain told the News. “Additionally, it is great to see how closely they have grown together. You bring in six guys from different places with different backgrounds, and they grow to become a close-knit family and develop bonds that will last a lifetime.”

Off of the ice, each member of this year’s graduating class – Will Dineen, Briggs Gammill, Luke Pearson, Dylan Herzog, Kieran O’Hearn, and Connor Sullivan – has a unique personality, but it is clear that there may not be a tighter knit group of guys on all of Yale’s campus. 

Briggs Gammill is “the biggest character,” according to Connor Sullivan, while Herzog is the “chilliest.” According to teammates, Sullivan is definitely the one who has opened up the most throughout his time at Yale.

“He came in super shy and quiet,” Dineen said. “I remember he wouldn’t even tell me it was his birthday because he didn’t want the attention from anyone.  Now, he’s one of our team’s most social and outgoing guys.”

While they each may have unique personalities, they do share one common characteristic that has helped them all leave a lasting impact on the program — their “toughness,” according to Allain. 

“Each guy has had to battle through significant painful injuries during their time with us, yet either played through the pain or worked diligently to return to the ice as quickly as possible,” Allain said. “Their courage was inspiring to all of us.” 

The seniors have gone through plenty of ups and downs together, but they have remained humble in victory and resilient in the face of adversity. 

Even while struggling at times this year, the Bulldogs persevered and played hard no matter the circumstances. 

Look no further than when the team snapped a three-game losing streak with their biggest win of the season over a top-ranked Boston University (18–12–2) squad in December. In fact, Allain said that his favorite on-ice memory of this senior class was actually that victory over the Terriers and the “special” atmosphere at Ingalls that night.

While on-ice success is always important, the six seniors have also made a massive contribution to the team by epitomizing what it means to represent Yale hockey in the right way. Their leadership and manner of conduct have definitely set a high precedent for their younger teammates.

“I just think the group of seniors we have are everything that I thought Yale hockey would be and more,” said first-year Micah Berger.  “They all truly bleed Yale hockey and have such a love for this place. It’s amazing to be around a group of guys who would do anything for each other and their teammates every day.”

Currently, the Elis are twelfth in the ECAC and will face fifth-place Dartmouth in the first round of the postseason. While the game against the Big Green this weekend will mark a milestone for the graduating class, it might also preview a future playoff game.

Both the Friday and Saturday tilts are slated for a 7 pm puck drop at Ingalls.