Mike Eruzione on Chris Bourque: “The kid can play”

For some local hockey fans, Thursday night provided a special treat at the Giant Food Store in Linglestown. The captain of the 1980 USA Hockey team Mike Eruzione made an appearance in association with Coca-Cola to meet fans and sign autographs in the store.

Eruzione is one of the most recognizable names in United States sports history, scoring the game-winning goal in the “Miracle on Ice” game against the Soviet Union, a moment that Sports Illustrated would be named the greatest sports moment of the 20th century.

Almost forty years later, people still talk about that moment across generations, especially with the popular Disney movie based on the team being released in 2004. “The sport of ice hockey is growing leaps and bounds, not only from the men’s program but also the women’s program. More and more people are looking back at the history of the sport of ice hockey and all the sudden our story comes up. It’s talked about not just every Olympic year, it’s talked about a lot.”

Eruzione is currently the Director of Special Outreach for the Boston University hockey program, a program current Team USA member Jordan Greenway is also a part of. “I told [Jordan] just to embrace the situation, enjoy the opportunity. This is their moment to shine, this is their moment to showcase to the world that this is a pretty good hockey team.”

The 63-year-old takes great pride in seeing Boston Univesity players succeed at not only the professional level but also at the international level. “It’s funny – Tony Granato, who’s the coach of the team, I said ‘Tony, in 1980, we won a gold medal and four players on the team were from Boston University and the captain of the team was an Italian. This year the team has four Boston University players and captain of the team is Brian Gionta and he’s Italian. So maybe that’s a good omen.'”

One of those four BU members playing for the USA is Hershey Bear Chris Bourque, someone Eruzione has a special connection to. “I know Chris very well,” said Eruzione. “Chris’ dad Ray, obviously one of the greatest players to play, I know Ray very well. New Year’s Day, the team was picked and I had a message on my phone and it was from Ray. I think Ray and Chris were celebrating. All it said was ‘U-S-A, U-S-A, U-S-A!’ Ray said ‘Chris Bourque is going to be the next Mike Eruzione!’ I called him back the next day and said ‘I hope he is!’ Chris is a great kid.”

When asked about Chris’ play, Eruzione stressed how impactful Bourque can be on special teams. “He’s a skilled player. What I think he brings is obviously the power play. The kid can play. On the big sheet of ice, he’ll have some room to play and room to shoot. He brings a skill level and a speed that fits that big sheet of ice.”

Eruzione will be able to watch his fellow former Terriers and all members of the men’s national team as they take the ice Thursday night against Slovakia in their second game of the tournament.