A Perfect Gentleman

Boston College tri-captain Billy McDonough played about 5000 minutes of hockey during his first three years at B.C. Of those 5000 minutes, he spent only 12 in the penalty box--a remarkable statistic considering the constant mayhem that is ECAC hockey.

"I wasn't very big when I came in, and so hitting wasn't my game," says McDonough, who even now is still a gangly six feet tall and 175 pounds.

Despite his size, McDonough has gained a reputation as an aggressive player who has a habit of getting into the right place at the right time. He's proved his mettle as a clutch player with game-winning goals last year against Holy Cross, St. Anselm's, and Clarkson.

McDonough finished as the terrn's third-leading scorer last year, with 32 points split evenly between goals and assists. With another 23 points so far this season, the forward is just 15 shy of bagging a career total of 100.

At least 30 other B.C. greats are in the over-100 club, but the 22-year-old senior says that while he'd be happy to reach that plateau, he doesn't "think that's really a reflection on anything. If my scoring 100 points helps out the team, that's what I hope for."

When he's not playing his sharp, heads-up brand of hockey for the Eagles and studying finances in B.C.'s School of Management, McDonough keeps busy elsewhere. The last three summers, he has starred for Team New England in the National Sports Festival.

Playing for that New England All-Star team took the Stoneham native to Syracuse in 1981, Indianapolis in 1982, and Colorado Springs last summer.

The 1983 festival served as a tryout for the U.S. Olympic team, and McDonough came very close to making it; he was one of the last five skaters cut from the squad.

"I very much had my sights on it. I had a good camp out there, and I'm sorry I didn't make it, but I'm not bitter about it," he says.

As for the future, McDonough is seriously considering going professional, and several pro teams are seriously considering him. "In a few years I might like to get a job in finances," he says, "but you can always come back to making money--you can't always play hockey."

Every single player on B.C.'s 24-man squad is a Massachusetts native, and so a major part of the thrill of the Beanpot is playing in the Boston Garden, home ice for the local heroes known as the Bruins.

"I definitely like playing in the Garden," McDonough remarks. "It's my fourth year doing it, and I'm really looking forward to all the people and the prestige."