Jim Prior, the iconic Public Address announcer at BU hockey games for 30 seasons, passed away on Saturday. The Arlington, Mass., native, who also handled PA duties at Beanpot and Hockey East tournament contests, was renowned for his professionalism and enthusiasm and, in particular, his signature puck drop call, “The teams are ready, soooooo let’s play hockey.”
A favorite of Terrier fans and players (see Twitter links below), Prior was inducted into the Massachusetts Hockey Hall of Fame in 2013. A 20-year veteran of the U.S. Navy, who served in Vietnam, Prior also was active in Eastern Junior Hockey.
Last season, during the Jan. 29 game against Merrimack, BU recognized Prior for his 30 seasons behind the mic at Walter Brown Arena and then at Agganis Arena. He also was honored in 2013 during the Hockey East semifinals, on the night when BU beat BC for Jack Parker’s final win as BU coach.
►Tweets from players and friends: BU Men’s Hockey; Friends of BU Hockey
● GoTerriers.com report (Comments from David Quinn and Jack Parker)
● GoTerriers.com report (Comments from David Quinn and Jack Parker)
● Massachusetts Hockey: Remembers Jim Prior
● Boston Globe Obituary
● Boston Magazine report
● Hockey reporter Jashvina Shah: For Jim Prior, a Legend who Made BU Hockey Home
● 2002 USCHO Prior profile
Looking ahead: A dynamic forward
Another huge pickup for BU in the '01 class. Joins Robert Mastrosimone and Case McCarthy as fellow blue-chippers. https://t.co/UpE1HrfdC4— Priority Selection (@PrioritySelect) July 25, 2016
PrioritySelection.com also tweeted “Zegras still needs to fill out and add strength, but his skill-set is firmly that of 1st round calibre by 2017 #OHLDraft standards.” Priority Selections currently ranks McCarthy at #3 and Mastrosimone at #6 for the 2017 OHL Draft.
01 F Trevor Zegras (BU) is a confident skater with terrific hands & no panic in his game. He manufactures offense w/ speed & elusive shifts.— Mark Bilotta (@mbilotta) July 25, 2016
Zegras, center, and Mastrosimone, right, named all-tournament
The 5'10" speedster with high end skills was named all-tournament at this past weekend’s Junior Chowder Cup event, along with 2019 recruit Mastrosimone. Zegras and Mastrosimone each scored a goal for Hockey Essentials White in the ’01 Division championship game, a 3-2 OT loss to Black Squirrel, coached by former BU captain Carl Corazzini. Zegras had a 3-2-5 scoring line in three ’01 Division games.
Zegras and Mastrosimone did double duty, also skating for ’00 Division champion Hockey Essentials Black, scoring a goal and an assist. Mastrosimone scored a pair of goals, including the game-winner, in the ’00 title game. In ’01 Division games, he tallied four goals and five assists.
In the recent USA Hockey Select 15 Development Camp, Zegras scored a pair of goals in three games.
In the recent USA Hockey Select 15 Development Camp, Zegras scored a pair of goals in three games.
A Bedford, N.Y. native, Zegras starred for the Mid-Fairfield Rangers, leading the 14U team to the Tier 1 Youth Nationals (won by Shattuck St. Mary’s with Mastrosimone and Doyle). He skated on the Jr. Rangers’ top line, racking up 65 goalsand 57 assists in 66 games and six points in three games at Nationals. Next season, Zegras will play for Avon Old Farms, helping to fill the void left by 2016 BU recruit Patrick Harper.
OverTheBoards review from 2015 SFX 68 (also reviews Mastrosimone and Doyle):
An incisive, offensively-gifted firebomb who is smaller than many defensemen and comes at the net every which way, almost always with the puck in hand. Highly engaged, great speed and quickness, bursts to separate and is very skilled. Passes the puck with glowing threads when he feels like sharing. Good shot selection on the whole even with a high volume of efforts, creates high quality chances for himself. Shoots left.
● Boston Hockey Blog: Zegras commits to Boston UniversityCongrats to a great friend and teammate on the commit to BU #BUbuddies#scum@tzegras11❤️ pic.twitter.com/7oltPjFxr7— Braden Doyle (@bdoyle07) July 25, 2016
● NeutralZone: Terriers Land Top Recruit for Class of 2020