'Nobody Can Escape it': Behind BC Men's Hockey's Inaugural Cancer Awareness Game

The No. 12-ranked Eagles and No. 10 UConn will play in BC's first-ever Cancer Awareness Game, which goaltender Alex Musielak and defenseman Aram Minnetian spearheaded.

Danielle Dumas Austin (@daniellemakeupofficial) via Instagram.

Back in October, Boston College men’s hockey goalie Alex Musielak approached the Eagles’ coaching staff with the idea of hosting a cancer-awareness-themed game.

BC head coach Greg Brown called it a no-brainer, so Musielak immediately started coordinating the event alongside Lauren Cleary, BC Athletics’ assistant director of marketing, analytics & fan engagement, and Chuck Stravin, a graduate of Boston College’s Carroll School of Management who is a dedicated patient advocate of the American Cancer Society.

Stravin — who has battled kidney cancer for a decade, according to Musielak — played an instrumental role in establishing the connection between the program and the Cancer Institute at Mass General Brigham.

With over $4,000 received in donations for the inaugural Cancer Awareness Game, the No. 12-ranked Eagles will play on Friday night against No. 10 UConn with a much greater purpose in mind.

“Why did it take us this long [to do this]?” said Brown of his reaction to Musielak’s pitch for the event. “So good for [Musielak] for pointing it out and putting it all together. It’s really impressive.”

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“[It] feels like nobody can escape it. Everybody knows someone who’s touched by it and battling it, or lost loved ones to cancer. So anything we can do to try and help find more cures is what we have to do.”

Earlier this season, BC defenseman Aram Minnetian was contacted by Project Outrun, a foundation that raises pediatric cancer awareness, over Instagram.

“[They] reached out to me to [help] a little boy [named] Remy [Dumas] and kind of, you know, be there,” Minnetian said. “He’s been battling Ewing sarcoma, which is really sad to see.”

After visiting Dumas, who is just 12 years old, in the hospital with signed BC hockey gear, Minnetian decided to invite Dumas to the facility for a day with the team.

“Everyone went out of their way to make the day special,” Minnetian said. “I remember I got off the ice, and … our equipment manager was outfitting him with skates. They brought him on the ice, gave him a helmet, and I was already undressed. The boys were like, ‘Nah, we got him.’ So they stayed on for another 45 minutes just shooting pucks.”

“His aunt actually texted me after and said that he said he had the best day of his life on the ride home. So we were all so happy.”

Danielle Dumas Austin via Facebook.

Minnetian said that Dumas, who will be in attendance for Friday’s matchup, is going to perform the honorary puck drop at the beginning of the game.

The way that Dumas has lit a beacon of light inside Minnetian is something he does not take for granted.

“He changed my life, honestly, just completely changed my perspective,” Minnetian, who lost a grandfather to cancer, said. “I learned so much from him. Just like how fierce he is in that battle, and he’s not scared. He shows up every day and fights for his life, which is admirable.”

Danielle Dumas Austin via Facebook.

Minnetian continued: “I think it just puts some perspective in that, you know, how blessed I am. How blessed we all are that we’re not having to battle that. Whatever I can do for him, I just want to be there and help him out, because obviously it’s not easy for him. It’s definitely changed my perspective a lot.”

More than 8,000 tickets have been distributed for the game, which technically means it is a sellout, and the student section will don all-white attire as a symbol of support.

“There’s more meaning to the game,” Musielak said. “You know, hockey fights cancer. There’s so many reasons to come other than just a good hockey game. We want the support, and you can always bring the support for hockey fights cancer.”