The players in the Lightning-Flyers series come from all over: Russia, Boston, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Finland, British Columbia, Slovakia, Montreal.
Four, though, share a special bond that had a man named Mike Gilligan glued to his television last night for Game 6 and for every game of this series.
In a house in Burlington, Vt., Gilligan watched what he called the "local heroes." They felt more like his kids. Well, they used to be his kids, so to speak.
Gilligan is the former hockey coach at the University of Vermont and, remarkably, four of his former players played in this series. Philadelphia's John LeClair and Patrick Sharp and the Lightning's Martin St. Louis and Eric Perrin all played for Gilligan at Vermont.
"I'm so proud of them," Gilligan said. "All of Vermont is. Everyone here is watching them. Oh, God, it's crazy. It's everything up here.
"The local paper runs a game-by-game comparison of the four players. It's really something."
Gilligan coached 19 seasons at Vermont and when he retired he had won 419 games, at the time 17th on the NCAA list. In all his years, though, two players stand above all.
"In 25 years of college hockey, I've never seen two special players like St. Louis and Perrin," Gilligan said.
St. Louis and Perrin grew up together in Laval, Quebec, and played hockey with each other from the age of 10.
"They knew where each other was at all times," Gilligan said. "They anticipated and saw the game so well it was like they were seeing it from the press box. I never split them up."
In their college days (1993-97), Gilligan said St. Louis was on the quiet side, a little reserved, a bit shy. Perrin was the outgoing one with the big personality and bigger mouth.
On the ice, they spoke loudly with their play. No player has more points in Vermont history than St. Louis (267). No one has more goals than Perrin (107).
Before those two, LeClair was the king at Vermont. He still is the only player from the state to make it to the NHL.
"What a player," Gilligan said. "Back then, I never thought he would develop into the 50-goal scorer he became. I thought he might be a 25-goal guy. But his hands are incredible for a big guy."
LeClair was the first big star at Vermont. Sharp is the latest. He led Vermont in goals and points just two seasons ago as a sophomore.
"We're proud of all of them," Gilligan said.
Gilligan sees LeClair's father all the time and LeClair returns every year for a celebrity golf tournament. St. Louis and Perrin usually make it back once a summer. So does Sharp. Gilligan is friends with the agent who represents LeClair and St. Louis.
These days, Gilligan works in the athletic department at Vermont, assisting the athletic director and raising funds for the university. He works on special projects and, also, is an assistant on the U.S. women's national team.
His big project now is raising money for a new hockey arena at the university.
"Yeah, I'm talking to a lot of former athletes," Gilligan said, "In fact, I know four guys I'll be calling as soon as the playoffs are over."
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