The 1978 Westfield State men’s ice hockey team endures as the top squad in Owls’s history.   Led by head coach Mike Holubowich, and highlighted by individual hall of famers Paul Bracken and Jimmy Collins, the Owls powered their way to a 20-2 overall record and an ECAC Division III Title.

After a season opening win over Fairfield, the Owls had one of the only blips on the schedule with a loss at Salem State.  From there, Westfield won 10 straight games, destroying UMaine 16-1, Worcester State 14-3, and Quinnipiac 20-1 in the process.

Division II American International provided the only other blemish on the record, as the owls fell 7-3.

The Owls closed out the regular season with six straight wins to qualify for the ECAC tournament.   The Owls demolished Iona College 17-2 in the semifinals behind two goals and four assists from Ken Girouard, before winning a hard-fought and well-earned title with a 4-3 win over Trinity College in the championship game at the Olympia.

Ken Girouard was named the MVP of the ECAC Tournament, netting what proved to be the game winner against Trinity on the power play at 5:58 of the third period on a feed from Jimmy Collins. The Owls rallied from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits on goals from Bracken and Andy Hevey.   Bob Heyner’s goal gave the Owls a 3-2 lead.    Curt Everett made 23 saves in the win.

Westfield finished a perfect 16-0 against Division 3 opponents, outscoring them 133-32 in the process. Seven players scored 10 or more goals, and fifteen players reached double figures in points.

The team was captained by Kevin Falvey, and alternate captains Collins, Curt Everett and Billy Spears.

Collins led the way with 28 goals and 53 assists for 81 points, which still stands as school records for points and assists for the Owls.  Paul Bracken added a team-best 33 goals with 31 assists. Ken Girouard finished with 21 goals and 31 assists.

Girouard, who transferred from St. Anselm along with his brother Kevin, proved to be the perfect compliment to Bracken and Collins to form dominant scoring line.

Dave Kenney provided offensive punch from the blueline with 10 goals and 31 assists.

In goal, the Owls rotated a strong trio of Curt Everett, Bob Austin and Mike Shields. Everett was named the team’s MVP, while Ken Girouard was named the teams “Seventh Man” and Dan Walker was named the Most Improved Player.

Defenseman Kevin Girouard was named first team All-ECAC, while Bracken and Collins got second-team All-ECAC nods.

Perhaps most remarkably, the program soared to these heights in just their fourth season of existence as a varsity program.

The title season prompted a move to the ECAC’s Division II league the next season.

Alumni from the 1978 team have had an enduring legacy at Westfield State.   The late Bob Heyner along with Everett and Rich Crowley were key volunteers and participants in the Blueliners’ Club efforts to return the program to varsity status.   Bill Spears was lost in an auto accident shortly after his graduation.  Alumni banded together to raise funds for the Spears-Handy Scholarship fund, which continues to support Westfield State students as one of the largest and longest running Westfield State Foundation scholarships.

Owls hockey alumni proved instrumental in helping to bring the program back to varsity status (after the program was discontinued in 1990 due to severe state budget cuts) in 2008-09 through the “Blueliners Club,” and most recently served as both volunteers and donors to help complete the full renovation of the Westfield State hockey locker room at Amelia Park.

Head Coach – Mike Holbowich

Asst. – Jim Donoghue

Asst. – Bob McGee

Robert Austin

John Barrett

Paul Bracken

Daniel Brown

Jim Collins

Rich Crowley

Michael Davis

Curt Everett

Kevin Falvey

David Folan

R. Ken Girouard

Kevin Girouard

Dick Hamel

Andy Hevey

Bob Heyner

Dan Hughes

David Kenney

Don LaBella

Paul LeBlanc

Paul Liberty

Ray Lyons

Jim O'Donovan

Kevin Prowse

Frank Scarpa

Billy Spears

Dave Stefanelli

John "Win" Story

Mike Shields

Dan Walker