Adams has special night
He has goal and assist in opener 19 days after his older brother dies
Union’s hockey team opened its college season Saturday night, but this game against Army
West Point was about so much more than pucks and slap shots and kick saves. No, this was a night for Jack Adams, a 6-foot6, 210-pound sophomore right wing who was playing with a load of emotion on his shoulders.
Adams’ brother, Mark, died suddenly 19 days ago at home in Massachusetts. It rocked the 21-year-old brother to lose his sibling, who was six years his senior, at such a young age.
The healing process continued for Adams as the Dutchmen got their season started with a 4-1 win over Army in front of 1,978 at Messa Rink.
It seemed this game was all about Adams and he was destined to do something special as his parents, Mark Sr. and Heather, were part of the crowd. Adams did something special.
He scored a goal and assisted on another, causing a raucous cheer to resonate off the walls at Messa. Everyone in the rink seemed to know the hurt that had seeped into the big winger. Mark Adams Jr., passed away from what was called a “medical incident.”
He was a hockey player, too, having been part of the Providence College national championship team of 2015, which was coached by Nate Leaman, who was the coach at Union from 2003-2011.
“To be quite honest, no,” Union coach Rick Bennett said when asked if he had ever rooted for a player to have a big game more than he did for Adams on Saturday. “All of us, as a staff, were pulling for him.”
Adams got on the scoring sheet on Union’s first goal, when he assisted on Greg Campbell’s score at 17:37 of the first. With the Dutchmen leading 2-0, he got his big moment when he took a pass from freshman Sam Morton and skated in alone on Army goalie Jared Dempsey and scored at 5:49 of the second.
That set off the crowd and seemed to be a release for Adams, who excitedly slapped hands with his mates on the bench and then screamed as he darted toward Union goalie Jake Kupsky. He
wrapped a big bear hug round the goalie, who is no small guy himself, standing 6-4.
“I am a pretty emotional guy,” Adams said. “(Kupsky) has been one of the guys who has been with me; texting me every day of the week.”
Union had its way with the Black Knights, outshooting them 30-25. Beating Army, which plays in the Atlantic Hockey Association, has been a breeze for the Dutchmen over the years. Union has a 14-1-1 record over the Black Knights and the teams played for the first time since 2011.
When the game was over, Army’s class, which has never been questioned, was seared into Adams’ heart. After the traditional handshakes between the two teams, Army coach Brian Reilly called over to Adams and his entire team surrounded the Union player, giving him hugs and
kind words.
“If anyone was going to score against us, I would hope it would be him,” Reilly said. “Obviously. his brother was looking down on him. I told Jack there are no words I can say. I wanted him to know that the Army hockey family is with him. If there is anything we can do, we will be there for him.”
Reilly said that in 2005, former Army hockey player Derek Hines was killed in action in Afghanistan. One of the first people to come to the Hines’ family side was Mark Adams Sr.
“Jack’s dad stepped up in a huge way for the Hines family,” Reilly said. “Mr. Adams is friends with the Hines family. As far as I am concerned, the Adams family is part of our hockey family.”
Jack Adams admitted he was surprised when the Army team rallied around him at center ice near the penalty boxes when the game ended. His teammates were, too.
“It was awesome,” said Union captain Cole Maier, who scored twice on Saturday. “There are classy people over there.”
Adams spent a few minutes with the Black Knights team, accepting all their words of encouragement.
“Coach Reilly has been a family friend ever since the (Hines) incident,” Adams said. “I was a little shocked and it got a little emotional for me.”
“I just want to say thank you very much to Army,” Bennett said. “Brian Reilly is a classy coach. It was great to shake those guys’ hands to say thank you for what they do and what they are going to do for our country.”