BOSTON — “Please make this save.”
That’s what Brian Dumoulin recalls thinking as the play transpired that ended the Penguins’ season and bid for a third straight Stanley Cup championship.
A turnover in the neutral zone turned into a breakaway for Washington. Alex Ovechkin made a quick touch pass up the middle and Evgeny Kuznetsov went backhand to forehand, burying the winner between Matt Murray's pads to send the Capitals into the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in two decades. He flapped his imaginary wings and the celebration was on inside an otherwise silent, stunned PPG Paints Arena.
“He made a good move,” Dumoulin remembered of Kuznetsov. We spoke Friday night at the Comm Ave. Charity Classic, an all-Boston all-star affair featuring multiple NHL players at Boston University's Walter Brown Arena. “In overtime, there’s a fine line. They made that one extra play and we didn’t. I’ve been on the other side of that, too. Now, being on the other side, it’s tough. But obviously, we need to get better.”
Dumoulin was on the ice for that final play. So was Kris Letang, his partner on the top pairing. Together, they tried to chase down Kuznetsov. Dumoulin never caught up. Letang made a last-ditch effort to dive for the pokecheck. His stick went flying and he slid on his knees, crashing into the end boards.
The Penguins lost.
It was a humbling experience for Dumoulin. He’s not used to losing.
Dumoulin won a pair of state titles at Biddeford High School before moving on to the New Hampshire Junior Monarchs where he led the team to a national championship in 2009. That same season, Dumoulin was named the Eastern Junior Hockey League Defensive Player of the Year.
Two years later, he captured a bronze medal with the U.S. National Junior Team at the 2011 IIHF World Junior Championships.
A two-time All-American at Boston College, Dumoulin led the Eagles to NCAA championships in 2010 and 2012. His performances in the Frozen Four earned him a spot on the NCAA All-Tournament team both times. He was a named a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, the Heisman Trophy of college hockey. He parlayed his decorated collegiate career in Chestnut Hill into becoming a second-round NHL Draft pick in 2009, to the Hurricanes back when Jim Rutherford was their GM.
Fate was on his side once again when he was traded from a floundering Carolina franchise to Pittsburgh in 2012, then in his first two full NHL seasons, both of which ended with him hoisting Lord Stanley's chalice.
“All he does is win Cups and trophies wherever he goes,” Jerry York, Dumoulin’s former head coach at Boston College, was telling me outside one of the dressing rooms.
This occasion was far looser. The Comm Ave. Charity Classic, in its fourth year, benefits ALS research and brings players such as Jack Eichel, Brooks Orpik, Brian Boyle, Jimmy Vesey, Kevin Hayes and 31 other NHL players with ties to Boston University and Boston College.
And, as Dumoulin found out, it doesn’t matter who you are or what you’ve accomplished — you still have to spring for parking.
“Yep, they made me pay,” he said with a grin.
Boston University prevailed, 10-5, but it was all in good fun. And nothing was getting in the way of the afterparty. Inside a cramped, humid locker room deep in this 47-year-old arena, players joked and laughed, catching up and discussing the old days. In the process, two large trash cans somehow ended up overflowing with empty Bud Light cans. Even the stench of stale beer and hockey pads couldn’t drive these guys out.
All concerned seemed to love discussing Dumoulin, partly because they know him well. Most call the Boston area home during the offseason. Dumoulin built a house in nearby Charlestown, Mass., last year. They skate and work out together during the summer.
“He’s nails," Boyle, the Devils' big checking center, said. “He’s so good. He really is. I mean, he was a part of two championships. That can speak for itself. He’s a poised player.”
Another center, the Blue Jackets' Nathan Gerbe, pointed to Dumoulin’s progression.
“When he first got to BC he was good, but not to the point where he could be,” Gerbe said. “He has always been a good skater and good with the stick. Those things come with confidence in the NHL and you see that in Pittsburgh. He has gotten more minutes in critical situations. Now, it’s two Stanley Cups later. He just plays the right way. He’s tough to play against because he does the small things. I’m sure everyone in Pittsburgh would say he isn’t the flashy guy, but he always makes the right decisions. He’s so even-keeled. He stays calm in the highest situations. That’s what makes him such a special player.”
York said he is not the least bit surprised that Dumoulin has experienced early success in the NHL, going back to the time he was recruiting him for Boston College.
“He showed all the signs when he was with us that he would be a really good NHL player with longevity,” the coach said. “I think he is really level-headed. He has a toughness to him. As a teammate, he was terrific. He goes to war every night. We are very proud of him.”
Arguably the biggest star in the building Friday night was Eichel. He drew the loudest cheers from the pro-BU crowd and his Buffalo sweater could be seen throughout the crowd.
He, too, skates with Dumoulin in the offseason.
“I think he was pivotal in the Penguins’ Stanley Cup runs,” Eichel said. “He’s an important player for their team. He makes a great first pass, and he’s a very good defender. He’s smart and really reads the play. He’s only going to continue to get better.”
Eichel was the only one of these guys to have any success against Dumoulin and the Penguins last season, scoring one goal and assisting on two more in three games. Boyle was shut out in all four meetings, and Gerbe didn’t play against Pittsburgh.
Dumoulin has played 290 games over the past three seasons. With the early playoff exit, Dumoulin has put his spare time to good use. In early August he married his girlfriend, Kayla. He said he took a few trips, but has mainly taken the time to heal and refocus.
“I know I feel a lot better than I have the last few summers,” a tanned and rested Dumoulin said with a smile. “I’m sure a lot of guys can say that.”
That doesn’t mean wins will follow, but Dumoulin said watching the Capitals win it all has relit the competitive fire.
“It makes you want it more,” he said. “Unfortunately, it didn’t go the way we wanted it to, but it made our group more hungry. We realize what it takes, and the balance of winning and losing. It makes me want it more. It makes me appreciate things and how hard it is to win the whole thing. It definitely makes me more ready to get back to Pittsburgh.”
Although that final play is still at the forefront of his mind, he sounded more upset about the fallout. Blame was placed on Letang by some fans for allowing the game-tying goal in Game 5 against Washington and the series-clincher. No one took the latter loss more personally than Letang, Dumoulin insisted, calling him the unquestioned leader of the defense corps.
“He does everything so well and is his own worst critic,” Dumoulin said. “When he messes up or has a good game, he shoulders the responsibility. I love him as a player and a guy. He is great in the locker room and on and off the ice. You have no idea how bad he wants to be out there."
As for the play, he continued, “If anyone gets a breakaway, it’s not on one guy. He will take the heat, but I don’t want that. There’s two of us out there. I know from last year, we will be a better defense pair. We will continue to grow and get better.”
Dumoulin will look to improve on a 2017-18 that saw him produce five goals, 13 assists and all the usual sound defense. He described himself as feeling "definitely stronger" with the additional month off and daily high-octane skates with his Boston crew.
Friday night after the event, Dumoulin made his way over to a red gate just outside the locker room. Awaiting him were a couple dozen fans, wanting his autograph or a quick selfie. He obliged, but he had a party to get back to.
“This is a fun event,” he said. “It’s special and makes me really proud to see these guys take time out of their busy schedules to raise money for a good cause. It’s also a good, competitive game. But I’m anxious to get back to Cranberry and see everyone. I’m pretty focused on getting it going again.”
