Ex-Bruin gets UMass post

By John Vellante  |  October 14, 2007

Former Boston Bruins winger Johnny "Pie" McKenzie has been named hockey development liaison at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. In his role, McKenzie will be responsible for helping reinvigorate and increase visibility of the UMass program.

McKenzie will be on hand at each home game at Tsongas Arena to serve as an ambassador of the program. His duties include assisting in corporate sales and sponsorship, marketing the program to youth clubs, and serving as a weekly guest host for "UML College Hockey Primetime," which airs on WUML-FM Tuesday nights.

"Pie McKenzie is certainly a great name in the hockey community," said UMass athletic director Dana Skinner. "He has stayed involved in hockey over the years and we're honored he has agreed to work with us to advance River Hawk hockey."

McKenzie, who resides in Stoneham, played 13 years in the National Hockey League, the last six (1966-72) with the Bruins. He also played with the Chicago Blackhawks (1958-59 and 1963-65), the Detroit Red Wings (1959-61), and the New York Rangers (1965-66). He enjoyed the best years of his career with the Bruins, helping the team win Stanley Cups in 1970 and 1972 while playing with the likes of Johnny Bucyk, Bobby Orr, and Phil Esposito.

"I am certainly proud to be joining the athletic department at UMass Lowell," McKenzie said. "I hope to bring in plenty of people who want to be involved with the hockey program." McKenzie remains an active player; he plays with former Boston teammates such as Bucyk, Ken Hodge, Bob Beers, and Don Marcotte in a series of exhibitions throughout the state.

During his Boston playing days, he had 169 goals and 227 assists. His most productive NHL season came in 1970-71, when he potted 31 goals and 46 assists in 65 games.

When Pinkerton defeated Nashua South, 3-1, in girls' volleyball, it was the 100th career win for coach Roger Konstant, who has been coaching the team for eight years. . . . Andover suffered its first volleyball defeat of the season after 11 straight wins. The Golden Warriors fell to Milford, 3-1. . . . The Salem (N.H) boys' volleyball team (15-0) is once again the top seed in the upcoming tournament after running its win streak to 70 with victories over Timberlane and Mascenic. . . . Here are two good reasons why Acton-Boxborough's girls' soccer team was undefeated and untied after 10 games and the No. 1-ranked team in EMass. - goalkeepers Jesse Wiggins and Carley Cesare. In those 10 games, the dynamic duo allowed just one goal. . . . Westford Academy's Jocelyn Veilleux had 15 goals and six assists for 21 points after 10 games to lead area soccer scorers. Veilleux vaulted to the forefront with back-to-back three-goal games against Concord-Carlisle and Bedford. Mike Kaliris (11-6-17) of Austin Prep was tops among the boys. . . . Mike Burke kept Concord-Carlisle undefeated (9-0-1) and atop the Globe Top 20 when he headed in the lone goal of the game in a 1-0 win over No. 17 Westford. The goal was Burke's eighth of the season. . . . Lexington and Woburn are the two top-rated boys' soccer teams in the Middlesex League, so it came as no surprise when they played to a 2-2 draw. Eric Beard and Diego Garcia had the Lexington goals, and Tony Ramos and Ryad Bencheikh countered for Woburn. . . . North Andover (13-0) continues to roll toward an undefeated field hockey season behind the play of Lauren Gaffny (22-4-26). Gaffny picked up four goals in an 8-0 rout of North Reading. . . . Condolences to the family of Bill Furlong, who died last month at 63. Furlong was assistant boys' basketball coach at Greater Lawrence Tech for 30 years, 27 of them alongside head coach Art Yancy.

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Sports Notebook ideas may be sent to vellante@globe.com.