[Devils-list] Walsh, 46, led Maine to two national titles

[John Lopez]

Walsh, 46, led Maine to two national titles
Associated Press



BANGOR, Maine -- University of Maine hockey coach Shawn Walsh, who led the
Black Bears to two national championships, died Monday, 15 months after
being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. He was 46.


After Walsh was diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma, he had his left lung
and left kidney removed. He also underwent two exhaustive immunotherapy
treatments and a stem-cell transplant.


He was taken to the Eastern Maine Medical Center on Sept. 10 after
contracting pneumonia and died there.


Walsh, who was entering his 18th season at Maine, ranked 11th among active
coaches and 19th on the overall victory list. He led Maine teams to two
national championships and seven Frozen Four appearances.


"In the public's mind, no one was more closely associated with the
University of Maine than Shawn," said Dr. Peter S. Hoff, university
president. "It didn't matter whether you followed college hockey or not,
people knew Shawn and they knew him as an ambassador of and for UMaine."


Maine's first on-ice practice, which had been scheduled for Tuesday, was
postponed until Wednesday.


Tim Whitehead, a newly named assistant and former coach at the University of
Massachusetts-Lowell, is expected to serve as interim head coach.


The cancer began in Walsh's kidney and spread to his left lung. His
cancerous kidney was removed and he underwent two intensive treatments in
California to boost his immune system.


Further tests revealed the tumors remained, and one of his lungs and
additional tumors were removed prior to the stem cell transplant in May. It
was hoped that the donated stem cells from Kevin Walsh, the coach's younger
brother, would attack and destroy cancerous tumors.


As with any transplant, there were several different medications and
significant side effects.


Walsh had to take drugs for five months to shut down his immune system. That
may have made him more susceptible to infection and probably contributed to
his pneumonia.


Walsh coached Maine to its first NCAA Division I championship in 1993 and
its second six years later.


Walsh was suspended in 1995 for one season following an investigation into
violations of NCAA rules.


A native of White Plains, N.Y., Walsh was a 1978 graduate of Bowling Green,
where he began to concentrate on coaching. He moved on to Michigan State in
1979, where he helped lead the Spartans to the NCAA semifinals in 1983-84.


He arrived at Maine in 1984, where he coached two Hobey Baker Award
winners -- Paul Kariya and Scott Pellerin. His record at Maine was
399-214-44.


Kariya, who plays with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, said Walsh had a tremendous
impact on his life and the lives of his brothers, who also played at Maine.


"Shawn had a great passion for the game of hockey and he battled his illness
with the same courage, intensity and determination," Kariya said.


Members of this year's team issued a statement expressing how Walsh had
touched their lives.


"Coach Walsh is so much more than just a coach to us. He is a father figure
to 33 guys on this team. He will be greatly missed by all of us. His passion
for the game and life will burn inside us everyday," the team said.


"He taught us what it takes to win," said Pellerin, who was with the Boston
Bruins in Portland for an exhibition game against the Washington Capitals.
"He really pushed you, but it was always positive."


Peter Ferraro, now with the Capitals, said Walsh was "a great motivator. He
really knew how to prepare his teams for games."


Walsh, who lived in Veazie, was survived by his wife, Lynne, and sons Tyler,
10, Travis, 8, and Sean, 2.