Sixteen years ago, 1LT Timothy Murphy wore the black and gold as the senior captain of the U.S. Military Academy hockey team. On Dec. 16, 2017, MAJ Timothy Murphy donned the black and gold again, this time skating for the first-ever All-Army hockey team.
Not only did he make the team, but he became the assistant captain and scored the first goal against a Canadian Armed Forces team. MAJ Murphy, 38, an executive officer with the Massachusetts National Guard’s 101st Field Artillery Regiment, was one of two National Guard members to make the team. He was also named the No. 2 star of the game after the All-Army team took home a 4-2 win at the Watertown Municipal Arena, near Fort Drum, New York.
“Whether it’s on the ice or as my XO [executive officer], he has this innate ability to just motivate people,” said LTC Peter Fiorentino, MAJ Murphy’s commanding officer and teammate on the Massachusetts National Guard’s Redlegs hockey team. “There are fast skaters and there are smart players. Tim is both. He can skate fast, handles the puck well and understands the game.”
MAJ Murphy only had to submit his hockey resume to be invited to the tryout for the team. The South Boston native has been on skates since he was three years old. He played hockey for his high school, preparatory school and then was invited to play for West Point.
After leaving the Active Army, MAJ Murphy found a home in the Massachusetts National Guard, where he began skating with the Redlegs. His reputation on the ice led to his invitation to apply for the All-Army team. After a two-week tryout and practice sessions at Fort Drum, MAJ Murphy and his teammates took the ice against their Canadian opponents.
He wasn’t the only one to be caught up in the excitement. His wife Leah brought their son and infant daughter to the game.
“So, I scored the first goal,” MAJ Murphy said matter of factly. From the other side of the plexiglass, Leah recounted, “TIM SCORED THE FIRST GOAL!” and 3-year-old Thomas “was so happy seeing the crowd cheer for ‘Dada.’”
Throughout the game, the capacity crowd was exhilarated by the back-and-forth action. Early in the third period, the game was tied 2-2 when Murphy assisted on the tie-breaking goal.
Before the end of the 4-2 victory, MAJ Murphy skated over to his family and shared a high-five with his son through the glass.
“You could tell [players from both teams] love hockey, and they got to represent their country doing something they love,” Leah said. “It was really cool for my kids to see that, too.”
In late January, the All-Army team won the gold medal during an international military hockey tournament in Lithuania. On Jan. 26, the team defeated Lithuania 2-1 in the final of the Baltic Military Winter Games.
BY SFC Whitney Hughes, Massachusetts National Guard
