On Saturday, February 1, hundreds of Cretin-Derham Hall students, parents, faculty and staff, and community members gathered in the Charles Schulz Arena to cheer on four Raiders hockey games, played in honor of late CDH student-athlete Cormick Scanlan. The games were meant as a way to honor Scanlan’s legacy as a hard worker, supportive teammate, and upstanding example to all those around him. Members from the hockey community in St. Paul and beyond were also present at the event, there to support the teams and the fundraiser that took place.
Scanlan suffered a stroke two years ago as a result of Moyamoya disease, a rare disease that was tragically, in Scanlan’s case, deadly. The Cormick Scanlan Memorial Foundation has for two years hosted events throughout the year to honor Scanlan’s memory. This year, they wanted to try something new: a series of hockey games and a fundraiser meant to support Moyamoya research and youth hockey teams in St. Paul.
Senior captain Jimmy Dodig ‘25 provided more insight on the inspiration for the event, saying “We wanted to honor his [Scanlan’s] life and legacy and give his family a tribute for the great son they raised.” Dodig said that the Live Like Mick event will turn into a yearly occurrence, which will hopefully raise a large amount of money that will be used to support causes that honor Scanlan.
Although the”Live Like Mick” hockey games were fun for everyone who attended, they were especially meaningful for the CDH Boys Hockey team, which Scanlan was an integral part of. Dodig, when asked about what it was like to play a game specifically in honor of his teammate, said “To play in a game to honor Mick was awesome…It felt and was more than a game for our team and all the people in attendance.” The team’s coach, Matt Funk, had similar feelings when asked about the game, stating “It was hard to play and not remember the pain of that moment 2 years ago…the emotion is hard to push through. The end result was a great tribute to Mick.”
The results of the boys varsity game were indeed a great tribute to Mick; the CDH Raiders beat the East Ridge Raptors decisively 5 to 1. Coach Funk noted that “…the fact that we scored the game winning goal with 17 seconds left in the second period and our last goal with 17 seconds left in the 3rd is incredible and a wink from Mick from above.” Scanlan’s hockey number was 17, and it hangs on a banner in the Charles Schulz rink as a reminder that he is still a part of his team.
The impact that Scanlan had on his teammates and classmates was, Dodig believes, reflected by the game’s turnout. Students – and even hockey players – who didn’t know Scanlan became emotional during the tributes at the beginning of each game. It was truly a reflection of the deep and positive impact that Scanlan had on everyone he interacted with. Dodig was happy with the way the event turned out, stating that he appreciated the intensity and sportsmanship with which East Ridge played. It made for a better day overall.
Ultimately, the Live Like Mick games were a successful way to raise support for Moyamoya research and youth hockey programs in St. Paul, while honoring Cormick Scanlan’s incredible legacy. Thanks to the great turnout and support from everyone who attended the games, the Live Like Mick event is likely to become a yearly tradition, meaning that Scanlan’s legacy will live on for years to come. Dodig believes that the event also served to strengthen the bonds between the rest of the boys hockey players, stating “Coach Funk had a great speech after our game talking about how an event like this, makes all of us think that CDH hockey is more than just a team, it is a family you can always fall back on when times are hard.” Truly, the Live Like Mick event was a representation of the good that can come from tragedy when a community as special as CDH steps up together.
