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February 22, 2012

Our view: O'Neill's 500th win well-deserved

For coach or athlete, getting that milestone victory is never easy. Just ask Tim Wakefield, the recently retired Red Sox pitcher who struggled through eight appearances before getting his 200th career win last Sept. 13.

So it was a happy day last weekend for Salem State University's Bill O'Neill, whose hockey team scored early and often against Framingham State to secure the coach his 500th victory. And this one came in relatively short order, with the 499th win followed by two one-goal losses.

For O'Neill, whose program has been a credit to the school during his more than three decades behind the bench, the win was that much sweeter coming at home and on the same day as an alumni game in which many of his former players participated. Leader of one of the country's great small-college hockey programs, O'Neill is one of only five active Division 3 coaches (and seventh overall) with 500 wins.

Typical of O'Neill's style was his comment to Salem News reporter Jean DePlacido after the game that while it was great to get the 500th win, he was more pleased with the way the team played in beating the visitors with a spot near the top of the MASCAC standings on the line.

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