PROVIDENCE -- Jay Leach remembers exactly where he was on Thanksgiving 2004 -- in Johnstown, Pa., on a road trip with the Trenton Titans of the ECHL.


 


It’s a vivid memory for Leach because he received a phone call that day that changed the course of his career.


 


On the other end of the line was Scott Gordon, then the coach of the Providence Bruins.


 


"Flash said, ‘If you can get here, we need you [...]

Mark Divver

PROVIDENCE -- Jay Leach remembers exactly where he was on Thanksgiving 2004 -- in Johnstown, Pa., on a road trip with the Trenton Titans of the ECHL.

 

It’s a vivid memory for Leach because he received a phone call that day that changed the course of his career.

 

On the other end of the line was Scott Gordon, then the coach of the Providence Bruins.

 

“Flash said, ‘If you can get here, we need you tomorrow night.’ I took a train from Johnstown to Philly, got my car in Trenton, drove (to Providence) and never looked back,’’ Leach said.

 

While the P-Bruins figured to use him as a temporary fill-in, Leach had other ideas.

 

“It wasn’t supposed to be a long-term thing by any means, but he played well enough that we ended up signing him for the rest of the year,” said Gordon.

 

As a matter of fact, Leach played so well in Providence that only 11 months after picking up the phone in Johnstown, he was recalled by the Boston Bruins and suited up for his first NHL game on Nov. 5, 2005, against Pittsburgh.

 

All these years later, Leach is the coach of the P-Bruins, who open their best-of-five Calder Cup playoff series against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Friday night.

 

And the Phantoms coach is Gordon, the man who “gave me an opportunity when really no one else did,’’ said Leach.

 

The relationship between the two coaches lends a student-vs.-teacher dynamic to the first-round Atlantic Division matchup, which starts with two games at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center.

 

Leach, 38, a Providence College grad, is a rookie head coach, while the 55-year-old Gordon is a veteran, including two-plus seasons as head coach of the New York Islanders. He was a P-Bruins assistant coach under Bill Armstrong and Mike Sullivan before taking over as the head man for just over five seasons.

 

Gordon played a role in one of the greatest games in Providence history. He was in net for Boston College the night PC’s Chris Terreri made 65 saves in a double overtime win in the inaugural Hockey East Tournament championship game in 1985.

 

Considering that Leach played a quarter of his 12-season pro career under Gordon, it’s no surprise that many of Gordon’s methods rubbed off on him.

 

“I remember his planning with regard to pre-scouts, making sure we were prepared to play a certain team. Very thorough. Well-organized. We were always prepared. His practices were very upbeat and up-tempo,’’ said Leach.

 

Gordon returns the compliment.

 

“Jay put in a lot of time to prepare himself as an athlete and I’m sure it’s the same as a coach. That part of it hasn’t changed. He was passionate about the game when he was a player and he’s passionate about being a coach,’’ said Gordon.

 

“It’s funny. Our captains (including Leach) while I was in Providence, generally they were guys that led by example and set a tone for our locker room with their work ethic, attitude. How they trained, how they carried themselves as professionals. Leachie was a great example for our younger players because he was committed to getting better every day, working on his game. As a result, he was rewarded. By putting in the time, he was able to play in the NHL.’’

 

Facing his ex-coach in a playoff series is no big deal for Leach, who played in 17 cities during his pro career as a player. “I was a suitcase. I was everywhere,’’ he said. “It doesn’t necessarily feel that different’’ going up against friends and ex-teammates.

 

So, what to expect in this series between the favored Phantoms, who finished first in the Atlantic Division, and the fourth-place, rookie-laden P-Bruins?

 

The teams have played each other five times in the last month, but because of injuries and callups on both sides, “I don’t know that we really have a good gauge on how we stand up to each other,’’ said Gordon. “They don’t give up a lot. They really do well as far as limiting chances. Everything we get, we’ll have to earn.’’

 

Providence has a lot of respect for the Phantoms' ability to score.

 

“They have a potent offense, they really do. So we’re going to have to be at our best with regards to defending and taking care of the puck. If we do that, then it’ll be a good series,’’ said Leach.

 

“These guys have the ability to just open it up. Reminiscent of Pittsburgh, where they just turn it on. That can happen with these guys. That’s what we really need to be aware of – how potent they are and how quickly they can get going. If we can get to our game and be structured and disciplined, it’s a series.

 

The fun starts on Friday night.