500 wins and counting: Randolph’s McLaughlin becomes 4th to join exclusive club

By Mike Gurnis

Rich McLaughlin has been through a lot in his time as head coach for Randolph. So much, that it’s hard for him to remember every memory since taking the job in the 1993-94 season.

But he does remember how difficult his first season at Randolph was after coaching for his alma mater, Livingston for two seasons prior.

“Our first couple of years were tough,” McLaughlin said. “Our first year, I guess we were like 3-15, and we got crushed every night. “

From that point on, he slowly built Randolph into one of the more consistent programs in the state, and eventually, a state champion.

Thirty seasons, nine state championships, and four Mennen Cup titles later, McLaughlin reached a milestone that few other coaches in New Jersey state history have reached. He picked up the 500th win of his career on Wednesday evening, as his Rams stayed unbeaten with a 3-0 win over Ramapo at SportsCare Arena in Randolph.

McLaughlin, in 33 years coaching between Livingston and Randolph, now holds a 500-202-77 record. All but 18 of those wins have come behind the bench for the Rams.

He’s the fourth coach in state history to reach 500 wins, along with Brick Township’s Bob Auriemma, Chatham’s Harvey Cohen, and Seton Hall Prep’s John Warchol.

“I’ve got to be honest with you, it’s a great thing, it’s a nice thing,” McLaughlin said. “But I tell everyone that it just means I’m old and I’ve been around too long. The last week, people have been asking about it, so it is on my mind. It was just a game. It was a game we had to win. It was a game we wanted to win badly. It’s one of many that we’ve been here for, and we wanted to win this game today. It’s really all it was to me, I promise you.”

His teams over the years have been known for one thing: defense. It was not uncommon to see the Rams win games by scores of 2-0, 3-0, especially at the height of their powers during state championship seasons.

This year’s team, however, has been one that is loaded with offensive firepower. It has averaged over six goals per game en route to a 16-0-1 record, and has scored so often that it often does not need to play a perfect defensive game to win.

Fittingly, in a milestone win, his team turned back the clock and played the style people have been so accustomed to seeing over the years. It held Ramapo to just 13 shots and allowed very few major scoring opportunities throughout the game, especially in the third period.

Jase Zangara and Vincent Crisafulli scored second-period goals, with Ryan Thomas sealing it with an empty-netter in the final seconds.

“That third period, we played today like we haven’t done all year long,” McLaughlin said. “That was what we’ve been doing here for a long, long time. Just worrying about defense and the goals came because we played good defense. We really tightened up and protected our net as best as we could against a really good team. I mean, those guys can fly. That was something that we’ve been pushing for all year long, that third period. That’s what we’re going to have to play like the rest of the year.”

Joining the 500-win club along Auriemma, Cohen, and Warchol was not lost on McLaughlin. He has coached against all three at some point in his career, and recognized the role they all played in New Jersey high school hockey.

He is only six wins away from tying Warchol for third all-time.

“(John) Warchol taught me how to skate,” McLaughlin said. “Again, it makes me feel old. Those guys, they’re special guys. They did it at a time where it was much different. We have ice (time) every day. They’re special with what they did, and they’re just different, and they were better.”

The level of commitment from players and their families was something McLaughlin pointed to as a reason for the program’s success during his tenure.

The opening of the in-town rink Aspen Ice (now SportsCare Arena) in 2003 also helped give the program the opportunity to practice on the ice nearly every day.

“There are changes, kids change, but in the end they all want to win and they all want to work hard to do it,” McLaughlin said. “That’s what you have to have. You have to have kids and families who want to go all in on this thing. That’s the only way you win. You could be Scotty Bowman up here, but if you don’t have the horses, it’s not going anywhere.”

McLaughlin has seen many brothers come through the program over the years, amongst the many players he has coached. For example, in his 400th career victory during the 2017-18 season, J.T. Zangara scored two goals as a sophomore in a 3-1 win over Roxbury.

Fast forward to this season, and Zangara’s younger brother, Jase, found the back of the net in McLaughlin’s 500th win.

“There’s been so many sets of brothers and so many cousins that have come through here,” McLaughlin said. “It’s wild how it’s all connected. There’s things that we do today in the locker room, that these kids don’t even know about, they did 30 years ago because they learned from the guys ahead of them. There’s a lot of tradition. There’s a lot of guys who are playing because their older brothers played.

“To me, that’s the best part, when I see these guys coming back. I tell these guys that my job is a success when I see these guys walk in at 11:00 at night with their old man hockey outfits on and they’re still playing. That means we did something right. It’s great seeing brothers and their families tied together going back 20 years.”

Having already retired from teaching, and having accomplished nearly all there is to over a 33-year coaching career, it’s fair to wonder how much longer McLaughlin plans to stay behind the bench at Randolph.

“That might be a question for my wife,” McLaughlin said with a laugh. “I would miss not coming. I look forward to coming here, each and every day. I’m a hockey rat. My life is around this. I do other stuff, but this is what I do right now. I would miss it a lot. I’ve still got a little bit left, but we’ll see. One year at a time, you never know.”

But while reflections are usually reserved for after the season, McLaughlin has a bit more free time now that he’s no longer teaching. He doesn’t want to get caught up too much in the past accomplishments, but remembers the people- on the ice and off it- who helped make that success happen.

“You think about all the people that have come through here, and some of the people that are coaching now,” McLaughlin said. “You hear about these guys who come back to the alumni game. It’s just a special place to have worked for 30 years. It’s been a great time.”

SCORING SUMMARY
First period
No scoring.
Second period
RAN — Jase Zangara (Brian Cislo, Shane Melly) 9:42
RAN — Vincent Crisafulli (Isaac Stock) 4:43
Third period
RAN — Ryan Thomas (Daniel Sharkey, Brian Cislo) 0:34 ENG

Shots on goal: Randolph 35, Ramapo 13
Saves: John Krynicki (Randolph) 13, Luke L’Heureux (Ramapo) 32

E-mail Mike Gurnis at michaelgurnis@gmail.com