By Danielle Ossher

Tyler McNeely and Wade MacLeod first met on a sheet of ice as they desperately tried to keep their balance. The 7-year-olds had just put on their first pair of skates, and were ready to engulf themselves in hockey.

Since then, the British Columbia natives have played on the same line together, represented the Vancouver Canucks in the Quebec Pee Wee Tournament together and competed for two years against each other in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL).

On Oct. 13, the two elevated their game together, taking the ice in each player’s first collegiate game. Wearing the Northeastern uniform, they were welcomed to Matthews Arena by a screaming DogHouse, the NU cheering section.

“The DogHouse is unbelievable, and the atmosphere [at Matthews] is absolutely crazy,” McNeely said.

MacLeod added, “It just gets you so much more pumped for a game when you have fans like that. I came from a small town in juniors, and we didn’t have fans like that, so it’s a complete 180 coming here.”

MacLeod entered the BCHL, a junior league, one year later than former line-mate McNeely. Playing for different teams, this was the first time the two forwards were separated since beginning their hockey career.

During the two years the players spent together in the league, their respective teams faced off four times. However, both were denied bragging rights, as the teams split the series at two a piece.

In 2005, Northeastern expressed interest in McNeely, and despite opting to play another year of juniors, he committed to putting on a Husky uniform for the 2007-08 season. Almost a year after McNeely committed, McLeod caught the attention of Northeastern coaches after a strong start to his season.

“[Northeastern] was appealing for me because I’d already played with Tyler and that was one of the things that coach [Greg] Cronin knew,” MacLeod said. “He said ‘well you guys are probably going to be on the same line if you come down here.'”

MacLeod’s decision was made even easier because he’d seen ice time in juniors with another Husky.

“I played the year before with [Brad] Thiessen,” he said. “You kind of want to follow as good of a goalie as he is.”

After MacLeod committed to play with Northeastern, the two began preparing for their move to Boston and the switch from the BCHL to collegiate play. Only months later, the two 20-year-olds left British Columbia and moved into their room on 319 Huntington Ave.

Before they could deal with the changes on the ice, McNeely and MacLeod needed to adjust to life in the United States and at college. After delaying college to play in juniors, the roommates went back to class, both as undecided majors. Their lifestyle also changed, as they were both under the legal drinking age again. However, going through the experience together made the switch less difficult.

“When you have someone come from back home, and someone you know like Wade, it makes it a lot easier to make that transition,” McNeely said.

The two were soon reunited on the ice. After Cronin mixed up the lines for the first two weeks of practice, McNeely and MacLeod found themselves playing together again. Soon after, junior captain Joe Vitale completed their three person offensive line.

“Since then, I think we just started clicking better and had some chemistry,” MacLeod said.

McNeely, MacLeod and Vitale comprise the team’s first line, and it was the chemistry of the line that has kept them together through one exhibition game and two regular season games.

“Chemistry is a big part of any sport, but especially hockey,” Vitale said. “It’s at such a fast speed and things happen so quick. When you’re comfortable with the players you’re playing with and you’ve been around them for a while, you know constantly where each other are on the ice, you don’t even have to look.”

For this top line, the chemistry has translated into success during the lines’ debut during an exhibition game. The three collected three of the team’s five goals and half of the team’s eight assists collectively.

However, during the team’s two regular season games, which it split, the line created less of an impact.

“I can’t understate the importance of being patient with freshmen,” Cronin said of McNeely and MacLeod. “They aren’t entirely comfortable yet, but when they get comfortable, you will see that chemistry come out.”

After playing only three games, Cronin said the two were starting to pick up on what’s expected of them in the Hockey East conference. The changes on the ice for McNeely and MacLeod go beyond a new team, as collegiate hockey is a jump up from junior league.

“It’s a lot harder and faster, guys are a lot older,” McNeely said. “It’s playing against men. The guys are smarter and quicker, and you have to play a really heads up game.”

But while they are adjusting to the increase in speed and the depth of opponents, both have proven to be dedicated and motivated athletes.

“Their work ethic is tremendous,” Vitale said. “They are very approachable, they are very studious athletes, they work hard and it’s actually been an honor playing with them.”

McNeely and MacLeod had the opportunity to play for their families this past weekend, who traveled from British Columbia to Boston together for Parents Weekend. United by their sons, they have been side-by-side cheering on hockey games for 13 years, and will continue that for the next four at Northeastern.