Doug Ferguson

Douglas R. Ferguson (born May 9, 1943) was a Canadian ice hockey Center who was a two-time All-American for Cornell and helped the team win its first NCAA Championship. While Ferguson was named as an All-American and to the All-ECAC First Team, Cornell finished third in ECAC Hockey and the team sought its first conference championship in over 50 years. After obliterating Boston College in the quarterfinals, Cornell shocked Boston University with an 8–1 drubbing in the semifinal. The team wasn't able to overcome Clarkson for the championship, but the 2nd-place finish garnered Cornell an invitation to the 1966 NCAA Tournament. Unfortunately, due to an ongoing argument between the NCAA and the Ivy League over player eligibility, Cornell had to decline the invitation as well as their first appearance in a national tournament.

Fortunately for the Ferguson brothers, the argument was settled prior to the 1966–67 season and Cornell now had a chance to make the championship. Doug became an alternate captain for the year, turning the captaincy over to his twin Dave. the team also welcomed the best player I program history, Ken Dryden, to the varsity team. Dryden had originally been a Princeton recruit before Harkness' plan and the vast improvement by Cornell in Ferguson's sophomore season convinced him to change schools. Doug's scoring declined as a senior and he finished 4th in the nation, though he still led the Big Red with 61 points. The team had become a defensive juggernaut, however, and lost only one game during the regular season. Cornell was unable to win a regular season title, however, because Boston University hadn't lost a single conference game and the two had tied their only meeting on the year. Ferguson was still considered the leader for the team and he was named as the ECAC Player of the Year as well as earning a second stint as an All-American. As they had the year before, Cornell utterly dominated their first two opponents in the ECAC Tournament, winning by a combined score of 23–4. The championship game saw the nation's top two teams face off for the conference title and BU proved to nearly be Cornell's equal. Doug assisted on his brother's goal to open the scoring and then tied the game with a marker of his own at the start of the third. Ferguson's third point of the game came as an assist on Mike Doran's game-winner and Cornell won its first ECAC championship. Ferguson was named as the Most Outstanding Player in Tournament and guaranteed Cornell its first NCAA tournament appearance.

After narrowly escaping a game North Dakota squad in the semifinals, Cornell met Boston University for the third time in the program's first championship game. Ferguson scored his only goal of the tournament on the power play halfway through the game but it was more than enough as Dryden allowed just a single BU goal and Cornell won the national title. Ferguson was named to the All-Tournament Second Team along with his twin and the three Ferguson brothers ended their college careers the best way possible.

Doug continued his playing career after graduating, playing senior hockey for several seasons and eventually won the EHL championship with the Syracuse Blazers in 1973. After that season Ferguson got a chance as a professional with Rochester Americans but he could not find the same success and required after the following season. he was inducted into the Cornell Athletic Hall of Fame in 1979 and currently sits 4th on the program's all-time scoring list despite playing far fewer games than the three players above him.

Personal life Doug was predeceased by his twin Dave (July 10, 1977) and died on November 10, 2003. Younger brother Bob died on October 3, 2010.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Ice Hockey Regular Season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1961–62 Prince Albert Mintos SJHL —————————— 1962–63 Melville Millionaires SJHL —————————— 1964–65 Cornell ECAC Hockey 2627285586————— 1965–66 Cornell ECAC Hockey 2737347176————— 1966–67 Cornell ECAC Hockey 29273461103————— 1967–68 Saskatoon Quakers WCSHL —————————— 1968–69 Portland Buckaroos WHL 50000————— 1968–69 Salem Rebels EHL 81120————— 1968–69 Charlotte Checkers EHL 3513142742————— 1968–69 Syracuse Blazers EHL 3010142463————— 1969–70 Syracuse Blazers EHL 6424345821242354 1970–71 Syracuse Blazers EHL 74325082190627923 1971–72 Fort Worth Wings CHL 1513416————— 1971–72 Syracuse Blazers EHL 4619244311717561181 1972–73 Syracuse Blazers EHL 6930701001031413122531 1973–74 Rochester Americans AHL 6411193060————— 1974–75 Auburn Cayugas NYAHL —————————— 1974–75 Syracuse Eagles AHL 30002610002 NCAA Totals 82 91 96 187 265 — — — — — EHL Totals 253 105 178 283 622 41 22 28 50 139

Awards and honors Award Year All-ECAC Hockey Second Team 1964–65 All-ECAC Hockey First Team 1965–66 ECAC Hockey All-Tournament First Team 1966 All-ECAC Hockey First Team 1966–67 ECAC Hockey All-Tournament First Team 1967