Tiger Hockey lost another link to its NCAA championship years early Wednesday when Milo “Mike” Yalich passed away at the age of 85.

Memorial services were scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday at Grace Episcopal Church, located at 601 North Tejon in downtown Colorado Springs.

Yalich served as Colorado College's team captain as a senior in 1949-50, when the Tigers claimed their first of two national crowns. The formidable defenseman was a key component, a leader on and off the ice, as CC crushed Boston College (10-3) and Boston University (13-4) in NCAA tournament play at the old Broadmoor Ice Palace.

“He was more than great,” said teammate Ron Hartwell, who to this day still ranks as the program's all-time goal-scoring king. “In the locker room before those playoff games, he had everyone dying with laughter. It really broke the ice and took the pressure off. Every player in the room felt the same way. He (Milo) was at the right place at the right time, and it was exactly what we needed.”

A native of Eveleth, Minn., Yalich had resided in Colorado Springs with his wife Barbara, for more than 60 years after the couple met as students at CC. He and the rest of the 1949-50 hockey team were inducted into the school's Athletics Hall of Fame as members of its fourth class in 1998.

"He was like a father to me, my mentor," said Andy Gambucci, who also came from Eveleth and joined the Tigers as a freshman for that '49-50 season. "He was responsible for me coming out there. I lived with him for a year. He showed me the ropes – a good man."