On June 24, New York Islanders' general manager Mike Milbury made a decision that is sure to have a monumental effect on both his team and an 18-year-old Bostonian - he traded away both of the goalies on the Isles' roster and made Boston University's Rick DiPietro the first goalie ever chosen No. 1 overall in the NHL entry draft.

	DiPietro had to leave home early to return and reach his goal.

For the Islanders' organization, it was a move that seemed like a desperate attempt to get back to the proud organization's glory days of the early 1980s. The 6-foot, 185-pound southpaw, who previously starred between the pipes at BU, was chosen for the part of savior.

But for DiPietro, hearing his name called first meant more than cashing in on a gigantic contract. It meant all of his tough decisions and hard work had paid off. The final step in the dream that had become his life had been taken.

"To hear my name called was just an unbelievable feeling," says DiPietro. "It really hasn't sunk in yet, though."

Maybe it's because he hasn't let it. DiPietro celebrated with his family, an old coach and his agents the day of the draft in Calgary, was home in Winthrop, Mass., by Monday and back working out with BU strength coach Mike Boyle shortly after.

According to those who know DiPietro, like BU hockey coach Jack Parker, it makes sense that the goalie hasn't afforded himself a few moments to revel in his success.

"The thing about him is he's always enjoyed practice," says Parker, who coached DiPietro for just a year. "He thinks it's fun to be there and get better.

"Something I told Mike Milbury a couple of months back is that Ricky doesn't think he's arrived yet. He knows he's got a long way to go."

By the same token, however, DiPietro has already come quite a long way.

Before there was a No. 1 draft pick with Madison Ave. looks, there was a chubby-faced and overly confident (some may even say cocky) youth hockey player.

DiPietro first started playing goalie when he was 5 years old and immediately knew the position was for him.

"When I was a little kid, the equipment drew me to the position," he says. "It seemed like a logical decision and then after a couple of years I couldn't see myself playing anything else."

DiPietro attended St. Sebastian's, a private school based in Needham, Mass., and a member of the Independent School League, which is considered to be one of the best hockey leagues in the country. He, along with Boston College goaltender Tim Kelleher, made the varsity team in their freshman year. But standing in their way was junior Mike Morrison, who now plays at the University of Maine.

According to St. Sebastian's coach Steve Dagdigian, it was an interesting situation.

"A friend of mine from Winthrop who I played hockey with told me to keep an eye on this kid. He said, 'This kid is good at everything he does,'" says Dagdigian. "The biggest thing we saw we had here were two kids who are Division I goalies. We had Mike, who was a junior and had played most of the year before, but these kids were pretty damn good."

By the time the duo were sophomores, their playing time had increased. But Morrison was being recruited by Division I programs, so he still received top billing.

"I was hoping to get a Division I scholarship and I felt like I was taking steps backwards," says DiPietro, about his shared playing time for the Arrows. "I just wasn't playing enough."

So came the first of his tough decisions: to leave home at just 16 years old and play in the U.S. National Program, based in Ann Arbor, Mich. A strong showing at the U.S. Select-15 Festival paved the way for his collegiate career.

"My parents realized that it was my goal to play college hockey and then in the pros, so ultimately it was my decision," he says.

Over the next two years, while attending Huron High in Michigan and playing for the U.S. junior national team, DiPietro compiled a 52-30-2 overall record with a 2.78 goals-against average and an .898 save percentage. Perhaps more impressive than the numbers, however, was DiPietro's newfound size - he had shot up nearly five inches.

"When he was at St. Seb's he was small," says Parker, who found DiPietro's ability to handle the puck intriguing. "And then when I saw him out in Ann Arbor, what stuck in my mind was how big he was."

So DiPietro accepted a scholarship to BU, became the starting goalie and immediately showed Boston-area hockey fans what they had been missing for the past two years.

"For the first time I heard people saying they were coming into the hockey rink at BU to see a goalie play," says Parker. "He could really move the puck and take control but he can make the saves too. Even if he couldn't move the puck he'd still be a great goalie."

DiPietro led the Terriers back to the NCAA tournament after an uncharacteristic absence the year before by posting an 18-5-5 record, with a 2.45 GAA and a .913 save percentage. He also beat former teammate Kelleher in two of three head-to-head matchups and earned MVP honors in the Beanpot hockey tournament.

DiPietro's second tough decision was to leave BU after just one year. He admits it was hard leaving a team that probably would have had a legitimate shot at winning the national title, but his rationale was simple.

"I felt college was my stepping stone to get to the NHL and I had a good year and was hearing some things," says DiPietro. "I'm excited about it, I couldn't ask for a better situation. I'm looking forward to making this team into what it was in the 80s."