Below are the official 2019 Hockomock League Boys Hockey All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.
Hockomock League MVP
Espen Reager, Foxboro
Hockomock League All Stars
Ryan Morry, Attleboro
Sam Larkin, Attleboro
Ryan Nolte, Canton
Michael Staffiere, Canton
John Hagan, Canton
Owen Lehane, Canton
Espen Reager, Foxboro
Brendan Tully, Foxboro
Joseph Lizotte, Franklin
Thomas Tasker, Franklin
Shane McCaffrey, Franklin
Brendan Shandley, King Philip
Rocco Bianculli, King Philip
Jack Garland, Mansfield
Brad Grant, Mansfield
Ryan Warren, North Attleboro
Anthony Zammiello, North Attleboro
Brendan McHugh, North Attleboro
Max Ward, Oliver Ames
Brett Williams, Oliver Ames
Matthew McCormack, Oliver Ames
Sean Doherty, Stoughton
Andrew Carter, Taunton
Honorable Mentions:
Kyle McCabe, Attleboro
Jack Connolly, Canton
Ronnie MacLellan, Foxboro
Cam Cassella, Franklin
Ryan Fitzpatrick, King Philip
Chris Copponi, Mansfield
Dennis Morehouse, North Attleboro
Bryan Kearns, Oliver Ames
Carter Gerome, Stoughton
Cameron Sneyd, Taunton
Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 68 vs. Durfee, 55 – Final – Attleboro senior Kevin Velazquez caught fire in the fourth quarter, hitting three three-pointers and scoring 13 of his career-high 24 points to help the Bombardiers pull away and end the regular season with a win. Attleboro led by one after eight minutes, and took a 31-28 advantage over the Hilltoppers into the locker room at half. Junior Qualeem Charles (14 rebounds) dominated the third quarter, scoring 12 of his 16 points in the frame as the Bombardiers created a double digit lead (49-38) going into the fourth. Junior Bryant Ciccio had another strong game for Attleboro with 18 points.
King Philip, 49 vs. Falmouth, 54 – Final – King Philip had a bright start but went cold in the final eight minutes, suffering a setback to Falmouth in its season finale. The Warriors led 26-21 at halftime but allowed 20 points in the third quarter and trailed by one (41-40) entering the final frame. KP was held to just nine points in the final quarter. Senior Bruce Saintilus had a team-high 20 points and junior Alex Fritz added 17 points, both players connecting on three three-pointers.
Mansfield, 64 vs. Brockton, 57 – Final – Mansfield had a successful day from three-point range, connecting on 14 triples – one shy of the program record – to pick up a win over visiting Brockton. Junior Sam Stevens hit four threes in the third quarter along, the Hornets totaling eight triples in that frame alone, to create the necessary separation. The game was tied at 26-26 at halftime but Mansfield’s red-hot shooting in the third helped the Hornets take a 49-39 lead into the final eight minutes. Stevens finished with five threes total and a team-high 17 points, Tommy Dooling connecting on five threes for 15 points, and sophomore TJ Guy finished with 11 points, including one three-pointer. Damani Scott (seven points) and Matt Boen (seven points, 11 rebounds) also hit threes for Mansfield.
Milford, 68 vs. Tantasqua, 59 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery from this game. – Milford’s three seniors finished their careers in style, leading the Scarlet Hawks to an upset win over Tantasqua (15-5). Brendan White, Danny Corsini, and Brendon Sailer each scored 20 points, combining to score 60 of Milford’s 68 points in the win. White added 16 rebounds, five steals, and five assists, Corsini scored eight of his points in the opening quarter to give the Hawks an early lead, and Sailor shot 50% from the field along with six rebounds and four assists. The Scarlet Hawks built a 35-20 lead at halftime, and the advantage ballooned to 24 (50-26) late in the third before Tantasqua made a comeback bid in the fourth. The Warriors cut it to eight on two occasions, including with two minutes to go, but Corsini answered with a traditional three point play to thwart the comeback. “I just want thank Brendan, Brendon and Danny for all their hard work and commitment to this program,” Milford head coach Paul Seaver said. “I’m very proud that they were able to end their careers with a victory tonight and that they all found success in their final games of their careers.”
North Attleboro, 59 @ Framingham, 54 – Final – Framingham’s Victor Carrillo scored 17 points in the first quarter and had 22 by halftime but the Rocketeers clamped down defensively on the Flyers’ leading scorer, allowing him just four points in each the third and fourth quarters to get a comeback win. Behind Carillo, Framingham led 19-11 after one and took a 33-25 advantage into halftime. North scored 16 points in the third quarter, sparked by eight from senior Nate Gonsalves (14 points) to cut the deficit to 47-41 going into the fourth. In the final frame, senior Josh Montague scored nine of his team-high 19 points, Gonsalves went 4-for-4 from the line, and sophomore George Ladd (11 points) sank a key three to help North pull ahead for the win.
Oliver Ames, 70 @ Barnstable, 34 – Final – After an even start, Oliver Ames dominated the second quarter, outscoring the Raiders 32-9 to build a sizable halftime lead that it ever relinquished. The Tigers led by just one, 12-11, after eight minutes but then kicked it into gear, limiting Barnstable to single digits in each of the remaining three quarters. Harry DeChellis scored six of his team-high 13 points in the second quarter, Sean O’Brien (11 points) and Michael Greene (nine points) each hit a three in the second, while Amari Brown (eight points), Jay Spillane, Jake Erlich, and Evan Craig each scored as well.
Taunton, 68 @ New Bedford, 56 – Final – Taunton sophomore Danny MacDougall scored seven of his career-high 13 points in the second quarter, helping the Tigers outscore the Whalers 22-8 in the frame to create enough separation for the rest of the way. Tied 14-14 after eight minutes, Wesner Charles (12 points) added six points in the second, Mike Quinn scored five and sophomore Josh Lopes had four to help Taunton build a 36-22 lead by halftime. New Bedford was able to close the gap to nine (44-35) heading into the final quarter but Taunton closed the door with 24 points in the finale frame, including nine from Quinn.
Girls Basketball
Attleboro, 57 @ Durfee, 40 – Final – Attleboro won for the third time in its last four games to end the season on a high. Nyah Thomas was the top scorer for the Bombardiers with 13 points, 11 in the second half, and Jordyn Lako added 11. Hailey Perry chipped in with eight points off the bench in the second half for Attleboro, igniting its comeback on the road.
Franklin, 33 vs. Coyle & Cassidy, 43 – Final
King Philip, 46 vs. Dartmouth, 34 – Final – Emma Glaser led the Warriors with 16 points and Faye Veilleux scored 11 as KP closed out the regular season with back-to-back wins.
Mansfield, 43 vs. Bishop Feehan, 22 – Final – The Hornets won the Roundball Classic with a strong second half, earning head coach Mike Redding his 300th career victory. Maggie Danehy scored 11 points and grabbed 13 rebounds and was named the tournament MVP. Sydney Mulkern had a team-high 13 points and Mady Bendanillo scored five points, pulled in six assists, and had four steals. Mansfield led 13-10 at halftime and by eight after three quarters. The Hornets sealed the win by outscoring the Shamrocks 17-4 in the fourth quarter.
Milford, 51 vs. Burncoat, 29 – Final – Milford picked up a win in its season finale, knocking off visiting Burncoat. Katie Maietta had a team-high 17 points while Jill Michaelson added 11 points for the Scarlet Hawks.
Oliver Ames, 51 @ Norwell, 63 – Final – Oliver Ames and Norwell were tied at halftime (24-24), and the Tigers trailed by just two (42-40) entering the final frame, but the Clippers put together their best quarter in the final eight minutes to outscore OA 21-11. Freshman Caroline Peper had a team-high 15 points while sophomore Caroline Flynn added 12 points, 12 assists, and six rebounds.
Boys Hockey
Attleboro, 10 @ Dighton-Rehoboth/Seekonk, 3 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery from this game. – – Attleboro scored five goals in the second period to get a win in the regular season finale over Dighton-Rehoboth/Seekonk. Senior Sam Larkin scored a hat trick, Aidan Diggan and Cam Littig each scored twice, and Kyle McCabe finished with five points, including four assists. Freshman Nick Piazza earned the win in net for the Bombardiers.
Foxboro, 3 vs. Blue Hills, 0 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery from this game. – – Foxboro scored once in each period and Espen Reager made 13 saves for the shutout as the Warriors claimed the Dan Jordan Invitational championship. Kirk Leach put the Warriors ahead less than four minutes into the contest, but Blue Hills goalie Brendan Todd (44 saves) made it tough for the Warriors to add to its lead. Sebastian Ricketts fired a wrist shot in with 5:11 left in the second period, and then Ronnie MacLellan (from Leach) iced the game with a power play goal late in the third.
Franklin, 2 vs. Marshfield, 1 – Final – Just over a minute after surrendering a shorthanded goal that tied the game, Franklin scored what turned out to be the game-winner with four minutes left in the second period. Just 1:18 after the Rams knotted the score at 1-1, Franklin’s Kyle Hedvig found Tom Tasker, and the junior defenseman buried his chance to put the Panthers ahead 2-1. Junior goalie Ray Ivers had a strong third period to help Franklin secure the win. Junior Shane McCaffrey put Franklin up midway through the first off an assist from Zac Falvey.
King Philip, 8 vs. Bridgewater-Raynham, 1 – Final
North Attleboro, 2 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final
Taunton, 2 vs. Middleboro/Hull, 4 – Final
Girls Hockey
Franklin, 2 vs. Norwood, 3 – Final – Cassi Ronan and Amanda Lewandowski each scored a goal and had an assist for the Panthers against a Norwood team that needed a point to make the playoffs. Libby Carter also had an assist while Gabby Colace made 18 saves in net.
King Philip, 2 vs. Dedham, 3 – Final
Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 4 @ Whitman-Hanson/Silver Lake, 0 – Final – Jessica Widdop made 26 saves to record the shutout and the Warriors wasted no time, scoring three goals in the first period to sweep the season series against WHSL and qualify for the state tournament. Three different players scored in the first for the Warriors, with Kenzi Fraser, Ella Waryas, and Skyler Sharfman lighting the lamp in the opening period. Lily O’Brien scored in the second on an assist from Emma Pereira.
Boys Hockey
Foxboro, 1 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – Attleboro received goals from three different players on its way to a key win over visiting Foxboro. Kyle McCabe, Ryan Morry, and Sam Larkin each found the back of the net for the Bombardiers while Cam Littig had an assist.
Franklin, 5 @ King Philip, 2 – Final – Franklin tied the game at 2-2 with less than a minute left in the second period and then outscored the Warriors 3-0 in the final period to earn a key division win, moving into first place with one league game left to play. KP had a 1-0 lead after one period and took a 2-1 lead in the second but Franklin knotted the score with 51 seconds left in the second period. Franklin took a 3-2 lead just two minutes into the third, and then tacked on two goals in a two minute period halfway through the third. Cam Cassella, Matt Holmes, Scott Elliott, Shane McCaffrey, and Joey Lizotte each had a goal for Franklin. Brendan Shandley and Jack Coulter (from Garrett Maxwell) had goals for KP while James Lewis made 20 saves in net for the Warriors.
Mansfield, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 4 – Final – Oliver Ames scored three straight goals between the first and second periods to take a 3-1 lead, and then tacked on an empty net goal in the final minute of the game to secure two points and a win over Mansfield. Hornet junior Joseph Troiano put Mansfield 1-0 on an assist from Coleman O’Brien but OA’s Max Ward (from Brett Williams) tied the game with 3:16 to go in the first period. Freshman Bryan Kearns (two assists) finished off a scrum in front in the second to put OA up 2-1 and James Beatty found Colin Bourne for a one-timer to give the Tigers a 3-1 advantage after two periods. Mansfield’s Jack Garland scored shorthanded on a breakaway early in the third to make it a one-goal game but Jake Gottwald iced it with an empty netter in the final minute. Owen Connor had 22 saves in net for the Tigers.
Taunton, 9 @ Stoughton, 4 – Final – Taunton senior defenseman Dylan Nichols scored two of his three goals in the first period and Camden Faria netted a pair in the first as the Tigers built a 5-1 lead after a period and never looked back. Nichols and Stoughton’s Sean Doherty traded goals to start the game but the Tigers scored four straight to take a big lead. Taunton’s Cam Sneyd had three assists in the opening period. Sean Doherty scored twice for Black Knights.
Girls Hockey
Canton, 6 vs. Norwood, 0 – Final – After scoring her 50th career goal last game, Lauren Fitzpatrick scored the first four goals of the night for the Bulldogs. Maggie Malloy and Lizzie Tassinari also scored in the win.
Franklin, 3 @ Medfield/Norton, 1 – Final – Three different players each scored once as Franklin rolled to a win on the road over Medfield. Cassi Ronan (two assists), Regan Paterson (assist) and Amanda Lewandowski each found the back of while Gabby Colace (13 saves) earned the win in net for Franklin.
King Philip, 1 vs. Westwood, 4 – Final
Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 1 vs. Medway, 1 – Final – Emma Pereira scored the lone goal of the game for the Warriors, putting them up 1-0 in the third period but Medway was able to find the equalizer.
Taunton defenseman Andrew Carter (10) scored a second period power play goal and it turned out to be the game-winner against Attleboro. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
TAUNTON, Mass. – When a power play opportunity arises in a close game, it is imperative to take advantage. So, when Taunton went got the extra skater early in the second period of Wednesday night’s divisional clash with Attleboro at Aleixo Arena, the Tigers were focused on making it count.
The puck cycled around the boards and then was sent diagonally across the heart of the Attleboro defense to senior defenseman Andrew Carter, who had floated down the boards to just below the left face-off dot. He wasted no time in smashing a one-timer past Bombardiers goalie Evan Andrews to open the scoring.
Carter’s goal turned out to be the only one of the game, as Sean Bunker made 21 saves in the Taunton goal and the Tigers defense held on for a 1-0 shutout.
“You have to take advantage of every opportunity you get,” Taunton coach Kris Metea said. “If you don’t at least build momentum, then it’s a wasted opportunity. We thought we’d get a few more but we needed to take advantage when it came.”
Scoring chances were at a premium in the first period, as both teams took a few minutes to get their footing. Brady Nichols had a couple shots from the point for the Tigers and Austin Blais had a go just after entering the zone for Attleboro but it took 10 minutes for the game’s first clear-cut chance.
Jack Patneaude, who assisted on Carter’s goal in the second period, had an opportunity on a quick breakout. He got space in the right circle and aimed for the bottom corner but Andrews (19 saves) stuck out his right pad to make the stop.
Attleboro had a two-on-one with a minute left in the period but Ryan Morry’s saucer pass to Cam Littig at the back post couldn’t be turned on goal. In the final second of the first, Sean Marshall got behind the Taunton goal and threw the puck into the slot for Kyle McCabe, who forced a pad stop from Bunker as the horn sounded.
“I thought our zone time was pretty good,” said Attleboro coach Mark Homer about the offense. “We had to move some things around because we’ve had a couple injuries. We didn’t do the small things, like protect the puck. You have one guy in the corner and the support wasn’t there. We just needed to create more offensive opportunities and we just didn’t do that.”
That flurry at the end of the first seemed to translate into momentum for the Bombardiers after the intermission. Attleboro came out flying and McCabe flung a puck on net from the point that was kicked over to Littig racing in from the left side. The senior forward connected well with his shot, but Bunker went post to post and smothered it to keep the game scoreless.
Metea said, “Sean’s always great for us when he needs to be. That one in the second period was a huge one, open net and he comes across, sprawls and makes the stop. That kept it scoreless and we scored shortly after. It goes to show that timely goaltending is important.”
Three minutes later, the Tigers got the game’s first power play. Just seconds after Andrews made a big stop when Cam Sneyd, who got the second assist on Carter’s goal, set up Michael Albert in front, Carter pounced to steal the energy from the Bombardiers.
“We can’t be getting stupid penalties,” said Homer, who added that a similar thing happened in the last game against North Attleboro. “I’ve been preaching to these guys that when you have a penalty then you have your top four guys out there and you’re wearing them down. We have a short bench to begin with.”
Jaden Weyant had a good look to double Taunton’s lead, but Andrews stayed big to block his shot from the edge of the crease. With two minutes remaining in the second, Attleboro cleared off a penalty and Morry looked up quickly to catch McCabe coming out of the box behind the Taunton defense. McCabe’s breakaway chance was saved by Bunker with the blocker.
Taunton nearly doubled its lead to start the third period, but Sneyd was denied on the power play by Andrews. With six minute left, Littig got space on his forehand side but Bunker was able to get a glove to the shot and two minutes later Bunker came through again to stop Jaydin Rossi after the freshman stole the puck right in front of goal.
“We were a little slow getting our shots off and they were good at getting sticks in the lanes and clogging the middle in front of the net,” Homer said. “We’ve got to find a way to get through it and we didn’t do it tonight.”
The game was nearly over with three minutes to go, but Nick Vandermeel’s shot caromed off the inside of the far post, behind Andrews, and out. That gave Attleboro a chance in the final minute and the Bombardiers had one good look as Morry fired a pass to Littig who in turn found McCabe in the slot but Bunker was there again with a blocker save.
“That’s hockey,” Metea said. “We had three great chances in the period and their goalie makes two good saves and then gets lucky with one off the post, but you can’t stop fighting when things don’t go your way.”
Metea noted that the Tigers have had a tough schedule to start the season and admitted that this win could be a spark for Taunton as it looks to make a playoff push.
“All of our losses are to playoff teams,” he explained, “so we needed that win just to get the confidence. It wasn’t pretty, but we’ll take it at that point and hopefully they’ll take that momentum to go into Mansfield.”
Taunton (3-4) will host Mansfield on Saturday afternoon, while Attleboro (4-3-1) will host Franklin.
The Hockomock League boys hockey season is kicking off and should be as competitive as ever. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com) By HockomockSports.com Staff
2017-2018 Record: 9-10-2 2017-2018 Finish: Reached Div. 3 South preliminary round. Coach: Mark Homer
After a two year drought of postseason hockey, the Bombardiers made it to the playoffs last year and are aiming to make it two years in a row. The Bombardiers only had three seniors on the roster last season, so the majority of the squad is back, plus a familiar face is back in the fold this season.
One of the three seniors that graduated was Jake Parker, who led the Bombardiers in scoring last season with 26 goals and eight assists. But Attleboro is slated to return its next three scorers in senior Cam Littig (12 goals, 14 assists for 26 points), junior Ryan Morry (11 goals, 15 assists for 26 points) and senior Kyle McCabe (three goals, 10 assists for 13 points).
Another positive is that the Bombardiers have some experience in goal. Both senior Evan Andrews (13.66 games played) and junior Derrik Rivet (6.33 games) are set to return. Having an experienced goalie is a huge positive but having a strong backup helps even more. Andrews had 270 saves last season with a 0.882 save percentage while Rivet turned away 144 shots and had a 0.842 save percentage. In front of goal, McCabe, Sam Flynn, and Matt Viveiros will be joined by Liam McDonough, Kyle Miniati, and Zach Pierce as members of the defensive unit.
While Littig and Morry will try to replicate their success from a season ago, one name that could help bolster the offense is senior Sam Larkin. Larkin played his freshman year and had seven goals and seven assists before switching over to juniors. His experience should give Attleboro a boost during the season.
“We have had some additions to our team this year that has created a little more depth that had been absent in previous years,” said Attleboro coach Mark Homer. “We are working on maintaining a better consistency in our play. We are still in our tryout mode and hoping to find the right mix to make us more competitive this season, especially in our league games.”
2017-2018 Record: 17-3-4 2017-2018 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South semifinal. Coach: Brian Shuman
Canton comes into every year with high expectations and the Bulldogs will be favorites to bring home a ninth straight Davenport division title and 11th Hockomock League title in the past 12 seasons. While the league campaign is a priority, the Bulldogs will also be comparing themselves to the top teams in Div. 2 and hoping this will be the year to break through in the South sectional and get back to the TD Garden for the first time since 2010.
After a dominant winter, the top scoring line is back in full for Canton. Senior Ryan Nolte, the reigning HockomockSports.com Player of the Year, and junior Johnny Hagan, the reigning HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year, will draw most of the plaudits but junior Timmy Kelleher gives the Bulldogs strong play on the other wing as well. That line combined for 69 points last season (27 apiece for Hagan and Nolte) and will be one of the league’s best going into this year. Canton also has juniors Tommy Ghostlaw and Chris Lavoie back to add scoring punch to the second line.
At the blue line, juniors Owen Lehane and Jack Connolly will both be expected to eat up a lot of minutes after strong sophomore seasons, and the Bulldogs will be looking for other players to step up and fill in defensively. After consistently strong goaltending from Quinn Gibbs over the past few seasons, Canton will turn to senior Mike Staffiere, who has been a backup the past two years and is drawing great reviews for his play during the preseason.
“Overall, we have a lot of experience returning up front at the forward position, but that’s true for a lot of teams in our league and in our division,” said Canton coach Brian Shuman. “The real question will be how much these players improved from last year, which we won’t know for sure until the games get going.”
2017-2018 Record: 10-9-2 2017-2018 Finish: Reached Div. 3 South preliminary round. Coach: Mark Cedorchuk
Foxboro is coming off the best season in program history, as the Warriors won 10 games and qualified for the state tournament without relying on the Sullivan Rule. Now, the Warriors come back this season hoping to build on that season and make another run at the state tournament behind an offense that, according to coach Mark Cedorchuk, is as deep as it has ever been.
Junior Ronnie MacLellan and sophomore Kirk Leach are two of the forwards to keep an eye on this season for the Warriors after the duo combined for 15 goals and 32 points last season. Also up front will be senior Tanner Kennedy and juniors Sebastian Ricketts and Josh Bertumen, who combined for 10 goals last year and are looking to continue their development to add depth to the attack.
Senior Brendan Tully will lead the defensive effort but is also the team’s leading scorer. The blue line standout scored 18 goals and had 19 assists and is going to be a major factor in all three zones as well as a leader on the penalty kill and power play. He will be joined on the blue line by junior Kyle McGinnis, while junior Espen Reager will be between the pipes this year.
“Even though we had a successful season last year, best in team history,” Cedorchuk said, “our players are not satisfied, they are hungry to improve on that.”
2017-2018 Record: 12-6-5 2017-2018 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South first round. Coach: Chris Spillane
Franklin started well last winter, reaching the final of the prestigious Mount St. Charles tournament and taking a point off Malden Catholic for the first time, but the Panthers couldn’t carry the momentum throughout the season and were knocked out in the first round of the tournament. As usual, Franklin graduated a lot of players, but also return a strong corps of experienced players to take on arguably the program’s toughest regular season schedule, which is loaded with some of the state’s top teams.
The Panthers return 11 seniors for this season, including eight forwards, but also have a group of eight sophomores that are jumping up from the JV to contribute on varsity this season. The forward line has plenty of experience and should be able to fire in the goals this year. Seniors Joey Lizotte, Zac Falvey, Scott Elliott, Dan Magazu, and C.J. Spillane will all be able to jump into the top scoring lines after playing major roles last year.
Defensively, the top five defensemen will be juniors Tom Tasker (who was on the HockomockSports.com All-Underclassman Team last year) and Colin Hedvig and seniors Cam Casella, Matt D’Errico, and Evan Forbes. Three sophomores will also see time on the blue line for the Panthers this season. After graduating three senior goaltenders, the job is open to senior Ryan Cameron and junior Ray Ivers, who are both making the jump from JV.
“Our hope is that team speed will drive the offense and that our returning defense will have the experience to make sound decisions in our end,” said Franklin coach Chris Spillane. “The boys are looking forward to the upcoming season. I see the Hockomock as an extremely competitive league this year. We will also challenge our boys with a high-end non-league schedule.”
2017-2018 Record: 8-12-1 2017-2018 Finish: Missed postseason. Coach: Paul Carlow
King Philip brings 11 players back from last year’s squad and is hoping a tough schedule will result in a battle-tested team ready for the D1 South Tournament at the end of February. It starts with the seniors for the Warriors with four of them back, plus a transfer.
There will be a lot of experience in the top line for KP, as well as its first defensive pair and between the pipes. Captain Ryan Fitzpatrick (10 points) had a strong season last year and will be trying to replicate that this year. Fitzpatrick is joined by assistant captain Luke D’Amico (13 points) as wingers while senior transfer Brendan Shandley steps in at center to give the Warriors a formidable line to work with. Juniors Chris Daniels (13 points), Joe Boselli (11 points), and Jack Coulter (10 points) are all back after successful sophomore seasons and should provide KP with good depth.
On the blueline, veteran Garrett Maxwell is the lone senior back from last year so he will be relied on for leadership. He is one of the strongest players in the league and plays in all situations for KP, including the power play plus the penalty kill. There will be some other familiar faces on defense for KP with junior Kyle Gray (seven points) and sophomore Rocco Bianculli (eight points) both back with varsity experience.
Senior James Lewis takes over in the crease as the starting netminder for the Warriors. Lewis saw action in three games last season, including a pair of wins and shutouts. While new to the starting position, Lewis has plenty of experience and that bodes well for the Warriors. Jesper Makudera and Nate Ihley will be pushing for minutes in net as well.
“I expect the team to have some good chemistry and get off to a good start,” said King Philip head coach Paul Carlow. “Practice has been good, and we have good leadership this year with a strong core. The Hockomock League is always competitive, the Kelley-Rex is a strong division, and we have a tough non-league schedule too, so we want to challenge ourselves.”
2017-2018 Record: 9-7-5 2017-2018 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South first round. Coach: Mike Balzarini
The Hornets have a strong core of players back this season, along with the addition of a couple of new faces, and head coach Mike Balzarini is hoping that combination will result in success this season.
Experience will be a strong suit for Mansfield as five of its top six forwards played significant minutes last year. Chris Copponi (12 points) and Matt Copponi (16 points) will be on the wings around center Coleman O’Brien for one line while Jake Lund (eight points) and Kevin Bellanger are returners on another line. The sixth forward will be center Jack Garland, who played juniors last year but is back in the fold for the Hornets this year. Ben Ierardo, Cam Page, and Braedon Copparini will be in the mix for minutes as well.
Defensively, while there are certainly some holes to fill, Balzarini has some talent to rely on the blue line. Two-time HockomockSports.com selections Mike Arnold and Tyler Oakley graduated so there is a little bit of a void, but Austin Ricker has stepped on early on to anchor the Hornet defensive unit. Ricker is joined by Brad Grant, who played for the Hornets previously before switching to juniors. Nick Levine and Joe Troiano gained valuable experience last year, and Jack Gormley and Brian Grant should be in the mix as well.
Mansfield also has experience in the goalie position with junior Sean McCafferty back between the pipes after having a breakout sophomore campaign. McCafferty was one of the top goalies in the league last year, earning HockomockSports.com All-Underclassman honors. He had 377 saves and a 92 save percentage, which bodes well for the Hornets this year.
“We obviously want to pick up where we left off after making the playoffs the last two years,” Balzarini said. “With the returning players plus new additions, I think we’re a little bit deeper and we know what we need to do to be competitive and make sure we’re playing well at the end of the season.”
2017-2018 Record: 2017-2018 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South first round. Coach: Ben McManama
Defense will be key for the Rocketeers during the 2018-2019 season. With a handful of returners back on the blue line as well as veteran goalie Ryan Warren, North Attleboro boasts a talented defensive unit.
Senior captain Brendan McHugh will anchor the defensive group alongside juniors Jeff Baker and Will Yeomans. All three are very experienced players that put defense first. They can all get involved in the offense as well. Warren has shined between the pipes each of the last three seasons, earning HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year as a freshman and was a HockomockSports Third Team selection last season. Warren is pushed in practice each day as Chris Ulrich and Nick Digiacomo push for time.
Offensively, North Attleboro only lost two forwards from last year’s group, but those two players (Drew Wissler, Jason McNeany) combined for nearly half of the Rocketeers’ 76 goals a season ago. So this year, Big Red will need forwards to step up and contribute. Captain Anthony Zammiello scored 13 goals last year and will look to continue his success this season. Todd Robinson, Justin Moccia, Dennis Morehouse, Jake Ebert, and Jack Connolly are all candidates to have big years for the Rocketeers.
“We are a very big and physical team that works hard,” said North Attleboro head coach Ben McManama. “We will need to stay out of the box to have success this year. Defense and depth will be the strength of our team. We will also need three lines that can score. I am very optimistic on the season because it is obvious that all our players put a ton of work in during the offseason.”
2017-2018 Record: 13-9 2017-2018 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South first round. Coach: Sean Bertoni
Speed has been the strength of the Tigers since Sean Bertoni took over the team and Oliver Ames will be relying on that speed and aggressiveness to try and challenge Franklin at the top of the Kelley-Rex division and to make a run in the state tournament. With a few players coming back from juniors to join with an experienced group, OA has high hopes of pushing the Panthers for the league title.
Senior forward Brett Williams will be the key player in the attack, coming off a season in which he scored 21 goals and recorded 15 assists and was named to the HockomockSports.com First Team. Williams will have plenty of help up front from senior Colin Bourne, who is one of the fastest skaters in the league and had 13 points last season. Senior forward Cullen Gallagher will also give the offense a boost, as he comes back to the program after a year in juniors.
Senior Matt McCormack was one of the league’s top defensemen last year and his steadying presence on the blue line will be critical to OA improving on that end of the ice, after giving up 54 goals as a team last year. Senior James Beatty is back after a year in juniors and should be a big boost to the blue line. Junior Owen Connor is back in net and looking to build off last season’s efforts.
“We are a team that will rely heavily on our team speed,” Bertoni said. “Our aggressive style of defense will lead to a successful offense. We will have to establish our forecheck to be effective. Our transition game will be a strength for us this year, creating turnovers and getting on the attack.”
2017-2018 Record: 1-20-1 2017-2018 Finish: Missed postseason. Coach: Dan Mark
Overall, the Stoughton Black Knights will be on the young side but they have a veteran first line that will lead the way.
The Knights will be looking to improve on last year’s record, while possibly trying to surprise some teams along the way. Leading the way offensively will be senior Sean Doherty. Doherty was Stoughton’s second-leading scorer last year behind Brendan Campbell (graduated). Doherty was second on the Black Knights with 12 goals and added 11 assists and will be relied upon to be a key piece of the offense this season. Joining Doherty on the first line will be senior Luke Bainton, who brings a lot of varsity experience to the table. Bainton will look to improve on last year after recording seven points (four goals, three assists).
Senior Josh Hough will anchor the blue line for the Black Knights. In his fourth year on varsity, Hough has logged a lot of minutes on the ice over the past couple of seasons and will be one of the most experienced defensemen in the league. Hough is able to create on the offensive end as well, scoring a pair of goals last year along with seven assists. Senior Thomas McCoy is set to return in goal after getting experience between the pipes a season ago.
2017-2018 Record: 12-10-2 2017-2018 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South semifinal. Coach: Kris Metea
Taunton has been a program on the rise for the past few seasons and last year the Tigers took another big step forward by making a push to the Div. 2 South semifinal. That unexpected tournament run as the No. 13 seed, which included wins over No. 4 Old Rochester and No. 5 Nauset, has boosted the team’s confidence heading into a new year in which all but four players are back.
Scoring has not been a problem for the Tigers in recent seasons. Last year, Taunton scored a league-best 98 goals, five more than Davenport champ Canton, and senior forward Cam Sneyd (30 points) and junior Mike Albert (32 points) both eclipsed the 30-point mark. Senior Jack Patneaude added 15 points last year and he is poised for a big year along with classmates Jaden Weyant, Owen Ross, and Nick Vandermeel.
The defense is almost completely returned from last year, led by senior Andrew Carter, who was solid in the defensive zone but also chipped in with 20 points. Senior Brady Nichols and sophomore Dylan Nichols are also back for the Tigers. Junior Sean Bunker returns in net after a solid performance in the tournament run and he will be backed up by classmate Andrew Gomes, who has shown that he is a capable replacement when needed.
“The players have embraced the enjoyment of the journey, the process, and working hard to get better every day,” said Taunton coach Kris Metea. “They have the potential to continue their accomplishment of new heights. They will be fun to coach, and watch grow throughout the season.”
Senior forward Trevor Pietrzyk scored four goals and assisted on one other to lead Taunton to a 6-3 win over Attleboro. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
ATTLEBORO, Mass. – After missing out on Wednesday’s trip to King Philip, Trevor Pietrzyk made an instant impact on his return to the lineup against Attleboro on Sunday afternoon at the New England Sports Village.
The senior forward scored a natural hat trick in the first period, including a penalty shot, on his way to four goals and an assist, as Taunton picked up an important 6-3 win that moves the Tigers closer to sealing a return to the postseason.
“We always tell the players, you want your absence to be felt not known and we definitely feel his absence,” said Taunton coach Kris Metea. “It was good to have him back. Four goals, four different ways, is pretty cool.”
Pietrzyk, who missed all of last season with an injury, got things started just three minutes into the game when he latched onto a rebound, following a right pad stop by Attleboro goalie Derrik Rivet, and knocked it into the empty net.
Attleboro bounced back on the power play three minutes later. Jake Parker took the face-off and danced through three Tigers in the attacking zone before teeing up Ryan Morry for a one-timer inside the left circle to make it 1-1.
The momentum would not stay with the home side for long. Two minutes after it was tied, Taunton regained the lead with Pietrzyk weaving his way through a pair of defensemen before flipping a pass to Cam Sneyd in front.
In the span of seven seconds, Pietrzyk broke the game wide open. Attleboro went on another power play but the Tigers won the face-off in the defensive zone and broke out quickly. Pietrzyk was brought down on a shorthanded breakaway and given a penalty shot, which he dispatched with a lifted backhand. Off the ensuing face-off, Pietrzyk gained the zone and flicked a wrister from outside the left circle that snuck just under the bar.
Here is video of Taunton’s Trevor Pietrzyk finishing off a penalty shot for his second and the Tigers’ third goal of the first period #hockomockpic.twitter.com/EkwhZIgI6N
“Trevor has got an ‘X’ factor,” said Metea. “He knows how to score goals; he’s got a nose for the net. He works hard and leaves it all on the line.”
Taunton was buzzing with a 4-1 lead, but Attleboro would not go quietly. In the final minute of the first, Parker gained the zone and fired a wrist shot from the left face-off dot that Taunton sophomore goalie Sean Bunker got a piece of but not enough to keep it out of the net.
“I thought we came out pretty good in the first period, the forecheck was going, but they had an opportunity to put a couple in,” said Attleboro coach Mark Homer. “Once we changed it up and got a goal, it gave us a little spark.”
Parker nearly cut the lead to single goal early in the second, but his shot from a bad angle skipped away off the crossbar. Morry also created a series of scoring chances as the Bombardiers racked up a 12-5 edge in shots in the second (after being outshot 14-6 in the first).
Taunton almost added a fifth at several points in the period, but were denied by goalie Evan Andrews, who was injured and could not start but was brought off the bench after the fourth goal. He made a point-blank stop on Will Walsh, who had been set up by Jaden Weyant, and then closed the period with a huge back post stop on Jack Patneaude, after Walsh picked him out with a perfect saucer pass.
“After the fourth goal, I just felt like we had to change something up and Evan was able to go in,” said Homer. “He made some big time stops at big parts of the game and gave us a chance to get back into the game.”
Attleboro did cut the lead to one heading to the third. On the power play, Morry did a good job to block a clearance at the blue line and keep the possession alive. The puck swung to defenseman Kyle McCabe and his shot from the point was deflected right to Cam Littig who made no mistake with a one-timer.
“There seemed to be a little bit of the letdown,” said Metea about the reaction to going 4-1 up. “We kept preaching do the little things right, play our system, get the puck deep, make plays and you’ll be fine. It’s a long game. You’re not going to win the game with one play or one shift.”
The Bombardiers came out for the third period intent on finding the tying goal and had a series of half-chances, including an Aidan Diggin effort at the near post on a loose puck that hit the side of the net and two chances with a man advantage, but after an early flurry Taunton settled down and limited Attleboro to few clear-cut scoring chances.
“We had our chances on the power play, but got outside of our structure a little bit,” said Homer. “Maybe it was the guys getting a little anxious and everyone wanting to individually be the hero and that happens sometimes. I think the kids pressed a little bit too much trying to get that big goal.”
The best chance of the period fell to Taunton’s Jake Roberts off a feed from Sneyd, but Andrews again went post-to-post to deny the forward. There was nothing Andrews could do a minute later, as Pietrzyk capped his night with an empty net goal. Sneyd added a second empty netter with 9.6 on the clock to make it a three-goal margin.
“If you win now, we have three more to make states,” said Metea about his message to the players. “We have a pretty favorable schedule in February once league is done and you put yourself in a much better situation.”
Taunton (6-6-2, 1-4-2) will try to get two points closer to tournament qualification on Wednesday against Davenport leader Canton. Attleboro (5-5-1, 1-3-1) will host Mansfield on Wednesday night.
Boys Hockey
Attleboro, 9 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Attleboro senior Eddie Noel scored twice, including his first career goal while senior Jake Parker netted a hat trick in the win. Kyle McCabe added a pair of goals for Big Blue.
Foxboro, 2 @ Mansfield, 4 – Final – Mansfield raced out to a 3-0 lead but had to hold off a late surge from Foxboro to earn two points. Junior Chris Copponi scored a pair of goals, including an empty net goal late in the third period to secure the win. Patrick McCafferty (from Cullin Anastasia) and Adam Anastos (from Dylan Tivnan) also scored for the Hornets. Foxboro’s Brendan Tully and Ronnie MacLellan each scored once for the Warriors.
Taunton, 0 @ Franklin, 8 – Final – Taunton limited Franklin to just one goal through two periods, but the Panthers exploded for seven goals in the final 15 minutes. Joey Lizotte, Cam Trask, and Luke Downie each scored a pair of goals to lead Franklin.
North Attleboro, 3 @ King Philip, 5 – Final
Girls Hockey
Canton, 1 vs. Medfield/Norton, 1 – Final – Lauren Fitzpatrick scored the lone goal for the Bulldogs, who remain unbeaten on the season.
Franklin, 8 vs. Dedham, 0 – Final – Senior Jackie Connelly had a hat trick and freshman Natalie Stott recorded another shutout for the Panthers in a big non-league win. Regan Paterson chipped in with a pair of goals, while Amanda Lewandowski, Jordan Dwyer, and Victoria Quinn each scored once.
King Philip, 3 vs. Medway/Ashland, 2 – Final – Nicole Connor scored a power-play goal inside the final five minutes to lift the Warriors to the victory. Meghan Gorman scored a pair of goals for KP in the win.
Wrestling
Canton, 27 @ Sharon, 40 – Final – Sam Vilk, Will Stern, Matt Callan, and Alex Bolt each earned pins for the Eagles in the win.
Stoughton, 13 @ Foxboro, 58 – Final
Franklin, 46 @ Oliver Ames, 12 – Final – Oliver Ames’ Anthony Berksza and Dean Pacini each earned wins for the Tigers in the loss.
King Philip @ Taunton, 7:00
Mansfield, 43 vs. Dighton-Rehoboth, 12 – Final
North Attleboro @ Milford – Postponed to Thursday, 1/18 at 7:00.
Boys Swimming
King Philip, 55 @ Taunton, 39 – Final
Sharon @ Milford – Postponed to Thursday, 1/18 at 4:00.
Girls Swimming
King Philip, 56 @ Taunton, 38 – Final
Sharon @ Milford – Postponed to Thursday, 1/18 at 4:00.
Attleboro senior forward Jake Parker scored a pair of goals during the Bombardiers’ third period comeback from three goals down against Weston. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
ATTLEBORO, Mass. – Heading into the third period of an early season game trailing by three goals, Attleboro could easily have gone through the motions for the final 15 minutes of Thursday night’s non-league Div. 3 game against Weston at the New England Sports Village.
Instead, the Bombardiers came out flying and dominated the third period to create a remarkable ending.
Attleboro came all the way back to tie it thanks to a pair of goals from senior Jake Parker and a shorthanded breakaway goal by junior Cam Littig with just 1:15 remaining, but Weston tacked on a power play goal 30 seconds later to pull out a thrilling 4-3 victory and hand the Bombardiers their second dramatic one-goal loss of the season.
“It was just a matter of winning the third period,” said Attleboro coach Mark Homer about the team talk in the second intermission. “I just told the guys, ‘You could’ve lost the game 10-0 but you didn’t. It hurts right now because, for the second time this year, you were a minute away.’ ”
He added, “It was an exciting game and there was no give-up and if they hold that attitude we’re going to be sitting in that locker room on the other side of things.”
The first period was mostly uneventful with both teams held to just five shots on goal apiece. The Bombardiers’ depleted defensive unit, senior Ed Noel, junior Kyle McCabe, and sophomore Sam Flynn, were pushed by the Wildcats, who had plenty of zone time in the period, but clogged shooting lanes and limited the looks on goalie Evan Andrews.
In the second period, Attleboro found its groove on offense, but it was Weston that found the back of the net. The Bombardiers held an 11-4 edge in shots in the second, but the Wildcats scored three times on their four shots.
Thomas Burke had the opening goal with 11:15 left in the period on a one-timer from the slot after a perfect pass by Cooper Griffin, who scored a pair of goals and assisted on Weston’s two other scores. With 5:30 left in the second Griffin got on the board with a power play goal off a Burke assist and then added another with 26.2 on the clock after a defensive mistake allowed him to skate free into the zone down the right wing.
Attleboro had more than its fair share of scoring opportunities in the period. Freshman Aidan Diggin had the first chance with a backhand after beating his marker on the left circle but sophomore Zack Korbin (32 saves) made the stop. Diggin had another chance a few minutes later off a Ryan Morry pass but the one-timer was knocked aside.
Littig also saw a one-timer from the slot, set up by good work around the crease by Liam McDonough, miss just wide of the post.
“They were good shots,” said Homer. “They were good opportunities. Any one of those pop in at a certain time then it’s a different game but they’re creating those opportunities.”
The third period was a continuation of the second, as Attleboro was on the offensive from the start. The Bombardiers would hold a 19-6 advantage in shots in the period and 35-15 for the game.
McDonough hit a one-timer into the chest of Korbin early in the period, but then went to the box for a holding call. Down a skater, Attleboro had a clean breakaway when Diggin jumped the play at the blue line and stole the puck, but Korbin stood tall to deny the chance. Another penalty extended the Weston power play but again Attleboro’s shorthanded unit created offense.
Parker this time stepped up to make the defensive play and get free behind the Weston defensemen. He was hauled down just as he was lining up his shot and was given a penalty shot. The team’s leading scorer faked forehand and roofed his backhand to get Attleboro on the board with 9:04 to play.
The Bombardiers went on the power play a minute later and 20 seconds into the man advantage nearly cut the lead to one. Parker’s shot from the point through traffic was kicked aside at the last second by Korbin, who then managed to get a blocker to Littig’s rebound effort. Two minutes later, Parker struck the post trying to pick the top corner off a face-off win.
As time was winding down and it seemed like the Bombardiers’ effort would get them no closer, Parker went one-on-three against the Weston defense. He dropped his shoulder and managed to split a pair of players and again went top shelf with a backhand to cut the lead to 3-2 with 2:09 left.
“He’s our best player,” Homer said of Parker. “He’s got to do those things; it’s his job really. We’ve got to look to the veterans to do those kind of things, especially early in the season. Jake has to be our goal scorer, he has to be. We’re looking to him for that.”
Parker was called for a controversial penalty with 1:24 left that left the Attleboro bench furious and the Bombardiers without their best player on the ice for the remainder of the game. Again Attleboro did not give up. Weston won the face-off in the attacking zone, but Littig beat the defense to the puck on the blue line and he scored his breakaway chance to tie the game.
Homer explained, “I’ve got some quick guys out there and we work on anticipating, not just on the PK, having that jump ahead of the play and knowing what’s coming next.”
Thirty seconds later and the excitement in the rink was subdued by a Weston winner. Griffin fired a shot from the left circle that Andrews could only parry and Michael Sacco was stationed on the back post to tap the rebound into an empty net. Littig nearly answered back just a few seconds later, but the Wildcats managed to clear the puck and claim the two points.
“We’re so excited,” said Homer of the final goal, “the emotions overtake them and each one of them is out there trying to do their best and you get out of position and leave two guys open. It’s just those little things that make a difference in that situation.”
The coach was proud of the fact that the team found a way back into the game in the third period. He said, “It just shows that the team is willing to face the adversity and battle. These guys will battle.”
Attleboro (3-2) will not play again until Jan. 6 when the Bombardiers are on the road to open Hockomock League play against Foxboro.
Senior Jordan Hoey (15) scored the game-winning goal on the power play with four minutes left to lift Taunton to a Senior Night win over Attleboro. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
TAUNTON, Mass. – Prior to the game, Taunton honored its 10 seniors for helping to turn the program around and for being, as head coach Kris Metea announced, the winningest senior class in the 20-year history of the program.
On Saturday afternoon against Attleboro, those seniors provided another victory for the Tigers, contributing a combined two goals and three assists while senior goalie Justin Chappell made 26 saves in a 3-2 victory that moves Taunton to .500 in Hockomock play.
“This class means a lot,” said Metea outside the locker room after the game. “They’ve really had the ideals of commitment and it translated to success. The direction the program has gone is in large part due to them and the success we’ve had over the last six years is a big testament to them.”
The Bombardiers looked determined to ruin the day for the Taunton seniors, storming out of the blocks and dominating play in the first period. But, despite leading 11-6 in shots and creating a host of chances, Attleboro went into the first intermission trailing by two goals.
Chappell came up big right from the opening face-off. Just three minutes in he spread himself to stop Liam McDonough’s rebound effort after making the initial save on P.J. Elliott. Three minutes later, Cam Carnes teed up junior Jakob Roberts for Taunton’s first shot on goal from inside the blue line and he wristed it into the corner.
Attleboro continued to attack and Kyle McCabe thought he had a tying goal with a breakaway effort that Chappell was able to block and control the rebound as it squirted loose. Two minutes later and it was 2-0, as senior Jordan Hoey tossed a puck towards goal that went off the stick of classmate Zack Albert and trickled inside the far post.
Sam McKenzie rang the bar just before the end of the period, but Attleboro went into the dressing room playing well, but staring at a two-goal deficit.
“I know we outshot them in the first period, had better opportunities, but the score is 2-0,” said Attleboro coach Mark Homer. “We’ve been preaching to these guys all year not to play to the scoreboard; we just need to play a good period.”
The Bombardiers finally got one past Chappell four minutes into the second. Cam Littig saw his close-range effort blocked but the puck bounced to Jake Parker and he knocked it home. With four minutes left in the period, Littig set up McCabe in front and he thought he had the game tied but for a sprawling save by Chappell.
“He makes the saves he needs to make,” said Metea. “He’s big and he takes up a lot of space, so as long as he moves he’ll make those saves. He’s come up big for us.”
Attleboro held a 20-12 lead in shots after two periods, but many of those chances were from the outside, as the Taunton defense continued to absorb the pressure. Seniors Mike Volkmann and Svein Ormseth and junior Cam Welby also pushed forward and created shots on Attleboro freshman goalie Derrik Rivet.
“A lot of our kids are quietly confident,” said Metea about the defense, “so they know to play percentages and do your job and they’ll be okay.”
Taunton thought it had wrapped up the points six minutes into the third when Hoey fed the puck in front to Josh Denham but Rivet (15 saves) came through with a stellar stop to keep Attleboro within one. Just two minutes later, the save loomed even larger when Elliott was able to beat Chappell stick side from the right circle to tie the game.
“He’s only a freshman, this is probably only his fifth or sixth game on varsity and he gave up some goals in the first period, but that just shows the resiliency he has to play a better second period and then a better third,” said Homer of Rivet. “If not for those saves he makes, we might not be in position to tie the game.”
With 4:47 left to play, Taunton went on the power play and 30 seconds later the Tigers had the game-winner. Welby threw the puck at net from beyond the right circle, it deflected off a stick in front and fell to Hoey with an open net and he made no mistake for his second and the game’s decisive point (senior Nick Terry also had an assist on the play).
“Games likes this are good…you need the adversity, you need the battles,” said Metea. “If they’re going to play well in the tournament, they’re going to need these. You’re going to face adversity; it’s not easy.”
He took another moment to reflect on his seniors and how far they and the program have come in the past few seasons.
“They’re a bunch of great kids,” said Metea, “their teammates love them, they fight to the end, they’ve had to learn on the fly, and they’ve meant a lot to me, the other coaches, and ultimately to the program.”
Taunton (9-3-2, 3-3-0) will get a very tough test against Davenport leader Canton on Wednesday, attempting to make it two-for-two against the current league leaders. Attleboro (5-7-1, 1-4-0) will have a quick turnaround to play Foxboro on Sunday in a big Div. 3 game for the Bombardiers as they try to guarantee tournament play through the Sullivan Rule.
Jake Parker scored the lone goal for Attleboro on Saturday afternoon in a 4-1 loss to ORR/Fairhaven. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
TAUNTON, Mass. – In between all of the penalties, the two disqualifications, the numerous stoppages, Attleboro showed flashes of why it was still in contention for a Div. 3 playoff spot and why the Bombardiers were capable of making a deep run in last year’s tournament.
Head coach Mike Cripps has spoken all season about how Attleboro can skate with most teams when it is five-on-five, but unfortunately the Bombardiers hurt themselves with penalties.
On Saturday afternoon at Aleixo Arena, penalties were again Attleboro’s downfall along with the play of Old Rochester/Fairhaven goalie Chase Cunningham, who made 29 saves. This time it proved decisive, as the 4-1 loss knocked the Bombardiers (6-11-2) out of tournament contention.
Both teams recorded 10 penalties apiece, although Attleboro also had freshman Sam Larkin sent to the locker room in the first period and his brother Keagin, a senior, sent off early in the third.
“Against a team like this, you can’t play shorthanded,” said Attleboro coach Mike Cripps. “Just with the numbers we have, we can’t afford those penalties.”
“They couldn’t control it. We told them to keep their mouths shut but unfortunately the emotions got the better of them.”
Attleboro nearly grabbed the lead just a minute in, when a chipped pass to the neutral zone found P.J. Elliott streaking forward but Cunningham stayed on the puck and managed to get his pad across to the post for the save. Later in the first, Sam Larkin smacked his shot off the bar with the goalie beaten.
ORR started to press and use its speed in the attack and midway through the period had two good chances in the slot, but both were stopped by Attleboro freshman goalie Evan Andrew (21 saves). It was a big turnaround for the netminder, whose first career start was against ORR and he allowed eight goals in an 8-5 defeat.
On Saturday, Andrew showed that his game has markedly improved over the course of the season. “He’s come a long way this year as a freshman,” said Cripps.
The visitors took the lead with 6:39 left in the first as Connor Kelley knocked in a pass from Evan Stanley. Elliott had another breakaway opportunity with three minutes left in the first but again Cunningham was up to the test.
In the second period, Attleboro kept creating chances. Freshman Kyle McCabe received a pass right in front from Cam Littig but Cunningham managed to get a toe to it and keep it out. Later in the second, Jake Parker had a great opportunity in the slot but he smacked the post with his shot.
“We just didn’t seem to get the bounces,” admitted Cripps.
ORR took advantage of Attleboro’s missed chances to add to its lead. With the Bombardiers pushing forward, Sam Henrie caught the Attleboro defense flatfooted for a breakaway goal that made it 2-0. Two minutes later, the Bulldogs added a third.
Attleboro gave itself a shot at a comeback with 1:07 left in the second. Parker split a pair of ORR defensemen and then beat Cunningham with a backhand over the glove side to make it 3-1. Thanks to an ORR penalty after the buzzer, Attleboro also began the third on the power play.
It was a big lift for the hosts and gave Attleboro hope of staying alive for the postseason.
“It just brought back to Thursday against Taunton when we started the third period two down (and won 6-4),” said Cripps. “Plus we started the period on the power play…although the power play was not working too smoothly.”
The third period featured 10 combined penalties and had almost no flow. Still Attleboro continued to push forward and the Bombardiers had flurries of shots, as the Bulldogs struggled at times to get the puck out of their zone and took unnecessary risks with passes through the middle.
“P.J. all year, he’ll skate the whole last period if we ask him to and some of the freshmen too like Cam Littig and Kyle McCabe skating their butts off to create chances,” said Cripps about his team battling right to the end.
Kelley wrapped up the win for ORR/Fairhaven with 1:26 left when he tacked on a shorthanded, empty net goal that made it 4-1.
Attleboro will close out its season on Monday when it hosts Dighton-Rehoboth/Seekonk.
Josh Perry can be contacted at JoshPerry@hockomocksports.com and followed on Twitter at @Josh_Perry10.
