03/19/2023

Canton Can’t Overcome Tough Start in Finals Defeat

Canton girls hockey — Canton plays celebrate Audrey Koen’s third period power play goal against Duxbury. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

BOSTON, Mass. – Even when you’ve played at the TD Garden before, the experience of skating on the biggest stage with the chance to win a state championship can be daunting. In the first period of Sunday morning’s Div. 2 final, Canton (19-3-4) struggled to find its footing against No. 2 seed Duxbury.

The Dragons were flying from the start, held Canton to just one shot on goal in the first, and jumped out to a two-goal lead. Despite twice battling back within one, the Bulldogs were never able to overcome that tough start to the game. Duxbury skated to a 5-2 victory and its first state title since 2014.

It was the fifth state final appearance for the Bulldogs in the past seven seasons, but Canton is still looking for that first win at the TD Garden.

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“The nerves and the stage and they did to us what we wanted to do to them, just get a consistent flow, heavy forecheck, over the red line, and get it deep and we were just struggling to do that,” said Canton coach Nikki Petrich about her team’s difficulties in the opening period.

She added, “They’re nervous too, but they’re applying more pressure. So, once we started to relax a little bit, as you saw in the second period, and really get into our game plan we had several scoring opportunities.”

Duxbury wasted no time creating chances. Samantha Norton circled the net and teed up Addyson Harrington for a quick shot that hit the outside of the post. Izzy Cusack worked hard on the forecheck to earn Canton a scoring opportunity, but Devan Spinale’s shot from the point went wide on the blocker side.

Zoey Madigan then fired a pass to Megan Carney for a chance from close range and Maya Battista had to be in the right spot to block. Seconds later, the Dragons went on the first power play. It took only eight seconds for them to convert. Madeleine Greenwood’s slap shot from the edge of the right wing circle snuck through a crowd and past Carolyn Durand’s pad.

Play continued to be almost exclusively in the Canton zone. Carney forced a blocker save from Durand, who then had to react quickly to smother the rebound attempt from Harrington.

With 1:43 left in the first, Duxbury doubled the lead on a stellar solo goal. McKenna Colella picked up the puck behind her own net, skated the length of the ice weaving through Canton players, and then slipped a backhand shot under the pads of Durand to make it 2-0.

Canton came out with more energy to start the second, although Colella nearly added a third after forcing a turnover, but she flicked her shot wide. Ellie Bohane worked hard to force a turnover on the other end and had a good look blocked by Lucia Rose.

Midway through the period, Canton got back into the game. Tori Carr collected the puck at the right point and fired a shot through bodies in front and past Duxbury goalie Anna McGinty.

“That’s kind of been the beauty of our postseason run,” Petrich said about Carr providing the score. “We’ve had several different scorers every single game and that’s what we really needed. It was great that she scored that goal to really get us going.”

The goal was a momentum builder for the Bulldogs, who were inches away from tying the game. On the power play, Kayleigh Koen shot one from the high slot that just missed the stick of her sister Audrey, who was stationed on the post. Battista got room in the right wing circle for a wrister, but put it just wide.

Cusack would get the best chances of the period when she connected with a pass across the crease from Audrey Koen, but could only tip it wide. Seconds later, they tried it again and this time it was on target only for McGinty to flash a pad and keep it out.

The save turned out to be huge because Duxbury would add a third against the run of play. Colella fired a shot from the point and Greenwood was able to get a telling touch to lift it over Durand with a minute left in the period.

Petrich explained, “When another team is doing what we want to do and you can’t get your shots through, they’re incredible with blocking shots, and it was just another kind of punch in the face. Every time we were able to punch, they were able to punch us back twice as hard.”

Although the swallowed up any of the momentum that the Bulldogs had built in the second period, Canton continued to push in the third to try and get back into the contest. Durand (11 saves) was called into action again early in the period, stopping a backhand try from Harrington.

Kayleigh Koen had a shot from the point stopped by McGinty (10 saves) and the rebound popped out to fellow freshman defenseman Georgia Campbell. She fired the puck back on net but classmate Abby Stock’s tip was wide.

The chance to make it a game was presented with six minutes to go when the Bulldogs went on the power play. Canton took the chance. Cusack got it started with a good forecheck on the side of the net, winning possession and dropping a pass back to Battista, who was pinching in from the right point. The senior threaded the needle with an angled pass to the back post and Audrey Koen was in right spot to tap in.

It was game on again with 5:19 to play, but it was Duxbury that responded better. Durand had to stay strong to deny a point-blank tip from Greenwood, but the Dragons just kept coming. Carney set up Harrington in the slot for a one-timer that made it 4-2 with 2:30 to go. Just a minute later, Greenwood nearly completed her hat trick with a power move that Durand stopped only for Parker Metzler to follow up and put the game away.

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“Just a phenomenal feeling,” Petrich said, reflecting on taking Canton to the Garden in her first season in charge. “We got here extremely early and to see the ice, to see no one in the stands and to see their faces, to be able to take those pictures on the bench, and to kind of visualize and understand the moment that they’re in was really, really special.

“I just really enjoyed seeing them. It’s why hockey is so awesome because we get to play here.”

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03/09/2023

Canton Exacts Revenge on Algonquin to Return to Final Four

CANTON, Mass. – Although Canton won when the teams faced each other near the end of the regular season, the Bulldogs still remembered how it felt when Algonquin found the back of the net in overtime of the 2022 Div. 2 title game and there was still a desire to fully avenge that loss.

On Thursday night at the Canton Ice House, the Bulldogs got the opportunity for revenge and they took it.

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Behind a stellar performance from senior goalie Carolyn Durand (21 saves) and a pair of goals from freshmen, Canton knocked Algonquin out of the tournament with a 3-0 victory and, in the process, booked a return to the D2 Final Four.

“This game was definitely our revenge game,” said senior Audrey Koen. “This time with the stakes and taking a little piece away from them that they took from us last year, I think everyone had it in their mind that this was our time and we’re the better team. We’ve all come so far and we work so hard together and we’re going to do it for each other.”

Canton got off to a strong start, putting the pressure on the Algonquin defense by getting the puck deep, letting the forecheck get to work, and using the defense to pinch in at the blue line to maintain possession. It led to a 9-4 edge in shots in the first.

The first good chance came after six minutes, when freshman Kayleigh Koen’s shot from the point was tipped in front by Anna Lehan. Algonquin goalie Kaitlin Mathews was able to get a pad on the puck and quickly covered up. It took more than 10 minutes for the Titans to create a quality chance, with Olivia Bower’s shot from the point forcing a late kick save from Durand.

Pressure started to mount in the closing minutes of the first, as Canton had a flurry of chances. Freshman Izzy Cusack won the puck along the right wing boards and fired a wrister that Mathews managed to get a blocker to, with Audrey Koen following up but not getting full purchase on the rebound.

Ellie Bohane forced another blocker save from a tough angle and then, with Canton on the power play, she found herself in the slot with shooting space, but narrowly missed the top corner. With just seconds left in the first, Algonquin nearly stole the lead, as Emily Johns took advantage of a turnover for a shorthanded breakaway, but Durand stood tall to make the stop as the horn sounded.

“Her biggest strength is she’s just cool and ready and willing and wants to win so badly for her teammates that she will do anything to stop that puck,” Canton coach Nikki Petrich said of Durand.

Canton came out strong to start the second. Three minutes in, the Bulldogs finally got the breakthrough. Koen, who had a good shot saved a minute before, created the chance when she circled behind the net and flicked a pass out in front. Cusack was in the slot and managed to not only settle the puck but then chip it up over the goalie to make it 1-0.

“These freshmen are incredible,” said Koen. “They came into this team and they just clicked right away. I think all of these freshmen have stepped right into place. They don’t play like freshman, they play like they’ve been here for three or four years.”

The hosts had some chances to try and double the lead. Bohane sacrificed herself to block a shot in the defensive zone and that gave Lehan the chance to get out into open ice. As the back check reached her, Lehan spun onto her backhand and forced a save out of Mathews.

With six minutes left in the second, Devan Spinale’s shot from the point skidded wide but Bohane chased it down and snapped off a quick shot that went off the goalie’s skates and stayed out.

Algonquin sensed that it needed to step up its work in the offensive zone and had several chances in the final five minutes of the period. The best opportunity fell to Harper Ruderman, but Durand was in perfect position to make the point-blank stop. Maya Battista nearly doubled the Canton lead shortly after when she fired one from the point but Mathews stuck out the blocker and got a piece of it.

There was a different intensity about Algonquin in the third. The defending champs were on the front foot for the first time in the game, with Johns coming closest on a redirection that slid just wide of the bottom corner.

While the visitors were pressing forward in search of an equalizer, Canton struck again. The Bulldogs had several chances in close succession and finally freshman Christina Curran pounced on a loose puck and slammed the rebound just inside the post to give Canton that crucial two-goal cushion.

“Depth is huge and we want to give every girl an opportunity to play,” Petrich said about Curran, the third-line center getting on the board. “To get the experience, you have to have the opportunity. When other girls can step up and provide scoring opportunities, as well as not get scored on, it’s great.”

Petrich also noted that two freshmen scored for the Bulldogs. She added, “The seniors have done an exceptional job off the ice of welcoming the freshmen and making them feel a part of the team, a part of a family. They’re able to really build that chemistry off the ice and translate that on the ice.”

Most of the remainder of the game was played in the Canton zone. Algonquin had three power play opportunities in the third and was playing with the desperation of a team that saw its season on the brink. But, Durand stood in the Titans’ way and the Hockomock League MVP was equal to the task, making 11 saves in the third, including one off the mask from Johns and then again sticking out the blocker to stop a fierce wrister.

“She definitely plays a huge role in why we’re so good,” Koen said about Durand. “We know that she’s going to make the big saves and that we’re going to make the big plays in the offensive zone. I love how we all come together.”

With just 22.5 on the clock, Koen got free at the blue line, skated the length of the ice, and deposited an empty net goal that finished off the Titans and sent the Bulldogs to the next round.

“It was incredible,” Koen said about scoring the final goal. “I was just trying not to miss. I just wanted to make sure that it went in and just being able to feel that feeling and know that we’re putting it away was awesome.”

Canton (18-2-4) will face top seed Archbishop Williams, who the Bulldogs also beat in the regular season, on Saturday evening at Gallo Ice Arena.

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03/02/202303/02/2023

Canton Starts Playoff Run By Beating Westwood

CANTON, Mass. – When the current crop of Canton seniors were freshmen, they were part of a tournament run that ended with a berth in the final and being named the Div. 2 co-champions. After yet another run to the TD Garden last winter, the program’s third title game in five seasons, the senior class brings plenty of playoff nous to the ice each game.

Of course, adding a new group of talented freshmen ready to step into the spotlight that comes with trying to continue the recent playoff success certainly helps.

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Canton’s blend of senior savvy and youthful energy was on full display on Wednesday night at the Metropolis Rink. With two goals from seniors and two more from freshmen, the Bulldogs beat Westwood 4-1 to reach the Sweet Sixteen.

“They have the experience from playoffs and from the regular season this year,” said Canton coach Nikki Petrich. “Several games we’ve been up [and the other team came back]. It’s a long hockey game. We know we’re going to score, they’re going to score, but it’s who’s going to finish the battle to the end.”

The game could have been a much bigger win, but Westwood goalie Marissa Poma finished with 37 saves, many of them spectacular.

Canton came out flying in the first period, nearly finding the back of the net inside the opening two minutes when freshman Kayleigh Koen slipped a pass across the crease to Izzy Crugnale, only for Poma to somehow stretch and get a pad on the shot. Tori Carr had a shot from the point saved and Poma was able to cover up when Lilah Spinelli crashed the net to get on the rebound.

The breakthrough came on the power play. Senior Maya Battista collected the puck on the right point, picked her spot, and flung a shot towards the far post. Canton had plenty of bodies in front and the puck flew past Poma and inside the post.

“February was tough for us,” said Petrich, referencing Canton’s strong schedule, “but we didn’t start the games as hard, fast, and strong as I wanted us to, so that was the emphasis here starting playoffs was to really get after it, but their goalie just played phenomenal. All the credit to her. I tried to give her a hug because she played phenomenal.”

Westwood finally got going after falling behind, although Canton would finish the first with a 15-4 edge in shots on goal. Four minutes after allowing the opener, the visitors leveled the score. Freshman Livvy Hicks sent a knuckling puck through a crowd and over the shoulder of goalie Carolyn Durand to make it 1-1.

Audrey Koen nearly restored the lead with a nice wraparound attempt on her backhand, but Poma made the save. With less than 30 seconds left in the first, freshman Izzy Cusack stole the puck in the offensive zone and got the puck into the slot to Koen, who partially fanned on the shot but managed to put it on frame only for Ava Krouson to block the shot on the line.

Durand was called into action early in the second, making a nice glove save on a Kate Sullivan effort. Cusack nearly put the Bulldogs in front, but her chipped shot from close range clipped the bar on its way across the net.

With 9:33 to go in the second, Kayleigh Koen scored what turned out to be the game-winner. She pinched in from the blue line, blocking a chip up the boards and keeping possession. Koen pushed up the left wing boards and cut towards goal, forcing a pad stop from Poma. The puck squirted out in front and Koen was able, on the second attempt, to redirect it into the open net.

“No longer a freshman and no stranger to big moments,” Petrich said about Koen. “Big players step up in big moments and that’s what she does for us every time. Her ability to skate with the puck as a defenseman, she’s so offensive-minded but so strong and solid on the blue line you almost don’t expect it.”

Poma continued to excel, keeping Canton from extending the lead on the power play. Battista had another good look from the point and Ellie Bohane pounced on the rebound, but the goalie stuffed the point-blank chance. Battista then tried to follow up with a quick wrister, but Poma recovered in time to glove it.

Canton started the third period on the kill, but it didn’t stop the Bulldogs from continuing to pepper the Westwood goal. Cusack had a good chance almost directly from the face-off, and Poma also had to be alert to stop the rebound as well. Bohane would come close after good work by Audrey Koen down the wing and a nifty behind-the-back-pass into the slot, but the shot went either off Poma’s glove or the post and stayed out.

Another dominant start to a period finally paid off with a goal. Freshman Georgia-Ann Penders, who was injured to start the season, made a perfect pass across the crease to classmate Abby Stock. Stock was able to pick the five-hole and give the Bulldogs a two-goal cushion.

With 4:34 to go, Canton wrapped up the win. This time, it was the seniors who got on the score sheet. Bohane raced out on a two-on-one, drew the defender, and saucered a pass to Koen on her right. Koen ripped a shot into the top corner to book Canton’s place in the next round.

“The message from me is always to play the right way, which is passing the puck,” Petrich explained. “Several times we came out of the corner right here and we missed the net, and it’s a breakout. I said, listen, play hockey the right way, smarter hockey, move the puck. I said, stop playing hero hockey and start playing smarter hockey.”

Canton (16-2-4) will face the winner of No. 13 Milton and No. 20 Framingham on Saturday night at the Canton Ice House. The time is to be determined.

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02/01/202302/02/2023

Canton Beats KP to Secure Fourth Straight Hock Title

FOXBORO, Mass. – Since the Hockomock League introduced girls hockey six years ago, the games have always been competitive but Canton has stood above the others as the team to beat each winter. King Philip went into Wednesday night’s showdown at the Foxboro Sports Center looking to knock Canton off its perch and bring home its first league title in the process.

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Canton’s title-winning experience proved to be too much to overcome. Behind an Audrey Koen hat trick, the Bulldogs pulled out a 5-2 victory, winning their fourth straight Hock championship and fifth in the past six years.

“Experience is everything and unfortunately the only way to get it is to get it and to go through it, so I couldn’t have asked for a better balance,” first-year Canton coach Nikki Petrich said about her roster’s blend of youth and experience.

She continued, “Having a more tenured player maybe working with some of the younger girls and walking them through, you’re going to feel this way, you’re going to feel that way, but remember what we do in practice, remember to listen for our voices. It’s been great to have their leadership and experience because big players step up in big games.”

The Bulldogs outshot KP 11-5 in the opening period (and 36-15 for the game), but each Warriors shot was a quality scoring chance.

Nicole McDonald had the first look when she reacted to a loose puck after a face-off and was stopped from close range by Canton goalie Carolyn Durand. McDonald also forced a turnover in the attacking zone and played a pass across the crease to Katarina Precobb, but Durand somehow got across to the far post to make the point-blank pad stop and keep the game scoreless.

“I was like okay it’s 1-0,” Petrich said, thinking about that moment. “Carolyn makes the save and we go down, and to me it’s always transition hockey, but a huge save like that really lifted our team and the momentum to fight some more. Every single game she makes a save like that and we’re able to get energy from it.”

Kelly Holmes would have another good chance for KP after keeping the puck in at the blue line, but Durand got her blocker to it. On the other end, Tori Carr had one of Canton’s best early chances with a steal in the neutral zone and hard shot that KP goalie Mallory Johnston knocked aside. Abby Stock also had a chance from the high slot that forced a glove save.

Things felt even in the early going, but Canton got the game’s first power play and made sure to take advantage of the opportunity. Maya Battista collected the puck just outside the right wing circle and played a diagonal pass across the zone to the back post. Koen was pinching in from the boards and collected the puck, despite a slight deflection, before roofing a shot over Johnston’s glove side from a tight angle.

With the lead, Canton came out of the intermission full of energy. Koen almost doubled the lead after two minutes when she won the puck on the left wing boards, cut hard towards the net, and forced Johnston into a good save.

About 30 seconds later and the Bulldogs did make it 2-0. Freshman Izzy Cusack had her shot from the slot saved. The rebound kicked out in front of Johnston, who attempted to dive out and cover the loose puck, but Cusack stayed with it and was able to slide it past the goalie. KP argued that the whistle had gone to blow the play dead, but the goal stood.

KP continued to create chances. Mara Boldy slipped a pass between a pair of defenders and Holmes was able to slam the puck towards goal, but Durand got the pads down to make sure of the save.

With 9:10 left in the period, KP was back in the game. Holmes intercepted an outlet pass at the blue line and skated in alone on Durand before flicking a shot into the top corner. About a minute later, Canton was back in control. Koen flew down the right wing and rifled a shot just under the bar to make it 3-1 and steal back all the momentum from the hosts.

“I always tell them hockey ebbs and flows like life,” Petrich explained. “I don’t like to say we need another goal, it’s always one shot. To me, when you say a goal, it’s so much pressure. Never get too low, never get too high, so when you come out next shift clear your mind, clear your head, and go after it. For her to score that fast, I couldn’t have written it better.”

The goal sparked the Bulldogs back into life and they dominated the rest of the period, creating a 14-5 edge in shots on goal. Ellie Bohane had a good two tries to extend the lead when she drove towards goal and forced Johnston into a stop and then fired the rebound on net only for the KP goalie to flash a pad out and make the save.

Canton opened up a three-goal cushion with 3:46 left in the second. Anna Lehan came from the right wing and attempted a wrap around that was saved, but the loose puck came right out into the middle where Stock was charging towards goal and the freshman buried the chance.

KP’s hopes of a comeback in the third period were blunted by starting on the penalty kill and Canton wasted no time putting the game away. Koen completed her hat trick just 13 seconds in, whipping a wrister into the bottom left corner and making it 5-1.

The next several minutes were played almost exclusively in the KP zone. The Warriors finally got some chances down the other end of the ice with less than five minutes to play. While falling down, Holmes was able to slide a pass across the crease to McDonald, but Durand made the save. About 30 seconds later, Holmes again drove towards goal and got the puck in front and this time McDonald was able to squeeze it home.

Canton finished with a flourish, getting scoring chances from Cusack and Kayleigh Koen, but the work had already been done. The Bulldogs swarmed Durand at the final horn, having retained their Hock title once again.

“That was more pressure on me, I couldn’t let them down,” Petrich joked when asked about how it felt to bring home a fourth title in a row. “It feels amazing to accomplish that with them in our first year. As I’ve said all year, we’re continually learning from each other. The girls that have been here on the team who know the players and the teams and (assistant coach) Kevin [Cleary] and I and our knowledge of hockey and the teams we’ve played. It’s coming together.”

Canton (11-2-2) will be off until Monday when it faces Archbishop Williams, currently the top-ranked team in Div. 2, and then follows that with a trip to Duxbury, the No. 2-ranked team in the division. King Philip (7-9) will host Arlington Catholic on Monday night.

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12/15/2022

Girls Hockey: Players to Watch in 2022-2023

2022-2023 Girls Hockey Players to Watch Maya Battista — Canton senior Maya Battista will one of the players to keep an eye on during the winter season. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

By HockomockSports.com Staff

Player are listed alphabetically

2022-2023 Girls Hockey Players to Watch

Ava Adams, Senior – Hockomock Stars

The Mansfield/Oliver Ames/Foxboro co-op only had a handful of skaters set to return this year, so the Warriors have added in players from all around the league to become the Hockomock Stars. On top of the two original teams and its third member Foxboro, the team also has players from Attleboro, Milford, North Attleboro, and Taunton, and now go by Hockomock Stars. One of the returning skaters back is Mansfield’s Ava Adams, who is also a standout lacrosse player for the Hornets. Adams is coming off a solid season a year ago, scoring four goals. Her experience playing at the varsity level as the Stars look to build some chemistry in the attack.

2022-2023 Girls Hockey Players to Watch

Maya Battista, Senior – Canton

When Battista joined the Bulldogs four years ago, she was a stay-at-home defender who was always in the right spots, cutting out opposition attacks at the blue line or funneling everything to the corners. Battista has grown into a three-zone player, still just as capable a defender, she is now also providing more offensive punch. Her aggressiveness and confidence carrying the puck out of the zone allows Canton to turn any opposition attack into a transition opportunity going the other way. Deadly on the power play, Battista has a strong, accurate shot from the blue line and great vision to pick out the right pass to create a scoring chance for a teammate. Coming off a season where she scored seven times and had eight assists, Battista looks ready to be one of the top defensive players in Div. 2. Canton remains the team to beat in the Hockomock League and Battista’s leadership, physicality, and skills are one of the main reasons why.

Ava Buckley, Senior – Stoughton/Sharon

Stoughton/Sharon remains a young program that is still building a foundation for success, but even with low numbers at this stage in the team’s development, the Black Knights have a college-level talent. Buckley, who is committed to skate at Assumption College next year, is a versatile talent, who can play at either forward or defense for the Black Knights. The team’s top attacking threat, Buckley has the stick skills to find seams in opposition defenses to open space for a scoring chance for herself or for her teammates. Her strength makes it hard to dislodge the puck when she carries into the zone, even as teams send multiple players to try and win it back. On a team with only 14 players on the roster, some who are still learning the game, Buckley gives the Black Knights a ready and willing outlet for the puck, never seems to dip with her energy level, and is a much-needed leader on the ice. Stoughton/Sharon has been competitive in its independent schedule the past couple of seasons and Buckley is one of the reasons for that success, giving the Black Knights a dynamic player to rely on each game.

2022-2023 Girls Hockey Players to Watch

Shaw Downing, Senior – Franklin

Franklin’s quest for a second league title will rely a lot on Downing continuing to be one of the top players in the Hock. The senior defenseman is a three-zone standout for the Panthers, chasing the puck into the defensive zone and carrying it the length of the ice to create chances down the other end. With the stick skills of a forward, Downing can skate her way through traffic to turn any situation into a breakout, but she also has the tenacity to battle behind her own net and the physicality to keep the opposition on the perimeter. A vocal leader for a relatively young team, Downing scored three times and added nine assists last season. Her accurate passing from the defensive zone allowed Franklin’s quick forwards to leak out without worrying about turnovers and created numerous transition opportunities. Downing has a good shot to be a weapon on the power play and her reliability makes her a constant on the penalty kill. With her seemingly endless energy, Downing carries big minutes for the Panthers and that remains the expectation this winter, as the Panthers lean on her experience and skills to try and unseat Canton at the top of the league standings.

Carolyn Durand, Senior – Canton

For the past three seasons, Durand has been the backstop for one of the best defensive teams in the state. Canton has reached a pair of state title games during that stretch, including last March, and Durand has been at the heart of it all, developing into an elite shot-stopper. After allowing only 39 goals in 25 games last year and saving more than 94 percent of the shots she faced, Durand is back for her fourth year as the Bulldogs starter and is playing as well as ever. Always well-positioned, Durand rarely has to make the flashy saves, although she also has the quick glove and athleticism to recover for big stops when the forward does get a step on her. Durand sees the puck well, is aggressive in the crease, and maintains good balance to give forwards few openings to shoot at. Having Durand in goal is a huge confidence boost for the Canton defensemen, knowing that they can take some chances in the zone and it will still likely not end up in a goal, one of the reasons the Bulldogs remain a threat to get back to the Garden this season.

2022-2023 Girls Hockey Players to Watch

Julia Flynn, Sophomore – Franklin

Flynn had an impressive debut season for the Panthers. As a freshman, she led the team with 12 goals and seven assists, finishing in the top 10 in the league in scoring. A powerful skater, Flynn had no problem matching the physicality of varsity hockey, driving at defenses time and again to create scoring chances. Strong and skillful, the opposition struggled to get the puck off her stick all season, and she kept teams on their heels with her aggressiveness in the attacking zone. Flynn always seemed to be driving right at goal, forcing teams to keep a constant eye on where she was on the ice. Combining a strong shot with good vision and the ability to pick the right pass, when Flynn was able to pick up speed entering the zone then it was very likely the rush would end with a scoring chance. Franklin will be looking to get back on top and win a second Hockomock League crown and Flynn’s development as an all-around forward will be a key component of that title challenge.

2022-2023 Girls Hockey Players to Watch

Kelly Holmes, Junior – King Philip

King Philip scored goals for fun last year and Holmes was right at the heart of all that the Warriors were able to accomplish offensively. The leading scorer in the league, Holmes had 22 goals and 25 assists as a sophomore and powered one of the state’s top forward lines. A skillful forward with the ability to dance through crowded spaces, Holmes can track the puck into her defensive zone and with a quick burst can turn it into a chance down the other end. Strong and athletic, Holmes always seems unfazed even as teams throw multiple defenders at her and she helps the team regardless of the situation, whether it’s on the power play or the penalty kill, chasing a goal, or trying to hold onto a lead. Holmes has infectious energy on the ice, never seeming to slow down even as it gets late into the third period, and that was one of the reasons for KP putting together an 18-win season. The Warriors have a young lineup this season, as they try to become the third team to claim a Hockomock title, but Holmes gives them a leader on the ice and one of the most talented scorers in the area to try and build the team around.

Mallory Johnston, Senior – King Philip

While the KP attack understandably drew a lot of the attention last year, Johnston also put together an impressive season in goal to help the Warriors get to 18 wins. The Warriors allowed 41 goals in 23 games last year and Johnston was busy, making more than 400 saves and stopping nearly 93 percent of the shots she faced. Her quickness and athleticism stood out, as she seemed capable of pulling off stunning saves when it looked for sure like she was beaten. Johnston reads the play well to get into the right positions, something that she has developed as a three-year starter, and she is aggressive in the crease to try and cut down shooting angles. Her quick reflexes make her tough to beat up high and she moves well laterally, going side-to-side to make big saves. Confidence is an important trait for a defense to have and, with Johnston back between the pipes, the KP blue line knows that it can count on its goalie to come up with the big stops, which will be critical for a young Warriors team seeking a first league title.

Audrey Koen, Senior – Canton

Canton has long been a defense-focused team. Stopping opposition attacks has been at the core of why the Bulldogs have consistently been among the top teams in the state, but Koen and the forward line deserve some credit for that success as well. The team’s leading goal scorer last year, Koen had 12 goals and eight assists, as Canton returned to the state title game. Quick and strong on the puck, Koen is dangerous when she can get a full head of steam. Her skills allow her to weave through the opposition, but she can also take contact and find a way to get the puck on net. Koen also seems to come up with big moments in the clutch, finding important goals when the team needs one most. Like all Canton’s forwards, Koen is expected to provide two-way support, starting with an aggressive forecheck and continuing back into the defensive zone. Canton’s goal of returning to the TD Garden requires the offense to find the back of the net and Koen has emerged as the top offensive threat for the defending league champs.

2022-2023 Girls Hockey Players to Watch

Mya Waryas, Senior – Hockomock Stars

Foxboro senior Mya Waryas has established herself as a top player for the Warriors’ field hockey and lacrosse teams, finishing inside the top five in scoring for both sports in the preview seasons. Now she will be looking to carry that success over to the ice and the Hockomock Stars, who took on a new name after adding players from four more league schools: Attleboro, Milford, North Attleboro, and Taunton. With a lot of last year’s offense gone to graduation, Waryas will have an increased role for the Stars. She had three goals and two assists last season and will be a key piece for the Stars’ offense this year.

12/12/202212/12/2022

2022-2023 Hockomock Girls Hockey Preview

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2022-2023 Hockomock Girls Hockey Preview

Canton

2021-2022 Record: 18-7-0
2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Final
Coach: Nikki Petrich
Canton has won four of the five Hockomock titles since league play began, including three in a row, and last winter the Bulldogs went to their fourth state title game in the past six seasons. It was an incredible stretch of success under Dennis Aldrich, who stepped down in the off-season, and the Bulldogs don’t look ready to slow down anytime soon. First-year coach Nikki Petrich, a former Northeastern University standout, comes to Canton after being an associate head coach for Austin Prep, helping them win a pair of Div. 1 state titles, and she has an experienced roster aiming for another trip to the Garden in March.

The Bulldogs can count on plenty of senior leadership this winter, starting up front with forwards Audrey Koen and Ellie Bohane. Koen is the team’s top returning scorer with 12 goals and eight assists last year and will be a focal point in the attack. Juniors Maggie Dailey, Lilah Spinelli, and Anna Lehan also contributed important minutes and important goals during last year’s playoff run and could be ready to step into bigger roles this season. As always, Canton can reload with talented underclassmen and freshmen Christina Curran, Abby Stock, and Izzy Cusack could also feature in a deep forward group.

Defense has long been a strength for Canton and it starts in goal with senior Carolyn Durand. The four-year starter has been one of the best shot stoppers in the state since her freshman year and gives the team a strong foundation in its own zone. Senior Maya Battista is another four-year starter and has emerged as a force on the blue line, both with her work in the defensive zone as well as her goals on the other end of the ice. Juniors Tori Carr and Devan Spinale will be back on the blue line with freshmen Kayleigh Koen and Georgia Campbell part of a talented rookie class that could contribute right away.

“We are looking to build off of the success of last year and continue to make sure that every single girl in our program has an incredible experience representing their town, high school, and family,” Petrich said. With a senior captain in net, a senior captain on the blue line, and two senior captains leading the way for your forwards, our team is going to compete every single game. A strong freshman class rounds out what is truly a team with extensive experience playing in meaningful games come the end of February.”

2022-2023 Hockomock Girls Hockey Preview

Franklin

2021-2022 Record: 6-11-4
2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Round of 32
Coach: Mike Lubin
Franklin is the only team other than Canton to have won a Hockomock League title and the Panthers come into the season with a more experienced, and deeper, roster to try and get back on top. Former assistant Mike Lubin has taken over as head coach after the retirement of longtime coach Margie Burke and he has a balanced lineup to work with this winter.

The Panthers will be hoping to be more solid on the defensive end of the ice this season, building on the structure they have created in all three zones. Senior Shaw Downing is a four-year varsity player and a dynamic skater along the blue line, not only being sure on the puck in her own zone but also capable of carrying the play into the attack. Junior Lindsay Dennett continues to improve each season and sophomore goalie Izzy Brown is coming off an impressive rookie campaign between the pipes.

Sophomore Julia Flynn was the team’s leading scorer last year and she is back to power the Franklin offense. Senior Lindsay Atkinson is also back, after missing all of last winter with an injury. Atkinson had a big sophomore season and will be a huge addition to the top line. Senior forwards Dana Stott and Molly Hurley bring two-way strength to the forward line.

“We’re a close group with great leadership and a good mix of young talent,” Lubin said. “We’re all excited to get the season started and build on our strong team chemistry from last year.”

2022-2023 Hockomock Girls Hockey Preview

Hockomock Stars

2021-2022 Record: 3-16-1 (formerly Mansfield/Oliver Ames)
2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 1 Round of 32
Coach: Jamie Mullin
The biggest co-op team in the Hockomock League is getting bigger. The Mansfield/Oliver Ames Warriors, which also featured skaters from Foxboro, now includes players from Attleboro, Milford, North Attleboro, and Taunton and will be going by the name of Hockomock Stars.

Jamie Mullen returns for her second year at the helm of the program and now has some more players to work into her lineup. The Stars lost some key players to graduation, including longtime goalie Jess Widdop and speedy forward Sam Ledin, and also have to replace the production of last year’s leading scorer Kylie O’Keefe (20 points). Leading the offense will be a pair of Mansfield juniors: Cammy Shenteler, fresh off a 7-goal, 9-assist season, and Maeve Anastasia, who totaled 11 points with six goals last year.

North Attleboro has four players in the mix with junior Ava O’Dwyer, sophomore Grace Cabeceiras, and freshmen Brittany Nordbeck and Alana Rice. Attleboro (Emily Davignon, Avery Drainville, McKenzie Sullivan) has three players, Taunton (Hannah Albert, Kendell Scheralis) has two, and Milford has one (Lindsay Casman).

Foxboro’s Mya Waras (five points) and Mansfield’s Ava Adams (five points) will also be key pieces in the attack. Foxboro junior Macy Quinn is back to anchor the blue line for the Stars while Davignon will be between the pipes.

2022-2023 Hockomock Girls Hockey Preview

King Philip

2021-2022 Record: 18-5-0
2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Round of 32
Coach: Ken Assad

King Philip is coming off a really strong year. The Warriors won 18 games last winter but saw the season come to an end in the opening round of the state tournament. KP scored 93 goals in 23 games in 2021-22 but graduated the bulk of one of the state’s top scoring lines, so will need new players to step into bigger roles in search of the program’s first Hock title.

While the top scoring line may look a little different this winter, KP does return its top goal scorer. Junior Kelly Holmes is back to lead the offense and is one of the most dynamic players in the league. Senior Katarina Precobb and junior Nicole McDonald will add more punch to the top line this season. The Warriors will have decent depth in the attacking zone, with senior Sydney Cloutier, junior Rylie Ryan, and freshmen Cam O’Shea and Kate McGann each ready to provide an attacking punch. Eighth graders Tayla McDuff, Rylan McKillop, Ella Morgan, Erin Steck, and Molly Murphy should all get their chance to contribute.

In the defensive zone, KP will have plenty of experience to try and keep other teams out. Seniors Brielle Hearon, Mara Boldy, and Emma Sullivan will all be back on the blue line, providing leadership and physicality to slow down the opposition. Freshmen Lydia Maxwell and Grace Lehan-Allen both saw time as eighth graders and will build on that important year of varsity action. Eighth-grader Calleigh Brady should see time in defense this year. Goalie is another position of strength for the Warriors with senior Mallory Johnston in her third year as a starter and classmate Haley Bright backing her up.

“I never call it a rebuilding year,” said KP coach Ken Assad. “With the returning players and newcomers, I believe with hard work and not taking any nights off we can be in the hunt for the Hockomock title and get into the tournament.”

2022-2023 Hockomock Girls Hockey Preview

Stoughton/Sharon

2021-2022 Record:
2021-2022 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Chad Kelley
Stoughton/Sharon continues to be a young program that is building up its numbers. With only one senior and two juniors in the program, the Black Knights will be focusing on youth and trying to build a foundation for future seasons. After a close loss in the season opener, Stoughton/Sharon continues to find ways to stay competitive even with a smaller roster of just 14 players.

Eighth-grader Sarah Scappaticci from Sharon will be the starting goalie this season. She made 34 stops in the opener against Cambridge and is already showing that she is a skilled player between the pipes. Brockton junior Molly Corvino will be one of the leaders in the defensive zone, along with classmate Samantha Calapai. Both players are solid in their own zone but can push the team into the attack. Stoughton freshman Addison Strunk will also be one of the defenders in the top two pairings.

Stoughton’s Ava Buckley is the lone senior on the team. The Assumption-commit will be the focal point for the Black Knights on the offensive end of the ice. Sharon eighth grader Ella Cummings has a lot of skill on the puck and already opened her varsity account with a goal against Cambridge. Sharon sophomores Peri Rodman and Heather Kelly and Stoughton sophomore Leila Uchani return to the forward lines. Stoughton freshmen Julia Monaghan, Meghan McGowan, Amanda Reid, and Stoughton eighth graders Nya’Lia Lindsey and Julia Henein will give the Black Knights depth up front.

“We are a young team with only one senior and two juniors in our program,” said head coach Chad Kelley. “Ava Buckley and Molly Corvino are our captains for this season. Both Ava and Molly have been tremendous with our young group. They are great examples for others to model.”

03/21/202203/21/2022

Canton Falls In Overtime in Return to D2 Title Game

BOSTON, Mass. – For the first six minutes of overtime in Saturday afternoon’s Div. 2 state title game at the TD Garden, Canton had dominated. The Bulldogs had five shots on goal in the extra period and had a flurry of chances while on the power play, but they couldn’t find the winner.

Algonquin had one chance in OT, but that was all it took for the Titans to end Canton’s reign atop the division.

Sophomore Mallory Farrell raced up the right wing, got a step on the Canton defense, and cut straight towards the goal. She dragged the puck through the crease and just past the stick of Canton goalie Carolyn Durand before depositing the title winner into the open side of the net. The 2-1 come from behind win clinched Algonquin’s first state championship and ended a seven-game postseason win streak for the Bulldogs.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“It came down to a really outstanding power move by Mallory,” Canton coach Dennis Aldrich said. “That was a top-notch move. She had a little more in the tank than our forecheckers anticipated on that, we took our angle, and it was just a little bit off. I’m glad it ended like that, if it had to end against us, a great move like that rather than a trickler or something like that.”

The game started in Canton’s typical style, with the Bulldogs making sure to get the puck deep, aggressively forechecking, and staying compact in the defensive zone. It took the Titans 13 minutes to register their first shot on goal.

Payton McDonough created the first opportunity for Canton, forcing a save with a shot from the slot. Thirty seconds later, Ellie Bohane picked the pocket of an Algonquin defenseman behind the net and played it front to Maggie Dailey, but the shot went just wide. Allie McCabe then went on a long rush from the defensive zone and teed up McDonough for another shot that was stopped by Algonquin’s Lana Pacific.

Canton grabbed the lead after nearly 10 minutes. Maya Battista was able to knock down a puck at the blue line and found tons of space open in front of her. The junior defenseman skated into the slot and then sniped a wrister high to the stick side to make it 1-0.

“She just has a knack of getting pucks through,” Aldrich said of Battista. “That was a really nice shot. I’ve gotten used to seeing that nine or 10 times this year. She does a really good job, she shoots with her head up, she shoots strong, and there was a good screen on that too.”

Algonquin tried to respond and tested Durand with a shot by Lauren O’Malley from the point that was comfortably gloved. McCabe then went on another long rush through all three zones before firing a shot from the right-wing circle that Pacific kicked aside.

Searching for a second goal, Canton continued to put pressure on the Algonquin defense. Tori Carr’s shot forced Pacific into a pad save and Bohane hustled to collect the rebound but the Titans goalie stayed tall to block the backhand effort. McCabe hit Tess Khoury with a long, angled pass that gave the forward to try a slap shot, which was gloved.

The Titans were struggling to get looks at goal but nearly took advantage of a bounce off the boards behind the net to tie the game. A shot ricocheted straight back and into the crease where Alexandria Davies pounced only to have Durand react quickly to smother the shot.

Canton’s best chance of the second came with four minutes left in the period. Battista threw another testing shot on net from the blue line and the rebound fell to Anna Lehan, but she flipped her backhand shot just wide of the top corner. Durand needed to be awake to glove a shot from Farrell in the closing seconds of the period to keep it 1-0.

There were plenty of chances for Canton to give itself a cushion early in the third. McCabe had a shot from the point saved and Algonquin just about managed to clear the rebound before it was squeezed over the line. The puck came out to Devan Spinale and she also forced Pacific into a pad stop. Battista’s shot was tipped in front by Lehan but again the Algonquin goalie was equal to it.

“Especially in the third period, there were a couple of tips and there was one that was tipped off her shoulder,” Aldrich said. “I think both teams are totally tapped out, they left everything out there. It was a great high school hockey game. It was kind of what both coaches anticipated.”

The Titans made Canton pay for not taking its chances. Farrell cut in from the left wing boards, dragging the puck past two Bulldogs before forcing a save with a backhand shot. Durand wasn’t able to secure it and the Bryn Domolky was in the right place to tip it home just before Canton’s defense could clear.

After tying the game, Algonquin had a good stretch where it looked like it might grab the lead. Emily Johns set up Farrell for a one-timer that fizzed wide, Davies got free after a slip at the blue line but sent a shot high, and Durand made a stop on Farrell as she cut across the zone.

With weary legs from the big ice at the Garden, the game was slowing down but Canton had enough in the tank to nearly win the game in regulation. Battista hit Audrey Koen with an angled outlet pass. At first Koen struggled to bring it under control, but she chased after the puck, beat the defense, and flicked a near-post backhander that somehow slipped past the post.

Aldrich said, “It was anyone’s game. I thought we had it in the third. We’ve had a lot of puck luck up to this point and they ended up having a little bit more today.”

Ninety seconds into the overtime, Canton had a power play opportunity, the first for either team in the game. The Bulldogs took advantage of the extra skater to put the pressure on Pacific. Battista had a shot saved from the point, McCabe had another chance in the right wing circle knocked aside, and Carr cut inside from the left wing boards and forced a blocker save with a rising shot.

The power play and the aggressive attack may have just taken that little extra out of the Canton defense and Farrell exploited it, speeding down the wing, and not stopping until she was in the arms of her teammates streaming off the bench.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Canton (18-7-0) was playing in its fourth state title game in the last five seasons (not counting the shortened 2021 season). The Bulldogs saw a trip to the Garden taken away in 2020, had a season halved by the pandemic, have battled with illnesses, and early season injuries, but through it all still managed to be there at the end, playing on the final day.

“A lot of them were young when we were able to last play a tournament game,” Aldrich explained, “but to have them play back in 2020 and not be able to get here, no one on either team had been here before. I was smiling as soon as the whistle went in the Natick game, knowing that the girls were finally going to get experience it.

“It’s always tough, you tell the kids, you’re always going to look at this as like a crash ending but so much that these kids have done to get here to this point is just incredible. They were here and they stuck together.”

03/15/202203/15/2022

Canton Grinds Way Back to the Garden to Defend Title

BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. – The final two minutes of Monday night’s Div. 2 state semifinal at the Gallo Ice Arena felt like an eternity.

Natick pulled its goalie and, with the extra attacker, seemed to have the puck confined to the Canton zone. Shot after shot was thrown towards the front of the net, most finding the way blocked by a green jersey or a well-positioned stick or skate. A few found their way through but ended up hitting a pad or finding their way into Carolyn Durand’s glove.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

With less than 10 seconds remaining, senior Payton McDonough leaned over one last defensive zone face-off. She was able to tie up the puck, eating precious seconds off the clock. When it finally got kicked loose a wild shot sent the puck behind the net long enough for the horn to sound and send the Bulldogs racing off the bench.

Canton’s defense of its Div. 2 state title will continue to the final day of the winter season, as the Bulldogs held on for a 2-1 win over the Redhawks and a return to the TD Garden for an opportunity that the pandemic denied them in 2020.

“I’m just really excited for these girls,” said Canton coach Dennis Aldrich. “Two years ago these seniors were on a team that didn’t get to go to the Garden and we didn’t know if it was going to be in the cards again. You just don’t sell these kids short.”

McDonough said of the final sequence, “Eight seconds is a long time, so it was just pure determination. We’ve come this far, we’re not going to end it here. We were locking onto the girls, just trying to protect Carolyn, make sure she could see the puck.

“I think it’s really awesome what we did two years ago, but it didn’t really seem tangible. We never got to experience it. We really used that as motivation to hold on for that whole third period.”

The game didn’t start well for the Bulldogs, as Natick controlled play for much of the opening period. Tess Khoury, who scored twice in the quarterfinal win over Duxbury, got Canton’s first shot on goal three minutes in but the Bulldogs couldn’t build momentum as they were forced to kill off almost six minutes of Natick power play time.

After the kill, Canton got a boost of energy and went to work on the forecheck. Ellie Bohane and Audrey Koen pinned Natick behind its own net and then forced a turnover. The loose puck fell to Koen, who patiently moved into the slot before firing a shot past the shoulder of Natick goalie Elli Beigel.

It was a goal against the run of play and the Redhawks went right back onto the front foot. A spinning shot from leading scorer Colleen Quirk forced Durand into a pad save and then Bohane raced out to block a slap shot from Hadley Green. In the final minute of the period, Caroline Gates pinched in from the blue line and fired a shot that smacked the outside of the post.

Natick’s momentum carried over into the second and, only a minute into the period, Quirk got loose in the slot and placed a wrist shot high to the blocker side to tie the game.

The goal seemed to wake the Bulldogs up. After being outshot 9-5 in the first, Canton would outshoot Natick 13-3 in the second, creating chance after chance and keeping the Redhawks locked inside their defensive zone.

“It was definitely a wake-up call,” junior defenseman Maya Battista explained. “Natick is a great, aggressive team and we realized that if we didn’t play to our best then we were going to get beat and we came out flying after that and now we’re here.”

Battista was especially active in the attack, moving the puck well and getting shot after shot on target. A rebound from a Battista shot fell to Khoury, who flicked a shot high to the glove side. Beigel made the stop but the puck got loose behind her and Gates had to come through and clear it off the line. McDonough also had a good chance from the edge of the crease that Beigel kicked aside.

Midway through the period, Canton’s pressure turned into the go-ahead goal. Battista again created the opening with a shot from the left point. Anna Lehan was left all alone on the edge of the crease and she pounced on the rebound and buried the close-range chance.

“Something like that happens, they don’t go into a shell,” Aldrich said about his team’s reaction to the game being tied. “They tighten their belts and just go to work. Kids are doing everything they can.”

Canton had a power play and created a flurry of chances but couldn’t extend the lead. That continued into the third, as Bohane forced another turnover in the attacking zone and put a low shot on goal from the left wing circle, but Beigel got a pad to it. Quirk nearly pulled her team level with a great hustle play, racing all the way into her zone on the back check and then carrying the puck the length of the ice before forcing Durand (17 saves) into a good stop.

The Bulldogs nearly put the game away with three minutes to go. Bohane won the puck in the corner and played it out to the point. Devan Spinale angled a shot towards the far post where Lila Spinelli was stationed. Spinelli got a piece of the shot to direct it on goal but Beigel did very well to get a pad across in time to make the save.

“Coach calls us a blue collar team,” said McDonough. “We’re not really flashy, scoring a lot of goals, we’re just making sure we’re all doing our jobs, getting the puck out of the zone, getting the puck in deep, and hopefully getting some shots on net.”

A one-goal lead meant a test of Canton’s nerves over the final few minutes.

Durand snagged a blast from Gates and kept her calm in the tumultuous final seconds. Every player on the ice was throwing themselves in front of shots and even standing a few feet from the play it was difficult at times to see what direction the puck was headed. In the end, it was enough to secure the win and to book a place in the state final.

Aldrich said, “We asked them, what will you do to come out on top? You kind of saw it. Even when we didn’t get the blocks, I was proud of them because we didn’t want it going on net and for the most part it didn’t. I was really proud of how they stuck together.”

“This team is a family and everything we do is centered around being together and playing our best together,” Battista remarked. “It’s a great opportunity to do what we never got to do freshman year. I’m just happy to be back going to the Garden. It’s an exciting time.”

Canton (18-6-0) will take on No. 10 seed Algonquin, which beat No. 11 Medfield in overtime, at the TD Garden on Sunday at a time to be determined.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

03/13/202203/13/2022

Canton Upsets Top Seed Duxbury, Returns to State Semi

DUXBURY, Mass. – Some teams just seem to have that knack for finding a way to grind out a win. Every game is a little bit different, but in the end the result is the same. Canton has definitely developed into one of those teams.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Despite being on the road, despite facing the top seed, and despite having to wait almost an hour after the scheduled face-off for the game to begin, Canton seemed unfazed heading into Saturday night’s Div. 2 quarterfinal against Duxbury at The Bog. After all, the Bulldogs have been here before.

Allie McCabe opened the scoring, Tess Khoury scored twice in the third period (including an empty netter), and Carolyn Durand came through with big saves down the stretch, as Canton earned a 3-0 win. It was the second time that the Bulldogs had beaten (and shutout) the Dragons this season and it seals Canton’s fourth state semifinal appearance in the past five seasons (not counting last winter where there were no playoffs).

“Our girls play so many tight games, it doesn’t really bother them,” said Canton coach Dennis Aldrich. “We expect that’s how it’s going to be because all year it’s been like that. That’s probably why we were a nine-seed, we didn’t beat people by three goals, we beat people by one, but we won.”

When asked about Canton’s ability to find ways to win this time of year, McCabe, who will be going to the third state semifinal of her career, replied, “It’s definitely our teamwork. We’re basically a family, we do everything together. At practice, we sprint a lot, it’s tiring but it helps us. We’re always prepared and I guess we’re always there for each other when we’re nervous. We are always there to help each other out.”

After a lengthy wait to get on the ice, Canton got a power play opportunity just 26 seconds into the game. McCabe had a good look on goal from outside the right wing circle that Duxbury goalie Anna McGinty fought off. McCabe would later make a nice rush up ice and have a shot partially blocked on its way to goal. Those were the only two shots on target for Canton in the first.

Duxbury was hardly peppering the goal on the other end. Right at the end of the power play, Megan Carney came out of the box and got behind the Canton defense for a breakaway, but Durand (16 saves) stayed tall, stayed with the puck, and made the stop. She also came up with a big pad stop late in the period, but Duxbury, which had the lion’s share of zone time, only managed four shots on goal in the first.

The Dragons came out for the second intent on creating more chances and a minute in Ayla Abben forced Durand into a pad save with a shot from the slot. It was one of only three shots the hosts would put on goal in period.

Canton controlled play in the second, turning the tables and putting pressure on Duxbury’s defense. Audrey Koen flipped a clearance up ice from her own blue line that found Payton McDonough coming off the bench, leading to a backhander that McGinty needed to stop. Two minutes later, Ellie Bohane (who scored the OT winner in the previous round) broke into the zone and dropped a pass to Anna Lehane, who’s shot was partially blocked but on target.

A power play opportunity midway through the second helped Canton solidify its control. Maya Battista was floating from the blue line to behind the net and she teed up McDonough for a tip in front that was just wide. The pair combined again seconds later for a shot from the slot and again it was just wide.

The pressure continued and it felt like a goal was coming for the visitors. With 11 seconds remaining on the power play, McCabe, the Hockomock League MVP, got the puck in the high slot and was given time and space to move closer to goal before firing a wrister into the top corner past McGinty to put the Bulldogs in front.

“That was crucial,” McCabe said of getting the first goal. “We beat them last time and we knew we could do it but a bunch of people were like, no it’s just a fluke game, you weren’t supposed to beat them. Once we got that [goal] it was like, okay let’s go, we can keep going.”

If the crowd was stunned to see Duxbury fall behind, then it was about to be floored by what happened next. Just two minutes into the third and with the first shot for either team in the period, Canton doubled its lead. McDonough again proved to be a massive presence in the attacking zone, blocking a clearance on the left wing boards and driving towards net. The puck squirted loose and right to Khoury on the edge of the crease. She roofed her shot and made it 2-0.

“It was awesome,” McCabe said of the second goal. “I was not expecting that. We knew it was going to be a tough game but when we saw that I was like, okay, take a little breath. Obviously there was a lot of time left, but it was awesome.”

Down by two goals, the Dragons found another gear and started to dominate play. Maddie Greenwood had a pair of big chances at the near post that Durand blocked with her pad and then her glove. Flynn Bridgett let loose with a pair of slap shots from the point that found their way through traffic, but both were turned aside by Durand.

Aldrich said, “I’ve heard other coaches talk about their goalie being the best in the state, show me one who is better than her.”

The chances kept coming. Abban raced into the zone on the right wing, cut across the middle and ripped a shot that Durand coolly gloved as it was heading under the bar. Carney had a chance on a two-on-one with three minutes to play but she shot wide of the far post and Greenwood came closest to scoring when her quick-release rocket went off the post, behind Durand, and out the other side.

Canton’s defense, including McCabe, Battista, Tori Carr, and Devan Spinale, was doing what it needed to crowd the middle, not allow chances on the edge of the crease, and clearing pucks out to the neutral zone. With help from the forwards, Canton kept the Dragons at bay.

With the clock winding down, Khoury was able to get the puck past the Duxbury defenseman on the blue line and everyone watched as it meandered down ice and settled into the back of the net. The empty net goal clinched yet another hard-fought playoff victory for the Bulldogs.

“To be able to hold them in two games to zero goals, our girls buy into what we do here,” said Aldrich. “We work hard and it’s paying off. When your best player, Allie McCabe, is leading the team in blocked shots, as a coach it’s a pretty easy thing to bring the other guys along.”

McCabe explained, “We all worked together. Carolyn played awesome, she blocked a ton of shots at the end. Our players blocked shots, we were just there for each other, and helped us get through it.”

Canton (17-6-0) will face No. 5 seed Natick in the semifinal on Monday at Gallo Arena at 7:15. The Bulldogs won each of the last three semifinal appearances and reached the final at the TD Garden.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

03/02/202203/03/2022

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 03/03/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Girls Basketball
Division 1
#20 North Andover, 53 @ #13 Attleboro, 46 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Boys Hockey
Division 1
#33 King Philip, 1 @ #1 St. John’s Prep, 3 – Final

Division 2
#27 Mansfield, 4 @ #6 Walpole, 9 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game.

#25 North Attleboro, 3 @ #8 Newton South, 1 – Final – Junior Mark Ayvazyan scored the game-winning goal with under two minutes to go as the Rocketeers pulled off the upset on the road over Newton South. North led 1-0 just minutes into the game on a goal from Nick Longa. South tied it with a goal in the second, and it stayed tied until the final moments of the game. Nik Kojoian tacked on an empty net goal to ice the win. Sophomore Kyle Gruber had a strong game in net with 26 saves.

Division 3
#26 Taunton, 0 @ #7 Nashoba, 6 – Final

Girls Hockey
Division 2
#24 Watertown, 2 @ #9 Canton, 4 – Final – Canton erased a pair of one-goal deficits in a 4-2 win over visiting Watertown. The Bulldogs fell behind 1-0 after a period on a power play goal before Ellie Bohane tied it up in the second. Maya Battista scored her first of the game in the same period to bring Canton level again at 2-2. Tori Carr put the Bulldogs ahead 3-2 and Battista added her second to make it 4-2. Carolyn Durand played well in net for Canton with 15 saves, including some timely stops.