CANTON, Mass. — Summer is in the rearview, as fall hockey is officially here.
Another NAHA Labor Day Showcase is in the books after teams from both near and far flocked to Massachusetts to spend the long weekend on the ice. I made it out to the Canton Ice House on Friday to take in the 19U action.
Here are the teams that I saw:
- Anaheim Lady Ducks
- Arizona Kachinas
- Bay State Breakers
- Boston Advantage
- Connecticut Junior Rangers
- Masters Academy International
- Northeast Generals
- Winchendon
Soon enough, we'll be fully into the fall showcases and the NEGHL season ahead of another winter of prep hockey. But before any of that, here are 10 standout forwards from this past weekend. We'll get to standout defenders and goalies in a separate article.
Let's dive in.
Gia Orizotti
Masters Academy International, 11/19/2009, F, right shot, 5-5
Hometown: Vancouver, Wash.
NCAA: Harvard
I'm not exactly breaking any news when I say Orizotti can flat-out rip the puck. Her release was heavy and quick in Masters Academy's win over the Northeast Generals, and she got rewarded with a goal, driving to the net and burying a feed in front after a cycle out high. Orizotti's speed and compete helped her drive play every shift. She got an excellent look before her goal when she stripped the puck from the defender and went for a wraparound bid. Orizotti had six points (three goals) in five games on the weekend.
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Zoe Dix
Masters Academy International, 8/24/2009, F, left shot, 5-4
Hometown: Sandusky, OH
Dix was excellent in MAI's win over the Generals, scoring a pair of goals. She could've had a third, too. Her first goal came on a drive to the far post, burying it after a dominant attacking zone shift for her line. Later, she buried a quick release off the rush. She made a hell of a read later on, intercepting a stretch pass up the middle and walking in alone for a dangerous chance, but she couldn't break through for the hat trick. Dix finished with four points (two goals) in five games.
Avah Mikos
Northeast Generals/Kent, 2009, F, right shot, 5-10
Hometown: Oak Bluffs, Mass.
Mikos fared well in battles with her size, and she scored the lone goal for the Generals in their loss to Winchendon. She hustled to fill the lane up the middle as MAI regrouped, and she took full advantage of a giveaway right to her, walking in alone and burying a short-side wrister.
Neely Palsic
Winchendon, 09/2009, F, right shot
Hometown: Broomfield, Colo.
Palsic was everywhere for Winchendon in a nail-biter over the Connecticut Junior Rangers, and her goal was the difference. She scored a beauty in the first. After good support in the defensive zone, she won the loose puck and sped the other way, cutting toward the right circle and ripping a snipe bar-down. Palsic pushed the pace throughout the game, drawing a trip as she drove to the slot later on. She generated several more quality chances, including late when she stole the puck out high, drove down the right circle and tried to pick the top corner. Palsic had a pair of goals in five games on the weekend.
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Isabelle Li
Winchendon, 4/20/2009, F, right shot
Hometown: Malvern, Pa.
Li created several quality chances for Winchendon by disrupting CJR on the forecheck. She set up a Grade-A look early as the F3 in the high slot, intercepting a pass and slipping a feed to the net for a chance in tight. Later, Li stole the puck again in the slot and quickly swiveled it on net for a tricky shot.
Clara Cary
Bay State Breakers, 4/24/2009, F, right shot, 5-6
Hometown: Danvers, Mass.
Cary was strong as a puck carrier through the neutral zone, and she did a good job setting up her teammates in dangerous areas. She set up Sadie Quatrale for a great look, driving wide off the rush and putting a well-placed shot on net for a rebound that popped right to Quatrale. Later, Cary got a terrific look of her own, driving hard for a loose puck in the slot, and later that shift, she slipped a slick feed to Maealie Glanzer in the slot for another quality chance.
Maealie Glanzer
Bay State Breakers/St. Paul's, Class of 2028, F, right shot
Hometown: Bellingham, Wash.
Glanzer's strength and high compete make her a factor during any shift. That was the case in the Breakers' loss to the Lady Ducks. She had a hell of an effort early, winning a battle coming off the wall and driving to the net off a give-and-go out high. The initial shot didn't get through, but Glanzer dove for the bouncing puck and actually got a lot on it for a great chance on net. Later, she found an open lane in the slot for the feed from Cary for another scoring chance. Glanzer had three goals in five games over the weekend.
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Kourtney David
Boston Advantage/Tilton, Class of 2028, F, left, 5-5
Hometown: South Yarmouth, Mass.
David's quick feet and agility made her slippery and difficult to contain for opposing defenders. She tied the game in the second period as the Advantage came back to win against the Kachinas. David's ability to accelerate and take advantage of open lanes helped her create chances, including one in the third, when she broke through the defense to get in alone. Her forehand-backhand bid wouldn't go. She also caught the post with a wrist shot from the right dot on the power play.
Addison Mendez
Anaheim Lady Ducks, Class of 2027, F, right shot, 5-8
Hometown: Orange, Calif.
Mendez had two assists for the Lady Ducks on Friday. None were better than her first on Elle Delgado's goal. Mendez did it all on the shift, pushing past the defense on a powerful rush for a chance at the left post. She stuck with the play, winning a battle behind the net before another in front off another chance, working the loose puck to Delgado at the far post for the goal. Mendez had four assists in five games.
Brianna Sexton
Connecticut Junior Rangers, Class of 2028, F, right shot, 5-4
Hometown: Fayetteville, AK
Sexton played with pace in CJR's loss to Winchendon, and her ability to hound puck carriers on the forecheck frequently sped things up for Winchendon defenders. She nearly got on the board early when she took advantage of a turnover and drove to the net for a Grade-A look that wouldn't go in. In what became a one-goal loss, it could've set a completely different tone for the game. Later, Sexton had an excellent stick in the defensive zone to prevent a lane to the net and win the puck back.
