CANTON, Mass. – The Catholic Conference showcase brought all six league teams together under one roof on Sunday at the Canton Ice House.
The turnout was stellar with large crowds of fans, college coaches and scouts attending the three games. Xaverian, St. John’s Prep and Catholic Memorial came away with wins while BC High, Malden Catholic and St. John’s Shrewsbury were on the losing end.
The most entertaining game was the first one as Xaverian held on for a 1-0 victory over BC High. In the final two games, it took the favorites a little while to break away from their challengers, but they did so in the end. St. John’s Prep skated to a 5-1 win over Malden Catholic while Catholic Memorial upended St. John’s Shrewsbury 4-1.
Here are the five biggest takeaways.
St. John's Prep, Catholic Memorial stay on top
St. John’s Prep and Catholic Memorial were my two preseason favorites and both teams have lived up to the billing in the first half of the season. Sunday was no different as both teams came away with fairly sizable victories despite not playing their best hockey.
What makes the Eagles and Knights the favorites to be the last team standing on March 19? Both teams have talent, but depth is the defining factor. St. John’s Prep probably has slightly more depth up front while Catholic Memorial might have an edge in high-end talent.
The action Sunday in front of Hockey East coaches and NHL scouts confirmed that St. John’s Prep and Catholic Memorial are the undisputed top two teams in the state.
Size is underrated
The smallest goaltender was the best on Sunday. Xaverian junior Cole Pouliot-Porter (Wrentham, Mass.) stood tall, despite his diminutive size, in shutting out BC High. The transfer from Franklin High School stopped all 36 shots that came his way.
Pouliot-Porter has an unorthodox style, as he’s not exactly quiet in the crease. He’s got quick reflexes and competes to track every puck and cover every loose rebound. Perhaps my favorite thing about Pouliot-Porter isn’t his goaltending ability. It’s the passion and intensity he plays with. He’s not afraid to get into the face of opposing forwards crashing the net. He doesn’t back down from anyone and he plays like every game could be his last.
Don’t count out high school hockey
Sunday’s games epitomized what is still great about MIAA hockey. The crowds were large and players left it all on the line in hopes of winning key league games. High school hockey in Massachusetts is undeniably not what it once was. Players have far more options and prep hockey and academy model teams have scooped up some top prospects who might have competed in the MIAA in years past.
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However, don’t discount high school hockey, especially the Catholic Conference and Middlesex League. I’ve watched a lot of hockey games across the region this year. There are good players, especially younger ones, still donning their school colors and hitting the ice.
In recent weeks, including Sunday, I’ve seen close to a dozen college coaches scouring the rinks during MIAA games. Catholic Memorial sophomore center Tyler Hamilton and teammate Joe Marchi (Foxborough, Mass.), a freshman right wing, are two future Division 1 college hockey players on the Knights’ roster. Malden Catholic sophomore defenseman Nick Evans (Malden, Mass.) and St. John’s Prep right wing Ethan Goodrich (Hampton, N.H.) also possess qualities that could earn them a chance at playing Division 1 college hockey down the road.
The value of buying in
I emphasized the importance of St. John’s Prep players buying into the system a number of times in this space and on other New England Hockey Journal platforms last season. It’s a new season, but it’s a similar refrain.
The next-man-up mentality is one that the New England Patriots lived by during their dynasty. If Kristian Hanson’s Eagles are to make it two in a row come March, it will likely be with a similar philosophy. Sunday was yet another example of that with five different players scoring goals in SJP’s win over Malden Catholic. The team can roll three lines without skipping a beat.
Playing away from the puck
There is not a better 200-foot center in high school hockey than Hamilton, the aforementioned CM sophomore. The late '06 from Framingham, Mass., burst onto the scene last winter but has steadily progressed even more through the fall with the Junior Eagles and this winter.
Hamilton scored a goal in his team’s 4-1 win, but his play away from the puck was just as impressive. He skates well and competes. He backchecks just as hard as he forechecks. His hustle on the backcheck negated a couple of rushes for St. John’s Shrewsbury. He’s the third man high when it’s his responsibility and he plays in all situations.
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His production might not be as elite as I thought it would be heading into the season, but he’s consistently shown he has what it takes to play Division 1 because of his attention to detail and ability to slide up and down the lineup.
