BOSTON — Middlesex opened the scoring early in Wednesday's matchup with Roxbury Latin and never looked back, earning a 6-1 win.
Within the first few minutes, both teams traded goals. First, it was junior forward Jack Francini (Concord, Mass.) getting Middlesex on the board. Then, it was Roxbury Latin freshman Joe Meade (Natick, Mass.) answering, knotting the score, 1-1.
From then on, it was all Middlesex.
Junior defenseman Nolan Marsters (Andover, Mass.) rifled a shot through Roxbury Latin goalie Evan Zhang (Sherborn, Mass.) before the halfway mark of the first period to make it 2-1 Middlesex.
In the second period, Middlesex added to its lead. Marsters tallied another goal on a shot from the top of the circle, while senior forward Tedy O'Keefe (Cohasset, Mass.) one-timed a shot past Zhang, making it 4-1. That goal chased Zhang, as Roxbury Latin head coach Dave Cataruzolo opted for junior Sam DiFiore (Canton, Mass.) in net.
The final frame featured more of the same, as Roxbury Latin struggled to get anything going. Middlesex added two more goals. Francini potted an empty-netter, while O'Keefe scored with under a minute to play, making it 6-1.
Roxbury Latin looked out of sync all night and couldn't contain the dominant Middlesex top line of seniors Bryan Tang and O'Keefe, as well as junior Matt Egan (Waltham, Mass.).
With the win, Middlesex snapped a two-game losing skid, and improved to 6-6-0. Roxbury Latin fell to 6-5-1.
Let's dive into the standouts.
Caio Bernardini
Middlesex, 10/15/2005, G, catches right, 6-1/160Â
Even though the final was 6-1, Bernardini had a strong game. He was at his best in the first period, which was when Roxbury Latin had its most pressure. Roxbury Latin had two straight power plays towards the end of the first frame and had momentum. Time and time again, Bernardini came up big. His best save came when he robbed Roxbury Latin sophomore forward Luke Campanella (Norwood, Mass.) at the far post.
Matt Egan
Middlesex, 9/9/2005, RW, right shot, 6-2/195Â
Egan was the most dominant player on the ice. The junior caused fits for Roxbury Latin in all three zones. While he didn't score a goal, his pressure low in the offensive zone led to both of Marsters' goals. Egan showcased great vision, especially on O'Keefe's first goal. The Waltham, Mass., native had the puck off a turnover and found O'Keefe for the one-timer. There were many times when Egan's playmaking abilities led to scoring chances. He had various chances, too, and he put himself in position to have them by playing with pace and a high compete. His size made it difficult for Roxbury Latin defenders to knock the puck away.
BOYS PREP RANKINGS: Phillips Andover joins the top 10
Nolan Marsters
Middlesex, 1/18/2006, D, right shot, 5-9/175Â
Both of Marsters' goals were ones Zhang would probably like back, but credit to Marsters for getting the puck through. He consistently got shots through from the point. He quarterbacked the power play really well, finding open passing lanes to forwards lower in the zone, as well as knowing when to take a shot on net.
Joe Meade
Roxbury Latin, 12/14/2007, LW, left shotÂ
Meade scored Roxbury Latin's lone goal when he knocked in a rebound off the rush. A freshman, Meade showed flashes of promise. He had good hands in transition and worked well with linemate Jake Novak (Needham, Mass.). Roxbury Latin couldn't get much going on Wednesday, but when they did, Meade was a big part of it.
Jake Novak
Roxbury Latin, 4/29/2006, C, right shot, 5-9/154Â
Without a doubt, Novak was Roxbury Latin's best player. Cataruzolo had him playing in all situations and rightfully so. On the power play, it was Novak entrusted with bringing the puck from deep in his own end through the neutral zone and into Middlesex territory. He has a good first step and his shiftiness and great hands allowed him to evade defenders. He was good up high on the penalty kill, too.
Bryan Tang
Middlesex, 10/27/2004, C, right shot, 5-11/180Â
Tang has a ton of skill. At one point, the Hong Kong native almost pulled off The Michigan. When the puck was on his stick, he was able to find ways into the high-danger areas. He helped create both of O'Keefe's goals. On the first one, Tang's pressure helped force a turnover that led to the goal. Then, on the second, Tang's shot off the rush was stopped, but O'Keefe knocked in the rebound. Tang played with an edge as well.
BEST OF THE BEST: Top performers from the week of Jan. 10-16
Connor Wright
Middlesex, 6/13/2009, D, left shot, 5-8/150Â
Middlesex is a team full of older players, but Wright, an '09 freshman, saw a lot of time. Two things helped Wright in all situations: his fluid skating and his confidence. In the offensive zone, he made smart reads on when to pinch and thwart Roxbury Latin's breakout. He knew when to join the rush, getting a solid chance late in the game. He kept things simple, which is why he makes for a promising prospect for head coach Bobby Jay.
