GROTON, Mass. — Just 38 seconds into the most anticipated matchup of the Groton/Lawrence Holiday Tournament's first round, Lawrence Academy scored.
Defenseman Shawn Leary (Dorchester, Mass.) jumped into the play and fired one past Cushing goalie Marko Bilic, giving the Spartans — and the home crowd — a boost.
From there, however, it was all Cushing, as the Penguins took down Lawrence Academy, 5-2.
Just a few minutes after Leary's tally, Cushing forward Josh Iby (Monson, Mass.) picked off a misplay with the puck by Lawrence Academy goalie Kolin Belliveau (Andover, Mass.) and fired a shot into the top of the net. Cushing forward Luke Goukler slipped past the Lawrence Academy defense and deposited a breakaway 41 seconds later, giving the Penguins a 2-1 lead.
Tanner Hunt extended Cushing's lead when he grabbed a rebound off a shot from defenseman Tyler Russo (Hamilton, Mass.) and put it around Belliveau, giving the Penguins the 3-1 advantage.
That lead was extended even more halfway through the second period when Goukler had a phenomenal rush that resulted in him zipping through the defense and sniping a shot.
Lawrence Academy responded with one of its own as the second period neared an end, as Leary snuck a shot through a screen and past Bilic on the power play, cutting Cushing's lead to 4-2.
Goukler notched the hat trick with 3:11 to go in the third period when he converted on a 2-on-1 to give the Penguins a 5-2 lead.
Let's dive into some takeaways from the matchup.
1. There were a number of NHL scouts in attendance, which makes sense given Cushing having three players (Bilic, Goukler and Kole Hyles) on NHL Central Scouting's Preliminary Players to Watch List and Lawrence Academy having one in Laz Giardina (Reading, Mass.). Goukler picked quite the night to score a hat trick. All three goals showed off what might be his biggest asset: his speed. He used that, along with his size, to muscle around a defender and get a breakaway for his first goal and convert a 2-on-1 for his third. On his second goal, which was his flashiest, he used that speed, along with his hands and strong shot, to score.
It could very well be a down year for prep players getting picked in the NHL Draft, but the 5-foot-11, 175-pound Merrimack commit made a real case to the scouts at Grant Rink on Thursday. NHL Central Scouting initially gave him a 'C' rating, which is given to a fourth- or fifth-round candidate. The raw ability of Goukler justifies that.
2. Centering Goukler was Hyles, a UNH commit, who also had a good night. The 6-foot, 180-pound Newfields, N.H., native drove play and showcased power off the rush. He showcased a high compete level low in the offensive zone, which is something I didn't notice as much of with him in the fall with the Central Mass. Penguins. Iby, an '04 postgrad, complements the line well. Those three form a line with a very high ceiling and they showed just how much damage they can do on Thursday.
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3. While Cushing doesn't have stars Landan Resendes (Marlboro, Mass.) and Ethan Gardula (Princeton, Mass.) on this year's team, the Penguins do have more depth up front. Emerson Marshall (Gloucester, Mass.) highlights this. Now a senior, his game has improved and his high compete level and smart play-style are big reasons why he entered the tournament tied for the team lead in points (11). AJ Sacco (Middleton, Mass.) is another strong returning senior. Bronson Hunt and Tanner Hunt play every shift like it's their last and have the skill to match. Junior Max Dineen (Brentwood, N.H.) and sophomore Eric Lund (Bridgewater, Mass.), both '06s, are strong depth forwards as well.
4. Leary was Lawrence Academy's best player. The explosive defenseman netted two goals and both came from his assertiveness. He had other chances, too, including a prime one right after he scored the first goal of the game. That confidence was also evident in his ability to step up when defending the rush. He had a really good instance of this late in the second period when it led to a scoring chance the other way — which, of course, he jumped into the rush for. Thursday night showed why he earned a preseason First Team All-ISL Keller nod. I also thought Belliveau had a strong night.
5. Cushing's defense is strong. With players like Russo (a Minnesota State commit), Arizona State commit Ryland Randle, Owen Tatro (Colchester, Vt.), Troy Maldonado, Alexis Boily and Raphael Marcoux, Lawrence Academy had a brutal time trying to get to interior ice. The Penguins' defensive core is smart, physical and they can all move the puck and jump-start the offense.
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6. Cushing's forecheck stifled Lawrence Academy's breakouts all night. Head coach Paul Pearl clearly wants his players to be extremely aggressive and he has the right group of forwards to be able to execute.
7. The big question: Did my opinion on either team change? Not really. Cushing is the No. 1 team in the region right now. The Penguins are deep up front and on defense, they have a high level of talent and an elite goalie in Bilic. They should be hard to knock off. Lawrence Academy has a good group. Head coach Robbie Barker's Spartans are in that next group of teams after the top 10. If we ranked teams 11-20, the Spartans would be somewhere around No. 17.
