Last Thursday, I traveled to the first night of the Groton/Lawrence Holiday Tournament. Since there were only four days of holiday tournaments and so many of them, I could only see one night of it.
This year's tournament looked a bit different as St. Andrew's College replaced Dexter Southfield. It also looked the same as Holderness won the event for the second straight year.
There were various NHL scouts and Division 1 and 3 college coaches in attendance to watch Holderness, Thayer, St. Andrew's College, Cushing, Groton, Pomfret, Lawrence Academy and Proctor.
Let's dive into some takeaways.
1. Holderness' depth might be its best asset
Holderness had some close calls en route to its tournament championship. After being up 7-1 to Pomfret entering the third period, the Griffins scored four times in the third period to make the Bulls sweat. Holderness trailed Cushing in the third period before tying and winning the game in a shootout.
What carried Holderness was its depth.
Entering the weekend, head coach Alan Thompson's team had yet to rise to the occasion in a big test, as they lost to Tilton, 1-0, on Dec. 13. The Bulls responded by beating Pomfret, Cushing and Thayer. The scoring came from everywhere.
Senior forward Jacob Duval (Andover, Mass.) tallied the most points (5) of anyone on his team during the tournament. But it was senior forward Tanner Petalas tying the game against Cushing. Six different players lit the lamp against Pomfret. In the final, the scoring came from seniors Luka Pazzia and Jeremy Poirier (Salem, N.H.), junior Jack Welby and sophomore Henry Colbert.
Three players are tied for the team lead in points with 11. Four more have 10 points apiece. Senior '07 Brayden Wade, a newcomer who centered one of Holderness' top lines at the tournament, has nine points. Any of Thompson's top three lines can cause problems for the opponent in the offensive zone.
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The Lakes Region is harder than it was last year. Holderness' depth will keep it in the Elite 8 conversation.
2. How is Jeremy Poirier still uncommitted?
College teams want two-way defensemen and Poirier has become an elite two-way defender at the prep level.
When I caught him against Pomfret on Thursday, his elusiveness and shot from the point led directly to postgrad Connor Dozois' (Grafton, Mass.) goal. He showcased a phenomenal stick when it came to defending his own blue line and breaking up odd-man rushes.
This was not a one-time thing.
Poirier, who is an '06, had 20 points last season and was a steady, reliable defender for Thompson. Through eight games this season, he's tied for the team lead in points (11). He's tied for third in the region among defensemen. At 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, he certainly has the size to be considered a Division 1 prospect.
3. Matthew Itzkovitz was vital for Pomfret
On Thursday, Itzkovitz tallied a really nice goal off a one-timer with a great, accurate shot. Itzkovitz finished the tournament with two goals and five points. He leads his team with 14 points in nine games.
He was able to generate speed quickly. When his team needed offense, it was Itzkovitz often driving play and gaining the offensive blue line. He was able to get creative in the offensive zone, too. The '06 is from Westmount, Quebec.
4. Michael Federico and Thayer are off to a hot start
When I watched Thayer take on Proctor Thursday night, it was impossible to miss Federico. His first goal was a terrific use of his body to get to the net front and snipe one over the netminder's blocker. The second came from a one-timer off a 2-on-1 in the third period. The '08 sophomore plays a composed game and knows how to get to scoring areas. That's been evident this season, as he ranks second on his team in points with seven.
Like Federico, Thayer has broken out.
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After an 8-4 loss to St. George's in their first game of the season, the Tigers rattled off wins against Governor's Academy, Rivers, Winchendon, Proctor and St. Andrew's College. The only losses came to Andover, 3-2, and Holderness, 4-0. The most impressive win was taking down St. Andrew's College, which is a team full of Division 1 commits.
If this keeps up, head coach David Hymovitz's team should contend for the postseason.
5. Wes DiModica is settling in nicely for Groton
As I just mentioned, St. Andrew's College is full of Division 1 prospects. So, when it went up against Groton on Thursday night, most were expecting a blowout. St. Andrew's College even pressed hard in the first period, getting numerous good chances.
But DiModica stood tall in net.
Quinnipiac commit and SAC forward Lucas Prud'homme got a breakaway, but was denied. Later in the period, DiModica used his feet to push out and cut down the angle on a Jake DiCapo shot from in tight. DiModica tracked pucks so well and had a great glove. He finished the game having only allowed two goals. In his second start in the tournament, he made 30 saves to beat Pomfret, 5-3.
DiModica spent the last two seasons at Worcester Academy with iffy numbers. But the junior seems to finally be hitting his stride at Groton with a 2.68 goals-against average and an .899 save percentage.
6. Proctor's Colby Jewell and Axel Black showed well
When I watched Proctor on Thursday, I was impressed by Jewell and Black.
Jewell was a reliable center for head coach Mike Walsh. He had such a high compete and was tough for Thayer to handle when he was killing penalties. I liked how hard he forechecked Thayer and as the Tigers tried to break out on the power play. He also showcased great hands. He ranks second on the team in points with seven.
Black scored Thursday night by getting to the front of the net and tipping in a shot from junior defenseman Edouard Belval-Tourmel. He had a great sequence in the second period when he backchecked hard, broke up a play and transitioned the puck the other way — all while drawing a penalty. He has five points in eight games so far.
7. Joseph Covelluzzi, an '09, has started strong for Cushing
I was talking with a Cushing alum earlier this week. He mentioned there being an '09 who thoroughly impressed him recently. Chase Warsofsky has been injured, so he was talking about Covelluzzi.
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Here's the thing: I didn't see Cushing play at the tournament, so I can't offer much in terms of why Covelluzzi has been so good. But the '09 has five goals and nine points in nine games. This is massive for the Penguins — both for the short-term and long-term.
In the here and now, Cushing needed new forwards to step up. Seniors Max Dineen (Brentwood, N.H.) and Alex Gomes (Ludlow, Mass.) have done that. But to get these kinds of dividends from a sophomore is encouraging for head coach Ryan Bourque.
Covelluzzi producing this quickly is also key for future seasons. Cushing wanted to bring in players who wouldn't be one-and-done. Covelluzzi projects as a player who gets better every year in prep and stays for his junior and senior seasons. Obviously, a lot can change; projecting is a dangerous game. But Bourque should be able to pencil Covelluzzi in as a core piece for a long time.
