And then there was one.
A spike in COVID-19 cases around the U.S. and New England region caused the cancellation of several planned post-Christmas prep hockey tournaments, but even with some changes to schedule and teams, Cushing Academy is set to host the Edward G. Watkins Tournament Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 in Ashburnham, Mass.
Casualties of the coronavirus included the Nichols-Belmont Hill and North Yarmouth Academy holiday events both scheduled for Dec. 28-29. The Nobles-St. Sebastian’s New Year’s Showcase Dec. 31 and Jan. 1, along with Tabor Academy’s Joshua H. Weeks Tournament Jan. 3 and 4 were also scrubbed, reminding us all that what we thought was a return to normalcy and a regular schedule is facing new challenges with reaction to the increase in cases.
In the face of the recent cancellation of the 2022 World Junior Championship in Canada, as well as the NHL’s decision to pull out of the Winter Olympic Games in February due to COVID, schools and teams are rolling with the punches. The Watkins tourney, originally scheduled for three days, has now been condensed to two, with changes to participating teams and a reduction from eight schools to six. Playoff games, originally scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 2, have been canceled.
With everything else off the table, here is a closer look at the event, some updated storylines, and key newcomers to follow in two days of competition, the first prep hockey back on ice after the holiday break.
Edward G. Watkins Tournament
Location: Cushing Academy, Ashburnham, Mass.
Dates: Friday, Dec. 31, 2021, and Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022
Participating teams: Brunswick, Cushing, Dexter Southfield, Governor’s, Lawrence, New Hampton
Setting the conditions
Brunswick is off to a 5-2-1 start, and most recently faced Northwood School in the St. Sebastian’s Mutch Cup final. The Bruins are getting the bulk of their offensive pop from a pair of ’05 forwards- Eli Friedman (Yale) and Ridgefield, Conn. native Brendan Giles, riding shotgun with Friedman. A major strength of this team is their back end, led by another duo of quality 16-year-olds in Lucas St. Louis (Old Greenwich, Conn.) and Sloan Farmer (Old Greenwich, Conn.). St. Louis was an early USHL futures draft pick of the Dubuque Fighting Saints and made his junior debut there on an affiliate call-up in November. The Harvard recruit has used his speed, vision and instincts to transport pucks rapidly and is the team’s top scorer at the defense position. Farmer, who went undrafted last May, has been one of the top ’05 defenders in the region during fall play and has carried that over into the prep season. USHL teams won’t make that mistake again in 2022.  In net, New Canaan, Conn.’s Brendan Holahan has been outstanding, playing the bulk of the action thus far and consistently stopping pucks and logging wins.
The host Cushing Penguins are 6-1-1 under first-year head coach Paul Pearl (Winthrop, Mass.) and have a lot of good depth and experience to draw from. Leading scorer Mason Kesselring (Center Barnstead, N.H.) just announced his commitment to UConn, and he’s been prolific and effective in the hot start. While not putting up huge numbers, the next wave of Cushing forwards led by captain Billy Norcross (Lynn, Mass.), Lithuanian import Linas Dedinas and Princeton, Mass., ’05 Ethan Gardula make this team a tough draw, as they transition the puck and counterattack effectively from the top to bottom. Defenseman Cameron Ferraz has impressed with his all-around game and power-play presence. Cushing boasts a formidable 1-2 punch between the pipes, with Jackson Irving (Newbury, Mass.) and Colin Ronan (Saugus, Mass.). Irving is enjoying an early surge, frustrating opponents with technically sound and poised play. With the talent, balance and experienced coaching and roster, Cushing should continue to be among the region’s toughest draws in the prep hockey schedule.
After an uneven 2-2-1 start, Dexter went 3-0 at the Groton/Lawrence holiday tournament, outscoring opponents by a 17-6 margin. Northeastern recruit Grayson Badger (Hyde Park, Mass.) leads the way with Harvard’s Will Hughes (Andover, Mass.), topping the team in points. Like Cushing, there is a lot of added depth and experience up front, as teams that try to negate Dexter’s top forwards face a constant wave of players who can take advantage of lesser matchups to beat you. Dexter’s team speed and ability to counterattack off of turnovers has been impressive. Defensively, they have a fine mix of talented players who bring a little of everything to the table. Sean Keohane (Milton, Mass.) has emerged as one of the region’s better pro defense prospects (eligible for 2023 NHL draft) in securing a commitment to Harvard, but ‘03s Matt Fusco (Westwood, Mass.) and Jake Mullahy (Scituate, Mass.) are a couple of veterans who have more than 50 games of prep experience to draw from, a rarity with the disruption of the coronavirus pandemic. In net, Alex Mickanin (Hopkinton, Mass.) makes things tough for the opposition.
Brian McGuirk’s Governor’s had a tough early-season draw to go against Thayer, Belmont Hill and Milton Academy in three consecutive contests before beating Exeter before the Christmas pause. It won’t get any easier for them, as they face Cushing and Dexter at this event. Captain and senior forward Ian Olenik (Windham, N.H.) is slick and experienced with almost 70 career games under his belt. He’s going to be able to translate his production to junior hockey.  Noah Bird is one of the more consistent workers we’ve seen going back to summer hockey. You always know that the Andover, Mass. native’s motor will rev on high, and he’ll bring a disruptive, two-way presence on the ice. Colorado product Max LaCroix is putting in the effort to give his club a chance every game in net.
Lawrence Academy’s start has been a difficult one, going 0-4 before breaking through against Thayer in the final game of the Groton/Lawrence event to get off the schneid. The team works hard, which gives them a chance to win any given night, but the Spartans must always get a top effort to go with outstanding goaltending to have a shot at pulling off a win. A lack of consistency and depth up front is the biggest challenge for this squad, and although they have some talent, it gets spread thin. Daniel Markevych, Ty Wood (Gloucester, Mass.) and Clarence Beltz have impressed up front and carry the expectations at forward. The defense is a capable group, if not possessive of a lot offensively skilled players who can consistently jump-start the transition game or generate volume scoring chances on the power play.  Goaltending has been a strength. Between Luc Gagnon (Natick, Mass.) and Vincent Lamberti, the duo in net have kept their team in just about every game. As long as they continue to battle and bring that consistent effort, LA is going to present an upset special to anyone they face.
It has been an up-and-down season thus far for New Hampton, but they come into the event having gone 3-0-1 in their last four. This is an older, experienced group of players led by Georgia-born senior Evan Moore and Wisconsin product David Helledy on the back end. Goaltending is a strength, with Colin Androlewicz playing the best hockey of his prep career. The St. Louis native doesn’t have ideal size, but tracks pucks and competes to make saves. He and Mickanin had a solid fall season with the Boston Imperials 18 team and have carried that momentum over to the 2021-22 prep season. Team experience, energy and effort will be integral to carrying them above the .500 mark and beyond against Lawrence and Brunswick this weekend.
Key newcomers
2006
LW Drew DellaSalla, Brunswick; 5-11/150: One of the most skilled ’06 players coming out of New York this year, and is a candidate for the 2022-23 U.S. National Development Team Program. He’s been a playmaker thus far and still looking for his first prep goal, but the talent and hockey IQ has been there in early viewings.
2005
C Daniel Markevych, Lawrence; 5-10/170: He has scored in each of the live viewings of LA games against Belmont Hill and Dexter, and clearly has the offensive skill and upside to be the top center. He sees the ice and distributes pucks well, but has a lightning snap-release, that can get air and velocity on his shots. As a native of Ontario, he missed the entire 2020-21 season due to COVID-19 cancellations, so context is important when looking at the details in his game and the context of playing his first games of prep hockey against older, more physical athletes than he has experience against.
RW Landan Resendes, Cushing; 5-9/150 (Marlborough, Mass.): Always noticeable with the Neponset Valley River Rats and New England Crows in summer hockey for his speed and puck skills, the diminutive winger has moved the needle in his first season of prep. He’s quick, elusive and has a natural knack for setting up and finishing plays around the net. He’ll have to get stronger and show more want to away from the puck, but the hot scoring start is not a surprise.
RW Cam Russo, Governor’s; 6-1/185 (Middleton, Mass.): Intriguing power forward has size, skating and offense when he brings the intensity and works to get to the net. He will be counted on to ease some of the pressure off of Olenik and Bird to provide the lion’s share of the scoring this season.
2004
G Luc Gagnon, Lawrence; 6-0/165 (Natick, Mass.): Cape Cod Whalers product had a rocky summer and fall, but has rebounded at just the right time for the Spartans. He’s battling and confidence is up, as he’s made some athletic saves and appears to be on a mission to prove himself in his first prep season.
2003
D Mick Frechette, Dexter; 6-2/198 (Weston, Mass.): The late ’03 attracted notice in fall play with the Jr. Eagles because of his skating and hard-nosed, throwback defensive play. The transfer from St. Paul’s embraces the physical aspects of the position, and does a nice job of ending plays on the walls or holding his gaps to force opponents away from prime scoring areas. He’s not all that instinctive of a player, but he put himself on the map for NHL draft consideration in his first year of eligibility.
RW Scott Lagos, New Hampton; 5-10/165 (Braintree, Mass.): Former Braintree High standout is playing his first season of prep and providing secondary scoring as he adjusts to the higher level of competition.
