Injuries are an unfortunate part of hockey and for a few prep school teams, their title hopes could hinge on the ailments of key players.
Depth is always important, but it often comes to the forefront when the injury bug hits, especially come playoff time. That has proven to be the case for teams in all three NEPSAC tournaments.
The Stuart/Corkery Elite 8, Martin/Earl Large School and Piatelli/Simmons Small School tournaments begin Wednesday with quarterfinals set for the campus sites of the higher seeds. Semifinals are slated for Saturday again with the higher seed getting home ice advantage. The finals of all three tournaments will be at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, N.H., on Sunday.
Here’s a rundown of the injuries that will impact teams vying for a championship this week.
In the Elite 8, the biggest injury is to Milton Academy senior center Mikka Kelechian, who missed most of February and is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury. From L’lle-Bizard, Quebec, Kelechian scored eight goals and had 18 assists for 26 points in 18 games before his injury.
Paul Cannata’s Mustangs are the No. 3 seed in the Elite 8 and will host Belmont Hill on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. With Kelechian out, Milton will rely heavily on the scoring output of senior center Jacob Pohl and defenseman Mason Chen. The duo are the only remaining Mustangs averaging over a point per game.
TEAM-BY-TEAM BREAKDOWNS: Elite 8 | Small School | Large School
In the Large School tournament, fifth-seeded Tabor will be without senior right wing Jack DesRuisseaux (Manchester, N.H.). The Sacred Heart commit scored 18 goals and had 16 assists in 26 games. He missed the last regular season game and will be out for the playoffs with a shoulder injury. The Seawolves travel to St. Sebastian’s for their quarterfinal matchup at 4:45 p.m.
Also in the Large School, a dark horse team has regained the services of a key defenseman. The eighth-seeded Kent Lions had to endure nearly two months without junior blue liner Alex Bales, a Providence Commit. In seven games since returning, he has a goal and four assists. Dale Reinhardt’s team is set to face Taft at 4:45 p.m. in the quarterfinals.
No team is more impacted by injuries than St. Mark’s, the top seed in the Small School Tournament. The Lions will be without their best forward and defenseman for the remainder of the season. Sophomore center Richard Gallant (Concord, Mass.) and junior defenseman Calvin Beard (Southboro, Mass.) are two of the most productive players at their respective positions in prep hockey. Gallant leads prep hockey in points per game with 1.94, having registered 12 goals and 21 assists in 17 games. Beard is second among prep blue-liners with seven goals and 26 assists in 26 games.
Carl Corazzini’s team will lean on right wing Andrew Gibbons (Wakefield, R.I.) and center James Lyver (Grafton, Mass.) in Gallant’s absence. Gibbons, committed to Air Force, is one of the best leaders in prep school hockey.
