BRAINTREE, Mass. — It wasn’t pretty, but BC High overcame a slow start to defeat Xaverian, 5-2, in a Catholic Conference tilt on Sunday afternoon at Thayer Sports Center.
The Eagles trailed for much of the first half, but senior Brian Bulger scored a goal late to even the score at the intermission. Junior Aidan McDonnell lit the lamp twice and freshman James Marshall and senior Declan Joyce also found the back of the net in the winning effort. Sophomore Joe DiMartino and junior Max Lockwood scored for the Hawks.
It was a story of two halves. BC High looked disheveled for much of the game’s first 20 minutes. A late goal in the first half gave the Eagles some life. The outcome hung in the balance until the final seven minutes, when BC High struck three times.
There were three majors and several other penalties called throughout the game. Some were warranted and others weren’t. Nonetheless, the game lacked any real flow due to all the special-teams play.
Scoring summary
1-0 XBHS: DiMartino took advantage of a BC High mistake and turned it into a transitional opportunity. The Eagles had a rush of their own but turned it over right inside the attacking blue line. DiMartino picked it up and turned it up ice, blazing down the right wing. He used his speed, skating behind the net and attempting a wraparound as his linemates were driving the net.
1-1 BCH: Bulger capitalized on a brutal turnover by the Xaverian defense. The puck was handed to him and he slid a backhander past Xaverian goaltender Kyle Harvey, who was caught off-guard. The goal tied the score at one with less than a minute to play in the first half.
2-1 BCH: The Eagles struck on the man advantage to take their first lead of the game just two minutes into the second half. After Bulger won the draw, defenseman Paul Terry and Joyce played give-and-go. Terry finally gave it to Joyce in his wheelhouse and he unleashed a one-timer that bounced off a Xaverian defender and into the net.
2-2 XBHS: The Hawks evened the score on the power play with 7:40 left in the second half. With Xaverian moving the puck around the attacking zone, defenseman Nolan Dion sent it down to Jack Silva at the right-wing wall. He threw a wrist shot on net. Lockwood scooped up the rebound and deposited the puck into the back of the cage.
3-2 BCH: McDonnell scored his first of the day with 6:25 left in the game. With a faceoff coming to the goaltender’s right, Ryan Flaherty tied up the draw. McDonnell swooped in from the left-wing position and fired the puck past the Xaverian goaltender.
4-2 BCH: Flaherty won a draw deep in his own zone to defenseman Matt Cox. He slid it up to McDonnell, who chipped it past a defender. He was off to the races up the right-wing wall. He fed to the middle for Marshall, who scored a beauty of a goal just under the crossbar.
5-2 BCH: Cox recovered a puck deep in his own zone with Xaverian pressuring to get back in the game. He moved it up to Bulger, who slid it to McDonnell. The empty net was waiting and McDonnell didn’t miss.
Notable players
James Marshall
BC High, 4/5/06, LW, left shot, 5-8/134
Marshall, from Weymouth, Mass., scored the insurance goal that gave BC High a two-goal lead late in the second half. It was a beauty, snapping a deceptive shot off right under the bar while not breaking stride. He didn’t get as much ice time as he sometimes does, due to all the penalty-kill situations in the game. Still, Marshall’s ability to make plays and finish were on display several times throughout the game.
Ryan Flaherty
BC High, 4/25/05, C, right shot, 6-0/150
While Flaherty had only one assist, he was on the ice and played a key role on the last three BC High goals of the game. The Milton, Mass., native plays in all situations and provides a spark up the middle in the top six. Much like the rest of his team, it was a slow start to the game for Flaherty. However, he made a significant impact in the second half. In addition to the three BC High goals that he was on the ice for, he helped kill penalties and take defensive-zone draws. Flaherty has good size, skates well and has that edge.
Matt Cox
BC High, 2/4/05, D, left shot, 6-2/195
Cox looked more comfortable and poised in this viewing compared to previous ones with BC High. The Braintree, Mass., native has good size and moved the puck up ice with efficient and simple breakout passes. He picked up two secondary assists on transitional plays for BC High’s fourth and fifth goals.
Troy Huber
BC High, 8/27/05, G, catches left, 6-0/155
Huber probably would like the first goal back, but after that he made several key stops in his first varsity start. The freshman from Framingham, Mass., made a notable kick save and another glove save in the second half when the result was still in doubt.
Joe DiMartino
Xaverian, 5/16/05, RW, right shot, 5-10/150
DiMartino got more ice time, including some on the power play, compared to the first time I saw Xaverian this season. He used his speed on his team’s first goal. In addition to his goal, he drove the net and finished plays hard a few other times.
Jack Silva
Xaverian, 6/14/03, RW, right shot, 6-0/150
Silva didn’t have his best game, but he’s still a player who I like and who potentially could play college hockey someday. He has good size, shoots it from anywhere, and brings it physically.
Aiden Rodriguez
Xaverian, 10/28/03, D, right shot, 6-1/165
Rodriguez was solid and delivered a couple of big hits. A late ’03, he’s one of the better defensive defensemen in Massachusetts high school hockey.
BC High lines
Marshall - Flaherty - McDonnell
Oatway - Bulger - Coughlin
D. Joyce - J. Murphy - N. Murphy
Cox - Terry
Martin - Perniola
C. Joyce
Huber
Xaverian lines
O’Hara - Lockwood - Silva
Fondo - Parrish - Casey
Dunn - Curley - DiMartino
Moynihan - Hart - Crowley
Connolly - Rodriguez
Dion - Spinale
Barton - Heron
Harvey
