With the MIAA boys hockey tournament now 12 days old, there’s been plenty of chances to see many of the top high school hockey teams in Massachusetts.
There are six teams left in the prestigious Super 8 with two more teams heading towards elimination on Saturday evening.
Four teams will be crowned sectional champions on Sunday with another two more on Monday evening.
Three top seeds remain in the six sectional tournaments in Eastern Mass. Division 3 South has seen the most chaos with the ninth seed and 11th seed slated to play in Sunday’s final.
Here’s a reset of what’s happened so far along with a little of what to expect moving forward as we head towards next Sunday’s championship games at the TD Garden in Boston.
BC High is really good
Having seen four of the eight Super 8 games, along with numerous games during the regular season, it’s obvious that BC High is the best team in the state. It’s really not even close. John Flaherty’s team boasts the top line in the state with the three Kramer brothers, but perhaps more importantly, he can roll three lines and three defensive pairings without feeling the least bit nervous. Senior goaltender Chase Congdon provides a reliable last line of defense.
The two best players in the Super 8 are BC High freshmen
A pair of right-shot defensemen are the best prospects in the Super 8, and likely in all of Massachusetts high school hockey this winter. Chris Romaine ('04) is an elite blue-liner in his age group. While he doesn’t get a lot of ice time, he retrieves pucks and makes a strong first pass. He’s smart and can move pucks north. Declan Loughnane (’03) plays in all situations for the Eagles. He has good offensive instincts and some skill.
Top line leads Pope Francis
The Cardinals have a very good line of their own in seniors Makem Demers, Max Cocchi and Jon Tavella. Demers, the line’s left wing, gets most of the attention. He’s certainly a good skater, can finish, and make plays. He’ll likely join a prep program for a PG year. He’s earning some Atlantic Hockey interest. However, in the team’s win over Hingham, Tavella, the right wing, was a force on the forecheck. He interrupted the Harbormen’s breakout several times, hunted pucks, and started several scoring plays.
Cardinals lack depth of Eagles
While Pope Francis has several good secondary options and a couple of solid defensemen for this level, the team doesn’t have the depth that BC High has. Brian Foley’s best threat for secondary scoring comes in the form of sophomore Brandon Spaulding. He scored a beauty of a goal on Wednesday night, unleashing a wrist shot just below the bar from the top of the left wing circle on a rush.
Never underestimate the Catholic Conference
While Catholic Memorial bowed out in the semifinals of Division 2 South, the other three tournament teams from the Catholic Conference remain in contention for a state championship. Xaverian has a couple of really good lines, led by senior center Josh Barton, who will go to Boston University and play club hockey next year. St. John’s Prep is in Monday night’s Division 1 North final against Winchester after defeating a very good Andover team Thursday. The team is getting strong goaltending from ’04 freshman Jackson Irving. And of course, BC High is on pace to make it a repeat as Super 8 champs.
Franklin lives on
The Panthers were the last team to make it into the Division 1 South tournament. Chris Spillane’s team finished the regular season 8-9-4. However, the team has knocked off Falmouth, Mansfield and Catholic Memorial en route to Sunday’s title game against Duxbury, the top seed after losing in the Super 8 play-in game. It seems like year in and year out, Franklin is there. Credit goes out to Spillane for running such a top notch program.
Dream matchup
Undefeated Canton is one win away from making it to the state championship game in Division 2. The only thing standing in the way of the Bulldogs and the TD Garden is a very good Westwood team. The two teams met earlier in the season with Canton coming away with a 4-0 win, but Westwood is the team many expected to make it to the South final. Senior Ryan Nolte and junior John Hagan are the players to watch for Canton.
Another trip to TD Garden on the line
Boston Latin and Tewksbury will meet in the Division 2 North final. The Wolfpack were the only blemish on Canton’s perfect record, salvaging a 2-2 tie in late February. They are led offensively by junior Sam Hutchinson and senior Frank Linso. For the Redmen of Tewksbury, sophomore William O’Keefe has been the undisputed offensive catalyst. Two overtime wins highlighted Tewksbury’s run to the north final.
Checking in on Division 3
Newton South and Lowell, the top two teams in Division 3 North, will meet Sunday night at Warrior Arena. Ashland and Hopkinton, the ninth and 11th seeds, will clash in Division 3 South. Groton-Dunstable and Wachusett will battle in Division 3 Central while Longmeadow has made it out of Division 3 West. Unlike the top two divisions, there are four sections in Division 3.
Good bloodlines
Sophomore left wing Shane Lachance ('03) was impressive in his team’s 4-2 loss to St. John’s Prep on Thursday night. He was the main reason the Warriors went up 1-0 when he started a play and then drove the net for a teammate’s goal in the first period. His grandfather is legendary Boston University head coach Jack Parker, and his father is Scott Lachance, an amateur scout with the New Jersey Devils and a first-round pick of the New York Islanders in the 1994 NHL Draft.
