WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Four of the top 20 teams in MIAA Division 1 took to the frozen tundra at the Olympia Ice Center for the Pope Francis Invitational semifinals on Tuesday evening.
St. Mary’s shut out Central Catholic, 4-0, in the first game before Pope Francis held serve on home ice for an 8-3 win over Belmont in the nightcap. The Spartans and Cardinals were set to meet at 1 p.m. Wednesday in the championship game, with Central Catholic and Belmont battling in the consolation game.
St. Mary’s was buoyed by freshman goaltender Anthony Palmer’s fourth shutout of the season and two goals from senior left wing Brady Bullock. Junior center Benjamin Fry and defenseman Marc Hilton added insurance markers for Mark Lee’s team.
In an unexpected rout of Belmont, junior forwards Jacob Petrin and Mossy Kearney both recorded hat tricks for Pope Francis. Defenseman Zachary Buffone and right wing Wade Wegrzyn also scored for coach Brian Foley’s squad.
Three Takeaways
- Pope Francis showed why it could be a dangerous out come playoff time. Foley’s team possesses two solid lines up front and two productive pairs on defense. The Cardinals will enter the tournament a notch below St. John’s Prep, Catholic Memorial and Hingham, but they’re in the next tier.
- St. Mary’s and Belmont had different results on Tuesday night, but watching both teams reminded me that a lack of depth will hurt them come playoff time. Both teams rely heavily on their first lines and St. Mary’s will need Palmer, a young freshman, to come up big if it is to advance.
- The first game was marred by bad officiating that ruined the flow of the game. High school referees in Massachusetts generally do a much better job letting the boys play, compared to the bantam and midget referees in the region. The two referees in the first game left a sour taste in the mouths of players, coaches, and fans.
Prospect notes
Anthony Palmer
St. Mary’s, 10/28/07, G, catches left, 5-8/140
Palmer was the undisputed best goaltender of the four in Tuesday’s games. Despite the four-goal margin of victory, Palmer played a key role in the outcome. With the game still very much in doubt in the second period, he made a big kick save followed by a flash of the glove during a five-on-three power play for Central Catholic. Palmer showed off his quick reflexes and ability to compete to track pucks in traffic. His size and ability to stop high shots are areas for improvement, but he’s certainly one of the top '07 goaltenders in the region. Palmer is expected to head to prep school at Avon Old Farms for the 2023-24 season.
CJ Watroba
Pope Francis, 2/2/07, LW, left shot, 5-11/168
Watroba created offense by himself and set up teammates throughout the game. His assist on the fifth Pope Francis goal was a thing of beauty. He got in quickly on the forecheck and dished a pass out front to Kearney. He had two other assists in the game. He did a good job coming off the wall with authority. Watroba played the bumper on the top power-play unit. He stood out as one of the top forward prospects in the tournament.
Brady Bullock
St. Mary’s, 2/25/05, RW, left shot, 5-8/165
Bullock scored both goals on transitional plays going down the left wing. He played hard and has that knack for knowing when to cheat the zone and get a jump start on the rush. He did just that on the first and second goals for St. Mary’s. More known for his compete and work ethic, he showed some skill on both goals. The first was a nice backhand finish and the second was a hard wrist shot that ricocheted off the post and into the back of the net.
Aidan Fitzpatrick
St. Mary’s, 2/10/08, C, left shot, 5-11/155
It’s impressive what Fitzpatrick has done this season as an '08. Centering the top line, Fitzpatrick made some plays, including the primary assist on Bullock’s second goal on the first shift of the middle period. He’s smart, competes, and has a good stick. While he’s not the prettiest of skaters, he gets to a lot of pucks and is consistently noticeable.
Zachary Buffone
Pope Francis, 8/25/06, D, left shot, 6-0/155
Buffone is the best-skating defenseman on Pope Francis. He plays in all situations, including as the only defenseman on the first power-play unit. He mans the top of the point on the man advantage. He scored a power play goal on the rush, taking advantage of a bad change by Belmont. Buffone is a young player to watch, especially if he makes the jump to prep school hockey.
Josh Iby
Pope Francis, 12/22/04, C, right shot, 6-0/200
Iby was quiet on the score sheet, but he still had an impact centering the top line and playing the elbow on the power play. He has good size, is strong on his skates, and can bull his way around opposing defenders. Iby is going to spend a postgraduate season at Cushing in 2023-24.
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Max Gagnon
Central Catholic, 4/14/07, LW, right shot, 5-9/140
It was a tough night for the Raiders, but Gagnon showed some flashes. He was fast, hunted pucks, and showed some skill. There was one shift in the third period where he juked a couple of opposing defenders and protected the puck before getting off a chance. Gagnon is the top forward prospect on Central Catholic and is a player who could jump into a prep school lineup in the future.
Jacob Petrin
Pope Francis, 1/1/06, C, right shot, 5-10/180
Petrin scored the first two Pope Francis goals of the game and added an insurance marker to make it 7-2. Two of his goals were on the rush. He was quick going down the right wing and got to the scoring areas around the net.
Mossy Kearney
Pope Francis, 1/1/05, RW, right shot, 5-8/130
Kearney is sometimes lost in the shadows on the top line with Watroba and Iby getting more attention. After standing out to me at the Pete Frates Classic, Kearney played well again Tuesday night. His first two goals were from right above the goalmouth. He tipped home a Watroba shot and then one-timed a pass from the same linemate later in the game. His third goal was somewhat of a fluke, as it was an own goal, but credit him for the tenacious forecheck.
Adam Bauer
Belmont, 2/15/07, C, right shot, 5-11/150
It was a tough night for a Belmont team that has enjoyed plenty of success this season. He had an assist on the second goal, but what impressed me the most was his ability to play a 200-foot game from the center position. He recovered a couple of pucks in his own zone and was engaged in all three zones. Bauer is good on draws, as well.
Peter Grace
Belmont, 3/31/05, D, left shot, 6-2/155
Grace scored Belmont’s first goal, sending a hard wrist shot home from the left point position. The senior has good size, strength and skates well. He’s still a little raw, but I like his physicality and ability to get involved on both sides of the puck. Prep schools should be all over him as a possible postgraduate student for 2023-24.
Keegan Hunt
Central Catholic, 1/16/08, D, right shot, 5-7/145
Hunt plays significant minutes for an '08 defenseman in the MIAA. He was mobile, shifty and made a couple of plays to fake out opposing forecheckers. There are still ways to go for Hunt to become an even more formidable prospect. But, he’s a player to watch as he develops over the coming years.
St. Mary’s lines
Bullock - Fitzpatrick - McGonagle
Calder - Fry - Hall
Ayles - Jacobsen - Thornton
D’Alelio - Nason - Racki
Giardina - Bott
Hilton - Driscoll
Chaisson - Nerich
Palmer
Central Catholic lines
Gagnon - Gray - Godfrey
Jankowski - Duval - Rickenbach
Norris - Pinet - Winship
McCarthy - Wotkowicz - Moore
Furry - Morse
Lane - Hunt
Briley
Pope Francis lines
Watroba - Iby - Kearney
Petkovich - Petrin - R. O’Leary
McGrath - Gokey - Wegrzyn
Fitzgerald - Kenyon - DiMichele
Buffone - Foyle
Russ - Bolduc
S. O’Leary - Shea
Maggi
Belmont lines
Donahue - Bauer - Fici
Mi. Pomer - Ma. Pomer - Kefeyan
Noone - O’Connor - Prenderville
xx - xx - Nortz
Grace - Melanson
Gaziano - Martin
Federico
