ASHBURNHAM, Mass. — Even with depleted rosters, it was good to see six prep school hockey teams charge on and play for two days at the Watkins Tournament at Iorio Arena on Cushing’s campus.
In addition to the hosts, Brunswick, Dexter Southfield, Governor’s, Lawrence, and New Hampton took to the ice for two games each over the New Year’s holiday weekend. Cushing and Governor’s both went 1-0-1, the only teams to skate away without a loss.
A number of NHL scouts and college coaches converged on Iorio Arena to watch the games. The second day of games, Jan. 1, marked the first day that college coaches could legally contact high school sophomores.
Dexter Southfield and Cushing were hit especially hard with players missing, due to strict Covid protocols. While it is unfortunate that these players continue to be burdened with such stringent guidelines and rules, kudos to the six coaching staffs for pushing to get their teams on the ice while many other prep programs are opting out. Cushing head coach Paul Pearl and Director of Hockey Operations Steve Jacobs did a great job putting together the event with all the moving parts. Programs were complete with accurate information and there was a scout room for those in attendance.
One negative was the officiating. It came to a head toward the end of the first game Sunday. With Dexter Southfield trailing Governor’s, 2-1, Danny Donato’s team pulled its goaltender for the extra attacker and was looking for zone entry. An obvious penalty went uncalled and Governor’s scored an empty-net goal. That’s not what is most problematic. Donato showed his displeasure, which resulted in a bench minor for unsportsmanlike conduct. These refs are getting paid a handsome sum for prep games. They are not volunteers. They should be able to take criticism and explain their actions.
The popular sentiment on social media is that everyone should be bowing down to referees as there is a shortage. I’m against abuse of officials, especially from the stands at lower levels. However, when refs are getting paid $100 or more for a prep game where there are college coaches and NHL scouts watching, stay out of the way. Don’t make the game about you. That’s it for my rant on a number of refs across New England being so thin-skinned.
Back to where the focus should be: on the players on the ice. After taking in the action at Iorio Arena on Saturday, here are some takeaways on the teams and players I saw:
Olenik’s speed makes difference
Ian Olenik, an '03 senior center from Windham, N.H., had the assist on the game-winning goal for Governor’s against Dexter Southfield. It came late in the first period when he recovered a puck in his own zone, raced down the left wing and sent out a centering feed to Michael Ranaldi for a score. Olenik’s skating ability is the reason he’s the leading scorer for Brian McGuirk’s team. It’s also why a slew of Division 3 college hockey coaches should be pursuing Olenik.
Sutherland personifies competitive fight
There were a number of players on the ice this weekend that skated better than Dexter Southfield junior left wing Connor Sutherland. However, the West Roxbury, Mass., native is one of those players that coaches love to have on their roster. Sutherland scored a goal in each game to increase his season total to five. Sutherland is strong, heavy on pucks, competes, and earns everything he gets.
The captain steps up
With both of his linemates out this weekend, due to Covid protocols, Boston College commit Billy Norcross carried the load on Saturday. He had three assists as Cushing blanked Lawrence by a score of 3-0. Norcross has the size and skating ability to be a major presence at the prep level. He was really good and helped Carter Wallace, an '05 from Georgia, score his second and third goals of the season.
Starting goaltender Jackson Irving missed the weekend due to Covid protocol. Colin Ronan picked up the shutout against Lawrence. As I mentioned in my recap of the Groton/Lawrence Tournament, a pair of '04 defensemen, Cam Ferraz and Ryan Philbrick are having nice seasons while logging a ton of minutes. Philbrick, from Concord, N.H., scored a goal by going to the net on an odd-man rush to give the Penguins a 3-0 lead.
Markevych shines for Lawrence
There weren’t many bright spots for Lawrence in a 3-0 loss to Cushing. However, one player who kept catching my eye was '05 center Daniel Markevych. The lefty from Mississauga, Ontario, skates well and can make plays. His speed and stick skills are good enough to play in Hockey East. The one area of his game that could use improvement is playing more between the dots, going into high traffic areas, and being harder to knock off pucks. According to reports, he was even better the day before.
Brunswick’s talent prevails
It was point night for Brunswick as the Bruins defeated New Hampton, 8-2, in the final game of the day Saturday. Late '03 left wing Hank Cleaves was very good, scoring two goals. His size and ability to get around the sheet and protect pucks was evident. The Dartmouth commit from Riverside, Conn., continues to make a name for himself over the past four months.
Four uncommitted players shined. Sophomore Drew DellaSalla, an '06 from Rye, N.Y., has the most upside with his skating and skill. The slick winger had two assists. Junior center James Shannon had two snipes and added an assist. The Greenwich, Conn., native makes some big-time plays and competes hard. His skating is the one issue holding him back.
Sophomore Brendan Giles, an '05 from Ridgefield, Conn., had a goal and an assist. The helper was quite nice as he sent out a great feed from below the dots to the slot for an awaiting Shannon. Another Greenwich, Conn., native, '03 senior defenseman John Burdett had a goal and an assist. The goal was in garbage time, but he snapped one under the bar to the delight of his teammates. He’s big, rangy and is tough to get around for opposing forwards. He’s huge, standing 6-foot-7, and there are some drawbacks. However, I think a couple of high-end academic schools such as Brown or Holy Cross ought to give him a shot.
Finding positives for New Hampton
It was a tough 8-2 loss for New Hampton. '03 junior Scotty Lagos, a transfer from Braintree High, had a goal. He competes hard. '03 senior Alex Moeller made some plays and had two assists. '03 senior defenseman David Helledy caught my eye a couple of times with his first touch. Better days are ahead for New Hampton as head coach Connor Gorman is an up and coming young bench boss that prospective prep players should want to play for in the coming years.
