Sat. 3/1/14
Saturday March 1, 2014 Prep Semifinals
Elite 8:
Gunnery 5, Berkshire 2
Senior linemates Nathan Sucese and Kevin Darrar, and junior Alec Mehr led Gunnery to a decisive 5-2 win over host Berkshire in the first of two semifinals this afternoon at the Berkshire School.
Just 2:50 into the first period, Darrar, a Holy Cross recruit, carried the puck behind the Berkshire net and backhanded a pass to Sucese in the slot. Sucese had plenty of net to shoot at, and didn’t miss, roofing it to put the visitors up 1-0, much to the happiness of the large, loud, Vuvuzela horn-toting Gunnery cheering section.
That was it for the first period. In the second, Darrar and Sucese linked up again. This time, it was Sucese going behind the net and passing it out front to Darrar, who made it 2-0 at the 4:41 mark.
Berkshire got one back when senior Craig Puffer scored off his own rebound from a scrum in front with exactly 10 minutes left in the second, cutting Berkshire’s lead to 2-1.
Darrar struck again with 4:15 left in the period, skating down the left wing into the zone and beating Berkshire senior goalie George Blinick short side, under his blocker, to make it 3-1.
Less than a minute later, junior Alec Mehr ripped one from the slot to make it 4-1.
Early in the third, Berkshire had a chance to get back into it, as Charlie Corcoran was awarded a penalty shot. Corcoran went to his backhand and tried to lift it over the pads of Gunnery senior goalie Matthew Schneider, but was denied.
Berkshire took a time out with 8:39 left, and a few minutes later were able to cut it to 4-2 when Corcoran tapped the rebound of a point shot by junior D Jimmy McKee out of the air and into the net.
Berkshire head coach Dan Driscoll pulled Blinick for the extra attacker with about five minutes left and Berkshire was able to finally get some sustained pressure. However, Sucese added an empty netter with 2:10 left to account for the final score of 5-2.
Berkshire got behind the eight-ball early in this one -- and Gunnery came out and established a fast pace early. Berkshire, which reached this game with a perfectly-executed quarterfinal win over Thayer, had difficulty establishing their game. Gunnery consistently got to the puck quicker and, once there, won the battles along the wall.
“Our guys played with confidence,” Gunnery coach Chris Baudo said after the game. “We wanted to play our style of game and come out fast. The first time we played Berkshire (back in early December), Corcoran and Puffer scored on a bunch of odd-man rushes so preventing those was something we worked on.”
“I was also happy with our goaltending,” Baudo added. “And I thought the crowd really helped, too.”
Berkshire coach Dan Driscoll said, “We didn’t play our best game and were never able to get a lot going offensively. And when we were undisciplined in the defensive zone, Gunnery took advantage. I think we spent too much time watching the puck.”
“We have 14 seniors and a lot of them have been here for several years, so I feel for them.”
Salisbury 6, Exeter 0
Senior Derek Barach notched a hat trick – one of his goals was short-handed – and added an assist for a four-point night to lead Salisbury to a one-sided 6-0 win over Exeter.
Barach notched his first goal just 12 seconds into the game, and immediately Exeter was put on their heels. The Knights would go on to score twice in each period.
Salisbury outshot Exeter, 35-19. Senior F Evan Smith had three assists, and senior D Will Toffey had two. Mitchell Smith and Matt Muzyka each had single goals. Senior goaltender Mitchell Datz stopped all 19 shots he faced for the shutout.
“Salisbury is an outstanding club,” Exeter head coach Dana Barbin said afterward. “They’re just ______ good.”
“On the PP, it was like their movements were choreographed. The puck movement was damn impressive. And their PK is better than any PK we faced this year.”
“I thought we played nervous and tight,” Barbin added. “When you are down 12 seconds in, and you know the other team is so good, it is very tough.”
On the other side, Salisbury head coach Andrew Will said, “I was pleased with our effort. Scoring on the first shift helps. That set the tone for the way we wanted to play. We wanted to use our speed wide and get bodies and pucks to the net.”
“I thought we did a very good job through the neutral zone, and we limited neutral zone turnovers because we were well aware of their ability to hurt us in transition.”
“I thought our D did an excellent job with their gap control, and I credit Mitchell Datz, as there was a stretch there in the middle of the second when things opened up and he came up with some good saves.”
As for Sunday’s matchup with Gunnery for the 2014 prep championship, Will said, “It should be exciting. You have two teams that are playing some of their best hockey of the year now, two teams that have been able to score and also limit their opponents. (Gunnery) is one of the fastest teams we have faced. We have respect for that and the energy and discipline they play with. We’re excited to face them tomorrow.”
***
Large School Semifinals:
Loomis-Chaffee 2 @ Andover 1
Loomis got a pair of third period goals – from junior D Sean Ross and junior D Alex Esposito -- to overtake host Andover.
Senior Michael Lata scored Andover’s lone goal, in the second.
Junior Nick Desimone (32/33) earned the win, while Andover junior Erik Wurman (33/35) was the hard-luck loser.
St. Paul’s 2, Choate 0
In a neutral site game played at the Groton School, junior goaltender Nathan Colannino stopped all 34 shots he faced to earn the shutout. The win sends St. Paul’s on to the Large School final at Yale on Sunday.
Juniors John Laurito and Connor Sodergren each scored a goal for SPS. Junior Andrew Tucci, who had an excellent season for Choate, stopped 30 of 32 in a losing cause.
***
Small School Semifinals:
@ Kimball Union Academy 4, Brooks 3
Host KUA went up 3-1 on goals by AJ Greer, Chris Shero, and Brendan Riley, but Brooks got right back in it, as Ian Speliotis and Cam Patch scored in the third to tie it at 3-3 before Tyler Bird scored the game-winner at 15:09 of the third.
KUA will face Groton at 2:15 Sunday in the Small School championship game at Yale.
@ Dexter 2, Groton 1
Sophomore Kevin Hock’s shot-handed goal at 1:55 of the third sent Dexter on to Yale, where they will face KUA in Sunday’s small school semifinal.
In the first period, Dexter junior Ryan Donato and Groton sophomore Michael Brown swapped goals.
Senior Pat Fraser (21/22) got the win in net for Dexter, while Groton senior Matt Pompa was strong, allowing just two goals on 40 shots faced.
Mon. 3/3/14
Prep Girls 2013-14 All-Stars
Division I:
First Team
Forwards:
Lexie Laing - Nobles - '14 – Player of the Year
Makenna Newkirk - Pomfret - '15
Caitrin Lonergan - St. Paul's - '16
Defense:
Chelsea Ziadie - Hotchkiss - '14
Kat Pate - Westminster - '14
Goalie:
Katie Burt - BB&N - '14
Second Team
Forwards:
Kenzie Kent - Nobles - '14
Christina Zalewski - Williston - '14
Halle Silva - Tabor - '14
Defense:
Mallory Souliotis - Nobles - '14
Alicia Berry - Williston - '14
Goalie:
Brooke Wolejko - Westminster - '14
Division II:
First Team
Forwards:
Melissa Sheeran - Millbrook - '14 Player of the Year
Maddie Winslow - Middlesex - '14
Melinda Prevost - Vermont Academy - '14
Defense:
Jocelyn Mongillo - The Gunnery - '14
Leah Olsen - Middlesex - '15
Goalie:
Julianne Landry - Thayer - '15
Second Team
Forwards:
Bella Papapetros - Brooks - '14
Lauren Abbenante - Worcester - '14
Rachel Moore - Proctor - '16
Defense:
Rebecca Begley - Middlesex - '15
Meg Lahey - Millbrook - '15
Goalie:
Christina Cleroux - Middlesex - '14
Sun. 3/2/14
2014 Champions: Westminster & Gunnery
Div. I:
Westminster 3, Nobles 0
First period:
W -- Tori DiAngeles (Cat Crawley) 7:37
Second period:
W -- DiAngeles (Kate Pate) 8:48
Third period:
W -- DiAngeles – empty net goal 14:59
MVP -- Westminster goaltender Brooke Wolekjo
Div. II:
Gunnery 4, Brooks 3 (OT)
First period:
G -- Kayla Meneghin (Sarah Hughson) 0:30
B -- Bella Papapetros (Danielle Doherty, Rachel Ulian) 5:12
B -- Papapetros (Doherty) 8:43
B -- Doherty (Papapetros) PPG 13:39
Second period:
G -- Katlyn Paiva (Amanda Sabia) PPG 3:12
Third period:
G -- Haley Lunny (Sabia, Meneghin) 12:26
2nd OT
G -- Paiva (unassisted) 11:22
Sun. 3/2/14
Today’s Championship Schedule
Both the Div. I and II championship games will be held at Cushing Academy, Ashburnham, Mass.
Div. II:
12:30 pm – Gunnery vs. Brooks
Div. I:
3:00 pm – Nobles vs. Westminster
***
Saturday’s Semifinal Results:
Div. I
Nobles 5, Tabor 2
Westminster 1, St. Paul’s 0
Div. II
Gunnery 3, Rivers 2 (OT)
Brooks 2, Millbrook 1
Fri. 2/28/14
Semifinal Schedule
Div. I
#1 Nobles vs. #4 Tabor, 4:30 pm (at Nobles)
#2 St. Paul’s vs. #6 Westminster, 4:30 pm (at St. Paul’s)
Div. II
#1 Rivers vs. #4 Gunnery, 3:30 pm (at Rivers)
#2 Millbrook vs. #3 Brooks, 4:00 pm (at Loomis)
***
Wednesday’s Quarterfinal Results:
Div. I
@ Nobles 1, Loomis 0
Westminster 2 @ Pomfret 1 (Triple OT)
@ St. Paul’s 7, Williston 1
@ Tabor 4, Choate 1
Div. II
Millbrook 2, Governor’s 1 (at Loomis)
Gunnery 3, Proctor 1 (at Williston)
@ Rivers 2, Berwick 1 (OT)
@ Brooks 7, Worcester 0
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