BOSTON — There is no bigger time for a player to stand out than in the MIAA boys hockey championships. On Sunday, the four boys championships were played with Pope Francis winning D1 in double overtime, Canton taking down Tewksbury for the D2 title, Hanover outlasting Medfield for the D3 crown and Littleton/Bromfield winning it...
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BOSTON — There is no bigger time for a player to stand out than in the MIAA boys hockey championships.
On Sunday, the four boys championships were played with Pope Francis winning D1 in double overtime, Canton taking down Tewksbury for the D2 title, Hanover outlasting Medfield for the D3 crown and Littleton/Bromfield winning it all in D4.
Naturally, there were players who brought their best.
Here are 13 standouts from championship day. Patrick Donnelly already took a look at standouts from the girls games earlier this week.
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Let's dive in.
Tyler Bourgea
Tewksbury, 8/7/2007, F, right shot
Hometown: Tewksbury, Mass.
It felt like Bourgea and his line never left the ice on Sunday, and it's easy to see why. Bourgea was a threat every time he had the puck. Even with Canton honing in on him quite a bit, Bourgea still found ways to be productive. He went end-to-end in the first period and passed it to the far post, which almost resulted in a goal. He hit the post on a 3-on-1 late in the first, and he got (and helped create) chances through the second and third period. No play of his was bigger than his lift of Canton senior' Teddy Shuman's stick off a breakout with just seconds left in the second period. Bourgea grabbed the puck and fed linemate Kevin Andriolo, who scored.
Luke Dickson
Medfield, 2009, F, right shot
Hometown: Medfield, Mass.
An absolute force — that's what Dickson was on Sunday. The sophomore opened the game by dangling a defender and going top shelf to put Medfield up 1-0. A few minutes later, he broke free from a defender draped all over him and sniped another goal, putting Medfield up, 2-0. He finished off the hat trick with 3:11 to play when he sniped a shot from the slot. Dickson's skating, shot and hands were a tier above everyone else in the game. I would expect him in prep next season.
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Matthew Dickson
Medfield, 2008, F, left shot
Hometown: Medfield, Mass.
Matthew, who is Luke's older brother, was effective on the opposite wing. To no one's surprise, his connection with his younger brother was outstanding. The duo, along with center Max Abramson, hemmed Hanover in its own zone for chances. Dickson found Luke in the slot for his hat-trick goal late. Dickson also had multiple in-tight chances.
Canton, 2009, F, right shot
Hometown: Canton, Mass.
What a final act for Elrick at Canton. He saved the Bulldogs with his game-tying goal midway through the third period, getting the puck from standout sophomore Kellen Labanara and sniping one past Tewksbury goalie Cole Abruzi from in tight. Elrick's speed and hands created chances all game for Canton. He especially drove play off the rush.
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Shane Fanning
Hanover, junior, D, right shot
Hometown: Hanover, Mass.
Fanning showed himself to be a strong puck-moving defenseman. He used his quick feet to get up ice and be elusive. He scored Hanover's fifth goal when he rushed the puck on the power play. Fanning used his speed to get in somewhat alone and threw the puck middle, where it went off a defender's skate and in. Hanover's power play was strong on Sunday, and Fanning, who runs it at the point, was a big reason why.
Liam Glew
Littleton/Bromfield, 6/16/2007, D, left shot, 5-9/135
Hometown: Harvard, Mass.
Glew was excellent on a pair with Caelan Piekos. The two showcased smooth skating with the puck and quick decisions. Glew made some good reads to lead regroups and transition himself, and he was physical defending in his own zone. Glew saw the ice well at the point in the offensive zone, and he did a good job of getting his shot through on the power play, leading to Werling's redirect in the first.
John Goggin
Pope Francis, 8/10/2007, D, left shot, 6-2/170
Hometown: Longmeadow, Mass.
Goggin was a steady presence for head coach Brian Foley's defense. St. John's Shrewsbury had pretty good pace off the rush, but Goggin kept good gaps and an active stick to shut down the Pioneers. He played physical low with SJS forwards and was always reliable in moving pucks on breakouts.
Blake Hannon
Littleton/Bromfield, 9/2/2009, F, left shot, 5-10/150
Hometown: Littleton, Mass.
Hannon was a force on Littleton/Bromfield's top line along with Conor Glew and Gavin Werling. Hannon's quick release led to a pair of clutch goals in the win. He opened the scoring less than a minute into the game with a snipe, picking the top left corner from the high slot after curling around the left circle. The sophomore delivered the knockout punch when he made it 4-1 in the second, stealing the puck at the blue line and walking in alone. He beat the goaltender cleanly through the five-hole with a quick wrister.
Hanover, 3/27/2009, F, right shot
Hometown: Hanover, Mass.
What a day for Kisiel. He scored on two snipes in the second period to bring Hanover from down 3-1 to tied. His eventual game-winning goal in the third period was all him following the play, making the correct read and firing home the rebound. On both his second-period goals, Kisiel was the one to keep the puck in the offensive zone, too.
Colin McCarthy
St. John's Shrewsbury, junior, G, catches left
Hometown: Worcester, Mass.
McCarthy was phenomenal for the Pioneers. He was so locked in that midway through the third period, with the game tied 1-1, he gloved a shot down, casually flipped the puck up with Pope forwards bearing down on him and caught it again. Even right before Whitaker Zinger's goal, McCarthy made a plethora of saves. He was especially good on low shots, tracking pucks well and kicking them away with his leg pads.
Gavin Werling
Littleton/Bromfield, 1/8/2008, F, right shot, 5-9/140
Hometown: Littleton, Mass.
Werling was just as strong as Hannon, also scoring a pair of goals. He scored a beauty to double the lead in the first, getting the puck in the slot, cutting around a defender and going five-hole as he dangled to the crease. He added another on a redirect shortly after on the power play as he fought for space in a net-front battle. Werling wasn't done either, as he continued to generate offense. He nearly set up Hannon for a hat trick off the rush with a well-placed wrister off the left pad for a rebound. St. Bernard's goalie Chase Bergeron made a fantastic save, pushing over to stone Hannon.
Matt Wright
Canton, 2008, G, catches left
Hometown: Canton, Mass.
Most expected Canton-Tewksbury to be a high-flying shootout. A big reason why it wasn't was Wright. The senior netminder made multiple massive stops. Midway through the first, he robbed Tewksbury junior Jason Shreenan on a chance in front. Even though Wright was looking the other way, he still got his leg on it. Wright stoned Bourgea multiple times, too. Late in the game, Tewksbury sophomore Jack Ryan had two point-blank chances at the top of the crease and Wright denied them both.
Pope Francis, 2010, F, right shot
Hometown: Granby, Conn.
Zinger scored Pope's lone goal in regulation off a long offensive zone cycle by his line. He got to a high-danger area and knocked in a rebound kicked out by McCarthy. Early in the third period, Zinger had another chance, but was stoned by McCarthy. Zinger, a sophomore, should continue to be a top player for the Cardinals. His skill has him as one of the better forwards in the MIAA.
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Tyler Bourgea
Ryan Elrick
