BELMONT, Mass. — We're in the dog days of the offseason in New England, but that doesn't mean there isn't some high-end action to take in.
The Premier Prep League is in full swing at Belmont's Skip Vigliorio Rink as some of the area's top players stay sharp during the summer. It runs each Wednesday with games at 7, 8:10 and 9:20 p.m. Click or tap here for the full rosters and schedule.
This week marked Week 3 of the PPL, which is in its second season. The slate featured a 6-2 win for Team Grey over Team White, while Team Black took down Team Blue, 4-1. Team Red wrapped up the night with a 7-2 win over Team Light Blue.
There were the expected habits and tendencies of summer hockey throughout Wednesday's games. But all were competitive and featured plenty of skill.
Let's dive into 15 standouts from Week 3 of the PPL.
Maddy Call
Thayer/Boston Americans, 02/2009, F, left shot, 5-5
Hometown: Dedham, Mass.
NCAA: Harvard
Call might have been the best player on the ice in Team Grey's win over Team White. She drove play on every shift and created quality scoring chances throughout the game. She scored a beauty off the rush. Call picked up the puck in the neutral zone and drove down the right wing, pulling up at the top of the circle and firing a laser to the top left corner. Earlier, she set up a bang-bang chance at the left post for Molly Whittier, putting a perfect backdoor pass on her tape. Ella Puleo made a terrific stop. Call also suited up for Team Black, and she sent a perfect feed to Cassie Ling, who drove the right post for a goal.
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Liza Demain
St. Paul's/Valley Junior Warriors, 09/2009, F, right shot, 5-10
Hometown: Wolfeboro, N.H.
Demain was difficult to contain in the attacking zone, and she consistently created chances for her linemates by finding passing lanes. Her seam pass from the left circle set up a wide-open look for Lana Hardin that rang the crossbar. Later, Demain got rewarded with a goal, opting to shoot on a 2-on-1 and beating the goalie clean from the circle.
Ella Puleo
Brooks/Boston Americans, Class of 2027, G, catches left
Hometown: Newburyport, Mass.
Puleo was fantastic in the first half of Team White's loss to Grey. She anticipated and moved quickly in the crease. She made the save of the night when she pushed post-to-post to rob Whittier's backdoor bid that looked to be a sure goal. Puleo also made a handful of quality saves on Liz Levering, and she had a big pad stop on Call's heavy wrister through traffic at the left circle.
Riley Bergeron
Brooks/Valley Junior Warriors, 2010, F, right shot, 5-3
Hometown: Acton, Mass.
Bergeron had some slick hands throughout Team Grey's win, and there was no better example than her setup for Abby Burke's late goal. Bergeron got the puck at the left dot and immediately feathered a perfect backhand saucer pass to Burke at the hash mark for the score. She got rewarded herself shortly after with a tip-in on the doorstep off a shot from distance.
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Liz Levering
Nobles/Boston Junior Eagles, 11/2010, D, left shot, 5-7
Hometown: Westwood, Mass.
Levering played with a ton of confidence, taking plenty of opportunities to lead the rush herself. It led to sustained pressure and quality chances. She got a great look after intercepting an outlet pass at the attacking blue line, driving back in and getting a quality shot from the high slot. Later, she started the rush with a stretch pass before flying up the middle to follow the play. She got a feed in the slot and tried to go upstairs. Puleo had her number on both chances.
Abby Burke
Notre Dame (Hingham)/East Coast Wizards, 7/10/2012, F, left shot
Hometown: Braintree, Mass.
Burke played with plenty of poise and patience, and she fared just fine in 1-on-1s against bigger and older opponents. She didn't force plays in the attacking zone, letting passing lanes open up and taking advantage of lanes to the net. She scored late in the first game, collecting the puck at the hashmark and firing it over the glove off a beautiful feed from Bergeron.
Caroline Kreuz
St. Mark’s/Boston Junior Eagles, 04/2010, F, right shot, 5-4
Hometown: Worcester, Mass.
Kreuz was one of the best skaters for Team Blue with some dominant stretches in the offensive zone. She got to middle ice and created quality chances. She was also strong driving transition through the neutral zone, and there were times when hardly anyone could take the puck from her. Kreuz got rewarded with an early goal for Team Light Blue in the late game, finishing a feed inside the right post off the rush to open the scoring.
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Vienna Noble
Shattuck-St. Mary's, 3/10/2010, G, catches left, 5-8
Hometown: Hingham, Mass.
Noble and Maeve Phinney were both terrific in Team Black's win over Team Blue. Noble got the first half of the game, making some big saves early to set the tone. She read Julia Grogan perfectly on a penalty shot, giving her nothing and making the pad stop look easy as she cut to the forehand. Noble was also strong reading shots through traffic, making several strong saves on Aislin VanVliet from distance.
Cam Katapodis
Taft/Boston Junior Eagles, 2011, D, left shot, 5-9
Hometown: Halifax, Mass.
Katapodis was a heavy presence in her own end, using her size and strength to her advantage around the net and in 1-on-1 battles. She used her long reach effectively, too, consistently killing plays to the slot and preventing shots. She did a great job recovering in front and getting her stick on a shot attempt in the slot off a cross-ice feed late in the game.
Vanessa Hall
Phillips Andover/Boston Junior Eagles, 1/19/2010, D/F, left shot, 5-5
Hometown: Saugus, Mass.
Hall was excellent on regroups and in choosing her spots to jump into the play in the attacking zone. She extended offensive sequences and won races to pucks with her quick feet. She was practically flawless on regroups, showing plenty of poise with the puck, even with forecheckers hounding her. One of her best plays came as she skated backwards after collecting the puck with a forechecker in her face, keeping her head up and quickly finding her center swinging through center ice to jumpstart the rush.
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Maggie Grant
Rivers/Assabet Valley, 05/2010, F, left shot, 5-5
Hometown: Belmont, Mass.
Grant was effective leading the rush, showing good hands in tight spaces through the neutral zone and generating plenty of speed and power. She scored a pretty goal for Team Black, flying down the right wing and firing a wrister off the post and in.
Avery Frias
Lawrence Academy/Bay State Breakers, 2010, D, left shot
Hometown: East Freetown, Mass.
Frias was effective in all three zones for Team Red. She had a heavy, quick release from the point. Defensively, she did a good job around the net, blocking shots and keeping an active stick around the net. It was particularly key in breaking up a backdoor feed for Ava Carr at the right post.
Nora Swaim
Rivers/East Coast Wizards, 11/11/2009, F, left shot
Hometown: Concord, Mass.
Swaim scored a pair for Team Red, thanks to her speed. She scored a beauty on a breakaway for her first. After the puck slipped past the defender at the point, Swaim was off to the races with a burst of speed, and she easily scored inside the left post. She followed it up shortly after with her second goal as she drove down the wing off the rush.
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Jocelyn Gray
St. Mark's/East Coast Wizards, 9/25/2009, F, right shot
Hometown: Hanover, Mass.
Gray's slick hands were on display throughout the final game, and her best play was setting up Abbey Deroeve's goal for Team Light Blue at the right post off the rush. She wove into the zone through traffic and dangled toward the left circle before putting a backhand pass right into Deroeve's wheelhouse for a one-timer as she drove to the net. Gray parked herself in front of the net for a screen and got a great look on the rebound of Deroeve's shot from the point moments later.
Abigail Gropman
Lawrence Academy/Northeast Generals, 2010, F, right shot, 5-3
Hometown: East Bridgewater, Mass.
Gropman had a pair of goals for Team Red and had it going all game with Ella McDonald, who scored a hat trick. Gropman's second was a beauty, capping a give-and-go on a 2-on-1. As Team Red turned defense into offense, Gropman got on her horse, flying up the middle. She got the outlet and dished to McDonald before driving hard to the slot, where she got it back and buried a backhand.
