We're down to the final four in the Large School bracket. Wednesday's quarterfinals may have gone completely chalk, but it wasn't for a lack of drama. No. 1 Phillips Exeter erased a 3-0 deficit in the third period to beat No. 8 Middlesex, 4-3, in overtime. Meanwhile, No. 2 Choate came back from a 2-1...
This article is only available to paid subscribers.
We're down to the final four in the Large School bracket.
Wednesday's quarterfinals may have gone completely chalk, but it wasn't for a lack of drama.
No. 1 Phillips Exeter erased a 3-0 deficit in the third period to beat No. 8 Middlesex, 4-3, in overtime. Meanwhile, No. 2 Choate came back from a 2-1 hole to beat No. 7 Kent, 3-2, in overtime. No. 4 BB&N and Thayer were scoreless through two periods before the Knights pulled away late for a 3-1 win. The only game that wasn't hanging in the balance down the stretch was No. 3 Taft and No. 6 Berkshire. The Rhinos rode a three-goal second period to a 4-1 win.
My predictions went OK. I was 3-for-4 in the Large School field, missing on BB&N-Thayer. I was 7-for-12 overall, across all three tournaments.
- ADVERTISEMENT -
It's time to get back on track.
Let's dive into our Large School semifinal predictions.
No. 1 Phillips Exeter vs. No. 4 BB&N
The last two meetings between the Big Red and the Knights were decided by one goal. BB&N won, 3-2, at home last season, while Exeter won, 2-1, at home just a few weeks ago.
Maria Gray scored for the Big Red on Feb. 7, and Emma Shu (Westwood, Mass.) scored shorthanded for the game-winner. Former BB&N goalie Eva Mai Whyte (Natick, Mass.) made 19 saves for Exeter, too. Anika Singh (Lexington, Mass.) scored for the Knights, and Barbara Ma (Cambridge, Mass.) made 38 saves.
- ADVERTISEMENT -
If BB&N is going to get the last laugh, they'll need Singh and Ma to have repeat performances. Ma is more than capable of stealing a game on her own. She made 39 saves against Thayer in the quarterfinals. Singh has been the heartbeat of the Knights all season. The Knights will also need veterans like Molly Halloran (Belmont, Mass.) and Mary Murray (Hingham, Mass.) to step up, too. Murray was critical in the quarterfinals. She scored the empty-netter after setting up Janvi Singh's (Lexington, Mass.) go-ahead goal in a strong sequence with Anika. If youngsters like Janvi Singh and Chloe Crabtree (Saugus, Mass.) can step up as they did against Thayer, that's even better for the Knights.
One thing can't that can't be undersold is how hard BB&N plays teams, too.
Exeter's top threats went nuclear down the stretch, powering the comeback over Middlesex. Paisley Meyer (Greenland, N.H.) scored twice, including the overtime winner. Grace Riley had a goal and an assist, and Maria Gray had two assists. Erin Sears (Cornwall, Vt.) drove play, too, while Mia Griffith and Shu also stepped up with key plays. Sears-Meyer-Gray dominated down the stretch and overwhelmed the Zebras. They're playing well enough to power any win for the Big Red. Whyte can match Ma at the other end, too, even after stopping just 14 of 17 shots against Middlesex.
Prediction:Â Exeter wins, 4-2
- ADVERTISEMENT -
No. 2 Choate vs. No. 3 Taft
Choate and Taft are plenty familiar with each other. The Wild Boars stifled the Rhinos in a 2-1 win at the Pasty K. Odden Invitational back in December before taking home a 4-2 win on Feb. 21. Taft got a 2-1 win in overtime on Jan. 17.
Annie Forker (Stratford, Conn.) has led Choate offensively all season. She scored the overtime winner against Kent, and Natalie Beach (Darien, Conn.) came through with the opening goal against Kent, too. Sophia Lind (Madison, Conn.) was also tremendous against Kent, doing it all on the blue line. The Wild Boars have relied on Noel Schaab (Sherman, Conn.) in the crease, and she was strong against Kent, finishing with 24 saves.
For Taft, Phoebe Weisman can dominate offensively from the blue line with a solid shot from the point and an ability to move the puck herself. She had a hat trick against Berkshire in the quarterfinals, and Sophie Um also scored. The Rhinos capitalized on the forecheck and on turnovers around the blue line in a big second period. Um has gotten it done offensively throughout the year, along with Lindsay Kunzelmann (Avon, Conn.) and Ella Bates (Weymouth, Mass.).
As for the previous meetings, Forker had a pair against Taft in the third meeting on Feb. 21, and Beach scored on Jan. 17 and Feb. 21. Kate Tortorella (Westport, Conn.) and Hannah Balmuth led the comeback against Taft on Dec. 19. For the Rhinos, Weisman scored a beauty on Dec. 19 and came through again on Jan. 17. Selkie Brown had a goal and an assist on Jan. 17, and Kunzelmann had a goal and an assist on Feb. 21. Bates also scored in the last meeting between the two.
It's close, but I lean toward Choate. The Wild Boars have proven capable of shutting opponents down, including Taft. Choate has given up just 37 goals this season, compared to 59 for Taft.
Prediction:Â Choate wins, 3-1
WATCH: Reacting to the NEPSAC girls quarterfinals
Get our email newsletter
Stay on top of New England hockey, from preps to college and the pros, along with player and team rankings, analysis, watch lists, interviews and much more.
