CANTON – In a boys hockey matchup between two of the highest groups within the Catholic Conference, No. 1 St. John’s Prep secured a 5-2 street victory over No. 3 Xaverian.
It was the primary matchup of the 2023-24 season for the rivals and every staff entered with only a single loss. The victor would seemingly seize the throne because the top-ranked staff in Division 1 and St. John’s Prep coach Kristian Hanson mentioned his staff wished to defend that honor.
“We wanted to go out there and test ourselves against Xaverian who, for most of the year, has been considered the No. 1 team,” Hanson mentioned. “I thought we fought through a lot of adversity tonight, got some very good goaltending and put a lot of pressure on them offensively.”
The opening interval was crammed with loads of physicality from either side. The Eagles obtained on the board first after Christian Rosa hustled for a Jack Doherty rebound and buried it previous Hawks goaltender Cole Pouliot-Porter.
The Eagles would proceed to pepper Pouliot-Porter within the first interval, outshooting Xaverian 20-8. However, the senior netminder made a number of sprawling saves and stored his Hawks in it. This paid off within the remaining minute of the interval after Jack O’Neill sprang Jackson Morse free and the junior sniped it into the highest nook to even the rating.
St. John’s Prep opened the second interval on an influence play and took benefit of it after Doherty despatched Mason Luciano on a breakaway and he scored off his personal rebound. A couple of minutes later, Rosa notched his second of the sport after a nifty passing play with Johnny Tighe.
“We’ve been working in practice on moving the puck earlier,” Rosa mentioned. “I honestly thought he was going to shoot it, but he put it right on my stick and it popped in. It was great.”
That would spherical out the scoring within the second interval, however Xaverian would shortly draw again inside one within the third interval after Colvin Callahan scored a back-door aim to make it 3-2. That wouldn’t stand for lengthy as Luciano would rating his second of the sport after dragging the puck round Pouliot-Porter and burying it.
“I was just driving to the net, luckily getting the puck on my stick and scoring,” Luciano mentioned. “I just tried to drive close to the net and get myself visible.”
That could be the extent of many of the scoring, however Xaverian had three third-period energy play alternatives. Fortunately for the Eagles, goaltender A.J. Farese shut the door and a Cooper Hosmer empty-net aim solidified the large league victory.
“I think if we just play like that all year we will come out on top,” Luciano mentioned. “We’re the best team here, I think we showed it tonight.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com