LOWELL – It’s solely a matter of time till Xaverian senior Joe DiMartino adjustments his authorized title to “Playoff Joe.”
After an entire night time of listening to his title chanted by a big scholar part on the Tsongas Center, DiMartino fulfilled their pleas Sunday night time by sending the Hawks to TD Garden for a second straight yr. His objective with 4:47 left in time beyond regulation stood as the one rating within the No. 7 Hawks’ 1-0 win over No. 14 Reading within the second Div. 1 state semifinal of the day, ending a defensive marathon that featured two of the match’s most dialed-in goaltenders.
Cole Pouliot-Porter (25 saves) and the Xaverian protection had been in a position to maintain on just a bit longer than Chris Hanifan (21 saves) and the Rockets, and now have a date with No. 4 Pope Francis within the closing subsequent Sunday to attempt to avenge its loss final yr.
“You guys know ‘Playoff Joe,’ right,” mentioned Xaverian head coach Dave Spinale. “Every year since we won the conference two years ago when he was a sophomore, he’s always scored the big ones and he hasn’t stopped yet. … To go to the Garden was a dream (entering the year), and we got hot at the right time in the second season. We battled all year and they deserve it.”
“This time of the year, when it’s all on the line, it’s easy to step up with this group right here,” DiMartino added. “We’re fighting for every inch out there, so I know I want to keep going with these guys as long as I can.”
Many of the followers in a packed crowd stood on their toes in anticipation of only one objective all night time, as defenses relentlessly prevented many high-quality scoring alternatives. Hanifan and Pouliot-Porter made positive opposing crowds might solely moan in disappointment for simply lacking out on probabilities every assault did produce, leaving the impression early on that one objective would possible win it.
Enter DiMartino.
When the senior skated towards the suitable circle and the Reading defender gave some separation, only a few thought he’d cross on a game-winning alternative. His wrister to the far high shelf cleanly sailed over Hanifan, capping off a run again to TD Garden regardless of graduating 15 seniors from final yr’s crew.
Pouliot-Porter has been a welcome addition in his first yr beginning.
“Just going into this game, I knew I just had to give my team a chance,” Pouliot-Porter mentioned. “I know the team from last year, they were expecting a lot. I knew I was going to have to do my job for us to get back to the Garden, too, because the team in front of my does their job. I have to do mine.”
“He’s been just simply nothing short of amazing,” Spinale added.
The one-score drama was removed from unique to the night-cap, as No. 4 Pope Francis and No. 1 St. John’s Prep skated to an identical tune.
Nick Petkovich snapped a shot off Eagles goalie Brian Cronin (26 saves) that slowly tumbled previous the objective line with 6:19 left within the third, offering all of the Cardinals would wish to knock out the reigning Div. 1 state champs with a 1-0 win. Pope Francis’ sophomore goalie Nick Ritchie, solely not too long ago named starter for the postseason, was instrumental with 26 saves within the shutout.
That included a miraculous first interval, through which he staved off 15 pictures in a quick and livid offensive body earlier than defenses settled down the motion. The Cardinals transfer on to the championship sport because of this, overcoming the crew many pegged because the title-favorite all yr.
“We knew all year that St. John’s Prep was like, the team in Mass. as the defending champs,” mentioned head coach Brian Foley. “I thought they were more prepared to impose their will on us in that first period and I thought we didn’t do a great job going toe-to-toe with them. … Figured (in the third period) that one goal was going to be the difference-maker, and luckily enough, we got it and were able to keep them off the board.”
This was the primary time all yr St. John’s Prep had been shut out, and the primary interval confirmed why with all of the offensive alternatives they had been producing. Crashing on rebounds, producing fast pictures within the slot and loads of passing lanes to generate open scoring areas flooded the ice, however Ritchie stopped the whole lot St. John’s Prep might throw at him.
Cronin stood sturdy reverse Ritchie with a equally spectacular opening body (10 saves) and continued that into the second (12 saves) as Pope Francis began controlling play. The goalie battle was so spectacular that it was solely becoming that Petkovich’s objective got here on a close to save that simply barely trickled in.
“I thought we had some good scoring opportunities early but didn’t capitalize on those,” mentioned St. John’s Prep coach Kristian Hanson. “(The game-winner), that’s hockey. It’s a game of turnovers, it’s a game of mistakes. That’s why you put as many pucks to net as you can. … All those kids in that locker room, they gave us everything they had, left it on the ice, accomplished a ton.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com
