Icemen dominate in memorable charity event

The Bulldogs celebrate their second goal in Saturday night's 4-0 win over Mansfield. (Mike Barucci photo)

Spurred on by hundreds of pink-clad supporters, the Canton High boys’ ice hockey team earned its biggest win of the young season on Saturday, outdueling the always tough Mansfield Hornets 4-0 while also raising awareness and funds for cancer patients in honor of their coaches’ wives, who are both battling breast cancer.

The emotional event, dubbed “Pink out the Rink,” was organized by the Bulldogs’ four senior captains as a show of support for Tara Shuman, wife of head coach Brian Shuman, and Kristin Rocha, wife of assistant coach Corey Rocha. Captains Michael Denehy, Kurt Leavitt, Steve Mullaney and Pat Ward sold hundreds of pink t-shirts and towels in advance of the game, with all proceeds earmarked for We Beat Cancer, a Canton-based nonprofit organization founded by cancer survivor Jeff Gallahue and his wife, Pat.

In addition to the pink in the stands, the Canton players all wore custom-made pink jerseys along with pink laces, socks, and hockey stick tape. Even the Mansfield players showed their support, as they took to the ice wearing pink laces and tape — a gesture that had Tara “on the verge of tears,” according to Coach Shuman.

“This was an unbelievable game,” said Shuman afterwards. “Hockey aside, it was a great environment, and it was pretty overwhelming looking at the stands and seeing a sea of pink and our guys wearing their pink jerseys. It was pretty special.”

Shuman said he and Rocha told the captains before the game how thankful and proud they were of all of their efforts, and they encouraged the players to enjoy the moment and not worry about the final result.

As it turned out, the Bulldogs came out flying in the opening period and pretty much carried the play from start to finish. Fittingly, all four captains had a hand in the victory, as Ward, Denehy and Leavitt each scored goals, and Mullaney played “extremely strong defensively,” according to Shuman.

Freshman Seamus Pecararo also scored a goal for the Bulldogs, while Tony Francescon, Brian Brooks and Joe Rudy each tallied an assist.

“Our guys played outstanding and really rose to the occasion,” said Shuman. “And our captains, collectively, played their best game of season.”

The fact that the win came against Mansfield — a league rival and a perennial tournament team — made Saturday’s victory all the more impressive, although Shuman said the final outcome, at least for this one game, was merely a footnote given the enormity of the moment and the tremendous class with which both sides carried themselves.

“It was emotional for Tara and Kristen, as well as for myself and for Corey,” said Shuman. “It was just an unbelievable community event.”

In other hockey news:

The Bulldogs traveled to Franklin last Wednesday, and despite outshooting and generally outplaying the Panthers for most of the game, they struggled to find the back of the net in an eventual 3-0 loss.

“It was one of those games where we ran into a hot goalie and just didn’t get any bounces,” said Shuman, who was otherwise impressed with his team’s performance.

The Bulldogs’ biggest mistake came early in the second period, when they let up a shorthanded goal that gave Franklin both the lead and the momentum. The Bulldogs managed to regroup, however, and they had numerous chances to tie it before the Panthers struck again halfway through the third period. Franklin’s final goal came off a shot from its own end after Canton had already pulled its goalie.

“Overall, there wasn’t really much we could say in the locker room after the game because we played really well,” noted Shuman. “I think we made two big mistakes and they capitalized on both of them.”

Now 2-2 after their victory over Mansfield, the Bulldogs will enjoy a few days off before getting back to action this Saturday against Norwell at home. The team will then travel to Oliver Ames on Wednesday, January 2, followed by a home game versus North Attleboro on Saturday, January 5.

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Posted by Jay Turner on Dec 27 2012. Filed under High School, Sports. Both comments and pings are currently closed.