Icemen pile on the goals vs. B-R, Foxboro

Brimming with confidence after recent victories over league rivals Franklin and Oliver Ames, the Canton High boys’ ice hockey team kept the good times rolling last week with two more convincing wins over Bridgewater-Raynham and Foxboro to improve to 10-3 overall.

Junior Brian Brooks (Mike Barucci photo)

The Bulldogs have now ripped off seven straight wins and are on the verge of clinching the Davenport Division title for the third year in a row. They are also on fire offensively, having outscored the opposition 39-7 during their current winning streak.

Last week was especially productive in that department as the Bulldogs racked up seven goals apiece against B-R (7-3) and Foxboro (7-0), led by junior Brian Brooks, who had a monster game on Saturday with four goals and is now running away with the team scoring title.

Brooks, who also had a goal against D1 Bridgewater-Raynham on Wednesday, now has 26 points on the season and leads the squad by a healthy margin in both goals (14) and assists (12).

“He’s playing the best hockey of his career,” head coach Brian Shuman said of Brooks. “He’s really taken it to an elite status and he’s playing very well.”

Also heating up as of late is senior captain Pat Ward, who collected two goals against B-R to give him 16 points for the season. Meanwhile, fellow senior captain Kurt Leavitt is now third on the team with 14 points after scoring three goals last week, including two against B-R, and junior Tony Francescon, who Shuman said has been the team’s top defenseman this season, is now in double digits (10 points) after knocking in his third goal of the season against Foxboro.

Other goal scorers last week included senior JC Marcone, junior Ben Lodge, and junior Brendan Logan, who notched the first of his varsity career against the Warriors Saturday night.

Shuman described both victories last week as fairly comfortable, as they were able to limit their opponents’ scoring chances and never trailed in either game. Senior goalie Rich Nee, who has had an outstanding season in net, was barely even challenged against Foxboro but still managed to collect his fourth shutout of the season.

Overall, Shuman could not be happier with the way his team has been playing over the past few weeks. “I really do think we’re getting better every time we touch the ice,” he said. “We’re a different team, and we’re playing with a lot more confidence, especially on the offensive side of the puck.”

This week the Bulldogs will look to extend their winning streak with road games against Stoughton and Taunton. Their next home game is scheduled for Wednesday, February 6, against King Philip Regional.

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Posted by Jay Turner on Jan 31 2013. Filed under High School, Sports. Both comments and pings are currently closed.