Lazaro reaches milestone as icemen keep rolling

Matt Lazaro tallied 4 goals and 3 assists and topped 100 points for his career in action last week. (Sarah Martin photo)

Senior captain Matt Lazaro broke the 100-point barrier and senior goalie Justin Slocum was his usual stingy self as the Canton High boys ice hockey team added to its league-leading win total with victories last week over Attleboro and North Attleboro.

Having already locked up a fifth straight Davenport Division title with their recent 0-0 tie against Franklin, the Bulldogs went into the week looking to build some momentum and strengthen their seeding in advance of the Division 2 south playoffs. And they managed to accomplish both objectives, winning convincingly at the beginning and end of the week to improve to 12-2-2 overall and 9-0-1 in league play.

In Monday’s 5-1 win over Attleboro, Lazaro led the way offensively as he became the first CHS hockey player since Bryan Rooney to reach 100 career points.

The Bulldogs’ top goal scorer over the past two and a half seasons, Lazaro has developed into an all-around playmaker and has “put together one of the most impressive CHS hockey careers in recent memory,” according to head coach Brian Shuman.

Although he had just one goal against the Bombardiers, Shuman said Lazaro easily could have had more as he “selflessly overpassed to his linemates” and finished the game with three assists.

Five different Bulldogs ended up with a goal in the win, including senior captains Bobby Mullaney and Jim Jenkins, senior Seamus Pecararo, and junior Shaun Kirby.

On Saturday at North Attleboro, Lazaro again was the star as he collected a hat trick in an eventual 3-1 victory. Jenkins and DJ Trerice contributed assists in the win, and Slocum was stellar in net, allowing just the one goal on a partial breakaway in the second period.

Shuman said Slocum, who has a goals against average of less than one this season, has been the team’s most consistent player.

“Justin had another great game and has been rock solid all year for us,” he said. “He’s the best goalie in the league as far as I’m concerned, and I think other coaches would agree. He’s quietly having himself an incredible, record-breaking senior year.”

Shuman said it was a strong all-around performance by the entire team against arguably the best Rocketeer squad he has seen since he started coaching, yet the game still felt “inconsequential” in light of the tragic deaths of 6-year-old Kaleigh Kenyon and lifelong Cantonite Tom Gunning on Friday.

“The game went on as scheduled for many reasons, but mainly because Tommy would have wanted it to be played,” Shuman wrote on his website. “To outsiders, it looked like a regular hockey game, but in reality, the thoughts and hearts of the Canton players, parents, and fans were elsewhere that night. They were with the Kenyon and Gunning families. And they will continue to be.”

Shuman, who played in a men’s league with Gunning, said the 48-year-old father of three was a “fixture” around the town rinks and fields and will be “remembered and missed for the passion he brought and support he provided to Canton Youth Hockey, Canton Youth Lacrosse, and the young athletes in our town.”

This week, with heavy hearts, the Bulldogs will return to the ice to take on Oliver Ames at Brockton’s Asiaf Arena on Saturday. The team will then head to Raynham next Tuesday and Thursday to compete in the prestigious Joseph Quinn Memorial Tournament before closing out the regular season at Newburyport on Friday, February 26.

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Posted by Jay Turner on Feb 12 2016. Filed under High School, Sports. Both comments and pings are currently closed.