Bulldog ice hockey teams ready for state tourney

Owen Lehane and the Bulldogs are heavy favorites in the D2 south sectional tournament. (Mike Barucci photo)

Update: The top-seeded CHS boys hockey team defeated No. 17 Medway 6-0 in Wednesday night’s D2 south sectional opener and is scheduled to host No. 9 Oliver Ames Saturday night at the Ice House. Meanwhile, the 12th-seeded girls team will head to John Ryan Arena in Watertown for a Monday evening showdown with No. 5 Wellesley in a rematch of the 2018 state title game.

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State tournament action officially got underway this week for Canton High’s two varsity ice hockey teams and excitement was at a fever pitch with both squads bringing plenty of talent and experience to this year’s big dance.

The CHS boys team, fresh off an undefeated regular season (20-0-1) that had them in the running for an MIAA Super 8 berth right up until the morning of Selection Saturday, secured the No. 1 seed in Division 2 south and are the consensus favorites to come out of the section and contend for a state title. The team was due to open against 17th seeded Medway (10-10-2) last night at the Ice House with the winner moving on to play either No. 8 Plymouth North or No. 9 Oliver Ames in the quarterfinals.

A perennial hockey powerhouse, the Bulldogs have advanced to at least the south semifinals in each of the last six seasons, although they have not won a sectional title since they won it all back in 2010. The team has had two other turns as a top seed — 2009, when they advanced to the state finals, and 2013, when they were upset in the sectional semis by Hockomock foe Oliver Ames.

None of those Canton teams, however, could boast of a resume as dominant as this year’s outfit, which shredded opponents by an average margin of 5-1 while racking up 104 goals in 21 games. Along the way they knocked off 13 playoff teams — including five from their own bracket and four more in Division 1 — with their lone blemish coming against a 14-3-3 Boston Latin squad that they still managed to outlast in overtime (the game was officially recorded as a draw per MIAA rules).

In their final matchup of the regular season, against D3 tournament-bound Coyle & Cassidy, the Bulldogs rode a four-goal second period to an easy 6-1 win as they picked up their second consecutive Quinn Memorial Tournament trophy — and fourth in the last five seasons. Senior captain Ryan Nolte, this year’s Hockomock goal scoring leader, and promising freshman Eamon Kelly each had a pair of goals in the win while senior Matt Martin and junior captain Johnny Hagan added one goal apiece. Coyle scored its only goal of the contest midway through the second frame, but the lead was never in doubt as Canton dominated the action from start to finish.

Meanwhile, earlier that same day, the CHS girls team proved yet again why they are among the most battle tested in all of Division 2. Facing top-ranked Walpole (16-3-1) in a final tune-up before the postseason, the lady Bulldogs gave the Rebels all they could handle before falling just short in the end, 2-1.

While not interested in moral victories at this point on the calendar, the Canton girls nonetheless showed that they are not easily intimidated; and that confidence carried over into Monday’s tournament opener as they skated past familiar foe Norwood 3-1 to advance to the next round of the playoffs. Senior Lauren Fitzpatrick continued her stellar play as she had a hand in all three of the team’s goals, netting two herself while assisting on the other by sophomore Lizzie Tassinari.

Now the Bulldogs, who earned the No. 12 seed in the 25-team bracket, will get a chance to exact some revenge as they take on fifth-seeded Wellesley in a rematch of last year’s state championship final.

To do so, Canton will have to bring it’s “A” game while also drawing on the experience of back to back deep postseason runs, both of which ended at the Boston Garden on the cusp of a title. The team returns several key pieces from last year’s state finalist group, led by Shriners All-Stars Maggie Malloy (35 pts.) and Fitzpatrick (30 pts.) and a standout defensive corps anchored by senior Leah McClellan. The most notable change is in goal, where senior Ava Pacitti has certainly proven her mettle thus far, garnering a league all-star nod in her first season as a starter.

Also recognized as a first-time all-star this season was Tassinari, who has blossomed into a point-per-game player after a promising freshman campaign. In addition to coming through with some big goals in key spots, Tassinari has also racked up 13 helpers, tying her for the team lead in that category with junior captain Alexa Maffeo, a standout defenseman and an all-league honorable mention.

To stay up to date on the latest postseason results, visit the MIAA’s ice hockey tournament page at miaa.ezstream.com.

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