CHS icemen surging

Freshman Brayden Dickie celebrates after scoring his first career varsity goal. (Charlie Smith photo)

After an uncharacteristically slow start through the first few weeks of the season, the Canton High boys ice hockey team is officially back on track, punctuating that message with a memorable weekend sweep of the rival Franklin Panthers as part of a “Hockey Fights Cancer” fundraising initiative.

“It was a great weekend,” noted head coach Brian Shuman following 3-2 and 6-1 wins in the home-and-home series. “It brought us some much-needed energy, and at the same time we were able to help a really good cause.”

In terms of the on-ice product, Shuman was particularly pleased with the Bulldogs’ balanced scoring output, as six different Canton players combined for nine goals — equaling their total from the previous four games combined.

“I think the guys were getting a little frustrated not being able to convert their opportunities, and it was a little more of the same in the first Franklin game, but we managed to put three in the net and then broke out the next day at home with six more.”

Sophomore forward Ryan Elrick led the way with three combined goals, while senior captain Travis Thomas also found the net in both games. The Bulldogs also had three different players score their first varsity goal — freshman Brayden Dickie and juniors Shane Kelleher and Brannen Morris — while junior Graidy Carr collected his second of the season.

Junior defenseman and team co-captain Teddy Shuman also chipped in with a pair of assists in what was a breakout weekend for the Canton blueliners.

“They’ve really played exceptionally well,” noted Coach Shuman. “I think we’ve seen probably the most improvement in the defensive corps. They’ve done a nice job of keeping people off the board but also contributing offensively as well.”

Top D pairings thus far have included Shuman and freshman Kellen Labanara, Carr and Will Doucette, with Morris and sophomore Will Young also stepping up as of late.

Including the two wins over Franklin, the Bulldogs are now 5-1-1 overall and are currently in the midst of a six-game unbeaten streak. Their only loss came in the season opener against a solid Barnstable team, while their lone draw came against a similarly tough opponent in Milton.

While the MIAA has yet to release its first set of power rankings, Canton was ranked No. 5 in the latest HNIB News Division 2 poll, while Milton was not too far off at No. 8.

The Panthers, meanwhile, have endured a rough start against a brutal slate of opponents, limping to a 1-6-1 record with losses to some of the top-ranked D1 teams in the state, including Catholic Memorial and St. John’s of Shrewsbury.

Canton was due to get back to action tonight with a road contest against Taunton, and they’ll be back home at Metropolis Rink this weekend for a Saturday showdown against league foe Oliver Ames starting at 6:40 p.m. The Bulldogs then host Foxboro next Wednesday before taking on highly ranked Archbishop Williams on January 18 at the Canton SportsPlex.

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Posted by Jay Turner on Jan 10 2025. Filed under Featured story. Both comments and pings are currently closed.