Middleton, MA – tonight we made the trip to see St. John’s Prep welcome in the Xaverian Hawks for a big mid-week Catholic Conference matchup at the Essex Sports Center.
Starting off in the first St. John’s Prep kicked it off with an early power-play one minute into the game but Xaverian was able to kill it off to get back to even strength. There was a very physical start from both sides with some huge hits to set the tone and that eventually lead to a St. John’s Prep power play halfway through the period. As the power play ended Xaverian was able to spring into a three-on-one but was stopped by St.John’s Prep senior goalie Peyton Palladino. Later in the period, the hits kept coming and this time Xaverian senior defenseman Owen Gunning had two great hits to take the puck away and create two good scoring opportunities but the game stayed tied at zero. With six minutes left in the period, St. John’s Prep was able to generate a good scoring opportunity off a turnover but was denied near the post off a wrist shot inside the left circle. Around three minutes left to go St. John’s Prep again came down with some good pressure but once again they were denied by the post off a quick shot in the slot. Xaverian would eventually go on the power play with under two minutes to go and showed they were dangerous with four or five great chances. The period would end scoreless with zeros across the board heading into the second.
Xaverian came out flying in the second and ready to take the lead and they did 15 seconds in with a quick shot out of the corner from senior forward Braden O’Hara to make it 1-0. This allowed Xaverian to continue to put the pressure on with another power play halfway through the period but were unable to generate any offense with a great kill from St. John’s Prep. With under 10 to play both sides really started to go end-to-end with opportunities and Xaverian was able to win that battle with just five and half minutes left in the period. Senior forward Jack Silva in the slot was able to snipe one past the St. John’s Prep goalie on a great pass by senior defenseman Nolan Dion to make it a 2-0 lead. St. John’s Prep was able to fight back towards the end of the second by going on a five-on-three power play but Xaverian senior goalie Brendan Flanagan was outstanding all period with some great saves on the penalty kill. This helped Xaverian kill both penalties off and head into the third period up 2-0.
The third period started off with some great back-and-forth action. St. John’s Prep would get the majority of the chances early on with one shot stopped on the goal line off a wraparound four minutes into the period. St. John’s Prep was all over Xaverian in the first 10 minutes of the period, getting to every puck in all three zones, physical in the corners, and shots were coming from all over the ice. Xaverian was playing smart hockey with quick shifts, keeping it simple and getting the puck deep to kill off the remaining time left in the third with six minutes to go. St. John’s Prep continued to control the play with under four minutes left, keeping Xaverian pinned in their zone. SJP would keep firing away and hit two crossbars with under a minute left but Xaverian goalie Brendan Flanagan was excellent all game. He kept the door shut and allowed Xaverian to close the game out with a huge 2-0 win. Flanagan would end the night with 41 saves and help his team improve their record to 11-1-1.
Three Stars:
- G Brendan Flanagan, Xaverian
- F Braden O’Hara, Xaverian
- F Jack Silva, Xaverian