Canton, MA – Neutral Zone was in attendance at the Canton Ice House for the Hockey Fights Cancer Catholic Conference matchup between the visitors, BC High and the host Xaverian Hawks. The game was competitive and was not decided until the final buzzer sounded. Both teams played a fast and physical brand of hockey.
The first period started with the teams feeling each other out and was played mostly in transition and the neutral zone. Xaverian would get the scoring started with just over two minutes remaining in the opening frame. Jack Silva stole a puck in the neutral zone and quickly transitioned the play and drove the puck wide. He snapped a low hard shot past the goalie to give the home team the 1-0 lead.
The second started with much of the same. Each team got the puck in deep and made it tough for the opposing defenders to break the puck out. BC High would tie the game when Joe Feinberg (Needham, MA) took a pass behind the net from Ryan Flaherty (Milton, MA) and quickly found Matt Cox (Braintree, MA) streaking in from the point. Cox received the pass and snapped the puck over the glove of the Xaverian netminder. The game looked to be heading to the second intermission tied, but Xaverian would score two goals in the final two minutes of the frame to take the lead for good. After a misplay at center ice by two BC High defenders, Braden O’Hara picked up the puck and drove in on a breakaway. He made a slick forehand-backhand move and slipped the puck past the goalie. Less than a minute later Max Lockwood grabbed a puck near the circles and spun around as he snapped a low, hard shot past the goalie. Xaverian would take the 3-1 lead into the room.
BC High came out strong in the third and got the game to within one. James Marshall (Weymouth, MA) corralled a puck in the high slot, and then ripped a shot that beat the Xaverian goalie high. The rest of the game was back and forth. BC High mounted a charge at the end of the game and had a 6-on-4 advantage with just over a minute remaining. Brendan Flanagan was strong in net and shut the door on the final net mouth scramble. Xaverian walked away with a hard-earned 3-2 win and picks up two big points in the Catholic Conference.
Three Stars:
- F Max Lockwood, Xaverian
- F Braden O’Hara, Xaverian
- F James Marshall, BC High