Middleton, MA – Today, MassNZ visited the Essex Sports Center, home to the Eagles of St. John’s Prep (SJP). The Eagles took on the Hingham Harbormen in their home opener of the 2023-24 season.
It didn’t take long for Hingham to get on the board. SJP senior Jake Vana collected a puck along the wall and threw it into the middle of his zone. Hingham senior captain Paul Dzavik picked off the pass and ripped one past SJP junior goalie AJ Farese. Hingham was relentless on their pressure but SJP settled down and controlled most of the offensive zone time peppering Hingham’s goalie Michael Karo. Karo was the story of this period, making multiple saves on high-percentage scoring chances. With 6:00 to go, SJP went on the power play and had some great looks but Karo denied them all. SJP took a penalty with 4:30 to go and Hingham would capitalize as sophomore Conal Mulkerrin picked up a deflected puck from a cross-ice pass at the top of the faceoff circle and beat Farese over his shoulder to extend the lead to 2-0. SJP sought to clean things up in the next frame.
SJP came out flying in the second and put the pressure back on Hingham. They had multiple scoring chances but Karo was calm and collected and turned them away. SJP continued to struggle with their breakouts under Hingham’s pressure, and although it didn’t lead to any offense for Hingham it frustrated the Eagles. Hingham settled in and played a solid period in the neutral zone and the defensive zone. They clogged the middle of the zone, keeping SJP to mostly point shots. They sold out blocking shots and made it hard for SJP to generate much down low. Despite that, with 3:29 to go SJP would get on the board. With a faceoff to the right of Karo, SJP senior Christian Rosa won the draw to his left wing Jake Vana. Vana snapped a rocket off finally beating Karo over his catching glove to make it a 2-1 game. This gave SJP life and they dominated the rest of the period with multiple Grade A scoring chances.
Hingham needed to build on their defensive efforts and energy in the third period and they did just that. They got pucks behind SJP’s defenseman and went to work early and often. They were full of energy and forechecked with pace and physicality. SJP had trouble all game retrieving pucks under their pressure. Hingham caught a break a few minutes into the third when a SJP defenseman fell in the neutral zone. Hingham’s Paul Dzavik would pick up the puck and go in all alone beating Farese five hole for Hingham’s third goal of the day. After that, Hingham tightened up and played strong defense, limiting SJP’s scoring chances. Anything SJP got to the net, Karo turned away. SJP took a time out with 1:40 left to set up a play for the faceoff in Hingham’s end. SJP pulled the goalie making it 6-on-5, and they would cut the deficit to one. Vana picked up the puck and walked off the wall, sniping top corner through traffic. That led to a thrilling finish, but ultimately it wouldn’t be enough and Hingham would hold on to win 3-2.
Three Stars:
1st star: G Michael Karo, Hingham
2nd star: F Paul Dzavik, Hingham
3rd star: F Jake Vana, St. John’s Prep