Marlboro, MA – MassNZ traversed through the snow and ice to make it out to New England Sports Center to catch a top 10 D4 matchup as sixth-ranked Dover-Sherborn Weston Raiders took on the host tenth-ranked Hudson Hawks in this late regular season tilt. This was an intriguing matchup for a variety of reasons: chief among them that yesterday the Raiders wrapped up a runner-up appearance in the title game against Essex Tech in the Farleigh Dickinson Tournament on Martha’s Vineyard as the Hawks (winners of three straight) were waiting for them to get back. Would that have an impact on today’s top-shelf tilt? We would soon find out.
From the drop of the puck in the first period, DS-Weston controlled the tempo of this game. They used their skating legs early and often to put pressure on the Hawks and they were taking ice aggressively to put themselves in good scoring positions. Just 1:10 into the game the scoring commenced as the Raiders cruised in with an early 2-on-1 and senior Tom Morsilli threw a puck on net that found the stick of senior captain Sam Hinckley who tapped it in to make it 1-0 DS-Weston. The Raiders were plundering early, winning battles and races against the Hawks and they dominated the time of possession. Six minutes later, they would double their lead as Morsilli attacked off the right wing and threw the puck on net and the rebound bounced to junior forward Thomas Lamb, which made it 2-0 early. At that point, the Hawks began to push back and created a couple of Grade A looks which junior goalie Will Goldstein denied with a couple of sprawling saves. The Raiders would take the reins again and own the time of possession as the period drew to a close with our score 2-0 DS-Weston.
In the second period, the Raiders hit the accelerator and did not let up all period. They started the period strong just 1:26 in with a smooth passing play. Morsilli found Lamb at the dot who located a wide-open Hinckley at the back door for the tap-in to make it 3-0 DS-Weston. The Raiders continued to use their skating game to put pressure on the Hawks and it was a consistent theme throughout the period. They were peppering Hudson sophomore goalie Brandon Garzia all period and he made several athletic saves to keep his team in this game. The best chance for the Hawks came as sophomore Jordan Sousa caught a stretch pass and beat a defender to go in on the breakaway and Goldstein shut it down in a big momentum killer. The Raiders would put this one further out of reach using a slick rush with just a minute and a half left in the middle frame. Junior Max Patenaude handed the puck up to sophomore forward Christos Rogaris who cruised in off the right wing and swung around to the left post to bury the team’s fourth goal. That would be our score after two: 4-0 DS Weston.
In the final frame, things went a little batty. We were on the verge of going into running time just 1:47 into the frame as DS-Weston would add their fifth. Junior defender Andrew Cahill threw a puck on net and based on what we saw with the naked eye, Hinckley tipped it home for his third goal of the game. It was announced as Cahill’s goal in the rink…but the bench certainly reacted as if it was Hinckley’s goal. Either way: 5-0 was our score and Hudson made a change in net, going to senior Bradley Deleskey, owner of a beautifully manicured flow. Just a minute later, Hudson would have a strong response shift and begin a big pushback. Assistant captain Tim O’Malley wired the puck up to Sousa who beat his defender and deposited to make it 5-1, ending the shutout bid. DS-Weston did not take kindly to this goal and got it right back 20 seconds later as Lamb rushed the puck hard off the wing and snapped home a wrister to make it 6-1 DS-Weston. Hudson to their credit came right back and cut the deficit back to four goals 50 seconds later as O’Malley created a turnover on the forecheck after the referees refused to blow a whistle on a puck in the crease and he picked off the attempted clear and snapped it home: 6-2 was our score. Things looked to be settling down but DS-Weston refused to give up their cushion and they would restore the five-goal lead just under two minutes later as Rogaris winged a pass over to Hunter Hourihan who snapped it through the goalie’s pads to make it 7-2. Following this goal, Garzia was brought back in for Hudson and he would shut the door the rest of the way. That would be our final score: DS-Weston 7, Hudson 2.
Three Stars:
- F Sam Hinckley, Dover-Sherborn/Weston
- F Rob Morsilli, Dover-Sherborn/Weston
- F Tim O’Malley, Hudson