Canton, MA – Neutral Zone was in attendance at the Canton Ice House in Canton, Massachusetts to catch defending Division 2 State champion Canton Bulldogs host the Shrewsbury Colonials. The game was a back and forth affair and ended 3-3. There were no rosters so we did our best to piece together information.
Canton jumped out to a 1-0 lead on a goal by Chris Lavoie. Shrewsbury would tie the contest before the period was out as Owen Cardosi tipped a shot from Nico Evangelous in the high slot. The second period was back and forth with each team generating chances. Shrewsbury jumped ahead 2-1 on a power play goal. Nico Evangelous snapped a shot from the half-wall over the glove and under the bar. The lead was short lived however, as John Hagan promptly won the next faceoff at center ice, cut down the off-wing and snapped a low shot stick side. Shrewsbury would again take the lead as Jamison Alicandro beat a Canton defender and then snapped the puck into the net from a bad angle.
The third was more of the same as both teams generated good scoring opportunities. Canton would tie the game as Lavoie got his second of the night after walking out of the corner and beating Matt Sande. The game would finish with tied 3-3. Shrewsbury had a break-a-way but time expired before a shot could be placed on net.
Three Stars
- F Chris Lavoie – Canton
- F Nico Evangelous – Shrewsbury
- F John Hagan – Canton
NZ Notes
Canton returns a strong core and will be a tough team to beat in Division 2. Up front, John Hagan and Chris Lavoie push the pace. Hagan is slick with the puck on his stick and can make defenders miss in space. He is confident and doesn’t hesitate to be creative. He plays in all situations and always looks to push the pace and drive the puck to the net. Lavoie is constantly around the puck. He uses his body well and has a good set of hands to create time and space. He uses a quick release to get pucks to the net and doesn’t hesitate to shoot from anywhere. On the back end, Owen Lehane plays big minutes and in all situations. He snaps passes tape-to-tape and has the ability to stretch the ice. He has a good shot from the point and does a good job changing angles to get pucks to the net.
For the visitors, Owen Cardosi is a smaller forward that keeps his feet moving. He takes good angles pressuring the puck and darts in-and-out of traffic. Jamison Alicandro is a long forward that gets up-and-down the ice well. He has a long reach and uses a good set of hands to protect the puck. He snaps the puck to the net and uses patience to allows plays to develop. On the back-end, Nico Evangelous is a smooth puck mover. He plays a simple game in his own zone and uses a long reach to cut down time and space. He snaps passes to his forwards and looks to stretch the ice. He is most effective on the power play and has a big shot from the point.
