Proctor at Belmont Hill (scrimmage)
Belmont, MA: Belmont Hill and Proctor opened the day with an 8:30AM start. The teams played three fifteen-minute periods with ice after the second frame.
In the first, Proctor came out physical and fired up. Just 4:57 in Grant Porter buried one from Will Railton. Belmont Hill put some rubber on Proctor as the period went on. Ryan McGuire showed skill and strength as he created some chances. The period ended 1-0 Proctor.
Just under five minutes into the second, Nate Chickering split the defense and made a pretty deke to make it 2-0. Later in the second, Alex Laracy buried a nice pass from Cam Joslin who to put the Hornets up 3-0 with 2:39 remaining. The teams went to the room with Proctor up 3-0.
The third was quiet as the game settled in, probably considering they had another game later. Belmont Hill scored a goal with 40 seconds left as freshman Ronan O’Donnell buried a clever shot in tight, upstairs to get BHS on the board. That’s how it ended.
Three Stars:
First Star: Nate Chickering (Proctor)
Second Star: Grant Porter (Proctor)
Third Star: James Tepper (Proctor)
NZ Notes: For Belmont Hill; Freshman Ronan O’Donnell showed nice touch near the net, tough goal to score. His classmate Matt Biotti has a much upside as anyone we have seen recently. His puck play is inconsistent but he is huge, raw and a good skater. Senior Ryan McGuire showed more than last night as he shook defenders with his skating/edges as well as with slick stickhandling. He must get to the net more. Sophomore DMan Tom Goguen used his body well, got off checks quickly, won pucks and moved it quickly. Princeton commit Tyler Rubin played better today as he created breakouts and clean zone entries. He will be a crucial part of the Belmont Hill offense today and he showed more up the ice this morning. He is slick and skilled. 2003 Jack Bosco was a positive again as he played smart, safe hockey and is smart on the big sheet. For Proctor; Vermont commit Ronan Walsh will be one of the toughest players to play against in NE Prep this season. His skating is not elite but his reach and sense kept him around the puck. He made big hits and even threw one player down with one arm. He has soft hands and we liked how he was able to make passes through sticks and off the wall. Heavy shot and perfect amount of snarl. Grant Porter played fast, with his head up and a quick shot. He has sharp edges and DI potential. VT Academy transfer, Kevin Urquhart caught our eye a lot. He is smart, kept pace on the big sheet at 6’2” and 190lbs and slipped to scoring areas at smart times. He is not a burner but will improve this season. One to keep an eye on. Junior 2002 James Tepper is really skilled. He can dangle off the wall and in small areas. 2003 Joe Fleming played well. Not a ton of minutes but he is a tough, strong defenseman who will get better. One to watch, NZ scouts have always liked his game. Played at Wellesley HS and competed split season with an excellent Jr. Eagles team.
Winchendon vs. St. Mark’s (scrimmage)
Winchendon and St. Mark’s faced off in the second game. St. Mark’s came out and controlled play early. They have a talented and experienced group of defensemen who quickly tempered the energy of a fast, tenacious Winchendon group. St. Marks struck first just 2:05 in as Trevor O’Brien ripped a shot home post and in to give SMS the early lead.
In the second, Winchendon worked but St. Marks had the better of the chances. Senior goalie Maxim Caoutte was excellent for Winchendon, making several stops in tight while controlling his rebound. SMS would strike with 10:47 left, however, as Danny Ciccarello pushed pace on the rush, gained the zone, swiveled and snapped the puck top corner for a pretty goal. The Lions went to the room with a 2-0 lead and plenty of momentum.
The third, however, saw Winchendon come out with energy and got some pucks at the net. With 8:37 left, junior Nolan McDonough snapped a puck right shot from the right wing up under the bar, short side. Excellent shot and now it’s 2-1. Play went up and down but like most of the game, St. Mark’s controlled play and the puck. The result never seemed in doubt. Game ended with a 2-1 win for the Lions.
Three Stars:
First Star: Danny Ciccarello (St. Mark’s)
Second Star: Ian Moore (St. Mark’s)
Third Star: Maxim Caouette (Winchendon)
NZ Notes: For Winchendon; they are a hard-working team who is well coached. They will win games on grit and goaltending. Caouette looked athletic, mature and prepared. He deflected pucks over the boards when he knew they needed a whistle and battled for space in front. Solid game and has the ability to steal games. Has made some strides it appears. Anthony Delorenzo played hard every shift. Heart and soul type, he went in on the forecheck and caused some havoc. Tough to play against. Jacob Black was fairly quiet but he showed some clever puck play. He will need more energy to show what he can do on a game per game basis. We have seen him at his best and it’s really good. Left us wanting more. Former NZ Mass Mr. Hockey Finalist, William Cohen is a right shot defenseman with some size and good mobility. He squeezed the rush off and clogged lanes with a smart stick. Seemed to be adjusting well to Prep hockey. For St. Mark’s; Ian Moore picked up assists on both goals. He was dominant at times and supremely confident. The Harvard commit’s trend is still upwards. His passing must become more consistent, however. Tucker Hartmann was really impressive. Elusive, creative and fast. Great mobility and can fire the puck. Evaded the forecheck with ease. DI prospect for sure. Danny Ciccarello scored a pretty goal but also won faceoffs and played key minutes. He is quite skilled, can snipe but also has the poise to let plays develop. Brendan Gibbons was on the puck a lot, created back pressure and showed off his rocket shot. Great on the cycle and can dangle when he needs to. 2003 LD Luke Sullivan was very good all afternoon. Left shot DMan went back well on retrievals and saw the whole ice. Nice feet and made the forecheck miss as he was able to skate or pass from his end.
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images
