Icemen capture Metropolis Holiday Tourney
By Jay Turner
Junior sensation Nick O'Connor (6 goals) has been red-hot to start the season. (Mike Barucci photo)
With two dominant wins last week over Westwood and Norwood, the Canton High boys’ hockey team emerged victorious in the annual Metropolis Holiday Classic, a two-day tournament featuring the four teams that call Metropolis Rink their home.
Held during school vacation week, the tournament doubles as a fundraiser for two local charities: the Scott Herr Scholarship Fund and the Matt Brown “Brownie Points” Fund. Canton also won last year’s inaugural tournament, beating Blue Hills and then Westwood by a combined total of 11-1.
This year the Bulldogs were similarly unbeatable, posting victories of 6-1 and 5-2 to claim bragging rights as kings of the rink. They also remained unbeaten on the season with an overall record of 3-0.
In the tournament opener against Westwood, the Bulldogs got off to a slow start but still found themselves with a 1-0 lead after a late first-period goal by junior defenseman Kurt Leavitt. They went on to dominate the second frame behind the forward line of TJ Duggan, Matt Lennon, and Justin Saccone, with the latter two scoring goals to give the team a commanding 3-0 lead.
The Bulldogs then added three more goals in the final period, including one apiece from Nick O’Connor, JC Marcone and Brian Brooks, who scored on a “highlight-reel individual effort,” according to head coach Brian Shuman. Westwood also scored in the period to make it a 6-1 final.
Canton was equally impressive in Thursday night’s final against Norwood, led by linemates O’Connor and Pat Ward, who each netted a pair of goals in the win. Marcone also scored, while Leavitt chipped in an assist with a beautiful cross-ice pass to O’Connor in the second period.
Norwood managed to cut the lead to two with two minutes left in the game, but a last-minute power play goal by Ward off a nice pass from O’Connor sealed the victory for the Bulldogs.
After three straight nonleague contests to open the season, Canton was due to kick off league play this week, beginning with a game Wednesday night against Oliver Ames in Brockton. The team will then return to Brockton on Saturday to take on Stoughton, followed by a home game next Wednesday versus Foxboro.
Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=10539
Posted by Jay Turner
on Jan 5 2012. Filed under High School, Sports.
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