After a wild set of play-in games last Monday night at Chelmsford Forum, the Super 8 hockey tournament begins in earnest Sunday with a quadrupleheader at Tsongas Center in Lowell.
The festivities start at noon, with Malden Catholic facing Austin Prep. Pope Francis and Hingham are scheduled to play at 2 p.m., with BC High and Central Catholic following at 4 p.m. The last game, Burlington vs. defending champion St. John’s Prep, starts at 6 p.m.
Each game is the first in a best-of-three series. The series winners advance to the semifinals, which take place March 16 at Tsongas Center. Tickets are $13 for adults and $8 for students and seniors. Here’s a look at Sunday’s matchups:
No. 3 seed Malden Catholic (14-3-3) vs. No. 6 Austin Prep (13-4-3), noon— After a loss in last year’s title game broke a streak of four Super 8 championships, Malden Catholic responded with another stellar season and is among the tournament’s favorites.
Austin Prep, a familiar Super 8 foe, is the first hurdle for the Lancers. If Malden Catholic’s 5-1 victory over Austin Prep in December is any indication, this series could be over after two games.
But Austin Prep coach Louis Finocchiaro is no stranger to big games, and if the Cougars can’t figure out Malden Catholic, it won’t be for lack of preparation.
The Cougars placed five on the Catholic Central All-Stars list, all of whom should return next season, including sophomore goalie Dylan Regan .
Austin Prep went 0-3 against the Catholic Conference and was outscored, 14-1.
Regardless of what happens in this series, this season has been a success for Austin Prep, which only had three seniors on the roster. A possible rebuilding season ending in a Super 8 berth is an accomplishment in and of itself.
For Malden Catholic, the players to watch are Nick Botticelli and Pat Harrington, two elite skaters and playmakers who combined to record 43 points this season.
No. 2 Pope Francis (17-1-3) vs. No. 7 Hingham (11-8-3), 2 p.m.— Hingham proved the Super 8 committee right by defeating Arlington in its play-in game, and the Harbormen now have a great opportunity to make some noise.
Coach Tony Messina loaded his team’s schedule with tough opponents in order to get his charges prepared for the Super 8.
Waiting for Hingham is another favorite for the title, Pope Francis (formerly Springfield Cathedral). After failing to reach the final last year as the top seed, the Cardinals are hungry for a shot at the title.
Brian Foley’s team has one offensive force after another, with the junior tandem of Riley Prattson and Cam Peritz leading the way. Prattson (50 points) and Peritz (45 points) both score at an unbelievable rate.
While Hingham’s talent might not be on par with that of Pope Francis, the Harbormen are at their best when they’re scrapping for loose pucks near their opponent’s net. In the win over Arlington, two of their four goals came off rebounds.
No. 1 BC High (17-0-3) vs. No. 8 Central Catholic (15-7-1), 4 p.m. — Central Catholic has a feeling of confident right now. The Raiders got the benefit of the doubt from the selection committee, and they beat Reading in a shootout in a play-in game to muscle their way into the field.
But Central Catholic has to do something twice that no team has been able to do once this season — beat BC High.
Taking two of three is a seemingly impossible task against the hottest team in the state, and an 8-2 loss to the Eagles in December doesn’t help the optics.
Part of coach Mike Jankowski’s pitch to the committee had to do with star player and BU commit Jake Wise, who missed five games this season while playing for Team USA at the Winter Youth Olympic Games in Norway.
With Wise, the Raiders are a much stronger and more balanced team. However, he and his teammates will have to play near-perfect hockey to have a chance against BC High.
For John Flaherty and his Catholic Conference champion Eagles, confidence is sky high. The game plan will be no different than in the regular season: score in bunches and rely on goalie Brandon Payzant (1.1 goals allowed per game).
No. 4 St. John’s Prep (14-2-4) vs. No. 5 Burlington (17-1-3), 6 p.m. — Of all four first-round series, this matchup has the potential to be special — the best public school in the state against the defending champs.
Burlington will be best served keeping the scoring to a minimum, rather than getting into a shootout with St. John’s Prep’s high-powered offense.
The Red Devils have the defense to compete with the Eagles, with a sound backline and a solid goalie in Nick Howard. The senior leadership and confidence boost that defensemen Josh Boulos and Shane O’Halloran bring is a big factor. The two have the ability to dictate the flow of the game.
On offense, a balanced attack has been key for the Red Devils, who have 11 players with double-digit points.
St. John’s Prep gets its scoring from a combination of four forwards, all who have more than 20 points. The biggest luxury for the Eagles comes in the form of senior goalie Kyle Martin. The superlatives have run dry for the goaltender, who allowed only 1.17 goals per game playing in the toughest conference in the state. As long as he is in net, the Eagles have a chance against any team.
