LOWELL – Thump.
The statement made by the No. 9 Canton boys hockey team was loud Sunday afternoon at Tsongas Center, beating No. 6 Tewksbury 5-0 in the Ed Burns Coffee Tournament’s Doherty championship, a matchup many viewed as a potential Div. 2 state final preview between the MIAA power rankings’ top ranked teams.
Never had a Div. 2 team taken the Doherty championship before in the Coffee Pot Tournament’s five years, spiking anticipation for a tilt between the two who ousted Div. 1 powers Arlington, Hingham and Reading. And after shutting out the Harbormen in the semifinals, the Bulldogs (16-1) were masterful again on defense against the previously unbeaten Redmen (16-1-1), allowing just 13 shots on goal to finish the three-round tournament with one goal allowed.
“These are the best teams in the state as far as I’m concerned,” said Canton head coach Brian Shuman. “For us to take the title, we’re honored and very humbled because there are eight really good teams in that division. Boys played really well today. That’s a hell of a team. … For us to make a few plays in that game was special.”
Linemates Joey Ryan (goal, two assists), Ryan Elrick (goal) and Andrew Gillis (goal, two assists) led an attack with five different goal scorers, potting at least one goal in all three periods.
The most notable was a three-goal second period, with all three coming in the last 3:33 of an otherwise lock-down frame. Teams had combined for just five shots through the first 11 minutes of it, all coming from the outside.
Ed Burns Coffee Tournament championship game Sunday. (CJ Gunther/Boston Herald)
Elrick, Gavin O’Toole and Gillis scored the goals to blow open a 4-0 lead heading into the third.
“It goes to our work ethic,” Elrick said. “We just never stop. I think the big thing about our team is it’s go, go, go. Doesn’t matter how many goals we’re up by, down by. We’re always going to be at our best.”
Shuman spoke glowingly of Ryan’s playmaking, which was on full display in that stretch. A spectacular feed from in front to Elrick at the post built a 2-0 lead, and after O’Toole scored on a two-man rush, Ryan drew all of Tewksbury’s attention before crossing a pass to Gillis at the right circle for a wide-open shooting lane.
“Me and (Elrick) have had a little bit of unspoken chemistry throughout our whole high school career, same with (Gillis),” Ryan said. “I just always look for them in space and as soon as I see that little angle, I try to get it to them as quick as I can.”
Tewksbury had just three shots on goal in the second period, and were largely limited in special teams as the Bulldogs held it 0-for-4 on the power play.
“It’s kind of coming natural to us at this point, we’re all defensive-minded,” Gillis said.
“I think the whole thing is, we’re a D-first team,” Elrick added. “All of our offense comes from our D-zone. When we shut down our D-zone, our offense is that much better.”
Redmen star senior Tyler Bourgea made a few plays to challenge Matt Wright (13 saves) in net, but Canton effectively shut down the prolific attack by taking it out of its high-flying game. Defensemen Teddy Shuman, Kellen Labanara and Will Doucette (goal) stood out, but everyone played a major role.
“It was team defense,” Brian Shuman said. “We could not let them get comfortable (going through) the neutral zone. They have incredible speed, and we just really had to make sure we had guys back. … D-core played great. Can’t say enough good things.”
Tewksbury head coach Derek Doherty said “dud” several times after the game, feeling like his group didn’t play with the normal tempo, passion and aggressiveness it normally does, and the group will learn from the loss.
“We’re a better team than we showed today, for sure, and I know that,” he said. “But you’ve got to come prepared, mentally, and go out there and perform. And we didn’t do that, and that’s it. And you know what, hopefully it’s a good thing for us. … We know what we’re up against now.”
