SEMIFINALS
Catholic Memorial 3, St. John’s Prep 1
At the Essex Sports Center, CM defeated the Eagles for the second time in nine days to take 5-of-6 points on the season. The 2020 regular-season champion Knights packed all of their scoring into the second half after the opening 22:30 was ruled by defense.
Junior Dylan Lamonica got things started at 4:09 with a close-range tuck at the right post after junior Joey Borelli’s steal and feed from behind the net. Sophomore Brendan MacNeil followed with a backhand strike at 14:28 and senior Glenn Considine added an ENG in the final minute.
SJP’s senior captain Jake DiNapoli spoiled a shutout bid by CM’s junior Dom Walecka (26 saves) in the waning seconds.
CM forced St. John’s wide and outside throughout, yielding few quality scoring bids. The Eagles finished 3-3-4.
Xaverian 3 Malden Catholic 1
At the Canton Icehouse, the regular-season champion Hawks jumped on the Lancers in the opening minute and applied unyielding pressure throughout, generated by an aggressive forecheck.
Xaverian
Sophomore Joe DiMartino scored the first of his two goals 24 seconds into the game, converting junior Braden O’Hara’s feed. MC freshman Owen Keefe countered from the left point to tie it at 2:54 but O’Hara scored what stood as the GWG from the mid-slot at 4:35. Precision passing from senior Pat Hart at the mid-blue line to O’Hara on the left wall to DiMartino resulted in a wrister for the sophomore’s second tally later in the period.
Xaverian tilted the ice throughout the second half, generating lopsided edges in possession and territorial advantage but were held off the board by MC’s senior keeper Brady Roux. The Lancers finished 3-7-2.
