ESPN

MALDEN, Mass. -- The back-to-back defending Super 8 hockey champion Malden Catholic Lancers held their yearly end-of-year banquet Thursday night at Anthony’s in Malden.

It was an emotional evening, capped off by a speech from head coach Chris Serino, who continues his fight against cancer.

After the event, we chatted with Lancers junior forward Mike Iovanna, who scored the game-winning goal against BC High. Iovanna’s kept the momentum going into the offseason, including his commitment to UMass-Amherst last month.

Here’s the blow by blow with the always dapperly dressed winger:

On his college decision: “I took a tour of the school last year and I feel in love with the campus. I looked at a couple of other schools, but UMass caught my eye. It’s not the BC’s or the BU’s of the world, but I love everything about it. They’ve been watching me and we’ve been talking back and forth. A couple weeks after the Super 8, after the final game, the assistant coach called and offered me. I accepted right away because it was my first choice. I just think UMass fits me.”

On Chris Serino’s speech: “It was so emotional. When coach got up to speak, I couldn’t even look at him. It kills me, I almost broke down crying. It was very emotional and it means a lot to all of us.”

On Serino’s impact on him: “He’s the one that got me to go to Malden Catholic. He’s been there every step of the way with me.”

On expectations for next year: “The goal is to win it again, obviously. It stinks with the guys that are leaving, but we should be good. With Ara [Nazarian] and Siff [Tyler Sifferlen], I think those guys can step it up next season.”

NOTES
--After receiving his ESPNBoston.com Mr. Hockey Award, BU-bound captain Brendan Collier confirmed that he will playing with the Valley Junior Warriors next season before joining the Terriers in 2013.

--Serino took the podium and thanked the assembled for their continued support, wrapping up the evening’s festivities saying, “I wouldn’t be here except for having all of you in this room.” There wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

The NHL Central Scouting service released its final rankings of North American skaters and goaltenders ahead of the NHL Draft on Monday.

Here's the list of skaters with local ties who made the cut:

(The full list can be found here)

27 Cristoval "Boo" Nieves, Kent School, 6' 2.75" 184, C
36 Sam Kurker, St. John's Prep, 6' 1.5" 198, RW
54 Brian Hart, Phillips Exeter, 6' 2.0" 216, RW
69 Chris Calnan, Noble & Greenough, 6' 1.75" 188, RW
76 Danny O'Regan, St. Sebastian's, 5' 8.75" 162, C
77 Jimmy Vesey, South Shore Kings (North Reading, Mass.), EJHL, 6' 1.0" 200, LW
79 Devin Tringale, Lawrence Academy, 5'11.5" 186, LW
88 Frank Vatrano, USA U-18 (E. Longmeadow, Mass.) 5' 10.0" 218 ,C
99 Doyle Somerby, Kimball Union, 6' 4.5" 232, D
101 Adam Gilmour, Noble & Greenough, 6' 2.25" 193, RW
103 Alexander Gonye, Deerfield Academy, 6'0.5" 166, LW
108 Matthew Beattie, Phillips Exeter, 6' 3.0" 173, LW
127 Nicholas Bligh, South Shore Kings (Milton, Mass.), EJHL, 5' 11.5" 175, C
132 John Stevens, Salisbury, 6' 1.25" 175, C
134 Cam Darcy, USA U-18 (South Boston), 6' 189, C/RW
143 Brendan Collier, Malden Catholic, 5' 9.0" 168, LW
145 Kevin Duane, Brunswick, 6' 4.0" 219, RW
166 Alex Rauter, Choate-Rosemary Hall, 6' 0.0" 174, LW
177 Matthew Grzelcyk, USA U-18 (Charlestown, Mass.), 5' 9.0" 171, D
208 Tim Boyle, Noble & Greenough, 6' 1.75" 185, D
210 Zachary Pryzbek, Salisbury, 6' 2.75" 199, LW

Goaltenders:

31 Joseph Young, Boston Advantage AAA (Hanover, Mass.), 6' 1.5" 162
33 Dawson Sprigings, The Gunnery, 5' 11.25" 206

First Team:
F – Brendan Collier, Sr., Malden Catholic
The two-time ESPN Boston All-Stater closed out his senior season with a second straight Super 8 title and claimed our Mr. Hockey Award. The Charlestown native and Boston University commit scored 26 goals with assists for 65 points, a figure which led all Division 1 scorers. Collier, who also plays golf and lacrosse at MC, plans on playing a year of juniors next year before joining the Terriers.

F – Ryan Fitzgerald, Jr., Malden Catholic
The Lancers’ top-line pivot makes his second All-State team appearance, his first on the First Team. The North Reading native and Boston College commit again eclipsed the 50-point plateau (31-21-52), despite missing the first couple weeks of the season with a shoulder injury, and helped the Lancers to their second straight Super 8 title.

F – Sam Kurker, Sr., St. John’s Prep
When looking up the term power forward, the Eagles senior winger and captain fit the mold. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound forward finished with 32 goals and 28 assists for 60 points. The Boston University commit has also seen time with U.S. National Team Development Program and skated with the U-18 select team at the Ivan Hlinka Tournament during the summer.

D – Colin MacGillivray, Jr., Malden Catholic
The Lancers blue-liner is made in the mold of an old school rugged defenseman. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Peabody native played on MC’s top pairing through the season while posting three goals and 10 assists for 10 points for the repeat Super 8 champions.

D – Nikko Markham, Sr., St. Mary’s (Lynn)
The Catholic Central Conference Most Valuable Player and Spartans captain finished a sound career by leading St. Mary’s to a No. 2 seed in the Super 8. The Salem native was among the top point-scoring blue-liners in the state with six goals and 12 assists for 18 points.

G – Peter Cronin, Jr., BC High
For the second straight season, the Eagles went as their netminder went, and Cronin led BC High to its first Super 8 finals appearance since 2007. Playing in each of the Eagles’ 25 games, the Norwell resident posted a 2.00 goals against average and a 91.7 save percentage.

2nd Team:
F – Kevin Emmerling, Sr., St. John’s (Shrewsbury)
Perhaps the most skilled skater in the state, the Pioneers’ center provided a dynamic offensive punch to their Super 8 run. The Whitinsville native finished third in Division 1 scoring with 26 goals and 30 assists for 56 points. Emmerling is exploring his options for next year and hopes to play college hockey.

F – Conal Lynch, Sr., Boston Latin
Lynch also showed that Charlestown is again a hotbed of hockey, carrying the Wolfpack to a DCL/MVC Div. 2 championship. Lynch finished second in Division 2 in scoring with 35 goals and 18 assists for 53 points. The Wolfpack captain is weighing his options in pursuing prep or junior hockey next year.

F – Matt Sullivan, Sr., BC High
The senior captain was a true two-way center with a high hockey IQ. The Duxbury resident anchored the Eagles’ top line, scoring 12 goals and 16 assists for 28 points and lifting BC High to its first Super 8 final appearance since 2007. He is pursuing prep and junior hockey opportunities for next season.

D – Casey Fitzgerald, Fr., Malden Catholic
The younger brother of Ryan, Casey catapulted himself onto the scene in his first year, filling the role of a puck-moving defenseman previously held by former All-Stater Conor Evangelista. The North Reading resident and Boston College commit tallied two goals and 15 assists for 17 points in his first year.

D – Peter Sikalis, Sr., Acton-Boxborough
The Colonials’ captain was the impetus behind their run to the D1 North semifinals. Sikalis had eight goals and 11 assists for 19 points while eating up boatloads of ice time for head coach Bob Lavin. The imposing 6-foot-3 defenseman is exploring his hockey options for next year.

G – David Letarte, Sr., St. John’s Prep
The captain has been the Eagles’ backbone during the last three seasons, leading Prep back to the Super 8 once again. Letarte had a 2.08 goals against average and a 91.3 save percentage in 18 games played. He is currently mulling over college and junior hockey offers for next year.

“Best of the Rest”
Nick Bertoni, F, Franklin
Tom Besinger, F, BC High
Tommy Bishop, F, Chelmsford
Matt Brazel, F, Hingham
Trevor Cimino, F, Burlington
Frank Crinella, F, Springfield Cathedral
Paul Curran, F, Milton
Vin D’Amato, F, St. John’s (Shrewsbury)
Jarrod Fitzpatrick, F, St. Mary’s (Lynn)
James Gordon, F, Hingham
Danny Holland, F, Woburn
Mike Iovanna, F, Malden Catholic
Connor Irving, F, Beverly
Mike Kelleher, F, Central Catholic
Chris Leblanc, F, Winthrop
Bobby Mullins, St. Mary’s (Lynn)
Ara Nazarian, F, Malden Catholic
Andrew Newis, F, Natick
Jack O’Hear, F, Catholic Memorial
Cam O’Neill, F, St. Mary’s (Lynn)
Jake O'Rourke, F, Medway
Cam Owens, F, Wilmington
Brian Pinho, F, St. John’s Prep
Dalton Rolli, F, Wilmington
Joe Strangie, F, Danvers
D.J. Walsh, F, Needham
Bryan Carter, D, Hudson
Connor Fenton, D, Braintree
Brian Furey, D, BC High
Pat Houghton, D, Westford Academy
Steve Mattos, D, Burlington
Nick Pandalena, D, St. John’s Prep
Jake Secatore, D, Woburn
Brendan White, D, Malden Catholic
Joe Cerulo, G, Wakefield
Jordan Davis, G, Norwood
Mike Donadio, G, Franklin
Bailey MacBurnie, G, St. Mary’s (Lynn)
Connor Murray, G, Needham
Connor Roddy, G, Medfield
Shane Starrett, G, Catholic Memorial
Steven Waites, G, Winthrop
Kyle Williams, G, Central Catholic

Coach of the Year
Chris Spillane, Franklin
Losing 15 seniors off of 2011's Division 2 state finalist team posed no problem to Spillane in guiding his team back to the Garden again. The 13-year Panthers bench boss is regarded as one of the finest in the state, but no season might have been more impressive for Spillane than getting this team back to the finals.

Finalists:
Karl Infanger, Natick
Mark Lee, St. Mary’s (Lynn)
John McLean, Malden Catholic

ESPNBoston.com and its High School section today announced that Brendan Collier, senior winger for the Malden Catholic Lancers, is the recipient of its second annual "Mr. Hockey" award, presented to the top male high school hockey player in Massachusetts.

The Mr. Hockey Award winner was chosen by a panel of experts made up of ESPNBoston.com staff, correspondents and high school hockey coaches. Collier will be presented with the award at a later date.

“Brendan Collier has been one of the most dynamic hockey talents in all of New England during the last couple of years,” said Scott Barboza, co-editor of ESPN Boston High Schools and coordinator of the site’s hockey coverage. “Not only is Collier a skilled player in the offensive zone, his true value as a hockey player is evident in all the little things he brings to the game. Whether it’s hustling on the backcheck or helping to kill a penalty while playing defense, Collier has proved he’s a true champion.”

The Lancers captain and Charlestown resident led the program to its second straight Super 8 tournament title on Sunday in a 3-1 win over rival BC High. The championship capped an emotional season for MC, with coach Chris Serino battling cancer.

In addition to tallying a goal in this year's Super 8 final, Collier also netted the overtime game-winner during the Division 1A final last season against St. John's Prep.

The Boston University commit tallied 26 goals and 39 assists for 65 points. Collier led all Division 1 scorers this season, holding a six-point advantage over the second-place finisher.

“During a very emotional season, he didn’t focus on himself or his individual statistics, he worried about his teammates and Coach Serino,” Lancers coach John McLean said.

Collier looks to play a year of junior hockey next year before joining the Terriers in 2013. He is also a member of MC's golf and lacrosse teams.

“His selflessness and leadership brought another Super 8 title to Malden Catholic and Coach Serino,” McLean said. “His hockey future is very bright, his future as a person is limitless. It was truly an honor to coach Brendan.”

BOSTON -- After taking their second straight Super 8 title Sunday at the Garden, we caught up with Malden Catholic first-liners Brendan Collier and Mike Iovanna to talk about the Lancers' emotional 3-1 victory over BC High:

BOSTON – Every championship means something. But the Division 1A Super 8 crown won by Malden Catholic meant everything.

To players such as junior Mike Iovanna, whose game-winner helped push the Lancers past BC High, 3-1 at TD Garden.

And to Chris Serino, MC's cancer stricken head coach, who although too ill to perform his whistle-tooting duties, played a huge emotional role in Malden's second consecutive crown.

“You know what,” said Iovanna, whose backhander with 8:06 gone in the third snapped a 1-1 tie, “we did it for him. It's tough to see him like that. Our season was based on him.”

Senior defenseman Colin MacGillivray was in hearty agreement.

“Everything on that ice was dedicated to him,” said MacGillivray. “We just did it for him. We wanted it, and we did it.”

They did, but not without a struggle, after having spotted BC High an early goal.

The Eagles grabbed that lead on Sam Topham's tally, 1:59 into the contest.

Showing no reluctance to jump into the offense, Topham, a sophomore defenseman, took a feed from freshman Tim Larocque, barged to the bottom of the left circle, then threaded in his tight-angle shot which caught Lancers' junior goalie Connor Maloney by surprise.

“Those were all things we worked on this week in practice,” Eagles head coach John Flaherty said. “Driving wide. We knew where they were vulnerable.”

Matters opened up in the second period, which put both goaltenders on the hot seat.

BC High netminder Peter Cronin faced 17 shots in the second stanza, including Iovanna's sharp wrister which he gloved.

The Eagles missed out on a golden scoring chance a minute later, when Michael Brooks was set up by linemate Tom Besinger, but missed the open net.

“That wasn't the only one,” said Flaherty. “Three or four pucks that laid there for us to bury. When you're playing with the fire power of Malden Catholic, you need to be mistake free and capitalize on everything they give you.”

Instead, was the Lancers who exploited a BC High breakdown and used it to tie the contest, 1-1, at 11:28.

Brendan Collier, working a 2-on-1 with Ryan Fitzgerald, took Sifferlen's cross-ice pass, put a head fake on Cronin and tucked the puck inside the right post.

The stalemate continued until midway through the third, when an uncleared puck in the Eagles zone ended up on Nick Rolli's stick near the blue line.

Rolli saw Iovanna cutting to the net and deftly fed him the puck.

“We were really pressuring them down low,” said Iovanna. “They couldn't get it out. We kept banging on them.”

Iovanna finished the play by lifting a back hander over Cronin's shoulder from six feet away.

Lancers freshman Casey Fitzgerald put the game out of reach with 4.6 seconds remaining, when he sent a shot 150 feet into an open net.

By that time, the Malden faithful, including Serino who was in attandence, were able to celebrate this sweetest title.

“I've been there since my freshman year,” MacGillivray said. “We've basically been a family together. It sounds weird, but [Coach Serino] is like the father of the family. We did it for him.”

Said MCinterim coach John McLean, “It's mission accomplish. It's been a very long, tough season, mentally and physically. The kids dug down in the third period and did what they had to do.”

With hockey being such a close-knit fraternity, Serino, who is still Lancers athletic director, had a real presence in the Eagles' dressing room, too, one that was still grieving the in-season passings of the fathers of two BC High sophomores.

“We were playing for our own cause,” Flaherty said. “Two of our kids lost their dads. (But) I have the utmost respect for Chris Serino. He just came into my locker room and congratulated our guys. That's what true Chris Serino is. Here's a guy fighting for his life and he takes the time out of celebrating with his team to come into my locker room.

"That's what hockey is. It's a family.”

All eyes will be on the TD Garden Sunday as championships will be decided in six divisions of MIAA hockey title games.

We'll have you covered all day long, but until then, we provide to you a breakdown of each of the game and our prediction:

GIRLS’ FINALS Division 2
No. 1 Duxbury (21-0-1) vs. No. 7 Falmouth (16-4-1), 11 a.m., TD Garden
The Breakdown: If the Dragons win this game, they make a strong argument that they were the strongest girls’ hockey team in the state, regardless of division, with the potential for an undefeated season. As any strong hockey squad goes, the Dragons are built from goal out with sophomore goaltender Rachel Myette (0.91 GAA) looks for her second state title in as many seasons as starter. Duxbury’s blue line corps is regarded as the deepest in the state, led by ESPN Boston Ms. Hockey contender Martha Findley (4-19-23). Of course, Duxbury has plenty of offensive firepower to go along with their strong defensive play with junior forwards Hannah Murphy (18-27-45) and Lily Connolly (18-20-38) as leading scorers. Falmouth has been one of the stories of the tournament, making a run behind first-year head coach Erin Blood. The Clippers have also received strong play from a young goaltender in freshman Maddie Scavotto (1.26 GAA). Falmouth is also deep and experienced on the blue line with senior captain Brenna Callahan and junior Alexx Good. The Clippers have received scoring punch from a pair of freshman forwards in Kelly Ferreira (13-9-22) and Madison Haberl (11-12-23).

The Pick: The defending Division 2 champion Dragons spent half the season as the No. 1 team in our poll. We’re not about to go against them now. Duxbury, 4-1.

Division 1 No. 3 St. Mary’s (Lynn) (21-3-1) vs. No. 4 Arlington Catholic (20-3-1), 9 a.m.
The Breakdown: If two regular season meetings between these Central Catholic powers weren’t enough, we get a rubber match for all the marbles on Sunday. The Lady Spartans came away with two wins in the teams’ regular season series, including a defining 5-2 decision by St. Mary’s on Feb. 1 after they’d been upset by crosstown rival Winthrop/Lynn. Can’t underscore the coaching in this game enough, as Frank Pagliuca has turned in perhaps his finest performance behind the bench and Maggie Taverna has vaulted the Cougars back onto the state’s biggest stage in Year One. Taverna has been helped by one of the state’s most dynamic scorers in senior Natalie Flynn (19-15-34). Adrieana Rossini (8-14-22) has also come up with some huge postseason goals. On the blue line, AC has one of the state’s best in senior Rebecca Zappala. First-year transfers Kaleigh Finigan (30-goal season) and Brittani Lanzilli (25-28-53) have not disappointed while Alison Butler (team-leading 61 points) has taken a huge step forward. The Spartans blue line is airtight with preseason All-Stater Rachel Donahoe leading the group. Lauren Skinnion (7 SO) has been strong as a first-year starter in nets.

The Pick: Third time’s a charm? Not so. Spartans are too strong. St. Mary’s, 4-2.

BOYS’ FINALS Division 3
Medway (19-6-1) vs. Hudson (21-1-1), 1:30 p.m.
The Breakdown: This marks the return of one of the state’s great public hockey programs to its biggest stage in Hudson (seriously, look it up), with the Hawks making their first state finals appearance since 1978, when they took the Div. 1 title from Burlington. The Central sectional champions are strong up front with a trio of 30-point scorers in seniors Tyler Kirby, Tim Murphy and Blake Seymour. The Mustangs are paced by one of the state’s top snipers in Jake O’Rourke (43-13-56). This matchup will also feature two of most dominant D3 goalies in the state with Hudson junior Shane Barry and Medway junior Mike Narducci facing off with sub-2.00 goals against averages.

The Pick: We’re going with the storyline and perhaps the most consistent D3 team throughout the season. Hudson, 3-2.

Division 2 Wilmington (15-4-5) vs. No. 1 Franklin (19-2-3), 3:30 p.m.
The Breakdown: This might be the most intriguing matchup of the day. Both of these teams were among four Division 2 teams on the Mass. Hockey Coaches Association’s initial Super 8 Watch list a month ago and haven’t disappointed in the tournament. Franklin was here a year ago, when they had their hearts broken by Tewksbury in an overtime stunner. Many observers, including us, had last season pegged as the Panthers’ opportunity to break a nearly three-decade long drought, but Chris Spillane has showed why he’s one of the state’s premier coaches. It also hasn’t hurt that Franklin has received tremendous senior seasons from Adam Hall (17-25-42) and Nick Bertoni (25-15-40). Sophomore netminder Mike Donadio (1.64 GAA) has been a revelation. The Wildcats offense has taken off since Cam Owens’ (14-19-33) return to the lineup, while senior captain Dalton Rolli (9-16-25) is an underrated two-way presence. Junior forward Jake Rogers (12-6-20) has come up with some timely goals in the postseason. Sophomore netminder Drew Foley (1.69 GAA) has played his best when it’s counted most, carrying a three-plus game shutout streak into the Wildcats’ North sectional final with Winthrop.

The Pick: The last time the Panthers hoisted the trophy Coach Spillane skated. Unfortunately for the hockey hotbed, this isn’t the year either. Wilmington, 2-1 (OT).



Division 1 Burlington (17-2-6) vs. Milton (19-3-3), 8:15 p.m.
The Breakdown: The Red Devils pulled off a tough feat, bouncing back from a Super 8 play-in game loss (and a very competitive one at that) to pull themselves into the D1 championship. The Middlesex League champions have plenty of speed to burn, and senior assistant captain Trevor Cimino (17-22-39) is about as good a two-way forward as you’ll find. Along with Joe Berardi (22-13-35), Brett Romkey (17-3-20) and C.J. Grinnell (6-14-20), Burlington can score in piles. We’ve also come away impressed by their defensive corps led by Steve Mattos, in addition to Cody Crocker, Adam Crowley and Brien Diffley. The Wildcats ran the Bay State League gauntlet in the South sectional tournament to get to the Garden. Paul Curran (26-33-59) is one of the best pure scorers in the state, and along with top-liners Brian Higgins (23-29-52) and Terrance Walsh (16-33-49), Milton provides matchup problems. Blue-liner John Murtagh is a rock, logging boatloads of ice time, and senior netminder Jay Hankard is peaking at the right time

The Pick: Red Devils are simply too potent, but they’re the pick mostly because of the way they’re playing defensively right now in front of Derek DeCastro. Burlington, 6-3.

Division 1A No. 5 BC High (13-6-5) vs. No. 1 Malden Catholic (19-1-4), 6 p.m.
The Breakdown: After beating another Catholic Conference rival, St. John’s Prep, to advance to the final, Eagles head coach John Flaherty said he’s had a special feeling about this group. That feeling might have developed after BC High skated to a 2-2 tie with MC on Jan. 25, a game in which the Eagles in some regards out-played the Lancers. This will be the fourth meeting between these teams, with MC taking two wins, including a 3-1 win in the Super 8’s round robin last week. The crucible for BC High is which of their defensive units shows up: The out-of-sorts group that surrendered a 7-spot earlier this season to MC, or the cohesive group that bounced Prep and its top line? Of course, that all starts with junior goaltender Peter Cronin (2.00 GAA), who has turned in another solid tournament. Brian Furey leads a much improved blue-line group. The Eagles are also disciplined in their own zone, with Matt Sullivan (12-16-28) providing as much defensively as he does offensively. Everyone knows of the Lancers top line of Brendan Collier, Ryan Fitzgerald and Mike Iovanna, but freshman center Ara Nazarian has been the breakout star of the tournament, filling the scoresheet in every game and tallying five goals. It’s not just offense with MC, however, as you’d be hard pressed to find a deeper, more dynamic top three than Casey Fitzgerald, Colin MacGillivray and Brendan White. If netminder Connor Maloney plays as he did against Central Catholic in the crossover round, that’s game, set, and match.

The Pick: Doin’ it for CS5. MC, 5-3.

NORTH ANDOVER – Local hockey fans who hadn't heard of Malden Catholic forward Ara Nazarian before this year's Super 8 tournament have probably heard of him now.

Nazarian, a freshman, collected a goal – his fifth in four Super 8 games – to help the top-seeded Lancers defeat seventh-seeded Central Catholic 4-0 Wednesday in the Super 8 semifinals.

“He tends to figure out the game at each level as he moves up,” Malden Catholic head coach John McLean said. “He's got a pretty good hockey IQ and when he gets a chance he's gonna put it in the net.

“I know what he can do because I've coached him since he was a Mite. He scored in some big games [during the regular season] and he's scored some big ones here. He's a big-time player.”

Malden Catholic, last year's Super 8 champion, also received goals from sophomore defenseman Nick Rolli, senior forward Brendan Collier and junior forward Ryan Fitzgerald.

The victory earned the Lancers a spot in the Super 8 championship game, where they will face BC High on Sunday (6 p.m.) at TD Banknorth Garden. BC High moved on with a 3-2 triumph over St. John's Prep in Wednesday's other semifinal.

“I've had them [BC High] marked from Day 1 as the team that would be there,” McLean said. “Just nonstop. Great coach, great kids and it's gonna be a great game.”

Central Catholic made the program's deepest run in the Super 8 tournament.

“The kids fought all the way to the end,” Central Catholic head coach Mike Jankowski said. “We wanted to be a little more conservative in our own zone. Give up a little bit. Be patient. The kids stayed with it. They did a great job.”

SHOOTING BLANKS
Although Malden Catholic collected both goals scored in the second period, the best chances in the period belonged to the Raiders.

Malden Catholic goaltender Connor Maloney stopped Central Catholic's Corey Webber on a penalty shot with 4:15 left in the period, and then Maloney stopped Michael Hovnanian's breakaway attempt with 3:36 remaining in the period.

“You gotta put those away when you're in trouble,” Jankowksi said. “When you don't finish them the sticks start to get a little heavier.”

“[Maloney] made a few more big saves besides those two,” McLean added. “He kept us in it. This is two games in a row where our offense gets going and we forget we have to play defense. The kids get excited when they score the goals and hear the fans, but defense wins hockey games.

“Maloney had a great game tonight. He was our player of the game.”

OLD FRIENDS MEET AGAIN
Sunday's game will be the fourth time Malden Catholic and BC High have faced each other this season. Malden Catholic posted a 7-4 victory during the regular season, and a 3-1 victory earlier in the Super 8 tournament. The teams also skated to a 2-2 tie during the regular season.

“I'm looking forward to it,” McLean said. “We always have good games with them. It's gonna come down to who going to eat the puck, block a shot. Who's gonna want to get in front and get dirty. I think it's gonna come down to heart. I think it's gonna be a great game for the fans.”

MALDEN, Mass. -- Malden Catholic hockey's season had an auspicious start when head coach Chris Serino announced he was stepping aside for the season to deal with health problems in December.

The program was entrusted to John McLean, who took over as head coach in the interim, along with fellow longtime assistants Phil Antonelli and Pat Driscoll.

The Lancers haven't disappointed as the No. 1 team in our Top 25 poll throughout the season. But the pressure will mount on Wednesday, as they look to advance to the TD Garden and secure their second straight Division 1A title. Still, the biggest goal the Lancers hope to live up to is the ability to deliver another title in honor of their ailing coach, who is undergoing treatment in a bout with throat cancer.

We visited MC's practice on Monday to file this story:

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. — All it took was the first couple of seconds into the game and one could see that it could be a long day for Hingham.

Ryan Fitzgerald set the tone with his breakaway rush after the opening faceoff as the talented forward and his linemmates helped Malden Catholic finish off Hingham, 7-2, final first round game of the Super Eight.

“I think as a whole we realized we needed to pick it up a little,” Fitzgerald said. “On the first shift we poured it out and it showed. We got a lot of good chances in the beginning of the game and we just wanted to apply it for the rest of the night.”

Lancers head coach John McLean could see that maybe his first line was struggling to find the back of the net and he was happy to see his team find the scoring touch at the right time.

“It was good that our guys finally got on the scoreboard and played the way that they can in the offensive zone,” McLean said. “We talked about it at practice and we rely on them a lot. They really have been struggling a bit, squeezing the stick too much.”



Fitzgerald was the pace-setter with three goals and one assists, while Brendan Collier scored two goals and two assists. Ara Narazarian also potted a pair for Malden Catholic in the victory.

“We’ve just focused on our game plan,” Fitzgerald said. “We practice it every day and we just had to bring it back to the basics and stay with that.”

Lost in the offensive explosion were a number of great saves by Connor Maloney in the second period. Maloney got out of position on two or three rushes by the Harbormen, but he was able to square up those chances that could have seriously altered the complexion of the dominating victory.

“We didn’t do a good job in our end,” said McLean. “[Maloney] came up with some huge saves. The kids felt really good after the second period, but I kind of blasted them. The net was empty. They probably missed three empty nets. It could have been a different game if they put that puck in the net. He saved us on a few.”

“You know you are only going to get so many chances,” added Hingham head coach Tony Messina. “We had two or three. It looked like open nets or partially open nets and we couldn’t put it home. It would have changed the complexion in terms of the way the kids were thinking about it. We could only keep them down for so long.”

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. -- With one period to play in Sunday night's Super 8 game between top-seeded Malden Catholic and eighth-seeded St. John's of Shrewsbury, everyone in attendance at Merrimack College's Lawler Arena was on upset alert.

The underdog Pioneers carried a one-goal lead into the third and were 15 minutes away from making headlines. Those 15 minutes were dominated by Malden Catholic, however. The Lancers scored two third-period goals and held St. John's to one shot on goal in the period to escape with a 3-2 victory.

“Gotta' give St. John's Shrewsbury all the credit,” Malden Catholic coach John McLean said. “I thought they played hard, they were smart, they clogged up the middle. We got a lot of shots on net, but I wouldn't say a lot of quality shots.

“We just kept digging and rolling out three lines. Told the guys to get pucks to the net, crash the net. You know what? It worked out in the end.”

Boston College-bound center Ryan Fitzgerald collected the game-winning goal with 34.7 seconds to play after he swatted in his own rebound after receiving a pass from Brendan Collier.

“Brendan gave me a nice pass from behind the net,” Fitzgerald said. “I just kept whacking at it and it ended up in the back of the net. It was just a matter of time before we got rewarded for our hard work.

“There was some frustration in the room [after two periods] but we kept our heads high and stuck with our game plan.”

Malden Catholic, last year's Super 8 champion, tied the game when defenseman Colin MacGillivray scored 3:02 into the third. The Lancers outshot the Pioneers 37-5 and improved their record to 16-1-4.

Senior forward Connor Bertram and junior forward Vin D'Amato provided the goals for St. John's Shrewsbury, which had to beat Needham in a play-in game to reach the field of eight. The Pioneers dropped to 16-5-3.

The Pioneers gained the momentum when Bertram opened the scoring 2:02 into the first period. Ara Nazarian tied the game on a backhanded shot from the left circle 8:00 into the second, then St. John's Shrewsbury regained the lead on D'Amato's 25th goal with 3:08 left in the second.

St. John's goaltender Mario Pizzeri made 34 saves, but it wasn't enough.

“Our leaders stood up when they had to,” McLean said. “Fitzy [Fitzgerald] and Brendan Collier have been carrying us all year. They went out there and they did the job. They're clutch players.”

ON TARGET
Perhaps the best way to describe the Pioneers' performance through two periods is efficient. St. John's scored on one of its three shots in the opening period, and on its only shot in the second.

“We wanted to keep their quality shots down as much as we could,” St. John's coach Brian Murphy said. “[Mario] kept us in there. I thought he played very well.

“We wanted to keep it away from their top guns, who are obviously very skilled, and see if we could chip a couple in, which we were able to do. It was a good, quality team effort. We wanted to keep it as close as we could for as long as we could. We just couldn't get the third one.”

UP NEXT
Each team will return to action Tuesday night at Merrimack College. St. John's will face Hingham at 5:45, and Malden Catholic will meet BC High at 8:15.

“I'm happy with the way we played, we just have to score earlier,” McLean said. “I thought St. John's did a very good job tonight.”

There are less than 48 hours remaining before the puck drops on the real Super 8 on Sunday at Merrimack College.

So we’re taking this opportunity to break down the final eight:

1. Malden Catholic (15-1-4)
Marquee wins: Pretty much all of them, minus the Lancers’ one loss to New Jersey powerhouse Delbarton.

Players to watch: F Brendan Collier (22-34-56); F Ryan Fitzgerald (26-14-40); F Mike Iovanna (14-23-37); F Tyler Sifferlen (9-14-23); F Ara Nazarian (10-16-26); D Casey Fitzgerald (1-15-16); D Colin MacGillivray (2-8-10); Brendan White (2-16-18).

The skinny: As in the last couple of years, this year’s Super 8 is viewed as the Lancers’ tournament to lose. Again, they have the best line in the state with Collier, Ryan Fitzgerald and Iovanna saddling into Mike Vecchione’s former spot. But MC’s true strength is depth. Sifferlen and Nazarian would occupy a spot on mostly any team’s top line. Super frosh and BC commit Casey Fitzgerald has filled Conor Evangelista’s role dutifully as a puck-moving defenseman.

X-factor: Goaltending. Connor Maloney watched last year’s Super 8 from the BC High bench behind Peter Cronin. Now, it’s his time to shine.

2. St. Mary’s of Lynn (18-1-3)
Marquee wins: Malden Catholic (Kasabuski Tournament tie); Hingham (5-1); Cathedral (3-2).

Players to watch: F Bobby Mullins (9-20-29); F Jarrod Fitzpatrick (14-7-21); F Cam O’Neill (14-15-29); F Brendan Mageary (13-11-24); F Tim Aylward (10-10-20); D Nikko Markham (6-12-18); D Bryan Wilkins (1-7-8); G Bailey MacBurnie (1.30 GAA, 94.1 save %).

The skinny: So what were the Spartans to do without perennial league all-star Donald Hesse as their backbone? Well, Mark Lee found a more-than-legitimate starter in MacBurnie, a sophomore, who’s played well along with a defensive corps led by Markham. Fitzpatrick has been another revelation in his first season with the Spartans. St. Mary’s has greater scoring depth than in year’s past. And they’re young, as freshman Eric MacAdams (4-14-18) has impressed seeing top-line action.

X-factor: How do the Spartans react in a tight game. In last year’s Super 8 play-in stab, and the Div. 1 tournaments of year’s past, one-goal games have come back to haunt them. If they can sweat out a couple of close decisions in this tournament, they might find themselves at the Garden.

3. St. John’s Prep (13-5-2)
Marquee wins: BC High (3-1); Hingham (2-1); Central Catholic (4-0).

Players to watch: F Sam Kurker (26-26-52); F Brian Pinho (14-20-34); F Tyler Bird (9-5-14), F Andrew Brandano (8-6-14); D Nick Pandalena (6-10-16); D Brent Murray (0-4-4); G David Letarte (2.02 GAA, 91.5 save %).

The skinny: We still haven’t gotten over last year’s championship game; it was simply amazing hockey. There’s no Colin Blackwell, but Kurker (BU commit) has really blossomed this season and has taken this team on his back the way his former linemate did last year. Pinho and Bird, along with Kurker, are a formidable first line to skate against, and are strong in all three zones. Pandalena is a mountain of a defenseman, but beyond him, the Eagles blue line was green entering the season. Murray has elevated his play to comprise a formidable top pairing.

X-factor: Letarte. I believe we said this last year as well. When the senior is on his game, he can be airtight.

4. Hingham (16-4-2)
Marquee wins: Marshfield (6-2); Catholic Memorial (3-2); St. John’s of Shrewsbury (4-0).

Players to watch: F James Gordon (21-17-38); F Matt Brazel (11-20-31); F Matt Hughes (13-11-24); F Ryan Linehan (8-12-20); F Patrick Mannion (6-12-18); F Sam D’Antuono (6-19-25); D Nolan Driscoll (2-7-9); G John Grenier (1.88 GAA, 90.1 save %).

The skinny: If this team had a motto, it would be “lacking experience, but not young.” During the Harbormen’s most recent Super 8 runs, a good portion of this year’s roster watched from way down the bench, or up in the gallery. But this team has collectively raised its game and is benefitted by great coaching. Gordon’s 20-goal season has been a pleasant surprise and Brazel is one worth watching for the next two years. The real revelation has been Grenier between the pipes. The Xaverian transfer is among the statewide leaders in goals against average.

X-factor: Grenier. He doesn’t fit the current mold of a big, butterfly goaltender. Instead, he relies on aggressively challenging the shooter and cutting down angles. We’ll see how it matches up with the precision passing games of MC and St. John’s (S) in pool play games.

5. BC High (10-5-5)
Marquee wins: St. John’s (twice); Prep (5-3); Cathedral (3-0).

Players to watch: F Matt Sullivan (9-15-24); F Tom Besinger (10-15-25); F Bartley Regan (7-6-13); F Steve DeForge (6-13-19); D Brian Furey (3-6-9); D Sam Topham (1-9-10); G Peter Cronin (2.00 GAA; 91.5 save %).

The skinny: Cronin lead this team to the crossover round last year, falling just short of an upset of MC. He was the revelation of last year’s tournament and, as usual, the Eagles will look to their goaltender to continue his strong play. Besinger might be the shiftiest forward in the tournament not named Kevin Emmerling. He’s not big, but he sure can skate. Furey has done a nice job leading a young Eagles blue-line corps this season. ‘Moe’ Regan has produced some dirty goals and has thrived in his role as a power forward, coming off his EMass D1 Super Bowl win.

X-factor: Sullivan. The Eagles’ soft-spoken leader is a lead-by-example type, but thrives in big-game atmospheres. Wouldn’t be surprised at all if he’s a player we’re talking about months after the tournament.

6. Springfield Cathedral (10-6-6)
Marquee wins: BC High (4-3); Needham (1-0); CM (3-1).

Players to watch: F Frank Crinella (13-15-28); F Thomas Quinlan (11-5-16); F Peter Crinella (5-8-13); F Brendan Ashe (7-7-14); D Matt Foley (0-12-12); G John Liquori (2.40 GAA, 88.9 save %).

The skinny: The Panthers cracked the top six this year after getting bounced in a play-in game last year. This is a team that isn’t very flashy, but is consistently tough to play against, playing a brand of hockey that can be frustrating to opponents. Sophomore John Liquori has been steady, taking over for old stalwart Zac Rondeau. Liquori is the benefactor of a sound defensive squad that likes to play the body and takes care of its defensive assignments with diligence.

X-factor: Frank Crinella is perhaps the most talented player in the state who receives the least amount of deserved credit. This tournament could be a statement for him.

7. Central Catholic (13-3-5)
Marquee wins: Burlington (6-4, play-in game).

Players to watch: F Ryan Daigle (8-15-23); F Mike Kelleher (10-7-17); F Lloyd Hayes (15-8-23); F Alex Lester (7-9-16); F Zack Cote (10-4-14); D Jake Donahue (3-4-7); G Kyle Williams (2.13 GAA, 91.1 save %).

The skinny: Stop me if you’re heard this one before, but the Raiders again used a spirited second-half push after a slow start to get back into the top tournament. If they continue the fast and physical brand of hockey they played against Burlington, the Raiders will provide a tough test. Kelleher’s natural hat trick is a big boost to Central’s chances going forward; if he gets going, he’s one of the most potent pure scorers in the state.

X-factor: Williams. Shocking, right? As the goaltender goes, so goes the Raiders. And it’s no coincidence that Central played its best while last year’s ESPN Boston All-State netminder was at his finest.

8. St. John’s of Shrewsbury (15-4-3)
Marquee wins: Needham (5-4, play-in game).

Players to watch: F Kevin Emmerling (25-28-53); F Vin D’Amato (23-14-37); F Jay Duquette (11-22-33); F Hunter Burdick (6-9-15); D Nick Rutigliano (1-10-11).

The skinny: Akin to Central Catholic, the Pioneers took perhaps their biggest win of the season on Monday. In that shootout with Needham, they showed why they can go toe-to-toe with any team across the state with the top line of Emmerling, D’Amato and Duquette running and gunning …

X-factor: … but then there’s the defense. The Pioneers are going to need to tighten up in their own end. If they allow their three future opponents to enter the zone as they allowed the Rockets to run in the third period, there could be some lop-sided scores.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- On Saturday, No. 6 Springfield Cathedral saw a point slip off their stick in a 5-5 tie with St. John’s Prep. The Panthers had once led 5-1 in that game.

With an emphasis on finishing, the Panthers showed a renewed focus on their third-period performance against No. 8 Needham during their host tournament at the Olympia Center on Wednesday.

In a game that figures to have a profound impact on the upcoming Super 8 tournament selection, Cathedral received an early third-period goal from Frank Crinella that would be a difference-maker. Sophomore goaltender John Liquori made 28 saves to earn his second shutout in a 1-0 win over the Rockets.

“After squandering that four-goal lead against St. John’s Prep, we knew we needed to learn how to win,” said Crinella, a senior captain. “We can’t give up leads like that. It just showed character to get that 1-0 victory.”

Entering action, both Cathedral (10-5-6) and Needham (16-4-0) had aspirations of earning a top six seed in the Super 8 tourney, meaning they’d avoid a Monday play-in game.

After 45 minutes of action, it was a apparent that both teams belong in the state’s elite tournament and not much separates their level of play.

“It was what we had expected, a tight checking game,” Panthers head coach Brian Foley said. “I thought both goalies played exceptional. Needham’s always a good, well-coached team. It was just a battle.”

Not to be outdone, Rockets senior netminder Connor Murray turned away 22 shots, including three big stops on Cathedral’s 5-on-3 power play to start the second period.

The game remained scoreless until the first minute of the third when Crinella crashed the net, depositing a rebound of a shot from his little brother, freshman Peter Crinella.

It looked as though Needham might have found the game's first goal in the second period. Rockets senior Timmy Parlato -- who was playing forward, stepping up from his usual defenseman role in an effort to get more punch up front -- broke in on a partial break. Liquori made the save, but it appeared the puck crossed the goal line while the Cathedral netminder was pushed back into the net after a pileup in front.

"They never gave me an explanation as to what happened," Needham head coach Bill Guisti said.

Cathedral advances to play No. 1 Malden Catholic in the championship final tomorrow at 7 p.m. Needham will play Hamden, Conn. in the consolation at 5 p.m.

NO. 1 MC 4, HAMDEN (CT) 3 (OT)
Malden Catholic needed overtime to advance past their Nutmeg State opponent in the early game of the Cathedral tournament.

An early Brendan Collier goal, followed by a pair of strikes from Ryan Fitzgerald had the Lancers (15-1-3) to a 3-1 lead entering the third period.

However, the Green Dragons (10-5-2) came back to tie the game in the third, finding some success on the power play.

While the game goes into the MIAA books as a tie, freshman center Ara Nazarian pushed the Lancers on to the championship game with the overtime winner.

The Charlestown hockey tradition is alive and thriving in and around Boston schools these days.

It should come as no surprise that a pair of best friends from the Town are among the scoring leaders in the respective divisions this season. While most are familiar with Malden Catholic and Boston University-commit Brendan Collier, Boston Latin's Conal Lynch is once again among the most feared scorers in Division 2. Lynch has again eclipsed the 40-point plateau with 27 goals and 13 assists in 18 games.

In addition, the Wolfpack, aided by a 12-game unbeaten streak to start the season and following Wednesday's 2-1 win over Lincoln-Sudbury, are atop the DCL/MVC Div. 2 standings and headed to the postseason.

We caught up with the Wolfpack captain earlier this week:

Q: What's your earliest memory of playing hockey?

A: "My earliest memories of playing hockey are in-house league. Basically, it's a division before mites that is made up of all kids from Charlestown playing against each other. I played with and against all of my best friends: (Malden Catholic's) Brendan Collier, Pauly Myers, Paul Wrenn and Nolan Carrier, and Matthew Grzelcyk (Belmont Hill/USNTDP). Those were great times and what really made me fall in love with the game."

Q: A lot of talented high schoolers seek out private or prep schools or junior hockey. What made your decision to stay with Boston Latin?

A: "I get this question a lot and can never really seem to come up with a great answer. But I guess the best way to describe it is just that I was getting a great education there and I met so many great kids. Early on, I didnt really see hockey as something I'd be able to play in college, but I guess as I got older people became more interested in me from a hockey perspective. So staying there really worked out for me educationally and hockey-wise."

Q: Your team was one of three remaining undefeated teams in the state until a few weeks ago. How was the team able to play at such a high level for most of the season?

A: "I think that we just had a high level of focus. We really played well because everyone was so intent on doing their job and getting things done. We did the little things right and put away all our chances. Everyone was working really hard and I'm really proud of my teammates for that accomplishment."

Q: Given the success this year, what is the team's expectation for the upcoming tournament?

A: "We expect nothing less than to win. We have really high expectations for ourselves and each other and if we meet those, you will see us at the Garden."

Q: You're among the leading scorers in the state, along with Brendan Collier, who've you been friends with since childhood. What does it mean to both of you to represent hockey in Charlestown?

A: "It means a lot to us to be able to represent Charlestown. We both played together for a long time in the Charlestown Youth Hockey program and I feel like a lot of people keep tabs on the kids that used to play there. I also feel like a lot of the kids playing youth hockey now look up to the older kids and to be able to set a good example -- I hope -- is a great feeling."

Q: Beside the notoriety and attention from movies like "The Town," C-Town can kind of get a bum rap. What are the things you've taken away from Charlestown that most outsiders don't see?

A: "There's a lot of things that people dont see about Charlestown. Mostly people just think that the community is a "code of silence" type thing, but they don't understand that everyone knows everyone and looks out for one another. I could be walking down the street and someone will stop me and ask about Latin and how the season is going and I'll never even figure out who they are. Also, I think that Charlestown breeds a sort of competitive nature in everyone. Everyone wants to be the best out of their friends and earn sort of bragging rights. Being best friends with Brendan [Collier], we have competed all of our lives and I am nothing but better for it."

Q: Along those lines, when the C-Town hockey crew gets together, where's the place to be seen?

A: "The place to be seen is "The Kitchen", the roller hockey court at Eden Street park. As soon as the season ends, we spend almost every bit of spare time out there playing roller hockey and developing our skills."

Q: What are your current plans for next year?

A: "I'm not completely positive what I'm doing next year. I've applied to a few colleges but that's mostly just to see where I'm at with them. I've talked a bit with some colleges, but I dont want to talk names because you know how people can start rumors. Prep school and juniors are both in the mix heavily as well and I've been in contact with teams, schools a lot recently."

MALDEN, Mass. -- Speed beat out physicality at the Valley Forum Saturday night, as the home ice No. 1 Malden Catholic Lancers defeated the No. 4 Hingham Harbormen, 5-1, in a potential Super 8 preview matchup.

In the process, the Lancers snapped Hingham's 13-game unbeaten streak. The Harbormen went 12-0-1, following their Dec. 21 loss to No. 2 St. Mary's of Lynn.

The teams exchanged first period goals, with MC (12-1-3) striking first on a shot by forward Ara Nazarian. The freshman’s goal came on assists from Tyler Sifferlen and Brian Cameron.

Hingham (13-3-1) answered back three minutes later when Harbormen forward Matt Brazel was spun around by contact to face a loose puck in the Lancer zone. Brazel charged from the blue line to net the only point of the night for Hingham.

The Lancers controlled the tempo and puck early and often, keeping goalie John Grenier busy in net.

“They’re a physical team,” Lancers assistant captain Ryan Fitzgerald said. “They tried to get us off of our game, which is speed, but we just kept at it, kept grinding.”

The grind never stopped. The Lancers’ wily play frustrated the aggressive Harbormen, with MC players regularly ducking under checks and winning loose pucks.

After a pad save, Fitzgerald caught Grenier leaning out of the crease and put the rebound in for the second Lancer goal. The score came on assists from Brendan White and Lancer captain Brendan Collier.

Malden grabbed a man advantage minutes later, leading to a goal from junior forward Mike Iovanna to wrap up the second period.

The Lancers kept up their slick skating in the third, but threw in some rough-housing of their own.

“Our grittier side came out at the end,” Fitzgerald said. “You saw on the last shift there were hits being thrown everywhere.”

In the last five minutes of play, the Lancers got the puck by the Hingham defense and Grenier twice more, again off of the sticks of Fitzgerald and Nazarian.

The surgical approach of the aptly named Lancers was summed up by head coach John McLean: “The key word is ‘discipline.’ If you go in our
locker room, it’s the first word on the board.”

“There’s no reason to take any retaliatory penalties,” he added. “You take the hit and make the play. We’re a pretty good hockey team, but we’re not good with four guys, we’re good with five."

“I think we had a good effort, good intensity,” Hingham head coach Tony Messina said. “But against a team like that, you give them one opening, they’re gonna take it.”

“They can score three goals in a shift, so 5-1, we don’t like the score, but it seems like it was closer.”

Coming off a 12-0-1 streak before Saturday’s action. Hingham could very well get a second crack at the Lancers.

“They’re a very good team. I think we’ll see them again in the Super 8,” McLean said.

The Lancers’ will again take home ice in their next matchup against Wakefield on Monday at 7:10 p.m. Hingham will take on Winchester on the road at 6 p.m., Monday.