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Former Malden Catholic and Kimball Union Academy hockey standout Nick Roberto has switched his commitment to Boston University, after de-committing from Maine in the recent weeks. He will join the Terriers for the 2013-14 season.

Roberto, a Wakefield, Mass. resident, tallied 23 goals and 48 points in 29 games for the Wildcats last season.

"Nick has worked very hard to attain this goal," KUA head coach Mike Levine said Monday. "The KUA community is very happy for both him and his family."

Roberto played the previous three seasons with Malden Catholic, where he was a part of the Lancers' Super 8 championship team in 2010-11, before enrolling at Kimball Union. He also was part of the Wildcats' Piatelli/Simmons Tournament victory in 2011-12 and was named Flood-Marr Tournament Most Valuable Player in 2012.

He joins former KUA teammates Doyle Somerby and John Macleod as BU commits and becomes the seventh player with Massachusetts roots joining the Terriers next year, including Robbie Baillargeon, Brendan Collier (former MC teammate), Tommy Kelley, Dalton MacAfee, T.J. Ryan and Somerby.

Roberto's change in commitment was first reported by Jasper Kozak-Miller of the "Over the Boards" hockey blog.

Kimball Union Academy hockey wrapped up its first-ever Flood-Marr Holiday Tournament championship on Sunday with a 4-2 win over Westminster School. The Wildcats were led by senior forward Nick Roberto, who earned the tournament’s David Rogerson Trophy as its MVP.

Roberto, a Maine commit and Wakefield, Mass. native, also became the first KUA player to take home MVP honors since 1975.

Considered one of the top prep hockey teams in New England entering the 2012-13 season, the Wildcats are in the hunt for another NEPSAC championship this year.

We caught up with Roberto, who started his high school hockey career at Malden Catholic, in between games on Friday:

Q: You have some pretty skilled players beside you on your line with Casey Miller and J.D. Dudek. How do your skills complement each other?

A: “We’re always on the same page. We’re not selfish players, we’re always looking for each other. I like Casey because I’ve been playing with him for two years now. He’s a pass-first and shoot-second kind of player. He’s always looking. Dudek came over [transfer from Pinkerton Academy] and he’s just a hell of a player, he’s going to [Boston College], that says a lot. He brings a lot of skill to the line. I’m more of a grind-it-out player, but Casey and him, it’s all skill. That goal, my first goal [on Friday] was all Dudek, Casey drove the net and I was high and Dudek just made a nice pass. I was lucky to get it underneath the crossbar. And then, at the end of the game … At first, I thought it was going to be a little bit scary, but we got it. Casey just found a little hole on the ice and I tipped [the shot] up and batted it out of midair.”

Q: The tournament started a little tough for you guys, but you took over the third period of your first game against Salisbury with your two goals, including the game-tier and the game-winner. What was the difference?

A: “I think I played the worst two periods of my life, then the third period, Coach [Mike Levine] just told everybody to relax. I was a little snake-bitten with my stick and then I just came alive in the third. But it was a team effort.”

Q: You have a very talented roster and, as a result, there’s high expectations again for this team this year. What do you expect of yourselves as a team?

A: “I think today [Friday] really showed what we’re made out of as a team. It was the first time we’ve been losing for two periods and we fought back. No one gave up. Everybody was really positive on the bench, and that helps a lot. Coach wasn’t negative. He’s always helping us, encouraging us. We just starting playing hard, getting shots to the net and good things happened.”

Q: You have a couple of your old Malden Catholic teammates – Connor Evangelista and Brendan White – playing with you. What’s it like having been around those guys for so long?

A: “Well, Connor and I have been best friends since we were about three years old. We’ve gone to every school together: preschool, elementary school, middle school, MC and now here. We were roommates last year. Brendan came along this year, and I’m roommates with [Providence College commit] Niko Rufo this year, but I think Whitey’s in our room more than we are. It’s just fun up there with those two because we’ve been friends for such a long time.”

Q: You’re still a couple years away from Maine, but what are your hockey plans from here?

A: “I went up there a couple of weeks ago, I saw them play BC and we talked after the game. They said they don’t have that many openings for 2013, so then I can play a year of juniors and step right in and play. I’m fine with that, they’re really supportive of me – whatever helps. I’m not looking to go to college right now with the economy being what it is. I might as well live the dream some more and I’ll get there when I get there.”

Kimball Union Academy's Doyle Somerby was one of the more intriguing New England prospects in this year's NHL Draft Class.

The Marblehead, Mass. native started his high school career at St. Mary's of Lynn and, during his time with the Spartans, began the transition from playing forward to defense.

A rugged, 6-foot-5, 225-pounder, Somberby transferred to the Meriden, New Hampshire school for his sophomore season and continued his journey toward his professional dream.

That goal got a little closer to reality on Saturday as Somerby was selected by the New York Islanders in the fifth round (125th overall) in the NHL Draft.

"It's funny, [the Islanders were the first team I met with back in January," Somerby said in a phone interview from Pittsburgh. "But I only heard from them once more through the process, so it wasn't a surprise, but you're not really sure where you're going to end up."

Somerby will not be rushed to the NHL. He'll return for his final season at KUA in the fall (he'd also been drafted into the USHL and QMJHL) before heading off to join a deep class at Boston University in 2013. It's all part of a progression that Somerby's looking to fulfill.

"It was a tough transitition," Somerby said of his move back to the blue line. "It happened so fast. The biggest thing is still working on footwork. I'm a big guy and it took me a while to be comfortable with my body."

Somerby's development has been helped by playing against some of New England's top forwards at KUA, including Nick Roberto (Maine commit) and Niko Rufo (Providence College).

"Being at KUA, we have a bunch of small forwards who buzz around down low in the zone, like Roberto and Rufo," Somerby said. "It's built confidence in me being able to skate against those guys every day in practice."

He also credited his time in Lynn as having an impact on him.

"St. Mary's was great for me, it made me take school work seriously. Going out against the Austin Preps and Malden Catholics of the world and some of the players they had back then, that really helped me watching those players. It was great seeing them making the Super 8 so high last year, too."

While the work in progress continues, Somerby's looking forward to the hard work, with the ultimate pot of gold on the other side -- a chance to break in on Long Island.

"The team's been building with [Jonathan] Tavares and [Kyle] Okposo and they've got some really good defensemen," Somerby said. "I realize I've still got four, five more years to go, but it's exciting to see them buidling, getting the new rink and they have a great bunch of people in the front office. It's exciting to be a part of that."

The United States Hockey League held its entry draft tonight and there was plenty of New England flavor to the proceedings.

Here's the rundown of those selected by overall selection:

2. Muskegon - Adam Gilmour, RW, Hanover, Mass., Noble and Greenough.

7. Sioux City - Cam Brown, C, Natick, Mass., New Hampshire Junior Monarchs.

10. Waterloo - Chris Calnan, RW, Norwell, Mass., Noble and Greenough.

23. Omaha - Alex Rauter, RW, Morristown, NJ, Choate Rosemary Hall.

29. Indiana - Brian Morgan, C, Windham, N.H., New Hampshire Junior Monarchs.

32. Muskegon - Ben Foster, LW, Darien, Conn., Choate Rosemary Hall.

37. Cedar Rapids - Gavin Bayreuther, D, Canaan, Mass., Holderness.

41. Dubuque - Trevor Fidler, C, Watertown, Mass., Dexter.

73. Lincoln - Ross Olsson, RW, Billerica, Mass., Williston-Northampton.

77. Muskegon - Doyle Somerby, D, Marblehead, Mass., Kimball Union.

89. Indiana - Cam Askew, C, South Boston, Mass., St. Sebastian's.

123. Des Moines - Josh Couturier, D, Newbury, Mass., Boston Junior Bruins.

131. Dubuque - Noah Hanifin, D, Norwood, Mass., St. Sebastian's.

134. Indiana - Sam Kurker, RW, Reading, Mass., St. John's Prep.

222. Cedar Rapids - Jason Kalinowski, RW, Stamford, Conn., Salisbury.

225. Green Bay - Joe Young, G, Hanson, Mass., Boston Advantage Major Midget.

231. Sioux City - Nick Roberto, F, Wakefield, Mass., Kimball Union.

242. Muskegon, Corey Ronan, F, Franklin, Mass., St. Sebastian's.

245. Tri-City - Devin Tringale, LW, Medford, Mass., Lawrence Academy.

250. Waterloo - Ryan Cloonan, LW, East Longmeadow, Mass., Boston Advantage Major Midget.

254. Muskegon - William Messa, C, Lawrence Academy.

314. Indiana - Laythe Jadallah, RW, The Gunnery.

SALEM, N.H. -- If coach Kevin Potter was nervous before his Lawrence Academy boys' hockey team took the ice Sunday, he didn't show it while chatting in the media room before the puck dropped.

Potter's players didn't skate like the moment was too much for them to handle, either.

Harvard-bound forward Devin Tringale buried the eventual game-winning goal 18 seconds before the second intermission, classmate Nate Heilbron protected the lead to perfection in a pulsating third period, and the fourth-seeded Spartans knocked off No. 2 seed Noble & Greenough, 3-2, to capture the New England Prep School Ice Hockey Association tournament championship.

“We're a veteran team. I said, 'Let's not worry about Nobles. Let's worry about how we play,” said Potter, whose program, like Nobles, sought its first title in the high-stakes Stuart/Corkery tourney at the Icenter. “Except for the second period against Belmont Hill, out of the nine periods, we played our game. We dictated.”

LA also capitalized on Nobles' costly defensive breakdowns.

Perfect example: a span of 2 minutes, 25 seconds late in the second period. That's when LA struck twice to turn a one-goal deficit into the lead Heilbron was charged with protecting.

“That was huge. We always talk about the last 2 minutes of every period being important,” Potter said. “To get those two big goals there … that was big time.”

First-line wingers Tyler Whitney and Tringale fueled the surge watched by a full house, including more than 50 coaches from the college and professional ranks.

Whitney's one-timer from the back side was set up by Tringale's decision to hold the puck low in the left-wing circle. Conor Maher (30 saves) was forced to hold his position near the right post.

Tringale slipped the pass to his linemate for the open look. Tie game with 2:43 until the break.

Courtesy of the to-be Crimson skater, the contest didn't stay tied for long. Tringale teamed with Whitney and William Messa to generate the go-ahead goal with 18 seconds on the clock.

“Messa kept the puck in on the forecheck,” LA's 6-foot 1-inch, 195-pound winger said. “He made a nice pass to Ty Whitney, who made a really nice dish to me. It was just me and the goalie, and I went 5-hole.”

Tringale's tally capped a tremendous swing in momentum. Nobles answered the game's first goal, a first-period marker by Matthew Baldino, with two scores.

Cal Burke capitalized on LA's lone mistake of the opening stanza: a defensive zone turnover.

Will Sleeper gave Nobles its only lead barely 3 minutes after the first break. Heilbron's kick-save generated a rebound that Sleeper stuffed home.

Midway through the period, Colin White had a quality chance to dig LA a deeper hole. He used his body and a burst of speed to gain a step on Robert Klein. But Heilbron's left leg denied a low shot from the right-wing circle.

The save sparked LA, which increased its intensity in the offensive zone. It led to the two-goal flurry that altered momentum.

“We didn't have a very good last three-and-a-half minutes in the second period, obviously,” Nobles coach Brian Day said. “That was the difference in the game.”

Heilbron (28 saves) was a difference-maker, too.

Outshot through two periods, 26-14, the Bulldogs fired 16 of the third period's 23 total shots. Several attempts were within feet of LA's stopper, who wasn't fooled once.

“They put a lot of pressure on us. They threw a lot of pucks to the net. They gave us everything they had,” Heilbron said. “But my team and I, we stuck in there. We played our hearts out.”

Of the many near-markers Nobles launched, none came closer to lighting the lamp than PJ Falvey's blast from the left point. Falvey fired into heavy traffic, and a tremendous screen from teammate Max Franklin.

Heilbron, somehow, never lost sight of the puck. He gloved it, with Franklin towering over him.

In the end, though, no team this season is towering over Lawrence Academy.

“It's crazy,” Tringale said of the post-game scene inside and outside LA's locker room. “We got the coach with the bucket of water.

“We're all on top of the world right now. On top of New England.”

BERKSHIRE 4, ST. SEBASTIAN'S 3 (OT)
Brendan McGovern made the most of his open-net opportunity in the second sudden-death minute of the Martin/Earl tournament. It netted top-seeded Berkshire the large-school championship.

McGovern made St. Sebastian's goaltender Gordon Donnelly pay for an aggressive decision. Donnelly left the crease with an all-out dive to poke-check a rebound toward the right boards. But the puck stayed in the slot, and the forward from Centerport, N.Y., fired a strike.

Fifty-one seconds earlier, Donnelly (38 saves) made a dazzling glove save to keep second-seeded St. Sebastian's in the fight. Charlie Corcoran split two defenders and, with an open look at the net, snapped off a wrister from the low left-wing circle.

Berkshire built a 2-0 lead, courtesy of first- and second-period goals by Gus Harms and Greg Smart. But St. Sebastian's closed the second period sandwiching markers around a tally by Berkshire's Corey Wisnowski.

Those bookend goals, from Tommy Kelley and Danny O'Regan, pulled St. Sebastian's within 3-2.

David Loughborough delivered the equalizer at the 6:59 mark of the third period. He beat Patrick Feeley (27 saves) with a power-play goal.

KIMBALL UNION 3, HOLDERNESS 2 (OT)
Nick Roberto ended the Piatelli/Simmons tournament, lifting top-seeded KUA to the small school championship with 1:27 left in overtime.

Casey Miller forced a critical turnover along the boards and sent Roberto up ice, who beat Holderness goaltender Andy Monroe (40 saves) for the championship-clincher.

Both Monroe and KUA netminder Ryan Lund (28 saves) made several timely stops after third-seeded Holderness tied the final at 2-apiece. Gavin Bayreuther recorded the equalizer with a power-play blast from the blue line at the 9:43 mark of the third period.

Early in the third frame, KUA's Niko Rufo charged in from the right-wing side to snap a 1-1 deadlock.

Nick Renzi staked Holderness to its only lead, burying a second-period rebound at the 9:01 mark. The lead lasted less than 4 minutes as Jonathan Charbonneau connected on a breakout chance to knot the score.

Stuart/Corkery tournament championship
Lawrence Academy 3, Noble & Greenough 2

Lawrence 1-2-0 – 3

Nobles 1-1-0 – 2

First: L – Matthew Baldino (William Messa) 13:45; N – Cal Burke (Andrew Doane) 16:10

Second: N – Will Sleeper (Max Franklin, Doane) 3:08; L – Tyler Whitney (Devin Tringale, George Hunkele) 15:17; L – Tringale (Whitney, Messa) 17:42

Saves: L – Nate Heilbron 28; N – Conor Maher 30

Martin/Earl tournament championship
Berkshire 4, St. Sebastian's 3 (OT)

St. Sebastian's 0-2-1-0 – 3

Berkshire 1-2-0-1 – 4

First: B – Gus Harms (Kevin Rooney, Brian Brown) 15:28

Second: B – Greg Smart (Charlie Corcoran, Brown) 5:24; S – Tommy Kelley (Corey Ronan, Danny O'Regan) 5:52; B – Corey Wisnowski (Brown, Smart) 8:42; S – O'Regan (David Loughborough) 11:47

Third: S – David Loughborough (Stephen Brown, Cam Askew) 6:59 ppg

Overtime: B – Brendan McGovern (Rooney) 1:25

Saves: S – Gordon Donnelly 38; B – Patrick Feeley 27

Piatelli/Simmons tournament championship
Kimball Union Academy 3, Holderness 2 (OT)

Holderness 0-1-1-0 – 2

KUA 0-1-1-1 – 3

Second: H – Nick Renzi (Bailey Walsh, Gordon Borek) 9:01; K – Jonathan Charbonneau (John Macleod) 12:28

Third: K – Niko Rufo (Macleod, Charbonneau) 1:44; H – Gavin Bayreuther (William Kendrick, Matthew Thomas) 9:43 ppg

Overtime: K – Nick Roberto (Casey Miller, Rufo) 16:33

Saves: H – Andy Monroe 40; K – Ryan Lund 28

Kimball Union Academy junior Nick Roberto has committed to the University of Maine-Orono for the 2013-14 season, head coach Mike Levine confirmed to ESPN Boston on Thursday.

Through 28 games, the 5-foot-9, 170-pound forward has 14 goals and 14 assists for 28 points for the Wildcats.

The Wakefield, Mass. resident played the previous three seasons with Malden Catholic, where last year he was a part of the Lancers Super 8 championship team.

"He competes extremely hard, plays with energy, and uses his speed effectively," Levine said.

Roberto is the fourth Kimball Union player with Bay State roots to give a commitment to a Hockey East school, joining Niko Rufo (PC), Doyle Somerby (BU) and John Macleod (BU).

First Team
F - Colin Blackwell, St. John’s Prep
The senior center and captain led the Eagles with 45 points (24 G, 21A) while earning MVP honors from the Catholic Conference. Playing on Prep’s top lines, in addition to power play and penalty kill units, the Harvard commit was a +42 this season for the Super Eight finalists.

F - Brendan Collier, Malden Catholic
Collier was perhaps the most versatile player in the state. The junior BU commit scored the game-winning goal in the Lancers’ Super Eight championship, but the winger was also a mainstay of MC’s penalty kill units, playing defense. The Charlestown native tallied 63 points (24 G, 39 A) during the regular season while guiding the Lancers to their first D1A title.

F - Mike Vecchione, Malden Catholic
The Lancers captain and UNH signee led their potent offense with 70 points (26G, 44A) during the regular season. The senior winger also broke the Catholic Conference’s all-time single-season scoring record during MC’s run in the Super Eight. The Saugus native is looking at playing in either the British Columbia Hockey League or the United State Hockey League next year.

D - Connor Evangelista, Malden Catholic
The junior blue liner was perhaps the most underrated element to the Lancers’ Super Eight title run. Whether it was through an outlet pass springing the rush or on the penalty kill, the Wakefield native did it all. Evangelista was among the state’s top-scoring defensemen and contributed 25 assists during the regular season for the D1A champion Lancers.

D - Marc Hetnik, Catholic Memorial
The Knights senior was like having a fourth forward out there, who also readily handled the opposing team’s top players night after night. The Chestnut Hill native is considering BU, Holy Cross and Merrimack among his college choices and is likely to play in the British Columbia Hockey League next year.

G - Kyle Williams, Central Catholic
The junior netminder spearheaded the Raiders’ run to the Super Eight. With Williams carrying a bulk of the load, Central Catholic surrendered just 43 goals this season while posting a goal differential of +45. He was also a driving force behind the Raiders’ Super Eight run and turned in a strong performance in a near upset bid against Malden Catholic.

“Line Change” Second Team
F - Tim Driscoll, Hingham
After scoring the winning goal in the Harbormen’s Super Eight championship in 2010, the Holy Cross commit captained Hingham to a D1A return in 2011. The senior winger led the Harbormen with 34 points (12 G, 22A) during the regular season and is exploring opportunities to play a prep postgraduate year of hockey before enrolling at Holy Cross.

F - Ryan Fitzgerald, Malden Catholic
The talented sophomore was the fulcrum the Lancers’ prolific top line, centering Collier and Vecchione. The BC recruit was MC’s second leading scorer during the regular season, netting 66 points (24 G, 42 A) for the Super Eight champions.

F - Tyler Piacentini, Weymouth
The senior captain was the sparkplug to the Wildcats’ Super Eight run. While he was often the smallest player on the ice, Piacentini was typically the most visible, letting his play to the talking. With a 61-point regular season (31 G, 30 A), he finished fourth in the state in scoring to MC’s dynamic first line.

D - Chris Joyce, Needham
The senior blue liner was the Rockets’ third leading scorer and a stalwart on defense who seldom left the ice. Joyce tallied 24 points in the regular season (7 G, 17 A) while leading Needham to yet another Super Eight appearance.

D - Alex Pompeo, Hingham
The senior was among the state’s leading point-getters among blue liners and finished second on the Harbormen in scoring to Driscoll. Pompeo was an integral part of the Harbormen’s Super Eight title run in 2010 and their repeat appearance in 2011.

G - Donald Hesse, St. Mary’s (Lynn)
The Spartans netminder was among the state’s leaders in all goaltending statistical categories, including a measly goals against average of 1.90 during the regular season. Hesse spurred St. Mary’s to its first Super Eight appearance this season. The Salem native is considering playing hockey at several postgraduate prep schools next season.

Best of the Rest
F Garrett Allen, Dartmouth
F Mike Cashman, BC High
F Liam Centrella, Andover
F Tom Coleman, Needham
F Ryan Connors, Marshfield
F Liam Coughlin, Catholic Memorial
F Joe Czarnota, Reading
F Ryan Dempsey, Marblehead
F Ryan Doherty, Tewksbury
F Terence Durkin, BC High
F Kevin Emmerling, St. John’s (Shrewsbury)
F Tommy Evangelista, Central Catholic
F Riley Flanagan, Weymouth
F Dan Graham, Arlington Catholic
F Anthony Hardy, Bridgewater-Raynham
F Mitch Hamor, Beverly
F Alex Holland, Woburn
F Jack Jenkins, Billerica
F Sam Kurker, St. John’s Prep
F Chris Leblanc, Winthrop
F Nick Leonard, Central Catholic
F Conal Lynch, Boston Latin
F Chris Maguire, Waltham
F Jim McGrath, Medfield
F Dan O’Hear, Catholic Memorial
F Ross Olsson, Billerica
F Cam Owens, Wilmington
F Drew Oxley, Saugus
F Kurt Roderigues, Saugus
F Nick Roberto, Malden Catholic
F Jason Salvaggio, Xaverian
F Joe Scarfo, Winthrop
F Casey Shea, Woburn
F Devin Smith, St. John’s (Shrewsbury)
F Andrew Taylor, Oliver Ames
F Zach Wells, Barnstable
F Andrew White, BC High
F Garrett White, Malden Catholic
D Steven Bellew, Hingham
D Steven Bristol, Weymouth
D Sean Kavanagh, Springfield Cathedral
D Cam Kennedy, St. Mary’s (Lynn)
D Jake Kulevich, Marblehead
D Ryley MacEachern, Austin Prep
D Eric Muise, Peabody
D Alex Taddeo, Franklin
G Joe Cerulo, Wakefield
G James Cox, Braintree
G Peter Cronin, BC High
G Zac Rondeau, Springfield Cathedral
G Kyle Jacobs, Pembroke
G Chris Treon, Westwood

All Rookie Team (Top 5 to Watch for Next Year)

1. Shane Eiserman, F, St. John’s Prep
2. Tyler Sifferlen, F, Malden Catholic
3. Tom Besinger, F, BC High
4. Sean Cleary, G, Barnstable
5. Nolan Redler, F, Winchester

Coach of the Year
John Flaherty, BC High
It took just one season for Flaherty, who took over for legend Joe McCabe, to get the Eagles back to the Super Eight after missing the playoffs in the previous two seasons. The BC High graduate guided the Eagles to a 15-6-3 record that included an appearance in the Super Eight crossover round. Flaherty also works at the school as its Director of the Fund.

All eyes will be on the TD Garden Sunday as championships will be decided in six divisions of MIAA 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 predictions:

GIRLS’ TOURNAMENTS
Division 2
No. 4 Fontbonne Academy (16-2-5) vs. No. 2 Duxbury (20-3-0), 9 a.m., TD Garden
The Breakdown: The Ducks’ Taylor Shepherd can hold her own against the very best the state has to offer and along with linemates Liz Coleman and Erin McLoughlin, they’ve created one of the state’s most potent pairings. Make no mistake, the Green Dragons can also score with the best of them — with prolific sister duo Brianna and Lily Connolly leading the way—but Duxbury is strong from the net out with freshman Rachel Myette turning in a strong first season between the pipes.
The Pick: While the Dragons might be the deeper team, Shepherd is perhaps the most dynamic player in the state, and talent goes a long way this deep in the tournament. We like the Ducks to win their second title in three seasons. Fontbonne, 3-2.

Division 1
No. 8 Hingham (19-4-2) vs. No. 3 Acton-Boxborough (19-3-1), 8:15 p.m.
The Breakdown: Jane Freda scored a rather historic goal during the Harborwomen’s overtime upset of top-seeded St. Mary’s. Not only did she catapult Hingham forward on its march to the finals, she also ended the Lady Spartans’ 100-game unbeaten streak. Katie Walsh and Sarah Schwenzfeier have contributed a consistent scoring punch all season for Tom Findley’s team, while Beth Findley has been stellar in nets with a 1.30 goals against average to go along with nine shutouts. While it might not have as historic, Kati Goguen’s third-period goal lifted the Colonials in their upset win over Woburn in the semifinals. A-B boasts a staunch defense led by one of the best in the state in Caleigh LaBossiere and seventh-grader Cali Loblundo (90.6 save percentage) has been a revelation in goal.
The Pick: Instant karma’s going to get you, and we feel that Hingham has it on their side after toppling the state’s undisputed No. 1 team. Hingham, 2-1.

BOYS’ TOURNAMENTS
Division 3
Westfield (15-5-4) vs. Marblehead (20-4-3), 11:15 a.m.
The Breakdown: Defenseman Colin Arnold and forward Matt Gagnon were just freshmen when the Bombers won their last state title in 2008. This year, the pair were a major driving force behind Westfield’s run to the state title game, which included an upset over Central champion Hudson in the state semifinals. Marblehead’s seniors are trying to win their first state title as a group, despite having won three of the last four North sectional titles. Forwards Chris McLeod and Ryan Dempsey lead a dynamic offense, while you’d be hard pressed to find a better blue-liner in all of D3 than captain Jake Kulevich.
The Pick: We’re going with the emotional pick here and siding with the Magicians, but it’s also a reflection of their skill. This is a very talented and deep hockey team. Marblehead, 4-2.

Division 2
Tewksbury (18-5-1) vs. Franklin (17-4-2), 1:30 p.m.
The Breakdown: The Redmen won their first D2 North title since 1995, while the Panthers haven’t won a state title since 1983 – that’s a year after somebody named Laviolette moved onto bigger and brighter things and when current head coach Chris Spillane was playing. Something has to give and one of the hockey-rich towns will come away with a long-awaited title. Tewksbury is led by explosive forward Ryan Doherty, who leads the Redmen in scoring, along with Frank Mazzei and Derek and Mark Petti. The Panthers are very strong on the back end with defensemen Alex Taddeo, who’s among the state’s best, and netminder Billy Spillane, who’s been solid all year.
The Pick: It’s usually a safe bet to take defense over offense this time of year and we’ve always been a fan of the Panthers’ team defensive philosophy. Franklin, 3-2.

Division 1
Wakefield (14-6-4) vs. Marshfield (18-3-5), 3:30 p.m.
The Breakdown: Both of these teams had to defeat the No. 1 seeds, who also happened to be Super Eight tournament participants to win their respective sectional tournaments. The Warriors slipped by St. Mary’s in a one-goal decision while the Rams took a hammer to Springfield Cathedral in the South. Wakefield (No. 7 seed in the North) has been led on its Cinderella run by goaltender Joe Centrella, who’s big and plays high (think Martin Brodeur) while playing his angles well. The potent Marshfield offense is led by 100-point scorer Ryan Connors and Chris Perry.
The Pick: This game might be the hardest of the day to forecast. We went back and forth on this one before settling with the Rams. Marshfield, 2-1.

Division 1A
No. 2 St. John’s Prep (18-5-1) vs. No. 1 Malden Catholic (20-2-2), 6 p.m.
The Breakdown: This is the matchup everyone’s been waiting for, simply put, they truly are the two best teams in the state this season. Both are skilled. Both play fast. Both have the type of talent that draws attention from scouts. The Lancers top line of Brendan Collier, Ryan Fitzgerald and Mike Vecchione hasn’t seen a parallel in this state in quite some time. MC’s second isn’t far behind with Mike Iovanna, Nick Roberto and Garrett White stepping up their play in the tournament. The Lancers have plenty of talent along the blue line as well with playmaker Connor Evangelista and rising star Colin MacGillivray. Pat Young is a stalwart in net. The Eagles have perhaps the best player in the state in center Colin Blackwell, who’s put on an offensive display along with linemates John Farrow and Shane Eiserman. Winger Sam Kurker provides a power-forward presence on the Eagles’ second line. Junior netminder David Letarte has been steady all season long.
The Pick: We wouldn’t be at all surprised if this one turns into a barnburner, however, the most encouraging thing the Lancers might have going for them is the defensive clinic they put on during the second period of their crossover round win over BC High. If the Lancers forecheck like they did against BC High, they will be very hard to beat. Malden Catholic, 5-3.

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. -- Blitzkrieg.

In 1939, journalists adopted the term for “lightning war” characterizing the swift German invasion of Poland.

In 1976, the Ramones integrated the term into one of rock ‘n’ roll’s great anthems and dominated the airwaves.

In 2010 and into 2011, the same term could be applied to Malden Catholic hockey’s propensity to overwhelm and overpower their opponents.

During Tuesday night’s Super Eight matchup with No. 6 seed Hingham at Merrimack College’s Lawler Arena, the top-seeded Lancers once again showcased their speed and skill in a blazing offensive display in an 8-1 win over the Harbormen.

This time MC was propelled by its second line. Garrett White contributed a four-goal game while Mike Iovanna tallied a three-point effort and two goals and Nick Roberto picked up two assists. And MC once again showed why they’re not only the most talented team in the state, but also its deepest.

“Everybody says we’re a one-line team and we’re not,” Lancers head coach Chris Serino said. “The second line is very good as well. They’re not like a second line, they’re more like a 1A.”

Perhaps more importantly for MC, their effort came after a self-admittedly lackluster effort in their Super Eight opener against Central Catholic, a 4-3 win. Still, the Lancers improved to 2-0 in tournament play while the defending Division 1A champions fell to 0-2.

Both teams got off to quick starts, with two goals scored on the opening three shots of the contest. James Gordon paced the Harbormen to a 1-0 lead with a goal less than three minutes in. The lead was short-lived as White countered less than a minute later to tie the score off an offensive zone faceoff win. It would be as close as Hingham would get to making a game out of it.

“We were very happy with our first period,” Harbormen head coach Tony Messina said. “We went up and down with them. But once the horses were out of the barn, when they come, they come.”

The Lancers again went on one of their tears, scoring five times in the second, including three in a three-minute stretch of the period.

White started off the hit parade with his second of the game with 10:43 remaining. Ryan Fitzgerald followed about a minute later with the third MC goal on a one-timer set up by Mike Vecchione. Vecchione, the UNH commit, broke the Catholic Conference’s single-season scoring record with the helper, notching his 74th point.

Iovanna put the Lancers out to a three-goal advantage with 8:22 remaining, with assists from White and Roberto. White netted his hat trick goal with 3:53 to play in the second before Iovanna finished the floury with his second of the game to cap off the second.

“We’re not finesse, we just get pucks to the net,” White said about the play of his linemates. “That’s how we score our goals.

“They were going hard to the corners, playing the body and then we try to hit each other in open space.”

Brendan Collier added MC’s seventh tally on the power play midway through the third before White netted his fourth of the night with 3:43 remaining with assists from Iovanna and Brendan White.

We’re hours away from dropping the puck in the postseason with tonight’s Super Eight play-in games.

But we took a little time to sort out the Super Eight field, providing a primer on the teams.

Take a peek:

1. Malden Catholic (16-2-2)
Marquee wins: Lancers had wins over five of the 10 Super Eight teams and that doesn’t even include what might have been their most impressive win, an early season triumph over New Jersey powerhouse Delbarton.

Players to watch: F Mike Vecchione, F Ryan Fitzgerald, F Brendan Collier, D Connor Evangelista, F Nick Roberto.

The skinny: Wire to wire, unquestionably the top-ranked team in the state. As in the last couple of seasons, the Lancers enter the Super Eight with lofty expectations and seemingly nothing short of a title will satisfy. MC’s depth reaches far beyond its top line of three Division 1 college recruits (Collier, Fitzgerald and Vecchione) and its team speed and passing ability are without parallel. Not only can they score, they can defend as well, led by top defensive pairing of Evangelista and Colin MacGillivray.

X-factor: It’s funny how the postseason seems to shave away certain goals into missed chances and oftentimes it due to a hot netminder. So if those once plentiful goals start to ebb away, it will be left to senior goaltender Pat Young to shine. Young is capable between the pipes and he might just show that he’s been the most overlooked element to MC’s success.

2. St. John’s Prep (14-5-1)
Marquee wins: As the runners up in the Catholic Conference, the Eagles nabbed a pair of league wins against both BC High and Catholic Memorial, but it might have been Prep’s win against the Knights on Friday that showed they can truly be a threat in the Super Eight. Playing against a CM team with nothing to lose and everything to gain, the Eagles ratcheted up the D in a playoff-like atmosphere.

Players to watch: F Colin Blackwell, F Shane Eiserman, F Sam Kurker, G David Letarte, D Joe Currie.

The skinny: Outside of MC, the Eagles have the deepest collection of eye-popping offensive talent. Blackwell, a Harvard commit, is equally adept as a playmaker as he is a sniper. Eiserman is wise and mature beyond his years as a freshman while Kurker provides grit and a nice scoring complement. The blue line was the perceived weakness of the squad, but they’ve come a long way with Currie providing veteran leadership, in addition to Scott Derrickson who played a strong second half.

X-factor: Kurker. When the junior winger gets hot, he’s hard to stop and creates a dynamism to Prep’s offense.

3. BC High (13-4-3)
Marquee wins: The Eagles finished strong, winning their final six games in addition to the Cape Cod Classic tournament to end the season. Their 5-4 shootout with Catholic Memorial was also a classic, as usual. Does a tie against Malden Catholic count as well? Sure.

Players to watch: F Mike Cashman, F Terence Durkin, F Andrew White, D Jack Buckley, D Brendan O’Malley.

The skinny: The Eagles play with plenty of speed, a point of emphasis for first-year head coach John Flaherty when assembling this year’s varsity roster, and the young roster has gelled together quickly. More than anything, BC High has taken play to their opponents. They’re aggressive on the forecheck and know how to use their speed to their advantage.

X-factor: Experience. The Eagles haven’t been to the postseason since 2008, so a good portion of their roster hasn’t experienced playoff hockey. How long will it take them to acclimate? A period? A shift? “Hopefully, not even that,” Flaherty said. “At the end of the day, it’s just another hockey game. It’s not different from any others.”

4. Weymouth (17-3-2)
Marquee wins: The Wildcats’ 5-2 win over fellow Super Eight entrant and longtime rival Hingham at Pilgrim was about as good as it gets for the Weymouth seniors who’d never beaten the Harbormen before. “It’s a monkey they’ve wanted to get off their backs,” head coach Matt Cataldo told ESPN Boston after the game.

Players to watch: F Tyler Piacentini, F Riley Flanagan, G Brian Brady, F/D Trevor King, D Andy Sheridan.

The skinny: When are people finally going to stop saying that Piancentini is too small to play on the big stage? He can flat out score. Hey, it worked for Nathan Gerbe, right? Not only does Weymouth have scoring punch, they’re well suited for a long postseason run with Brady, a senior, in nets. Outside of MC, the Wildcats were perhaps the state’s most consistent team from start to finish and that means something coming in a year of great parity.

X-factor: King has played on the blue line and stepped up front to play center as well this season. Whether it’s moving the puck out of his own end, or stepping in to win a faceoff, versatility always comes in handy this time of year.

5. Hingham (13-5-4)
Marquee wins: It might not look as impressive as their upset over Malden Catholic on paper, but the Harbormen’s 5-3 win over St. Mary’s of Lynn on Feb. 5 got them going. After upsetting the Lancers, Hingham went through a tough 0-3-1 stretch before turning things around with a comeback win that had the intensity of Super Eight matchup.

Players to watch: F Tim Driscoll, D Alex Pompeo, F Matt Hughes, F Austin O’Connor, D Steven Bellew.

The skinny: Let’s call spades a spade: the Harbormen are the defending champions, so that has to count for something. Simply put, they’ve been there and done that, so nerves won’t be an issue. Although there was a good amount of turnover from last year’s roster, a few of their stalwarts remain in Holy Cross commit Driscoll and Pompeo, who is among the best defensemen in the state. They are terrific building blocks to a Super Eight champion-caliber squad.

X-factor: Derek McInnis was superb during last year’s run to the title, but head coach Tony Messina likes to roll his goaltenders and senior Kevin Granatino has been solid in the second half of the season. That gives the Harbormen perhaps the greatest depth in goal in the tournament.

6. Needham (12-6-4)
Marquee wins: Where would the Rockets have been without their 3-2 win over Weymouth on Feb. 9? It was a season-turner. Their 4-3 win over Springfield Cathedral was their raison d’être to the tournament.

Players to watch: D Chris Joyce, F Tom Coleman, F Jeff Rosata, D Scott Atkinson.

The skinny: Who’d have thought the Rockets would end up with the sixth seed after (literally) being left off the table in the first round of Super Eight voting. Of course, head coach Bill Guisti has built Needham into one of the state’s premier public school programs and is evidenced by their tough out-of-conference schedule which includes several Catholic Conference teams. So the Rockets are used to playing the best. Joyce is in the conversation when it comes to the state’s best defensemen and we’ve always loved the jam Needham’s forward play with. They’re truly a tough team to play.

X-factor: Akin to the Harbormen, it will be interesting to see how Needham’s goaltending tandem of Evan MacDonald and Connor Murray shapes up. They’re both talented and capable of carrying the load.

7. Woburn (17-3-1)
Marquee wins: Life in the Middlesex League night in and night out is no easy thing, so we take the fact that the Tanners were 14-2-0 against league competition as a marquee accomplishment.

Players to watch: F Casey Shea, F Alex Holland, F Daniel Holland, F Eddie Aprile, D Brian Dulong.

The skinny: We had the Tanners pegged for the top six, which means they would have avoided playing Cathedral in tonight’s play-in game. But so is life and Woburn enters the tournament as one of the most consistent teams throughout the season …

X-factor: … However, the Tanners haven’t played much in the way of their out-of-conference schedule (a Their 6-0 thumping at the hands of St. John’s Prep was a good harbinger.

8. Central Catholic (16-5-1)
Marquee wins: It was early, but the Raiders’ 4-3 win over St. John’s Prep is about as good as it gets.

Players to watch: F Tommy Evangelista, G Kyle Williams, F Nick Pelrine, F/D Nick Leonard, D Ricky Sheehan.

The skinny: The Raiders looked like they might have been on the bubble with fellow DCL/MVC co-champion Billerica coming down the last couple weeks of the season, but Central showed what they are capable of with a huge 6-3 win over No. 4 seed Weymouth on the next to last day of the season. If that team shows up, the Raiders will be extremely dangerous. Evangelista is simply fun to watch.

X-factor: Williams is that type of goaltender who is capable of stealing games for his team.

9. St. Mary’s of Lynn (14-5-3)
Marquee wins: The Spartans had some tough luck in their out-of-conference schedule and had just a 7-5-3 record against fellow playoff teams. However, they were simply dominant in the Catholic Central (7-0-3), allowing just 12 goals in 10 games.

Players to watch: G Donald Hesse, D Cam Kennedy, F Bobby Mullins, F Christopher Surrette, F Tim Aylward.

The skinny: There’s no bones about why the Spartans are in the fold and that is their defense, which all starts in net with Hesse. Among the elite netminders in the state, Hesse is a game-changer and showed in last year’s Division 1 North tournament that he’s capable of putting a team on his back. Kennedy is an underrated blue-liner who is equally adept leading the breakout from his own end as he is clearing out the crease.

X-factor: It comes down to the ability for the Spartans to get those mucking-type goals in key situations and then shutting teams down.

10. Springfield Cathedral (12-9-1)
Marquee wins: All but one of the Panthers’ games was against a playoff opponent, so they’re battled tested and held their own against teams that were considered for the Super Eight, going 4-4-0.

Players to watch: G Zac Rondeau, D Sean Kavanagh, F Frank Crinella, F Dante Christofori.

The skinny: The Panthers always seem to find a way into the Super Eight field and play one of the toughest schedules in the state. They might not be as talented as their previous Super Eight predecessors, but they play good defense in front of Rondeau, who is capable of stealing games on his own.

X-factor: Kavanagh is one of the great hidden jewels in the state.

MALDEN, Mass. –- Is No. 1 Malden Catholic hockey just hitting its stride now?

It’s hard to judge by a team that has averaged over six goals per game through 14 games this season. You might not be able to tell such a difference in the Lancers’ prolific 9-0 blanking of No. 11 Xaverian at Valley Forum on Thursday. It might just seem like more of the same from a talented offensive squad, but there was a marked difference. That was in the way MC started.

“I think we played pretty good hockey today overall,” Lancers head coach Chris Serino said, alluding to his team’s full 45-minute effort.

MC (10-2-2, 4-0-2 Catholic Conference) in recent weeks has made it a habit — a bad one at that — of falling behind early before kicking it into high gear to beat teams in the third period. The Lancers bucked that trend on Thursday, systematically deconstructing the Hawks (7-4-1, 2-3-0) for three periods.

Seven players scored goals for the Lancers led by sophomore center Ryan Fitzgerald’s hat trick. Eleven players cracked the scoresheet for MC and five players had multi-point games, including Brendan Collier, Nick Roberto, Mike Vecchione, Brendan White along with Fitzgerald.

“We know what’s at stake in this game, we’re just one step closer to winning the division and [Xaverian has] played well this season,” Fitzgerald said. “We came out firing on all cylinders and it worked out good.”

“We’re definitely a talented group, but I think we’re starting to find our work ethic right now. With those two qualities, we should be good.”

Garrett White got the Lancers going with a blazing wrist shot from the slot for a 1-0 lead seven minutes into the first. Collier netted another with 11 seconds remaining in the first.

The damage could have been worse if not for Hawks goaltender Austin Miller. MC placed 20 shots on goal in the first period alone and Miller made 34 saves in just two periods of duty.

The Lancers’ barrage continued in the second with three goals from Fitzgerald, the last of which was scored short-handed.

Vecchione, Bob Keough, Brendan White and Roberto rounded up scoring with tallies of their own in the third when play turned increasingly chippy.

Several players had to be separated following the postgame handshake when jawing turned into a shoving match. The skirmish was broken up by referees and the teams' coaching staffs.

SAUGUS, Mass. – No. 1 Malden Catholic hockey flexed its muscles throughout the Kasabuski Christmas Tournament. After throttling St. Bernard’s, 18-0, on Tuesday, the Lancers capped off the tournament championship with a convincing 8-0 win over No. 6 St. Mary’s of Lynn Wednesday night.

Malden Catholic (5-0-0) had six players finish with multi-point games, including tournament MVP Brendan Collier (2 G, 2A) and Ryan Fitzgerald (2G, 2A), who led with four points apiece. Mike Vecchione and Mike Iovanna each had three-point games while Colin MacGillivray and Nick Roberto (2 G) each had two points.

St. Mary’s (2-1-2) endured a tough first period, when the Lancers scored five times. Malden Catholic struck for three goals within 32 seconds of each other midway through the first.

“In the first period, I thought we really only played seven or eight really good minutes,” Lancers head coach Chris Serino said. “Fortunately, we put four, five goals in during that time.”

While Malden Catholic’s is indeed potent offensively, Serino also reminded that you cannot overlook the efforts of his defensemen. The Lancer blue-liners, led by the top pair of Connor Evangelista and MacGillivray, were instrumental in limiting the Spartans to nine shots on goaltender Pat Young.

“I thought we did a pretty good job in our own end, getting the puck out,” Serino added.

“People look at our forwards and our top line, but we’ve got pretty good defensemen, too. I think especially our top four are as good as anybody.”

On a night when many things didn’t go well for the Spartans, bench boss Mark Lee was encouraged by the way his team competed in the third period, holding the Lancers off the board.

“Every mistake you make, they’re there to capitalize on it,” Lee said. “Each one of their goals was a breakdown by us. They’re one of the most talented teams I’ve seen in years.

“But I’m very proud of our third period, we came out and played like men. We skated up and down with them and we had some chances. I’m happy with how we finished the game, taking the score away.”

SAUGUS TAKES D-2
It was a banner day all-around for Serino as his alma mater captured the Division 2 championship earlier in the day.

Saugus blanked Lynnfield, 3-0, on the strength of a pair of two-point performances from Kurt Roderigues and Drew Oxley.

“We’ve had some games this year that we’ve learned from,” Sachems head coach Jeff Natalucci said. “We were up 3-0 against Winthrop and we let them back in because we stopped working, but tonight we didn’t stop working. Hopefully, we continue to grow and go from here.”

After Ralph Pagliucca put the Sachems (2-0-3) ahead 1-0 in the seond period, Roderigues added some cushion, beating talented Lynnfield netminder Craig Cataldo on a snipe from the circle. Roderigues was set in motion on the play by a laser cross-ice pass through the neutral zone form Oxley.

Roderigues later returned the favor, setting up Oxley’s goal three minutes into the third period.

Saugus showed some grit in the tournament, working back from a two-goal deficit against Pentucket on Tuesday to earn a 5-2 win and advance to Wednesday’s final. The Sachems also played with plenty of jam with an aggressive forecheck. And it would be hard to recall loose puck in the corner that wasn’t first fished out by a Saugus skater.

Even Roderigues’ goal was started by some dirty work done in the corner. Freshman Steven Kay snaked the puck out of the Sachems’ end, pushing the puck to Oxley who let Roderigues off to the races.

All encouraging signs for their first-year head coach.

CATHOLIC CENTRAL LOGJAM
Earlier in the day, No. 5 Austin Prep collected a 4-0 win over Catholic Central foe St. Bernard’s in the Division 1 consolation game.

However, the Kasabuski tournament just reinforced the fact that the Catholic Central is shaping up to be a very even three-horse race this season.

On Tuesday night, the Cougars skated to a 1-1 tie with St. Mary’s (the game is counted as a tie in MIAA standings), but the Spartans had the last laugh, scoring with 50 seconds remaining in the overtime period to set up their matchup with Malden Catholic. The tightly-battled game has been indicative of the early season meetings between the Catholic Central powers. Before Christmas, No. 4 Arlington Catholic skated to a 4-4 tie with St. Mary’s. So no definitive favorite has emerged in one of the state’s most tightly contested conferences.

“It’s nice to take three points away from the tournament, but we were still a little sloppy,” Austin Prep head coach Louis Finocchiaro said. “There are still things we have to work on. We can be a little careless with the puck at times. But we’re a young team and you expect those things to happen.”