Bulldogs are best in show again: Canton boys top Hopkinton for another Div. 2 state crown
BOSTON – Canton High boys hockey coach Brian Shuman stood in the bowels of TD Garden on Sunday afternoon and tried to sum up why his school is so good on ice.
"We're a hockey town," he said.
It's true that winners get to write history. But it's also true that few would argue with Shuman on this point.
For a second straight year, the Bulldogs boys and girls teams trekked to Causeway Street for their respective Division 2 state championship games. While the girls were denied by Duxbury, the boys emerged triumphant, scoring two goals late in the second period to erase an early deficit and two more in the dwindling moments of the third to turn back upset-minded Hopkinton, 4-1.
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It was Canton's second outright state crown and third overall (more on that in a minute) over the last four MIAA postseasons. It also was a welcome change of pace from last year's final, which ended with a Tewksbury party after the Bulldogs came up short, 3-1, in the title game.
"It feels amazing," said senior forward A.J. Thomas, who scored into an empty net with 25.9 seconds left to clinch the crown. "We were like, 'We're not going to let what happened last year happen again.'"
Canton won the 2019 championship, capping off a 25-0-1 season with a victory over Tewksbury here. The Bulldogs also were declared co-champs (with Lincoln-Sudbury) in 2020 when COVID-19 forced the cancelation of all state finals. There were no MIAA playoffs in 2021, meaning Canton has earned four straight invitations to the Garden.
That makes the Bruins' home rink seem almost like a second home for the Bulldogs.
"Four straight trips to the Garden," junior forward Brian Middleton, who had the go-ahead goal in the final minute of the second period, said with a smile. "Three for four, that's pretty good."
"These guys, they put a lot of pressure on themselves. They really do," Shuman said of keeping the winning tradition going. "They've been in the stands watching some kids who are older than them on the ice raising the trophy. That's their dream. Last year we felt that pressure and played well, just came up short. That's what happens when you play against these good teams. This year I thought the players' mental approach coming into this game was just outstanding. They were really having some fun this week and it was good to see."
More:Canton boys, girls hockey headed back to TD Garden for annual state championship games
The Canton girls could have joined the boys in celebration, but Duxbury was just too tough in a 5-2 victory in the 9 a.m. opening game. Even so, the girls have crafted a terrific run themselves. Over the last six MIAA postseasons (not counting 2021), the Bulldogs have advanced to five state finals, losing in 2017, 2018, 2022 and 2023 and sharing the 2020 crown with Wellesley.
"The senior class has been through everything," said senior center Audrey Koen. "We had our state championship canceled in the first year (2020), we played a COVID season (in 2021) with just 10 games and then we've gone to the Garden back-to-back. These girls have been incredible. What group of girls can say they've been to the Garden all of the times that they've played in the state tournament? I think it's a really cool legacy to leave."
More:Back on top: Duxbury girls hockey downs Canton in D-2 final for first title since 2014
So, again, Canton is a hockey town.
"I guess everyone agrees with that," said senior forward Jeffrey Chaput, who gave the boys a 3-1 lead with just under three minutes left in regulation. "The girls were here earlier. We were here last year, the girls were here last year. If COVID hadn't happened we would have been here again (in 2021). My freshman year we were here (in 2020 even though the game wasn't staged). Obviously, it's a hockey town. It's tradition."
Turning point
Despite being the No. 3 seed and finishing 22-4, the Canton boys knew about coming from behind. After all, they had trailed Duxbury 1-0 heading into the third period of the semifinals before erupting for three goals to punch their Garden ticket. So when No. 8 Hopkinton (20-5) struck first, just 3:12 into the game, there was no panic ... at least on the bench.
Behind the bench might have been a different story.
"We're used to playing in tight games," Shuman said. "Credit to our guys. They were saying the same things they were saying in the last round – 'We're fine. Stay with it, we're fine.' They didn't overreact when we were down 1-0. I was the first person overreacting on the bench when we'd miss the net. And that's on me; that's my fault. Credit to our players; they stayed calm, cool and collected and didn't take on the persona of their coach, which was a good thing."
Despite still trailing 1-0, Canton held a 20-6 edge in shots deep into the second period before Brendan Tourgee delivered the tying goal with 1:48 remaining, getting a second crack at it after his initial shot clanged off the right post.
With 33.9 seconds left in the period, Middleton broke the newly forged tie by collecting a loose puck deep in the left-wing circle and beating Hopkinton goalie Jack Lang five-hole.
"I just found the puck and threw it on net," Middleton said. "It was huge. I felt like after we got that first one from Brendan Tourgee, all the energy shifted (to us). It was a different story (after that)."
Chaput (a wicked short-side wrister over Lang's blocker with 2:55 remaining) and Thomas scored late in the third, and Canton got to take its first victory skate here since 2019.
"From youth to now, everyone's all about hockey," Thomas said of his town's passion for the sport. "My (younger) brother came tonight. He's so happy. His team came tonight, all the little kids came out. It's amazing doing it for them because some day they're going to be wearing this exact shirt and they're going to be out there just like we were."
By the numbers
11: Third-period saves by Canton sophomore goalie Colin Davis, by now a grizzled veteran who has backstopped two trips to the state finals. He made 16 saves overall in this one.
"Colin Davis has been fantastic," Shuman said. "He has been a backbone of this team. I have to give credit to our other goaltender, (senior) Carson Eagles, because if you saw our practices every day you'd see two exceptional goalies competing against each other. I think Carson played a big role in this as well because he brought the best out of Colin every day."
40: Goals by Hopkinton's Pavit Mehra this season, including the one that put Canton in a 1-0 hole.
"Seventy-two points, something like that. The kid's insane," Chaput said of the senior. "We watched him all week (on tape). Today we let him slide out front (on the first goal), but that was all (he got)."
2: Goals allowed by Canton over five playoff games. Despite graduating standout defensemen such as Sean Connolly and Brennen Pecararo off last season's team, the Bulldogs were stifling defensively.
4: Regular-season goals for Chaput. He had five in the playoffs – one in each game.
"The goals come from somewhere," Chaput said. "The regular season they came from my other linemates. Then we just started clicking, I guess, in the postseason. I came though when I needed (to)."
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Canton boys hockey rallies past Hopkinton for Div. 2 state crown
