'Do it for Coach': With heavy hearts, Somerset Berkley hockey advances to Final 4
FRAMINGHAM — The Somerset Berkley boys ice hockey came into Thursday's night Division 3 Elite game with a heavy heart.
The Raider players were told prior to taking the ice against 20th-seeded West Springfield that head coach Kevin Snyder's dad, George, died at the age of 95 after a long illness. From there, the theme in the locker room became "Do it for Coach."
"We absoutely can not lose this game for [Coach]," said Nate Melo, who scored the game's first goal and eventual game winner in SBR's 3-0 win over the Terriers. "This game was for him. He is what inspires us every game. I know every game we played for different stuff, but this game we knew we were playing for coach and his dad."
The 12th-seeded Raiders (18-2-2), who scored three times to break a scoreless tie in the third period, advance to the Final 4 for the first time in school history. They will face No. 1 seed Nauset on Sunday at 5 p.m. at Gallo Arena in Bourne.
"This side of my family [in this locker room] excelled right here, my team," said Snyder when he was asked about how his team responded with the sad news. "Incredible, I love these kids. It's incredible. It really is."
Senior goalie Brandon Silva proved why he is one the top goalies in the state of Massachusetts. The Raider netminder posted his second straight shutout after making 33 saves, including two big stops on breakaways from the Terriers' top scorer — Gauvin Hall.
"We had a job to do and we could not come out with a loss today on the day of his father's passing," said a somber Silva after the game.
Senior Kein Stafford, who is a Houston, Texas native, said he was heartbroken before the game.
"I've only known coach for a few years but really he has become family for me," said Stafford, who scored a pair of goals, including an empty netter in the third period. "I was really heartbroken and upset but I knew we had a job to do. We had to do it for him."
Both teams had ample opportunities to score goals in the first two periods but came away empty-handed. During the intermission before the third period, Snyder had some words to his team.
"We needed a push," Snyder said. "We had to start off that period with a push. I thought the first two periods we were flat. We did not look good at all in the first period. It was not our game. The second period, I thought we got a little bit better. But the third period, I told them I need your best. And I got their best."
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More: Somerset Berkley Athletics Hall of Fame member George Snyder dies at age 95
Melo's goal at the 13:40 mark in the third period gave the Raiders the early lead.
"Their defender screened their goalie a little bit and he [goalie] was low all game," Melo said. "I tried to stick that to the right of the net. Once I scored the goal, we were on our toes and feet."
Stafford made it 2-0 late on a shot low and under West Springfield netminder Troy Cashman. The Terriers pulled the goalie in the final minute and Stafford collected a loose puck and iced the game.
Coaches corner
Snyder could not say enough of his goalie after another brilliant performance between the pipes. "The last two games Brendon has been incredible," he said. "He just comes to work hard everyday and does his job. You saw it tonight. This is the way he's been all year. He comes to compete and shows a lot of effort. That's all I can ask for."
Stats
West Springfield (14-10) outshot SBR, 33-27 ... Cashman was brilliant early in net for the Terriers and finished with 25 saves ... Adyn Marcos, Dylan Messier, Jack Rothwell, Liam Derocher, Mason Sullivan, Carter Silva and Gabriel Gonsalves all played well in the win for the Raiders.
Herald News and Taunton Daily Gazette sports editor Steven Sanchez can be reached at ssanchez@heraldnews.com. You can follow him on Twitter @Chezsports
This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Somerset Berkley boys hockey defeats West Springfield in Elite 8
