'They gave everything': Hingham hockey bows to juggernaut St. John's Prep in Elite Eight

STONEHAM – Overcoming the odds-on favorite in the MIAA state tournament takes an effort unlike any other.

And sometimes that isn't quite enough.

Hingham High head boys hockey coach Tony Messina spent extended time with his team in the Stoneham Arena locker room after a 3-0 loss to top-seeded St. John's Prep in the Elite Eight on Thursday night. When the longtime coach emerged, he stood against the wall behind the visitor's bench and took in the moment.

“I’m not sure how we could’ve played any better, to be honest," Messina said. "That’s what I told (the team). Tough.”

No. 8 Hingham trailed 1-0 all evening, until a pair of empty-net goals by SJP's Johnny Tinghe and Jake Vana in the closing minute ballooned the final margin.

“I thought it was a battle the whole way, a one-goal game the whole time which is what really stings," said senior Travis Rugg. "It was a great game to end on, to be honest, even though it stings now, because it was such a hard battle against a great team. Very happy to share these last moments with Hingham on this ice.”

St. John's Prep, which owns the No. 1 seed for the third consecutive year, advances to play No. 4 Xaverian in the Final Four on Sunday (time/location TBD).

“We were one bounce away from making this a totally different game," Messina said. "We had times where we had some good shots and some opportunities but we couldn’t put them away.”

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Hingham fell behind early as SJP's Mason Luciano put in the Eagles' first goal on a rebound off the back boards at the 12:54 mark: “Just the way it went in, it was kind of devastating," Messina said. "We were ready to go and it took the wind out of our sails a little bit.”

The shot totals were close the rest of the way, as the on-net opportunities of Hingham's headliners (Rugg, Paul Dzavik and Cam McKenna) were shut down by standout SJP goaltender AJ Farese, a first occurrence for the Harbormen as it is the only shutout the team suffered all year.

“Obviously, very proud of the effort of every single guy. They gave everything," Messina said. "(St. John’s Prep) is a really quick team. Obviously very talented. Every rush up the ice, you’re holding your breath, but we did a good job staying with them.”

Hingham won the first matchup against St. John's Prep, 3-2, on Dec. 16, the Harbormen's second game of the campaign. Messina conceded both teams "were both kind of rusty" in that one, which was played close to three months ago now. Rugg, a senior captain, was out as it was one of the seven games missed due to some broken ribs he suffered in the summer.

“In that game, we got a couple of opportunities and we scored on them," Messina said. "We got out to a lead, which was very helpful. And they (St. John's Prep) weren’t as well-oiled as they are right now. We were fortunate in that game. I’d like to switch the games around," he said, chuckling, "but, seriously, they’re going to be hard for anyone to keep up with. They’ve gotta be the favorites.”

Hingham finishes 15-8-2 – all in all "a great success," Messina measured.

Rugg, Dzavik, wing Michael Garrity, wing Brady Gannon, center Nick Foran, center Wilson Fox, defenseman Jack Rakauskas and center Mason Lemieux round out the group of eight seniors.

“I just like how we came together as a team this year,” Messina said. “This senior class did that.”

“It’s been the most fun of my life," Rugg said. "I’m going to enjoy it forever, always remember it. I’m sad to leave, but happy to see where the team goes next year.”

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Hingham hockey suffers loss in Elite Eight loss to St. John's Prep