Nantucket boys hockey, led by six seniors, eliminated in Elite Eight

As Nantucket boys hockey senior Ryan Davis processed the emotions following his team's 4-1 loss to No. 10 Stoneham in the MIAA Division 4 Elite Eight on Wednesday, he was reflective.

Not just about the game, but about his career that came to a close, and the group of guys he's done it with since he was little.

"It's definitely been something special," he said. "Not only that it's our senior year, (but) just being with this group of guys that we grew up playing with everyday, every shift.

He's a part of a senior class that is six-deep. It's him, Braden Knapp (more on him later), Colby O'Keefe, Michael Culkins, Henter Stronjy, and Griffin Starr.

Collectively, they've been a part of each other's hockey lives for longer than they've been suiting up for the Whalers, and have helped bring the program into the elite in the state.

"Being able to build that unbreakable bond with these kids, and go for a run in the playoffs (was great)," Davis said. "I wish it could've went longer, but it was one hell of a run."

On the ice, the seniors brought the production this season. They accounted for 131 total points this season, fueling one of the most dynamic offenses in the area.

However, in Nantucket head coach Jack Moran's eyes, where the class really made its mark, was off the ice.

He drew on a real-life example. When the most recent nor'easter hit the island, the seniors rallied together to go door-to-door offering to shovel driveways for elderly members of the community.

It wasn't because their coaches said so, and it wasn't because they were looking to get paid. It was their choice, and Moran said that's who they are.

"Nobody asked them to do it, they just decided to go out as a group to do it. I heard about it, and I couldn't believe myself," Moran said.

But the on-ice impact cant be understated. The Whalers in two years under Moran have now reached a Final Four and an Elite Eight, and the seniors have been a major part of resetting the expectations of the program.

In these two seasons, Moran and the Whalers have won a total of 33 games to go along with those playoff runs, and Moran said he's proud of what his team has been able to build.

"I feel fabulous," Moran said when asked how he feels after two seasons in charge. "The kids are so great, they really are."

Part of why he's proud, is that he feels it's sustainable. He doesn't want this success to be a blip, and believes they have the foundation to do so, and the seniors have been paramount to that.

"They (the younger players) learn a tremendous amount from them (the seniors)," Moran said. "Everything they did was so top notch."

Which brings it back to the seniors. With the class accounting for the bulk of the production, it's imperative that their also helping prepare those who will come next. Moran said his seniors have been excellent on that front.

"They have been such great mentors to the younger class of kids that are here on this team," he said. "They're great examples to be followed."

As far as the game is concerned, Moran was proud of the effort, and felt some breaks just didn't go their way. Stoneham was able to keep the Whalers high powered offense quiet, and Davis gave credit to the Spartans defense, but also believes the Whalers missed some chances.

"Stoneham is a great team," Davis said. "They played a great physical game, very defensive today. I feel like we dominated most of the second, just couldn't bury our opportunities."

The Whalers offense was without Knapp, who was officially suspended a year by the MIAA after shooting a hockey puck in the direction of an official in the aftermath of Nantucket's Feb. 22 loss to Sandwich. Knapp had been absent from both of the team's prior playoff games, and will be ineligible to compete in any additional sports for Nantucket.

Davis was correct in that the Whalers weren't without their chances. Stoneham goalie Noah Dinan was called into action on several occasions, refusing to be beaten until the game's final seconds.

Still, the Whalers felt good about the effort by those on the ice, and Moran said postgame that though the loss stings, the Whalers will still be able to build.

"They're picking up the torch, they're going to move forward, and they're just going to continue to bring better and better things forward for this team," Moran said of the younger players.

Sophomore forward Jeremy Jenkinson, one of those pieces for the future, got the Whalers lone goal with less than five seconds remaining.

The Whalers felt the sting of the playoff defeat, and had their sights set on something more, but overall, Moran and company feel like they've only just begun.

André Simms covers high school sports for the Times. Contact him at asimms@capecodonline.com. Follow him on X/Twitter: @that1guyandre.

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Nantucket boys hockey season ends in Elite Eight