Newcomers to reigning champ Canton High boys hockey powering team's run at a repeat

CANTON – Where were you when the Canton High boys hockey team won it all last season?

Brendan Tourgee was involved in the action on the ice at TD Garden. Brian Shuman was perched upon the Bulldogs' bench (he's coached in, and won, a few state finals before).

Connor Geoghan's seat wasn't far from Shuman's. At the time, the sophomore goaltender was backing up the full-time starter, Colin Davis.

“Seeing them out there winning it, getting it done, I was just glad to be a part of it and be on the team," Geoghan said.

The now-junior goaltender is more than a bystander these days. In the offseason, Davis, also a junior, moved on to continue his career at Dexter Southfield. Vying for the Bulldogs' vacant spot in net, Geoghan impressed Shuman in the preseason to assume the starting job – much like many of Canton's other new faces making a promising first impression.

“Connor’s been patient," Shuman said. "He’s a testament to guys that have embraced being both a starter on JV, getting a lot of reps (there), and being a varsity back-up. If you came to a practice last year, he was out there like he was competing for a state championship. I think that’s why he’s ready. I look forward to watching him keep getting better this year.”

Through the first three games of this season (a 5-0 win over Barnstable on Saturday being the latest), Canton has allowed just two goals. The Bulldogs shut out Lincoln-Sudbury, 5-0, in the season-opener on Dec. 9 and defeated Falmouth, 6-2, on Dec. 13.

"A lot of it is on the defense," Geoghan said, deflecting credit.

In Saturday's win over Barnstable, the Canton (3-0) defense weathered a penalty kill that ended the scoreless first period and lingered 47 seconds in the second.

“Connor played great tonight, made some big saves," said Shuman, who is in his 19th season. "I thought our defensive core played very, very well. Collectively, that was their best game.”

From then on, Canton got goals from Tourgee, freshman Cam Guershuny and sophomore Pat Drury to construct its cushion in the second and third periods. Tourgee scored his fifth and sixth goals of the young campaign, Drury netted his second and third and Guershuny's was the first of his career.

The fourth-line freshman's goal was also Canton's first of the evening. It came at the 9:25 mark of the second period.

“Cam Guershney gets his first varsity goal on his first shift of his career?," Shuman said with a smile. "That’s storybook.”

Like Geoghan, Guershney and his linemates were not on the ice when Canton clinched the Division 2 title over Hopkinton, the program's third in four years.

“All the new guys are buying in so quickly," Tourgee said. "Those guys in the stands last year watching us win, they want it more than us (returners). We’re all just working towards the goal of winning another championship.”

The team lost forward A.J. Thomas, forward Jack Digirolamo, center Audrey Koen, forward Jeffrey Chaput, and defenseman James Young among the offseason graduates. Thomas (12 goals, 7 assists), Digirolamo (8 goals, 19 assists) and Young (3 goals and 12 assists) were selected to our All-Scholastic teams.

That said, the Bulldogs retained Tourgee (11 goals, 13 assists last season), Drury, forwards Brian Middleton and Colin Blake, and defenseman Matt Anderson to exude the lasting championship DNA.

“I think we have enough back from last year, and a lot of young guys who watched last year," Shuman said of turning the page. "They might have been in the locker room watching, in the stands watching and seeing what those guys did last year and trying to do their best this year.”

“We take one step up the ladder at a time," Tourgee said. "We’re doing the same process again. We’re not really looking at last year anymore. We’re looking at this year.”

Already 3-0, it doesn't look like the offseason changes have been any sort of speed bump to these Bulldogs.

“Every game is a reset," Shuman said of the title-defense mentality. "I think that keeps us grounded and focused. But at the same time, I think we are also subconsciously aware that the bullseye is on our back and we’ve got to bring our best. So far, we’ve played well enough. I still think we can get better.”

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Canton High boys hockey not missing beat despite offseason changes