Pipes between the pipes: Natick goalie Evan Hyman also an accomplished choir singer

NATICK - Framingham's student section jeered the Natick boys hockey team as the Redhawks warmed up.

Nothing they hadn't heard before. "You suck." "Did you hit puberty yet?"

The Flyers booed as every member of the Natick starting lineup skated to the blue line as he was introduced at Chase Arena. Once both teams assembled and took their helmets off for the national anthem, Natick backup goalie Evan Hyman laid his gloves and stick down. He skated backward toward the face-off circle then turned toward the announcement booth to sing the national anthem.

The junior performs it at most Natick home games except for the few he skipped recovering from the flu. His clear tenor carried through the arena from "O say can you see.." through "the home of the brave."

After handing the microphone back to longtime Natick announcer Peter Mundy, Hyman flexed his arms and screamed "Let's go boys!" Ethan Chambers fist bumped him on their way back to the bench.

"When he hits it perfectly, he comes off like he just scored a goal," Natick coach Karl Infanger said.

Hyman stunned Framingham's critics to appreciation.

"That was really good Evan," the Flyers students yelled. "I really enjoy your singing voice."

One turned to his friends and said, "You gotta give him props."

He inspires that reaction from most. Hyman plays on Natick's varsity squad and is a member of three singing groups at Natick: the West Street Singers show choir, a men's choir and he is the music director for an acapella group.

"This kid is a gem. He’s super dedicated to everything that he does, and he’s a very busy kid," Natick choir director Kate Burns said. "He’s high achieving in lots of areas of his life. He always makes you feel like the thing he’s doing with you is important to him, which I think is such a skill as a teenager when you’re feeling stressed and overwhelmed."

"Something very magical"

The singing started before the hockey, as far back as he could remember. Hyman first sang in an organized manner at synagogue in youth choirs.

"It's very freeing in a sense," Hyman said. "It's so fun to do, especially in a full group. There's something very magical about hearing a full organized choir perform."

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Hyman sings to himself whenever he can, even on the bench at hockey games. He plays the piano at school. His acapella group is called "Seven's Not Enough," which performs mostly pop music. The West Street Singers, which he joined this year, adds dancing to the mix and trades in pop, rock and show music.

"I don’t think he knew he was a strong dancer before he joined this group. He picks up choreography really quickly. I believe that's because he's an athlete, and he knows how to use his body and knows how to train," Burns said. "As a singer who’s dancing, you have to use your breath so much differently than a singer standing still. He has incredibly high breath capacity. When he’s dancing and singing at the same time, he can still sing really strong, and he doesn’t get winded."

The men's choir sings "more legit music," Burns said. Hyman also auditioned and was accepted as a member of the Eastern District Choir. He scored highly as a tenor and earned a solo in that concert earlier in January. Hyman will also represent Natick as a member of the All Eastern United States Choir at the end of February in Providence.

"In terms of singing it's not that different because at the end of the day, singing beautifully is singing beautifully," Hyman said.

'He makes it look easy'

Juggling all of those ensembles would strain on its own. But Hyman also balances it with hockey practices and games. He's skipped practices for games or competitions.

"I love it. I think a person should be well-rounded. It's academics first," Infanger said. "I understand that commitment. When he shows up and he can sing for us out there, you can see it in the kids. They love it."

Both Infanger and Burns marvel at how he accomplishes it. His family shuttles him from sport to activity and back. Hyman keeps his lines of communication wide open to avert double booking.

"I know it's not easy, but he makes it look easy," Burns said.

A consummate performer

Hyman first floated the idea of singing the national anthem before a game waiting for his mom in the parking lot. Infanger had never had it happen on a boys team in his 20 years of coaching. He set it up with Mundy and told Hyman, "You're on tonight. You can sing tonight, if you want."

"His eyes lit up," Infanger said.

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He told most of his teammates and his parents, but most of the crowd did not know. Hyman drank a tea beforehand then let it rip.

"It got us all pumped up. It definitely hyped us up," Natick junior Sam Hubbard said. "It’s awesome."

Once Hyman returns to the bench, he shifts into hockey mode. He's appeared in a few games this season, picking up his first career start and win against Braintree near the end of January. His time between the pipes includes some mop up duty and covering for Natick starter Jeff Tavares at the start of a third period against Milton while Infanger and co. fixed an equipment issue.

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He started at age "six or seven" in the Natick house leagues before playing for the Natick Comets and moving on to the North Stars club program in Westborough.

"Hockey is a way I relieve stress," Hyman said. "I can just think about absolutely nothing but hockey when I'm on the ice."

Hyman's two passions intersect singing the anthem. All eyes are on him as a performer even though he's wearing goalie pads preparing to play a position that prizes not being noticed.

They both scratch his competitive itches and provide community.

"Evan as a competitor he still comes across as joyful. He’s tenacious. He’s an energy-bringer," Burns said. "He wants everyone to work and love it as much as he does."

Contact Kyle Grabowski at kgrabowski@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @kylegrbwsk.

This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Natick boys hockey goalie Evan Hyman an accomplished choir singer