Somerset Berkley goalie stops 50 shots against top seed Nauset in Division 3 Final 4
BUZZARD BAY — Brandon Silva said he wasn't suppose to play for the Somerset Berkley ice hockey team in 2023-24.
But a week before tryouts for juniors, the Raider netminder found out he was going to return to play out his final season at SBR.
Through the regular season and the postseason, Silva was lights out. He helped lead the Raiders to playoff wins over Nashoba, Essex North Shore, West Springfield and a trip to the Final 4 — first time in school history. On Sunday, Silva's dream season came to an abrupt halt.
"It was a helluva season," said Silva after No. 1 seed Nauset blanked 12th seed SBR, 6-0, at John Gallo Ice Arena to advance to TD Garden next Sunday.
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The Raider senior was set to do schooling online and play for the EHL junior team the Bridgewater Bandits. Even SBR longtime head coach Kevin Snyder wasn't sure until Silva's return in December.
"I was estatic," Snyder said about Silva's return to the team. "I knew he was going to be able to carry this team. He's a very good goaltender."
Silva was the lone line of defense on the ice for SBR (18-3-2) in the D3 semifinal, stopping a game-high 50 shots. Nauset outshot the Raiders, 56-9.
"They're big, they're fast, strong and well coached," Snyder said.
The Warriors (22-1-1) were on a mission right from the jump in the first period. Goals by Aaron Howard, Logan Poulin and Jake Eldredge within a four-minute span put the Raiders in a deep hole early, 3-0. All goals were scored after shots on net were deflected.
"We wanted to get off to a hot start," Nauset head coach Connor Brickley and nephew of NESN's color commentator for the Boston Bruins Andy Brickley. "We did a good job working them low, getting bodies and pucks to the net. When we are playing our game, we don't let up a lot."
Poulin netted his second of the game and Colin Ward added another as the Warriors had a 5-0 advantage after two periods. Julian Krivos added a third period goal.
"I thought we did a good job, peppering their goalie with shots," said Poulin whose team will be playing in the finals for the first time in two decades.
As players left the ice, Silva remained the lone combatant on the scratched up, hard surface as he dropped to one knee with his head down. Exhausted from the barrage of shots, he realized he had played his last high school game.
"I was very happy to be back and play my senior year with my teammates," Silva said. "It was special and it meant a lot. I did not expect us to make this kind of a run."
Coaches corner
"I'm proud of them, how can I not be proud," Snyder said about his team after the game. "They made high school history. They kept me sane over the last two weeks. I can't ask for more than that. We told the kids great run and keep your heads up. I know it was difficult for the seniors."
Stats
Ten seniors — Madden Huck, Luke Gauvin, Jack Rothwell, Steven Erickson, Dylan Messier, Brayden Pimentel, Liam Derocher, Kein Stafford, Adyn Marcos and Silva — played or witness their final game in a Somerset Berkley uniform ... Mason Sullivan had the Raiders' best chance to score in the third period.
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 hockey team's season comes to an end in Final 4
