SOUTH BOSTON – Since his 2019 passing, the Boston Latin girls and boys hockey groups have hosted the Michael Giordano Christmas Basic at Murphy Memorial Rink in honor of the beloved alumni, trainer and coach.
And Friday morning, they honored him extra by kicking off the vacation match’s semifinals with a pair of barnburners that every got here all the way down to the third interval.
The primary recreation of 4 noticed the Boston Latin ladies rating three targets within the closing body to edge Ursuline Academy, 4-2. Within the subsequent, Lynnfield scored twice within the closing 4 minutes to outlast the Boston Latin boys, 2-0.
A 35-save shutout from Lynnfield’s Angelo Covino was a serious driver in denying the reigning champion Wolfpack (2-2) a return to the championship. However the Wolfpack ladies (2-3-1) generated sufficient offense to beat a 5-0 loss to NDA (Hingham) three days prior, and superior to play for the “Gio” championship on Friday.
“Not one individual talks a nasty phrase in regards to the man; he was a mentor to those youngsters,” mentioned Boston Latin ladies head coach Tom McGrath. “We wanted this win. … For us to get 4 targets right now – our three losses, three shutouts. We get 4 targets right now, hopefully that’s a begin for the brand new 12 months.”
Ursuline goalie Casey McManus (41 saves) was distinctive, limiting the Boston Latin ladies by means of the primary two durations to only one objective – which Angela Wells (two targets, help) scored within the opening 10 seconds. The Bears responded shortly, too, with Audrey Bernazzani tallying the 1-1 tie they carried into the third interval.
Wolfpack freshman Alannah Chambers scored her first profession objective simply 5:01 into the third interval to regain the lead, just for Ciara Farley to reply a minute later for Ursuline. However Boston Latin’s emphasis on the facility play paid off, getting targets from Wells with 7:45 left, and from Phoebe Niese (objective, two assists) three minutes later.
“We apply the facility play each single day,” McGrath mentioned. “It paid off right now, it appeared stunning.”
After Wells’ second objective gave Boston Latin a 3-2 lead, goalie McKenna Savicke stopped seven of her 29 saves to carry onto the win.
“She’s been strong all 12 months and she or he’s solely going to get higher,” McGrath mentioned.
The Lynnfield and Boston Latin boys anticipated a good affair heading in, a lot in order that Pioneers (2-1-1) head coach Jon Gardner was already ready for his or her tilt to enter additional time or a shootout.
For as a lot as Boston Latin carried play within the first two durations, Covino starred between the pipes to maintain it scoreless heading into the third.
Lynnfield broke by means of when Lucas Duraps crashed on a rebound for a objective with 3:41 left. Nick Kelter – who was denied on a breakaway by Boston Latin’s Oliver Murphy (14 saves) within the first – pressured a turnover for a breakaway objective and a 2-0 lead with 1:57 to play.
“We didn’t play nice, I feel we sort of introduced not one in every of our greatest caliber video games … I can’t say sufficient issues about (Covino),” Gardner mentioned. “However our guys simply caught to it, performed our system. We knew it was going to be (a tricky recreation). So, I give our guys quite a lot of credit score.”
Covino didn’t put an excessive amount of thought into the final time he began in opposition to Boston Latin as a freshman in 2023 – dropping 4-1 within the match’s comfort recreation. However it was on his thoughts, serving to drive him to a special consequence Friday.
“It feels good, good to see pucks,” he mentioned. “It was a great recreation. I wasn’t pleased with my first recreation of the 12 months at Winthrop, nevertheless it was good to get a great win on the market and are available again for (the championship) tomorrow. … (Boston Latin) pumped me freshman 12 months within the comfort recreation, so it’s fairly particular to me.”
That included a formidable stretch on a penalty kill early within the third, through which he made a highlight-reel save falling backwards.
“When he made that save on the facility play,” Gardner mentioned. “We sort of say that that save must be significant, that must be a kind of game-changer. And it was. In the event that they rating there, I don’t know if (the sport) unfolds that means.”
Wolfpack head coach Frank Woods felt his workforce had loads of possibilities to capitalize, however simply couldn’t get a shot previous Covino, and was happy with how his third line appeared. He credited Lynnfield for making the most of a pair expensive errors on the finish to earn the win, too.
He clearly would like the win, however talked at size over Giordano and the enjoyment of enjoying a match in his identify over the past six years.
“He was a Latin man, by means of and thru,” Woods mentioned. “He’s the epitome of a Latin College man, so to have a match in his identify has been nice. … It’s been good to have one thing right here that we are able to host and honor him as nicely.”
