The Whaler boys hockey team produced an inspiring run in the Div. 4 MIAA state tournament this season, but that came to an abrupt end on Friday in the form of a 7-3 loss to the Stoneham Spartans in the Round of 8.
The Whalers struck first with a goal 1:58 into the first period by senior captain Hudson Perry, but Spartan’s junior forward Danny Storella scored one of his three goals five minutes later to tie the game up at one.
It set up for one of the most entertaining periods of hockey in the Whalers season. After Storella scored a second goal, senior winger Cole Evens scored three seconds into a late period power play to make it 2-2. The Spartans took a 3-2 lead into the first intermission after a late period goal.
“We did what we wanted and they did exactly what we thought they were going to do but I think they were a little too deep than us and had some more skill players than we did,” head coach Scott Corbett said. “There top player (Storella) is probably the best player we have played all year and I don’t think there is any doubt. He is a pure scorer and has a great shot.”
The Spartans and Whalers traded chance for chance in the second period, but neither team was able to carry the offensive production from the opening period into the second period until the Spartans made it 4-2 with 3:05 to go in the second period off a whacky bounce in Nantucket’s crease.
The Whalers had an opportunity to slice the deficit in half with a late period power play right before the second intermission, but were unable to score despite several high quality scoring chances and loose pucks in and around the Spartans’ crease.
“I really thought we played well in that second period but they got a few bounces that we didn’t and they capitalized on them,” Corbett said. “I wasn’t in love with the refereeing today. I thought there were a lot of late, high hits on us that weren’t called. I thought one of Hudson’s interference penalties were bad. We had a few tough calls on us there. Now would it have mattered? Who knows, but we lost to a better team today.”
The Whalers killed an early period penalty and Evens scored his second of the game right after to make it 4-3 with 11:22 to go in the game. But Nantucket was unable to cash in on more chances. Stoneham delivered the fatal blow of the game two minutes later to make it 5-3 before capping the game off with two goals in the final two minutes play.
“We can’t ask for any more than what we got out of our boys,” Corbett said. “They did as much as they could do and they went as far as they could go.”
From dozens and dozens of classmates and adults making the three hour voyage on a Friday to a rink north of Boston to the Hy-Line creating a unique one day schedule to accommodate this group and the fans, this team captured the hearts of people across the island and set a standard for the boys hockey program that will be hard to match for years to come.
“They have been a great team to coach and there is incredible leadership on this team,” Corbett said. “They need to be extremely proud of what they have done. I know it hurts for them right now but when they look back at this they’ll be proud. They have set a new standard now. It is going to be tough for teams coming up to match it. They need to be so proud.”
“It is the unfortunate reality for every sport. Only one team can win their final game. It is hard, and it wasn’t us this year. Overall, I liked the way we played and I don’t think these guys have any regrets as to how they played. They left it out there. We were beat by a better team today.”
