MARLBORO, Mass. — Massachusetts’ best girls hockey players took over the New England Sports Center this past weekend.
Mass. Hockey’s girls festival came down to its Final 40 across the 2009, 2010 and 2011 age groups.
Players will now be selected for USA Hockey’s National Development Camps in the summer. The Girls National 16/17 (2009/2010) and the Girls National 15 (2011) camps will be at Miami University (Ohio) in July. The U18 Women’s National Team Festival (2009-11) will be in Lake Placid, N.Y., in August.
Those selections will be released later this month.
One theme for most of the weekend was how many skaters had strong showings. A handful of skaters who showed well at last month's Festival carried that momentum into Final 40. In particular, these 10 prospects below stood out among the ’11s, but they’re far from the only ones.
Earlier this week, we broke down 10 uncommitted ’09s who impressed, as well as 14 standouts among the '10s. Now, it's time for the '11s.
Let's dive in.
FINAL 40: 10 uncommitted ’09 standouts | 14 standout '10s
Juliet Platt
Nobles/Boston Junior Eagles, 2011, F, right shot
Hometown: Brookline, Mass.
Platt was one of the best players on the ice all weekend, scoring a handful of goals and driving play alongside Abigale Loring (Wellesley, Mass.) and Mia Catarazulo (Milton, Mass.). Platt was hard on puck carriers on the forecheck and forced turnovers, too. Her first goal came after a strong effort to chip the puck free in a battle before making herself available as she went hard to the net. She found the loose puck in the scramble and chipped it over the blocker. Later, Platt wired a shot off the post and in off the rush. She scored a beauty on Sunday, too, finishing off a rush with Loring as she got a step on the defense and went bar-down.
Abigale Loring
Dexter Southfield/Boston Junior Eagles, 2011, F, left shot
Hometown: Wellesley, Mass.
Loring was dominant throughout the weekend on her line with Platt and Catarazulo, constantly generating quality chances with her hands, vision and ability to win 1-on-1s. Loring scored a pair on Saturday, including a beauty off the post in a 2-on-1 with Catarazulo. On Sunday, Loring had several Grade-A looks in the slot to go along with two assists. She slipped one to Platt on a 2-on-1 before a ridiculous setup for Courtney Keenan (Mansfield, Mass.) later on. Loring outmuscled the defender in the corner to come away with possession in a battle, then dangled another defender and drove toward the post, putting a feed on the money to Keenan at the backdoor.
Finley Kolaric
Bishop Kearney Selects, 1/29/2011, F, left shot
Hometown: Quincy, Mass.
Kolaric played with pace and made things happen in the offensive zone on Saturday. She got a great chance in the slot, curling around the circle and taking full advantage of a wide-open late to the net as she walked in and tried to go low glove. Later, Kolaric had a speedy rush to help set up Katherine Cooke's (Wenham, Mass.) goal, winding through the neutral zone and maintaining possession with some good handles through traffic.
SEISMIC CHANGE: How the NCAA's five-year eligibility rule could shift college hockey
Cali Littlewood
BB&N/Boston Junior Eagles, 2011, F, left shot
Hometown: Braintree, Mass.
Littlewood's line with Abby Macauley (Avon, Mass.) and Amelia Paes (West Roxbury, Mass.) had dominant stretches on Sunday. Littlewood was a strong play-driver in the attacking zone, getting rewarded with a pair of goals. After supporting Paes in a battle in the corner, Littlewood got to the net and put herself in position to tap home a loose puck after Macauley didn't get all of her shot. Later, Littlewood scored on a speedy 2-on-1 with Macauley, going top shelf from the hash mark off a gorgeous saucer pass.
Serena Mohsen
BB&N/East Coast Wizards, 2/9/2011, D, right shot, 5-8
Hometown: Newton, Mass.
Mohsen got it done in all three zones. She was effective with the puck on her stick, finding outlets and knowing when to activate in the play. Mohsen got it all started with a terrific stretch pass on Loring's second goal on Saturday, sparking the 2-on-1 with Catarazulo. On Sunday, Mohsen showed good composure with the puck against speedy forechecks, and she also intercepted a stretch pass at the point, keeping the play going and preventing a breakaway. Earlier, she did a great job in a footrace with McKenzie Lima-Tower (Holbrook, Mass.) on the penalty kill, pinning her in the corner and coming out with the puck to get a clear.
Abigail Scharath
Archbishop Williams/Boston Advantage, 2011, D, left shot
Hometown: Plymouth, Mass.
Scharath mostly made quick, simple decisions with the puck on breakouts, and she had some key defensive plays, too. She also flashed some slick hands at the point at certain points, too. On Sunday, Scharath stepped up with a good stick, taking away time and space as she broke up Lima-Tower's drive to the slot. Later, Scharath saved a goal, swiping the puck off the line as the rebound nearly tumbled in during a frantic scramble.
COACHING NEWS:Â Phillips Andover coach Martha Fenton exits after over three decades behind the bench
Hanley Finnicum
Nobles/Assabet, 2/22/2011, F, left shot
Hometown: Sudbury, Mass.
Finnicum's skating was the biggest difference-maker for her game throughout the weekend. Her quick feet and agility helped her easily navigate tight spaces in the offensive zone and find lanes toward the net. She scored a slick goal on Saturday, pouncing on a giveaway up the middle as she flew into the slot and put a catch-and-release wrister inside the right post.
Lyla DiPietro
Rivers/Boston Junior Eagles, 5/27/2011, D, left shot
Hometown: Wellesley, Mass.
DiPietro made plays at both ends of the ice on Sunday. DiPietro got a great chance from the point, making a forward pay for overcommitting, as she dangled toward the left circle and put a strong shot on net. She showcased some more good hands on a couple of bouncing pucks, too, including in the neutral zone when she quickly corralled it and deked around a defender to send it right back into the offensive zone. Later, DiPietro was composed against a hard forecheck, even as the puck wouldn't cooperate. She didn't panic or force a play. DiPietro didn't shy away from physicality in the defensive zone, either.
Bess Elkins
Loomis Chaffee/Connecticut Polar Bears, 2011, D, right shot
Hometown: Northampton, Mass.
Elkins played a stout defensive game on both days, defending well in transition and down low with an active stick. She easily prevented one particular entry on Saturday, recognizing a lack of speed for her matchup and closing down on her quickly with a forecheck. On Sunday, Elkins was strong in breaking up plays along the boards, and she made a great play to disrupt Vanessa Hall's (Saugus, Mass.) drive toward the slot from out high.
SELECT CAMPS:Â Which Massachusetts boys made 2026 USA Hockey Select Camps
McKenzie Lima-Tower
Archbishop Williams/Charles River Blazers, 2011, F, left shot
Hometown: Holbrook, Mass.
Lima-Tower's speed is one of the biggest hallmarks of her game, and it was on full display through the neutral zone all weekend. She was one of the fastest skaters on the ice. It paid off as she scored a beauty on Sunday, too. She breezed through the neutral zone with a head of steam and split the defense as she drove to the net, maintaining possession and tucking home a backhand.
