ASHBURNHAM, Mass. — If there was one game that encapsulated the Max Dineen (Brentwood, N.H.) experience, it was likely Saturday.
After being down two goals late in the first period, Dineen potted two to tie the game and lead Cushing to a 4-2 win over Kimball Union in a rematch of last season's Elite 8 final.
His first goal was a snipe. With just over three minutes to play in the second period, Dineen got a pass from sophomore Chase Warsofsky (Northboro, Mass.) as he entered the zone. Dineen took two steps and rifled a shot over KUA senior goalie Blake McMeniman's (Revere, Mass.) glove, cutting the KUA lead to 2-1.
Dineen struck again midway through the third period. His hustle led him to steal the puck from a Kimball Union defender, get a breakaway and score, tying the game, 2-2.
The Penguins never looked back.
Junior Cam McDonough jammed in a loose puck in the crease with just over five minutes to play in the final frame. The puck sat in the crease for what felt like a while. McMeniman was on his side trying to keep the puck out and was irate when the referee called it a good goal. Kimball Union bench boss Tim Whitehead was angry, too. He looked for an explanation at the bench, but one never came.
Cushing got insurance when junior defender and Michigan State commit Tommy Bleyl scored on a beautiful, end-to-end rush with 3:19 in the game.
The Penguins entered the game as the No. 3 seed in the Elite 8 tournament. That looked to be in jeopardy after the first six minutes.
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KUA junior forward Xander Boutilier got the scoring started when he battled through a number of defenders and deposited a shot past Cushing junior goalie Maksim Corovic just over two minutes into the first. Moments later, postgrad Zach Phillips scored, giving the Wildcats a 2-0 lead.
This game had Elite 8 and Small School Tournament implications, as Cushing improved to 18-7-2, while Kimball Union fell to 21-7-2.
Let's dive into some standouts and takeaways.
Max Dineen
Cushing, 7/5/2006, F, left shot, 5-10/155
Hometown: Brentwood, N.H.Â
Dineen has had a dream season for an uncommitted senior in prep, as he ranks ninth in the region in points with 49. His two goals came in different ways: One was a snipe, while the other was on a slick deke and finish. He impacted the game with his vision, too, aiding his linemates with nice passing. His motor and compete put him in optimal positions, such as on his second goal.
Tommy Bleyl
Cushing, 12/1/2007, D, right shot, 5-11/165
Hometown: Schenectady, N.Y.
NCAA: Michigan StateÂ
Bleyl's big play was his goal. He took the puck from the top of the circle in his own zone and deftly sifted through Kimball Union until he was able to deke out McMeniman for his third goal of the season. The Michigan State commit showcased such good skating. He rushed the puck numerous times, but he never just bombed down the ice. His head was always up as he surveyed his options and kept defenders guessing when he might pass the puck. He gained the offensive zone numerous times for his team, especially on power plays. He also defended the rush well, using that elite skating to keep good gaps.
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Tyler Russo
Cushing, 3/19/2007, D, left shot, 6-1/188
Hometown: Hamilton, Mass.
NCAA: Minnesota StateÂ
Russo only got credited with one assist (we'll get to this one in a second), but he might as well have had a second. Kimball Union senior defenseman Nick Evans (Malden, Mass.) had a nice rush, but because Russo is a gap control expert, the Minnesota State commit broke up the play. That was when Bleyl grabbed the puck, rushed it and scored. Russo's actual assist came on McDonough's goal. The Cushing captain shot it from the point, and it bounced off the back boards and into the front of the net. Russo's rush defense was terrific all night, as he showcased a great stick and a desire to step up and make impactful hits. He lined up KUA senior forward Iain Olsen (Vergennes, Vt.) but to Olsen's credit, he got his head up at the last second and braced.
Oliver Svoboda
Cushing, 10/9/2008, D, left shot, 5-10/150
Hometown: Fort Myers, Fla.Â
A lot of attention is paid to Cushing's committed defensemen, and that makes sense. But Svoboda had a really strong game on Saturday. He read plays well in his own zone. There were a handful of times when KUA had possession and was on the verge of creating a scoring chance, but Svoboda got in the middle of it. He was especially great at intercepting passes into the net front. He showed poise with the puck on his stick. Late in the second period, he earned a shooting lane to the net and had a his shot tipped by Dineen but was denied by McMeniman.
Chase Warsofsky
Cushing, 6/19/2009, F, left shot, 5-9/160
Hometown: Northboro, Mass.Â
Warsofsky had a strong game centering Cushing's second line. He did a nice job of patrolling the middle of the ice when Kimball Union was breaking the puck out, often getting his stick in passing lanes and sometimes forcing turnovers. He also got up ice well to contest KUA puck-carriers before they even got to the red line. His pass to Dineen that led to a goal was nice, as he drew a defender and dished it to his older linemate. Warsofsky and fellow sophomore Joseph Covelluzzi (Wakefield, Mass.), who was out on Saturday, will be big pieces for Cushing head coach Ryan Bourque to build around next season.
Blake McMeniman
Kimball Union, 2/28/2007, G, catches left, 5-9/160
Hometown: Revere, Mass.Â
Things went bad for Kimball Union on the scoreboard in the third period, but they could've gotten much worse earlier if not for McMeniman's strong play. Cushing ramped up the pressure in the middle frame and McMeniman stood tall. Cushing senior forward Alex Gomes (Ludlow, Mass.) had three legitimate, high-danger chances between the first and second periods and McMeniman never wavered, staying square and turning the shots aside. He tracked pucks exceptionally well and was able to see through screens.
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Takeaways...
- After a nice Senior Day ceremony, things looked to be going poorly for Cushing quickly. Kimball Union controlled most of the first period and Corovic, along with most of the Penguins, looked shaky. At the very end of the first, Kimball Union senior forward and Merrimack commit CJ Watroba (West Springfield, Mass.) was called for a high stick, which allowed the Penguins to start the second period on the power play. Cushing never gave up momentum after that.
- Somehow, that was my first time seeing the Penguins since opening night when they fell to Dexter, 5-2. They looked out of sorts that night and far away from an Elite 8 team. Even after an up-and-down second half of January, the Penguins have won their last six games with big wins over Brunswick, St. Mark's, Canterbury, Phillips Andover and now Kimball Union. Bourque has a relatively young team playing its best hockey at the perfect time.
- Cushing's offense was almost completely generated from its defense. Randle and Bleyl were constantly either rushing the puck or getting the rush started. Forwards often looked for the defense at the point on sustained offensive zone possessions, which loosened up coverage down low. With players like Russo, Svoboda and St. Lawrence commit Kristopher Richards, breakouts were mostly clean, too.
- Kimball Union looked to be safely in Elite 8 contention until about two weeks ago. Since Feb. 12, the Wildcats have fallen to Phillips Andover, Holderness and now Cushing. Outside of the first two goals, they struggled to generate any kind of sustained offense on Saturday. They will likely be a top seed in the Small School Tournament since all they have left before the playoffs is the Lakes Region tournament.
- Cushing is both the No. 3 seed in the Elite 8 today and in the projected tournament, according to USHR. Bourque's team's only two games left are at New Hampton and Governor's Academy. Those won't be easy — both of those squads play good teams really well and Govs projects to be a high seed in the Large School Tournament.
