12 takeaways from MIAA boys hockey tournaments so far

As I stood jam-packed in Loring Arena on Saturday and Sunday night, I was reminded of why MIAA hockey is so special this time of year.

There is no doubt that the quality of hockey in the MIAA has decreased in recent seasons. More players are opting for prep and full-season teams, believing greener pastures await. That's true for some, while not at all true for others.

Still, the student sections at both Division 1 boys semifinal games were massive. There wasn't an empty seat in the building either night. Rows of people stood at the glass. Attendance was great for the Division 1 girls games played before them, too. I'd imagine Stoneham Arena and Gallo Arena drew comparable crowds in their semifinals.

Ultimately, that is what the majority of boys and girls hockey players in this area grow up dreaming about. Yes, the really good kids might have a shot at Division 3 college hockey. An even smaller number might even play Division 1. But most — myself included — just want to play for their hometown, making memories in their hometown rink in front of their friends and family and win a state championship.

That's what it's all about. No matter what the hockey looks like, that hunger will always reign.

TD GARDEN: Click or tap here for the full schedule for championship day

For the 12 teams still standing, it's close. The dream is that close to becoming a reality. And win or lose, these 12 teams will be bonded together forever.

I'm going to focus on some of my musings from the boys side. Patrick Donnelly will have you covered with the girls.

1. St. John's Prep looks like a team on a mission. Everything worked for the Eagles in their dominant, 4-0 win over No. 4 Xaverian on Sunday night. So far, SJP has outscored teams 20-3 to get to TD Garden. Head coach Kristian Hanson's team has been the best team in the state this winter, living up to its No. 1 seed. They have everything — depth and speed up front, good puck-moving abilities in back and a strong netminder in AJ Farese.

2. Winchester's road to the D1 state final couldn't be more different than St. John's Prep. The Red and Black almost lost in the Round of 32, needing overtime to beat No. 22 Waltham. Then, they needed two overtimes to beat rival Arlington. Of their four wins, somehow beating No. 3 Catholic Memorial, 4-1, was the "easiest" of the bunch. Because in the semifinals, Winchester needed overtime again to beat No. 18 Arlington Catholic, 3-2.

I'm absolutely not saying Winchester isn't a deserving state finalist. Instead, it's a great example of how slim the margins are to make it to TD Garden as a middle-seeded team — especially as a public school, too. A lot has to go right, and it has for Winchester.

DOMINANCE: 7 takeaways from St. John's Prep's win over Xaverian

3. At first glance, a No. 1 seeded private school playing a No. 11 seeded public looks like a blowout championship game. I don't think this will be as easy a matchup as most think it will be for SJP. As I wrote after the Eagles' win over Xaverian, it's these Cinderella public school teams with a hot goalie that can cause the most havoc. A public school has its goalie stand on its head, the defense focuses on clearing pucks and keeping private school forwards to the outside, and then the offense converts on one or two chances. It's easier said than done, but it's possible. Not to mention Winchester has a full week to prepare.

4. No. 2 Pope Francis couldn't get past the Sweet 16. No. 3 Catholic Memorial fell in the Elite 8. Hingham looked to be one of the best teams in the MIAA at the start of the year, but was the No. 8 seed in the postseason and had to face SJP in the Elite 8. No. 6 Arlington lost in the Sweet 16 and No. 5 Archbishop Williams was upset in the Round of 32 by No. 28 Weymouth.

Outside of St. John's Prep, the top seeds weren't as dominant as in prior years, which enhanced the parity. While one semifinal was between No. 1 SJP and No. 4 Xaverian, the other was between No. 11 Winchester and No. 18 (yes, eighteen) Arlington Catholic.

5. After losing to Arlington Catholic, 3-2, in a shootout in the Elite 8, No. 10 Marshfield head coach Dan Connolly ripped into the rules to The Patriot Ledger, saying, "Kids played hard on both sides for 61 minutes of hockey and it comes to a shootout? It's embarrassing for it to be decided that way." Yes, it's easy for the losing coach to say that. But he's right. A playoff game should never come down to a shootout. In 2017, my Framingham team went to double overtime against Braintree in the Division 1B South championship. My biggest fear actually wasn't losing in 2OT (that was my second-biggest, don't worry) — it was having the game end in a shootout. To have careers end like that? Gross. Just keep playing 3-on-3 until someone scores.

WINCHESTER THRILLER: 10 standouts and takeaways from Winchester's OT win over Arlington Catholic 

6. Every year, there are goalies who break into the scene with standout performances in the MIAA tournament. In Division 1, it's been Winchester's Aiden Emerick, a junior. He went against Arlington Catholic junior Patrick Clair, another hot netminder, in the Final 4. Emerick is the exact kind of goalie who could stand on his head against St. John's Prep and make offense hard to come by.

7. What St. John's Prep is doing to Division 1 is what Tewksbury has done to Division 2. The Redmen have outscored opponents 28-7 in their four postseason wins. Their closest call came in the Final 4 against No. 4 Woburn when they were down 4-3 early in the third period but rallied to win, 6-4. Seniors Matthew Cooke, Jeremy Insogna and Tyler Bourgea are all north of 50 points. That top line will be vital in securing a state title on Sunday.

8. And, just like Winchester in Division 1, No. 11 Boston Latin has gone down a similar path in Division 2. After taking down No. 22 Westwood, Boston Latin upset No. 6 Billerica, 3-2, in overtime in the Sweet 16. In the Elite 8, Boston Latin stunned No. 3 Concord Carlisle with a 6-2 win, before edging out No. 10 Duxbury, 2-0. In the shock win over Concord Carlisle, the Wolfpack got out to a fast start, potting three goals by the halfway point of the first period. They will need to come out flying against Tewksbury on Sunday.

BOYS BRACKETS: Division 1 | Division 2 | Division 3 | Division 4

9. Props to No. 10 Duxbury for making it to the Final 4 in Division 2. The Dragons had to go through a path full of land mines with hot lower seeds. After beating No. 23 Oliver Ames, 6-2, they had to take down No. 26 Malden Catholic, who had just beaten No. 7 Norwood. Then, it was a date with No. 15 Masconomet, who was fresh off upsetting No. 2 Canton. The Dragons just couldn't get past Boston Latin in the Final 4.

10. In Division 3, give it up for Somerset Berkley Regional. The No. 12 seed went all the way to the Final 4, taking down No. 21 Nashoba, No. 5 Essex North Shore and No. 20 West Springfield. Ultimately, the No. 12 seed was no match for No. 1 Nauset in the Final 4, losing, 6-0.

11. What a heartbreaking end for No. 10 Stoneham in Division 4. The Spartans were on a Cinderella run of their own, taking down No. 23 Rockport, and then upsetting No. 7 Wilmington and No. 2 Nantucket. Against No. 6 Hanover in the Final 4, Stoneham went down 3-0, but rallied hard to tie it, 3-3 ... only to lose in double overtime. That's just the heartbreaking nature of the MIAA tournament.

12. Of all the No. 1 seeds in the four tournaments, I expected to see Winthrop in the Division 4 championship game the most, but it's the one No. 1 seed that fell before TD Garden. The Vikings were sent home in the Final Four after losing in a shootout, 2-1, to No. 5 Dover-Sherborn. Not enough good things can be said about senior forward Petey Silverman, who was one of the most dominant MIAA players in the last few years. He finished his senior season with an incredible 34 goals and 68 points in 23 games. The 5-foot-10 and 159-pound forward has so much speed, and should be a strong get for a prep school next season.