MARLBORO, Mass. — The Mass. Hockey boys festival can be a tough showing for defensemen. It's not very structured, so the defensemen who stand out are usually the offensive ones.
For 2010-born players in Massachusetts, they got their first taste of that this weekend, hoping to move on to the Final 40 held next weekend at Lovell Arena. From there, it's about making USA Hockey's Select 15 Camp.
It's also hard to evaluate goalies at these kinds of events. And since I only spent one day with each birth year, I decided not to highlight any goalies.
I was, however, impressed with a handful of defensemen. I've already highlighted some forwards I liked from Friday's action, which was my day with the '10s.
Let's dive in.
Logan Cotter
South Shore Kings, 8/17/2010, D, left shot, 5-7/141
Hometown: Marlboro, Mass.Â
It's never a bad night when a defenseman scores two, and that was Cotter on Friday. His first tally came when he picked the perfect time to join the rush and drive the net, receiving a pass from Jack Queally and displaying a great finish. Later in the game, he ripped a shot from the high slot that found its way in. His offensive assertiveness was obvious.
Shaun Farrell
Neponset Valley River Rats, 2010, D, right shot
Hometown: Hanson, Mass.Â
Farrell was a blast to watch. His skating and edgework were phenomenal, as it helped him get up ice when rushing the puck. He was assertive, showing no hesitation to step up and break up a play, along with joining the offense. He had nice positioning in front of his own net, getting in lanes and anticipating passes. On a power play, he showcased strong patience with the puck, taking it around the entire zone before finding a nice pass.
Samuel Fishbone
St. Sebastian's, 4/5/2010, D, right shot
Hometown: Needham, Mass.Â
Fishbone is undersized, but his skating and vision were outstanding. In the second half of Friday's game, he kept the puck in at the blue line. Rather than throw a shot on net, he faked it and sifted a pass through to a teammate by the side of the net, who hit Jake Jaffe (Newton, Mass.) by the other side for a goal. Fishbone was adept at knowing when to jump into the rush, and his skating helped him get back in time.
Alexander Guo
Belmont Hill, 5/10/2010, D, left shot
Hometown: Weston, Mass.Â
Guo was a wizard with the puck at the blue line. His shiftiness in his skating and head fakes led to so much deception, which created passing and shooting lanes deeper into the zone. He was also able to side-step defenders coming towards him at the point. He was always calm with the puck in any situation and didn't hesitate to make the easy play.
UP FRONT: 14 standout forwards from 2010s at first weekend of Mass. Hockey boys festival
Myles Scribner
Atlantic Coast Academy, 2010, D, right shot
Hometown: Easthampton, Mass.Â
Events like these are relatively easy for offensive defensemen to shine. It can be much more difficult for two-way or defensive defensemen. Scribner played a reliable, shutdown game and still found a way to stand out. He was physical and showed great gaps when defending the rush. He moved pucks calmly and made simple passes to start the breakout.
