NEEDHAM, Mass. — In the Kevin Mutch Christmas Tournament title game, Brunswick took down St. Sebastian's, 3-2, on Sunday.
The Henry T. Lane Rink was hopping in the final minute, as St. Sebastian's forward Colin Gorman (Westwood, Mass.) had just scored to bring the Arrows to within a goal. After pulling goalie Pelle Russo (West Newton, Mass.), the Arrows managed several good looks but could not finish any of their chances. The Bruins held the puck along the boards and ran out the clock.
When the final horn sounded, the extracurriculars were just beginning. Following the hard-fought and physical game, scrums broke out between the teams. Once the two sides were separated, the Bruins were crowned champions.
The chippiness of the game played into the Bruins' favor, as Brunswick head coach Mike Kennedy noted after the game.
"I think it was just a competitive game all around," Kennedy said. "We want to take away time and space from their good guys, and that requires getting in there and getting physical.
"The boys did a really good job, especially on the back end. I thought our (defense) did great. Closed an end on their forwards in the corner and made them work for everything they had. And that was enough for us."
When the game started, the Bruins had no problem finding the scoresheet. Kicking off the first half for Brunswick was senior forward Brendan Giles (Ridgefield, Conn.), who sent home a nice feed from senior right winger Sean Gibbons (Fairfield, Conn.). A few minutes later, senior right wing Charlie Vincent (New Canaan, Conn.) netted a goal, and then Giles followed it up moments later with an unassisted, would-be pivotal second score on the day.
"We came out really hard," Gibbons said. "Started with our forecheck in the first period, generated some goals. And then the second period, we kind of held on. We bent and didn't break. Found a way to win. Will Baker (Norwalk, Conn.), our goalie, stood on his head all tournament. Kudos."
The Bruins were riding high at the end of the first half until they were faced with killing a 5-on-3. St. Sebastian's forward Brendan Keaveney (Westwood, Mass.) scored, sending the student section into a frenzy. Kennedy knew what to tell his players in the locker room during the intermission to keep them focused.
"We just reminded them about playing with the lead, making sure we had a third guy high, getting pucks deep," Kennedy said. "Making them go 200 feet to tie the game and trying to stay out of the box. Unfortunately, we couldn't do that, but when calls go against us, we just have to lock in and get the kills."
Baker was certainly locked in. Never was that more true than on Teddy Mutryn's (Norwell, Mass.) penalty shot. Baker made a shoulder stop, keeping the two-score lead for Brunswick. The save served as a microcosm of how the Bruins played in the tournament.
Along with the title win over St. Sebastian's and the semifinal victory against St. Andrew's College, Brunswick also took down Rivers on Friday.
"St. Andrew's and St. Sebastian's — those are two unbelievable teams," Brunswick defenseman Cooper Cleaves (Riverside, Conn.) said. "Right now, we're gelling at the right time. Those two wins mean a lot."
Added Kennedy, "It says a lot about what we have in our room as far as talent and a lot of grit."
First Star
Brendan Giles (Sr., Forward, Brunswick)
Netting two goals in the game, including the would-be difference maker, Giles played well from start to finish. Always in the right place at the right time, filling lanes to perfection, Giles was consistently in a position to score and make his mark on the game — and he certainly did.
With a performance that blended great vision, timing, and anticipation, Giles was the best player on the ice.
Second Star
Will Baker (Sr., Goalie, Brunswick)
Surrendering only two goals in the game, Baker was a steady presence in the net. On top of his awe-inspiring penalty shot save, Baker played a clean game. Baker turned aside pucks, made crucial saves and never flinched when the pressure was on. His performance throughout the tournament cemented his spot as Brunswick's top goalie and a player the Bruins can always have confidence in.
Third Star
Luke Hall (Jr., Defense, Brunswick)
An unsung impact player in the game, the third-pair defender played the part of enforcer all game long. In a game that featured physicality on both ends, Hall, standing at 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, stood out as a hungry player, always looking to make each shift on the ice count. Hall brought his best for the title game, helping Brunswick to victory.
