DORCHESTER, Mass. — Monday’s season opener for Belmont and BC High was yet another prime example of why you play the games. Most observers, including myself, went to the Clark Athletic Center on the UMass Boston campus expecting a BC High victory.
However, the Marauders had other plans. Junior right wing Cam Fici scored two shorthanded goals and senior captain Ryan Griffin stopped every shot he faced as Belmont upset BC High by a score of 2-0.
There were plenty of signs that the rust had yet to be shaken off for either team. There weren’t a lot of plays made and there were plenty of uncharacteristic turnovers. But, Belmont took advantage of two mistakes and BC High was unable to sustain any serious pressure in its bid to rally from behind.
After the teams skated to a scoreless first period, Fici gave his team the lead in the second period while killing a penalty. The '04 picked the pocket of a BC High defenseman at the far blue line. He raced in alone and snapped a shot into the back of the net.
A similar gaff on the power play by a BC High defenseman gave Belmont a two-goal cushion in the third period. Junior Shay Donahue collected the loose puck and skated down the left wing. He slid it to the middle to Fici who wasted no time in wiring a low wrister past the BC High goaltender.
I’ve seen Fici play for a couple of years now, whether it be split season with the East Coast Wizards or at the high school level at Belmont. He’s fast, skilled and can shoot the puck with authority. Heading into Monday night’s game, I knew Fici would be the top threat for Belmont. The difference was he far exceeded any of his counterparts from BC High.
Typically, when one thinks of a public school team upending a favored Catholic Conference foe, it’s assumed the goaltender must have stood on his head. Griffin made a couple of nice saves, but he didn’t face a ton of rubber and he certainly did not steal this game. That’s not to take anything away from Griffin. Rather, it’s to state that this was very much a team effort.
Belmont, coached by Tim Foley, won this game because it was the better team on Monday night. In addition to the two shorthanded goals Belmont scored, the Marauders also killed off an early five-minute major on a questionable call. Oftentimes, the penalty kill has the advantage in early season games. That certainly was the case Monday night.
The Marauders were set to play in the Division 1 state championship game at TD Garden 18 months ago before the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic scrapped the proceedings. This team is obviously different and has one less Fici, but Monday night proved Foley’s squad shouldn’t be taken for granted in a Middlesex League that is one of the best in the MIAA.
Outside of Fici, I liked a pair of sophomore centers, twin brothers, Matthew and Michael Pomer. Both players have good size and skate well for the MIAA level. On defense, Peter Grace stood out. Wearing a letter as a junior, he has size, length and showed an ability to be a rangy defender. He took away time and space from opposing forwards on a few occasions.
Better days are ahead for John Flaherty’s team. The veteran coach will surely use this setback as a learning experience and motivation for future games. Junior center Ryan Flaherty (Milton, Mass.), sophomore left wing James Marshall (Weymouth, Mass.), sophomore left wing Dylan Cummings (Sharon, Mass.) and freshman right wing Joe Feinberg (Needham, Mass.) all had a few flashes tonight. They’ll all need to be better going forward to carry this team through a challenging schedule.
Three Stars
1st Star - Cam Fici, Jr., RW, Belmont
2nd Star - Ryan Griffin, Sr., G, Belmont
3rd Star - Peter Grace, Jr., D, Belmont
Belmont lines
Donahue - Rowan - Fici
Michaud - Ma. Pomer - Packard
Kefeyan - Mi. Pomer - Bauer
Grace - Gaziano
Martin - Gurung
Griffin
BC High lines
Marshall - Flaherty - McDonnell
Cox - Murphy - Burke
Cummings - Williams - Feinberg
Vaughan - Robinson - Teduits
Joyce - Mann
Hurley - Luecke
Kineen
Carabin
