A year later, Mount finally gets title shot
After 2020 title series was canceled, Mount returns to face Hawks
WOONSOCKET — For the first time since 2016 the Mount St. Charles hockey team will play in the state final starting Friday night. Does that statement sound familiar? It should because the Mounties reached last season’s state final but never had the chance to play powerhouse La Salle due to the onset of the pandemic. The Mounties entered this truncated season with the goal of putting another banner on the wall at Adelard Arena and, thanks to an undefeated regular season and a hard-fought three-game series win over La Salle, the Mounties are back on the precipice of a title.
“We’ve had this goal in mind all year,” Mount senior captain Brendan Donahue said prior to Thursday’s practice.
“It’s been the elephant in the room because we weren’t going to talk about in the first game against Smithfield, but at the end of the day, every single effort we made was to get to this point. It feels good that we have the opportunity and we have nothing to lose.”
“It was a big achievement to get past La Salle because of last year, but we know we’re not done yet,” senior captain Cee-Jay Laquerre said. “We’re focused on these last two or three games and just thinking about what we need to do to be the best team we can be. Winning this title would mean the world to me. I’ve been waiting for this chance for four years. We thought we had it last year, but now that I’m a senior, we’re right there and I don’t want to lose that.”
Mount St. Charles (11-1-1) is coming off its most complete performance of the season in Monday night’s emotionally-charged 4-0 victory over the No. 4 Rams in the deciding game of the state semifinals. Not only did junior goalie Jason Mandeville play his best game of the campaign, but the Mounties received contributions from all three lines.
Second-line winger Jon Lagesse popped in a pair of goals, while Kyle Smolan and the third line provided the blue-collar play that coach Matt Merten is looking for. And, of course, the top line of Laquerre, Micaiah Bascombe and Matt Mahoney were instrumental in a pair of goals. The challenge now is replicating that effort at least two times in the next four days.
“The red line has really stepped up and Jon Lagesse is peaking at the right time, Ethan Letendre has been super consistent and Matty Badeau is a perfect compliment to both of them,” Merten said. “The [first line] is doing it’s job and the [third line] is finding its way led by Kyle Smolan, who is playing really well. All three lines have found their identity and doing what they’re strongest at.”
Bishop Hendricken (9-2-1 Division I) only won one of its first four games and suffered overtime defeats to Moses Brown and Barrington. Since the 3-2 defeat to the Eagles, the Hawks have ticked off eight straight victories and they combined to score 20 goals in their three playoff wins over No. 6 East Greenwich and No. 3 Burrillville.
The Broncos had their chances in an evenly played opening game of the semifinals, but the Hawks came up to Levy Rink Saturday night and suffocated the Broncos for 45 minutes in a 4-0 series-clinching win. Sophomore forward Owen Leahy (11 goals and nine assists), Nate Palumbo (four goals and 14 assists) and Harry Giuliano (two goals and 15 assists) lead the attack.
Hendricken’s blue line is also superb led by Griffin Crain, Jack Drohen, freshman Noah Mertz and Ryan Staples. Goalie Drew Carr has allowed just two goals in his first three playoff games.
“It’s going to have to be a little different against Hendricken,” Merten said. “The complexion of their team is different and they’re built different than La Salle. Hendricken is a little smaller and doesn’t play quite as physical. Both teams are very skilled and it should be a good series. We need to put on their defensemen, which means getting the puck deep and getting our cycle going. The matchup will be their defensemen against our [first-line] forwards.”
The teams met on Jan. 30 in the Hawks’ first game of the season and the teams skated to a 1-1 tie at Thayer Ice Arena. Palumbo opened the scoring before Letendre answered late in the game to secure a point. Merten said he doesn’t take much from that contest because both teams have grown so much in the last five weeks.
The key for the Mounties is to not fall behind like they did in the overtime games against La Salle Friday and Saturday night. Monday night, Lagesse and the Mounties scored twice in the first six minutes and never looked back.
“If we just work hard, work as a team and are positive, we will play well,” Laquerre said. “That’s all we changed from the first two games to Monday night. The first two games there was too much emotion and too many penalties and too much stuff going. In that third game, we just controlled ourselves and worked as a team.”
“We had a meeting Sunday and a lot of words were said as we went around the room and the main theme was we’re brothers and we’ve been through adversity,” Donahue said. “We believe in ourselves.”
The opening game of the series is Friday night at Adelard Arena at 6:30, while a team can clinch the state title Saturday night at Thayer Arena. If a third game is needed, it will be back at Adelard Monday night.