The Tigers finished their regular season going 1-1 in the first Nashoba Valley Cup, an end-of-season tournament among the four public high schools that use the Groton School as their home ice rink.
In the semifinal game Feb. 19, the Tigers played the Coughlin Conference champion Lunenburg/Ayer Shirley Blue Knights. In their second matchup of the season with the Blue Knights, the Tigers looked to reverse their earlier 5-1 loss, and both teams tried to improve their seeding ahead of the upcoming state tournament. The pace of play throughout the game had the same intensity and physicality with which the Tigers have played for the last few weeks. The Blue Knights responded in kind. Neither team was able to score in the first period, partly due to Tigers goaltender Harvard junior Tyler Proteau’s strong play.
The Blue Knights took the lead halfway through the second period with a power-play goal. The Tigers quickly responded, tying the game at 1-1 when Harvard junior Fin Piekos tipped a shot from Harvard sophomore Liam Glew past the Blue Knights’ goalie. The teams continued to exchange play until just under six minutes remaining in the third period when the Blue Knights were able to capitalize on a two-on-one rush, scoring to take a 2-1 lead. With just over two minutes remaining in the game, the Tigers had a power-play opportunity and substituted a sixth skater for their goalie, hoping to even the game. Despite strong pressure and a few good scoring chances by the Tigers, the Blue Knights prevailed, winning 2-1 and advancing to the Nashoba Valley cup championship game against the North Middlesex Patriots.
The North Middlesex Patriots beat the Lunenburg/Ayer Shirley Blue Knights to become the inaugural Nashoba Valley Cup champions.
On Feb. 22 the Tigers played the Groton-Dunstable Crusaders in the consolation game. The teams played a scoreless but spirited first period, with Tigers goaltender Charles Becker confidently stopping all shots on goal.
During second period play, the Tigers’ relentless pressure resulted in the Crusaders taking several penalties and provided the opportunity for the Tigers to take the lead when Liam Glew made a neutral zone long tape-to-tape pass to Gavin Werling. Werling received the pass in stride and skated past the Crusaders defenders to shoot the puck past the goalie’s shoulder into the top corner of the net. The Tigers were not complacent with a 1-0 lead and won the subsequent faceoff, driving the puck back into the Crusaders’ zone with another flurry of shots on net, where the same combination of Werling from Liam Glew scored one minute later.
The team effort continued through the second period and into the third period, when the Tigers added to their lead when Harvard’s Conor Glew scored by tipping a waist-high shot from Littleton’s David Ming. The Tigers beat the Crusaders 3-0.
The Tigers ended the season with an 11-9 overall record and a 6-4 Coughlin Conference record. Continuing a streak since 2019, the Tigers qualified for the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 4 state tournament as the No. 21 seed and were scheduled to play No. 16 seed Lunenburg/Ayer Shirley Blue Knights Feb. 28.
The annual all-star game was held Sunday, Feb. 25, in which participants were players who had been nominated by coaches from the Central Mass. divisions. The Tigers players nominated this year included Parker senior goaltender Charles Becker, Littleton sophomore Gavin Werling, Harvard sophomores Liam and Conor Glew, and Harvard junior Zack Lizotte. An honorable mention went to Parker senior Ethan Dangel.
Brian Piekos is a Littleton/Bromfield/Parker ice hockey parent.
