avelanch Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 McNally's team just won their first ever boys hockey New England Prepratory School Athletic Council Championship Milton Academy 2, Kent 1 Sunday, March 6, 2011, at Kent Sean Okita scored four minutes into the third period to break a 1-1 tie and Milton Academy held on to win its first NEPSAC hockey title. Jake Turrin scored the first Milton Academy goal and Sean Dougherty made 28 saves. Updated: Monday, March 7, 2011, 12:19 a.m. http://www.boston.com/partners/globesports/schools/events/19/256637.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b3. Posted March 7, 2011 Author Share Posted March 7, 2011 Is that the end of the line for them? Or do they go to another tournament now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avelanch Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 Is that the end of the line for them? Or do they go to another tournament now? that's all that their schedule has on it, so i think his season is over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b3. Posted March 7, 2011 Author Share Posted March 7, 2011 I'll be waiting patiently to get my fingers on some season stats for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 Didn't see this article posted (about McNally's recent hattrick and Milton winning the title): Milton Academy boys hockey wins New England title By Anonymous The Patriot Ledger Posted Mar 07, 2011 @ 01:22 AM Last update Mar 07, 2011 @ 01:36 AM Mission accomplished for the Milton Academy boys hockey team. Seven years after winning only three games (against 27 losses) in coach Paul Cannata’s first season, and one year removed from a painful first-round playoff exit, the senior-laden Mustangs officially became the champions they had appeared destined to be for several months. Behind goals from senior defenseman Jake Turrin (in the second period) and senior forward Sean Okita (four minutes into the third to snap a tie), top-seeded Milton Academy beat Kent (Conn.) School, 2-1, Sunday in the final of the NEPSAC tournament’s Stuart/Corkery Division. The victory, at Salem (N.H.) Ice Center, crowned the Mustangs (26-3-1) champs of the top-tier New England tournament. “It means everything to me,” said senior center George Pantazopolous of Milton. “I’m almost speechless. I really can’t believe it. We worked so hard for this, and to put it together and finish the season and finish my Milton career off like that is incredible. “By far it’s the best moment of my hockey career. To celebrate with a team like this – we’re all best friends; we do everything together – is amazing.” Cannata called it a great win, not only for the players and the school, but the Independent School League, which, he noted, hadn’t boasted a “New England Super Eight” winner in a decade. Of course, the title was also a high point for Cannata, who has built the Mustangs’ program into a powerhouse. “Certainly when you start something back then,” he said of the three-win 2003-04 season, “you have a vision. It’s nice to see it come to fruition.” Milton Academy ended the season on a 15-0-1 streak after a 3-1 loss to Lawrence Academy on Jan. 8. The Mustangs avenged that defeat Friday, beating Lawrence, 5-2, in the semifinals as Harvard-bound senior defenseman Pat McNally (a Vancouver Canucks draft pick) scored a hat trick. Cannata said his team “had a big target on our backs” most of the season. “I’m proud of how the kids handled the climb,” he said, “and the stay at the top.” Pantazopolous (15 goals, 13 assists, 28 points on the season) said last year’s opening-round loss to Noble and Greenough served the Mustangs well this winter. “We all knew we were bringing back 13 seniors,” he said. “We were very motivated to get ourselves in position to do something great like this.” Read more: Milton Academy boys hockey wins New England title - Quincy, MA - The Patriot Ledger http://www.patriotledger.com/archive/x945640159/Milton-Academy-boys-hockey-wins-New-England-title#ixzz1FuA1tcrZ Sorry if anything here is douple-posting of something earlier in the thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FeStealth Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 that's all that their schedule has on it, so i think his season is over. Anyway he can sign an amateur contract to play for the Salmon Kings for the post-seasons or anything? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avelanch Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 Anyway he can sign an amateur contract to play for the Salmon Kings for the post-seasons or anything? he COULD do that, but he's already committed to Harvard next season, and that would void his eligibility. We won't see McNally for at least another season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanuckinEdm Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 he COULD do that, but he's already committed to Harvard next season, and that would void his eligibility. We won't see McNally for at least another season. 4 years he said he will finish his schooling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avelanch Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 4 years he said he will finish his schooling so did schroeder. Priorities change over time. McNally's committed for only 1 year. If his team is strong in Harvard, then I can see him staying 3 years and then finishing his schooling during the summer/virtually, just like Schneider did. if it's not, I can see him leaving after 2 and then still finishing over the summers, but taking twice as long. there's also the potential he leaves after 1 if it's horrid next season with no chance of improvement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avelanch Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 From Milton's website: Sweet Victory Ends the Season for Boys’ Hockey March 2011 The boys’ varsity hockey team beat Kent School 2-1 in an intense, well-played game to win the NEPSAC Boys’ Hockey Championship in Salem, New Hampshire, on Sunday. After a tight, scoreless first period, defensemen Jake Turrin (I) scored 1:47 into the second period. A little over a minute later, Kent tied the game up. Stellar goaltending by Sean Dougherty (I) kept Kent at bay for the remainder of the game. The winning goal came four minutes into the third period when T.J. Schneider (I) took a slapshot that bounced to the left of the goal; Sean Okita (I) was there to grab the puck, shoot and score. “It was unbelievable,” says team captain Patrick McNally (I). “It was the best experience of my life, and I couldn’t have done it with a better group of guys. They are all my best friends and we really enjoyed the moment.” “This win was a tribute to the players,” says Coach Paul Cannata. “I told them yesterday how proud I was of them as we moved up in rank throughout the season, particularly after mid-January—we’d remained focused on our goals. The players met every challenge we faced, and I’m very happy for them.” Head of School Todd Bland was among the cheering Milton fans crowding the stands at the Icenter. “You would all be very proud of our coaches and student athletes, as well as our School,” wrote Mr. Bland in a campus-wide announcement. “We filled two buses with students, and along with many other Milton supporters we made the Salem Icenter sound as though it was our home rink. The school spirit was truly amazing.” Sunday’s action was preceded by a 5-2 win over Lawrence Academy in the semi-finals on Friday. After a sluggish start to that game, Milton was down 1-0, but goals by Patrick and Teo Camadella (II)—on an assist from George Pantazopolous (I)—made the score 2-1 at the end of the first period. Milton never looked back after that, and Patrick scored again in the second period. An early goal by Lawrence at the beginning of the third cut the lead to 1. Patrick scored the fourth Milton goal, and Jake scored the fifth and final goal with one minute left in the game. http://www.milton.edu/news/11-03_hockey.cfm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avelanch Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 Here's a nice shot of Pat from this article: Mustangs defenseman Pat McNally and goalie Sean Dougherty played against Noble & Greenough Saturday. (Robert E. Klein for The Boston Globe) By Michael Mancinelli March 3, 2011 In the midst of a historic run on the ice, the Milton Academy boys’ hockey team has developed a following. Milton struck for a pair of first-period goals in their regular-season finale against host and archrival Noble & Greenough, on Saturday afternoon. Each score prompted nearly 40 Milton students to empty the bleacher section and sprint the full distance around the outer walkway at the Bliss Omni and Flood Rink in Dedham. Dodging the standing-room-only crowd, they ran celebratory laps twice, with 7-foot Boston College-bound basketball star Dennis Clifford of Bridgewater sticking out in the middle of the pack. With echoing chants and rampant enthusiasm throughout the Mustangs’ 5-2 win, the visiting student section made the rink feel like home. “That was impressive; that was great,’’ said Milton senior captain Patrick McNally when asked about the support of the students. “There were actually more Milton kids here than Nobles kids.’’ The buzz is justified. Milton (23-3-2) closed out the regular season as the Keller Division champion in the Independent School League, the program’s first title since the modern composition of the league. According to eight-year head coach Paul Cannata, the championship is the first for Milton since 1967, when the league fielded eight prep schools, half the current number. The Mustangs earned the top seed in the Stuart/Corkery bracket, the top tier of the New England Prep tournament, and hosted Nobles in the first round yesterday. “Basically we had a lot of seniors coming back so we thought we had a good chance,’’ said McNally, a 6-foot-2, 180-pound defenseman from Glen Head, N.Y., who will take his skills to Harvard next year. “But at the beginning of the year, when everybody got on campus, we started working hard and coming together as a team. We’ve been working hard all year. The wins have been coming easy so far.’’ McNally, drafted by the Vancouver Canucks in the fourth round of the NHL’s entry draft last June, is one of 13 seniors and headlines a talented defensive unit. The others include Rob O’Gara, a 6-foot-3 junior from Long Island who recently committed to Yale, Amherst-bound seniors Adam Deutsch and Adam Turner, and senior CJ Ganss of Montvale, N.J. “If you look at the group of the five of them, there’s probably no better five defensemen and goaltending scenario in all of high school hockey,’’ Cannata said. McNally “has the sizzle and leads our team in points and is certainly a tremendous player, but it’s not like we drop off much after that.’’ In goal, the Mustangs rotate Dan Bowen of Littleton and Sean Dougherty. Up front, Milton has tremendous size in 6-foot-4, 205-pound left wing Dan Merenich and speedy 6-2, 205-pound right wing Woodruff Hudson. The Long Island influence on the roster stems from Cannata’s post-college experience. For three summers after graduating from Hamilton College in 1989, Cannata worked with internationally known coach Aleksey Nikiforov developing talent on Long Island. That friendship with Nikiforov introduced Cannata to the area’s hockey landscape. “In the world of international boarding schools, kids who are interested will present themselves,’’ Cannata said. “Then again, I’m not asleep at the wheel. I have a pretty good idea of the players with the best [academic] grades.’’ The process has been long in building Milton into a NEPSCAC championship contender. In Cannata’s first season, 2003-2004, the Mustangs finished 3-27. A year ago, Milton went 19-7-2 and was eliminated in the NEPSAC quarterfinals with a 3-2 loss to Nobles. “To have this type of success, it’s been enjoyable for all involved, it’s taken a lot of hard work by these kids,’’ Cannata said. “I’m proud of how they generally carry themselves on the ice and off the ice and in the classroom and out of school. I’ve been lucky to coach these kids and have them here.’’ Milton outscored opponents 110-48 during the regular season, losing to Lawrence Academy, Westminster, and Governors. McNally and George Pantazopolous, a 5-foot-11, 175-pound senior center from Milton who will play at Tufts next season, says the Mustangs are a tightknit bunch. “We’re all best friends,’’ Pantazopolous said. “We have really good team chemistry.’’ With the departure of 13 seniors after this season, Cannata realizes he will be starting over next season. “There’s no doubt we’re going to turn the page,’’ Cannata said. “We’re going to dial back. We hope to be young and skilled. For me, personally, it will be a different set of challenges. Hopefully we get a good hungry, young group.’’ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avelanch Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 And I think i found some stats on him: Pat McNally, D, 22GP 16G 23A 39Pts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhockey Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 And I think i found some stats on him: Pat McNally, D, 22GP 16G 23A 39Pts final season stats were 28gp 22g 29a 51 pts total Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b3. Posted March 8, 2011 Author Share Posted March 8, 2011 So a 16 point improvement from last year, expected considering he is a senior. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avelanch Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 final season stats were 28gp 22g 29a 51 pts total even better! Heya stranger, are you from the Milton Area? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gillis' Blackberry Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 final season stats were 28gp 22g 29a 51 pts total what a beast ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donky Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 final season stats were 28gp 22g 29a 51 pts total Wow!! Did we draft Bobby Orr?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avelanch Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Wow!! Did we draft Bobby Orr?! Still in high school, but the fact that he (once again) led his team in points is VERY encouraging, as is the fact that he was the captain. Can't wait to see what he does in Harvard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Honeydew Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 I hope Harvard's team will be a great experience for him I'd love to see this guy in a canucks jersey, this kid oozes with leadership characteristics all over him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ihatetomatoes Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Still in high school, but the fact that he (once again) led his team in points is VERY encouraging, as is the fact that he was the captain. Can't wait to see what he does in Harvard. Wait..how did we draft a kid still in high school? what am I missing here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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