Eagle's Captains Contribute in Rout Over Winchester

By: Jason Stellakis

The St. John’s Prep ice hockey team defeated the 16th seeded Winchester High School, 7-0, on Monday, March 7th, 2022. The Prep advanced to the quarterfinals following this victory.

This was a statement win for the Prep. They proved that there is still plenty of gas left in the tank. 


The first period was very competitive at first. Winchester came out very physical and pressured the Prep at various times. But Will Van Sicklin erased the early stalemate and made it 1-0 on a 2-on-1 opportunity late in the first. Just under a minute later, Jake Vana found the net and made it 2-0. The Prep had 10 shots on goal, opposed to Winchester’s two. 


The narrative continued in the second period. Aidan Holland found the net about five minutes in the period on a slapshot. That shot made it 3-0. In the final minutes of the period, Jimmy Ayers got one in from a pass from Will Van Sicklin that made it 4-0. The Prep outshot Winchester, nine-to-three. Overall a very dominant period from the Prep.


But the 2nd period was not the most dominant for the Prep. The 3rd period was the most dominant of the three, with the Prep scoring three goals. Goals were scored by Tommy Sarni, Christian Rosa, and Joe Melanson. The Prep had 14 shots on goal that period, while Winchester only had four. 


Senior captain Pierce Blaeser ended the night with an outstanding total of four points, all of which came on assists. He has been nothing but phenomenal for this team all season long.


After the game I had the opportunity to interview senior captain, Tommy Sarni. 


Like any Prep playoff game, The Nest was insanely loud. Whenever there was a goal or big play, The Nest erupted. I asked Sarni how it felt to play in front of The Nest.


“Having them behind us means the absolute world to us,” Sarni responded. “The support we get from our fans is absolutely amazing.”


If I learned anything from this game, the Prep improved a whole lot. They capitalized on huge opportunities, and they stayed out of the penalty box for the most part. I asked Sarni if he thought the team improved after the win, especially the goal scoring. 


“100%,” Sarni stated. “Those types of games are what makes a complete hockey game.”


Overall, I believe this win proved that the Prep is capable of beating really good teams. I think if they plays like they did in this game in games to come, they have a good shot at winning it all.


The Prep plays Braintree in the round of 8 on Thursday, March 10th, 2022 at 5:30 PM at The Essex Sports Center. 

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