The Prep Slams Top Ranked Catholic Memorial, 6-3

By: Jason Stellakis

WELLESLEY– Two of the top teams in Massachusetts squared off on Saturday, January 6th, 2023. This highly anticipated matchup drew hundreds of people at the Babson Skating Center. Catholic Conference teams are always fun to watch.


This one was certainly fun to watch. The St. John’s Prep Hockey team beat the Catholic Memorial Knights, 6-3. The Prep advances to 5-1-1. The Prep earned its first victory against a Catholic Conference team and delivered CM’s first loss of the season.


The Prep, coming off a 6-0 victory against Andover, played knowing their rivals took home the Catholic Conference title last season. With CM undefeated, the Prep knew what this game meant for them.


The first period consisted of many chances, but nothing went in the net, and it was tied at zero. However, CM outshot the Prep 15-12. This was similar to the start the Prep had against BC High in the Frates Classic Tournament. 


Period two is where the main action started. Junior Christian Rosa continued to shine on the ice as he scored after a beautiful series of passes from Jake Vana and Ben McGilvray. Later, Senior Harlan Graber put one in after a mishap from CM goalie Owen Watson. After CM responded with a goal of their own, Rosa found the net yet again, this time on the power play. The score was 3-1 Prep after two periods.


The Prep knew that they weren’t done. The third period started with a Jake Vana goal just a minute into the period. Two minutes later Cole Blaeser scored, and the Prep was on a roll. However, the Prep would end up in the penalty box a few times and CM scored two unanswered to make it 5-3 with more than eight minutes to go in the game. The Prep played good defense and Vana scored a goal with the CM goalie pulled to win the game 6-3. Undoubtedly the Prep’s best victory of the season thus far. Senior Brian Cronin recorded another great game in net, saving 36 shots from a great CM team. 


“We had some great 3-on-2s, some really good rushes,” Rosa said to The Salem News. “(My) second goal was almost the same as the first: Jake gave it to Ben, Ben picked his head up and saw me, and we just went to the net.” 


Christian Rosa is having an incredible season thus far with his three point performance against CM. The playoff hero is one of many players to keep an eye on for the rest of the season. Another player who is heating up is Jake Vana, who had four points in the contest. 


The Prep plays their next game on 1/11 against St. John’s Shrewsbury. 

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