As of 7:00AM today all games are still on. If there are any changes we will notify you ASAP. Please drive safe
The Greater Boston
Vipers 03E will be heading to the NH Super Series over the Martin Luther King
Weekend. The Super Series is a national tournament that attracts teams from all
over North America, it is a grueling 6 games over 3 days. The Viper team will
have games against the following teams Washington Lil Capitals (MD), NH Aves
(NH), Boston Jr Terriers Elite (MA), Northstars Elite (MA) and Jr Islanders (
NY). Currently the Vipers 03E are 9-0-1 in the last 10 games.
Good Luck to the
Coaches and Players this weekend!!!
The Vipers captured another championship this past weekend by winning the EHF U18 league championship. The Vipers rolled through the semi-finals with an 11-5 victory and had trick from Matignon’s leading goal scorer John Andrews. In the finals, they faced a “New & Improved” Bulldogs team that came out extremely aggressive and scored four early goals taking advantage of the Vipers slow start. After a mid-game time-out and some individual player self-reflection, the Vipers settled in one shift at a time chipping away the old fashion way. Having the Bulldogs take a 4 minute penalty, the Vipers immediately scored two goals in one shift to jump right back into the game. Having the game shift in a positive direction, the Vipers continued the aggressive fore-check by forcing defensive zone turnovers and again capitalized on the power play with a Ryan Spagnoli snipe from the top of the slot. With nothing to lose the Matignon trio of Andrews, McPherson, Petrie took matters into their own hands. On a neutral zone transition McPherson carried the play on a three on two and caught the goalie sleeping with an absolute blast from the blue line to tie the game and force the overtime.
With the Vipers having experience with over-time from the previous State championship weekend they remained calm and incorporated a four forward and one defense offensive attack system in play early to put the Dogs back on their heels. With all pucks to the net and recognizing the many rebounds being left on the door step, McPherson once again chose to take ownership and “seize the moment” by burying a loose puck rebound to win the EHF Championship!
“These young men are a special group and it’s a true honor to be a part of their continued development, they have worked extremely hard, paid their dues on and off the ice and have had to deal with much adversity this past season. While doing so, they never lost focus and their true character was certainly tested and revealed, we couldn’t be any prouder for them, they deserve this Championship”… Coach Somerville
Congratulations winning the U18
Mass State Hockey Championship. This tournament recently took place
at NESC in Marlboro with a total ten qualifying teams participating in a very
competitive round robin format with the top four finalist moving on to single
game elimination. The Vipers went 3-0 in round robin play and qualified as a
high seed leading into the final rounds with some stellar individual
performances. Now facing a very talented team Quincy (CM players) in the
semi-finals, the Vipers battled to an extremely exciting intense overtime win
set up by Somerville and McGovern to a Ryan Smith stretch breakaway goal to
advance to the championship game against the Coastal Whalers (Barnstable High).
With the championship on the line, the Vipers made it
entertaining once again by going ahead by three goals early by (Spagnole, Smith
& Monagle). However, the Whalers refused to quit and fought their way back
by tying the game early in the third period and going ahead with 8 minutes
remaining. With an immediate adjustment to a stretch off side break-out system.
The Vipers capitalized with Mike McPherson receiving a loose puck on the wall
and burying a two on one five hole to tie the game with four minutes remaining.
Moving into sudden death overtime, the vipers players immediately recognized the
instability of the Whalers fatigued defense and applied an aggressive dump and
chase off side system to apply constant pressure. In doing so, Bernie McGovern
executed this practice perfectly with Andrew Somerville crashing to the net
splitting the defense and picking up the puck for the one timer shot and a 5-4
Championship victory.
This weekend was a true testament of a group of young men
recognizing and finding the ultimate “Will To Win”. Each and every
player elevated their level of play and sacrificed themselves for the common
goal of TEAM! It was an amazing half season, these experiences are
once in a lifetime and the ultimate success can only be measured in the journey
as those memories will certainly last forever. Coach Somerville…