PLAYOFF PREVIEW FRANKLIN COUNTY HOCKEY
The regular season is over and it is time for some playoff hockey in Franklin County. All of our local Boy’s and Girl’s teams have earned at least one home playoff game starting Friday night and all five are dreaming of a trip to the Gutterson Field House for the Championships
DIVISION I BOYS
Since January 11th the #2 BFA (16-4) are 13-2 having only suffered both losses to Essex in two classic battles which saw the top two teams in the state go over 60 minutes of hockey without a goal. As we head into the playoffs the fans of Vermont Hockey would love to see another battle at Gutterson.
The Bobwhites, who despite being the number 1 seed in 2018 and numbers two seed last year, have not advanced past the quarterfinal since they last won the state title in 2017. However, this is a different BFA team, one in which Coach Toby Ducolon has said all year is less talented but closer as a group than any team he has had in the last couple of years.
BFA is led by senior goaltender Guy Ellis who has posted a .958 save percentage this year with 4.5 shutouts this season. Offensively they haven’t had one player dominate all year but have seen 20 different players register at least one point.
If BFA hopes to break its quarterfinal jinx they will need to rely heavily on Seniors leaders Parker Gratton (8 Goals, 10 Assists, 18 Points) and Owen Bonnette (9 Goals, 9 Assists, 18 Points) who tied for the team lead in scoring. Sophomores Owen Benoit (8 Goals,9 Assist, 17 Points) and Sean Beauregard (11 goals, 2 Assist, 13 Points) will also need to be a key contributor if the Bobwhites look to wrestle the Championship away from Essex.
“This is a good senior class and they are doing a bunch of great things and then you have some underclassmen that are doing pretty well underneath them so it is pretty encouraging and fun to watch,” BFA Coach Toby Ducolon said.“The top six are pretty darn even, Essex has more depth but I don’t know if depth will win you a playoff game. We will see but I think it is going to be exciting.”
The Bobwhites will take on the winner of #7 Colchester (5-14-1) and #10 South Burlington (1-18-1) Tuesday, at 7:30 pm, in the second game of a playoff doubleheader at the Complex in St. Albans
DIVISION I GIRLS
It is absolutely no surprise to find the #2 Comets (16-3-1) hovering around the top of Division I in Girls hockey. Coach Cioffi’s group has been the winningest Girls program for two decades and has only lost once in the state, to Essex, all year. The Comets avenged that loss just a week ago when they knocked off the Hornets 2-1 in St. Albans.
BFA will continue to be led in net by its goaltending duo of Maddie Hungerford and Macie Boissenault while offensively Meghan Connor (50 career goals) will be joined by freshmen Jodie Gratton and Kaylee O’Brien as the keys to giving the Comets another shot at a state title.
“It is not easy. Rutland has given us two games, good games, and we would end up seeing Essex in a semi-final,” BFA Coach Luke Cioffi said. “It is going to be a challenging week. It is getting all three lines involved, at times statistically we have Meghan and the two freshmen who are putting a lot of points up but there are times our third line has been the best line on the ice. I am not looking for one line I am looking for all 21 to contribute.”
“We are at our best when we play as a team from the goaltender out, whether it is in the offensive end or the defensive end.”
The Comets will open the quarterfinals when they host the winner #7 Rutland (7-13), whom they have beaten twice (2-0 & 2-1) this season, on Tuesday at 5:30 in the first half of a doubleheader in St. Albans.
DIVISION II BOYS
Playoff hockey starts with a Play-In game Friday night in Highgate as #8 MVU (10-9-1) will host #9 St. Johnsbury (9-11) for the right to take on top seed Harwood in the Quarterfinals on Tuesday at 6 pm.
The Thunderbirds, who dropped their season finale to Harwood, will lean on starting netminder Pj Bouchard against the Hilltoppers and will be looking for strong play from its top three of Hunter Mason (41 pts, 24 goals, 17 assists), Jackson Porter (27 pts, 13 goals 14 assists), and Kyle Gilbert 23 pts, 11 goals 12 assists).
“The keys to success will be our team playing together as a unit,” MVU Coach Chris Hatin said. “We will go further together than as individuals. I expect the upperclassmen to lead the way and provide the stability we need through potential adverse situations.”
Milton (14-4-2) earned the #3 seed in Division II and will also host a playoff game in Highgate next Wednesday, at 7:30 pm, when they take on the winner of Saturday’s contest between #6 Brattleboro (11-8-1)and #11 Mount Mansfield (5-14-1).
The Yellow Jackets, who come into the playoff in on a five-game unbeaten streak, knocked off Mount Mansfield twice this season but did fall to Brattleboro in Highgate 3-2 back in early February.
DIVISION II GIRLS
The #4 Thunderbirds (9-10-1) come into the Division II playoff looking to rebound after dropping four in a row and six of their last seven in the regulation.
MVU will host U-32 on Wednesday in the quarterfinals at 5 pm. The Lady Thunderbirds lost to Stowe 4-2 just last week but did knock off Hartford 3-2 in early February.
