Team starts February within striking distance of tourney spot

By Chris Villani

The Hopedale/Milford ice hockey team is looking to make sure it peaks at the right time of the season, and head coach Mike MacQuarrie’s team rattled off three wins in its last four games in January.

“We had kind of hit a little bit of a tough spot and then, over the last few games, we kind of turned it around,” MacQuarrie said.

Hopedale/Milford has played for long stretches this winter without Noah Smith, its most experienced all-star caliber defenseman. But MacQuarrie said he is hoping to get Smith back ahead of any potential tournament run. A more stout defense would be a boost to a Hopedale/Milford team that has firepower up front, but not much depth.

“Our top line has been great,” MacQuarrie said. “But, once you get by the top line, I only have a couple of other forwards who have scored goals.”

The top line is led by senior captain Ricky Nashawaty, who has piled up both goals and assists all season.

“He is the main guy,” MacQuarrie said. “It all goes through him.”

Junior alternate captain Josh Balzarini is another stalwart on the top line, playing on the left side. MacQuarrie extolled his “outstanding shot.”

Also drawing praise from the head coach is Michael McGrath, another junior alternate captain.

“He is a big, tough, rugged kid,” MacQuarrie said. “He is doing well.” He added, “Those three, they get all the points and they are carrying the team. How they go seems to be how our team goes.”

But Hopedale/Milford is hoping to get more production from different players as the season draws to a close. Freshman Jeff Corbin is contributing despite being a younger player. MacQuarrie said the youngster works hard and is “very coachable.” Milford High juniors Owen Bullock and Lucas Richard are two more forwards with the potential to make a big impact and make Hopedale/Milford a deeper team offensively. 

MHS freshman Hunter Letendre has shown “flashes of brilliance” in goal, MacQuarrie said.

“He is really athletic and flexible, he can react well,” he said. “We are looking for him to be more consistent.”

MacQuarrie said his team’s depth hasn’t developed as quickly as he might have liked, but he is impressed with how hard his players are working and how much they have improved through the winter. It has him hoping there could be a playoff spot in store.

“We are still on the outside looking in, but we are right there,” MacQuarrie said. “We have a shot to make the playoffs if we can get to .500.”