Slow Start Costs DY/CCT/CCA Boys Hockey Against Sandwich

BUZZARDS BAY – Despite holding a commanding advantage in shots on goal, a slow start for the Dennis-Yarmouth/Cape Cod Tech/Cape Cod Academy boys hockey team was ultimately too much to overcome against Sandwich.

 The Dolphins outplayed the host Blue Knights for much of the final 37 minutes, but that wasn’t enough to erase their deficit after allowing three goals in the opening eight minutes. 

 Sandwich held off DY/CCT/CCA for a 4-1 victory in the semifinals of the Jeff Hayes Memorial Hockey Tournament to clinch a championship berth against Auburn at 6 p.m. Tuesday after The Chronicle’s deadline. 

 “When we woke up and started playing and believing in ourselves, it was a completely different game,” DY/CCT/CCA coach Lew Alberti said. “We’ve had one bad period for the last month, and that’s been the difference.”

 Reece MacKinnon, Connor Reid and Max Colley each tallied goals to help Sandwich (8-9-2) build a 3-0 lead 7:41 into the game. 

DY/CCT/CCA (6-13) answered 18 seconds into the second period when Cape Tech senior Tanner Chicoine buried a power-play goal, but the momentum was short-lived after Sandwich senior defenseman Colin MacQuade scored to make it 4-1 with 7:49 remaining in the middle frame.

 MacQuade’s goal was a deflating turn for the Dolphins, who blocked the shot from the blue line before it took a wild bounce past sophomore goaltender Cam Wood.

 “I think maybe two of their four goals were tipped,” Alberti said. “It’s really deflating, especially for us. We’ve been right there within a couple goals in every game lately, but one bad bounce or one bad break is the difference in the game.”

 Alberti said he was pleased with the effort his players gave after falling behind 3-0 early. The team finished with a 28-12 advantage in shots on goal, including a 23-5 edge in the final two periods. 

 The coach is hopeful the Dolphins can carry that momentum into Tuesday when they face North Reading in the tournament’s consolation round before visiting Martha’s Vineyard for their regular-season finale at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. 

 Although the team can’t finish with a .500 record, Alberti is hopeful strong performances could lead to a Division 5 state tournament berth for the Dolphins, who entered the weekend ranked No. 26 in the power rankings. The top 32 teams earn automatic bids in the tournament.

 “The biggest thing is trying to compete,” Alberti said. “We’re playing three in a row now. There’s nothing we can do but keep the goal differential down and keep battling for points and let the chips fall where they may.”

 Alberti said he’s optimistic Chicoine will be in the lineup after the senior left the ice gingerly following a big open-ice hit with 8.7 seconds remaining in Monday’s game.

“He got injured in the Abington game on Saturday, so he already had a banged up knee,” Alberti said. “He gutted it out and had a great game.”