After the Boure boys hockey team opened its season with a 5-1 win over the Monomoy/Mashpee Sharks, Canalmen head coach Frank Carpenito said he is feeling, “optimistic,” about his team heading into the season.
On paper, it’s easy to see why. Bourne entered the 2023 season with players who contributed the bulk of production to the team last year.
Ty Kelley and Dom Bonito, the Canalmen’s top two point scorers from 2022, both returned, and Bourne entered the season ready to build on last season, rather than dwell on it.
Last season featured a trip to postseason play after the Canalmen qualified as the No. 26 seed in Division 4. The Canalmen fell in overtime to Dennis-Yarmouth/Cape Cod Academy/Cape Tech, in their opening game of the postseason.
Though the loss ended their season, Carpenito said in hindsight the glass is way more half-full, than it is half-empty.
“I don’t think the kids had a bad taste after last season because, in that tournament game, we played our best game of the year,” he said. “They saw what it took to be successful. We almost pulled the upset, didn’t, but they learned a lot of valuable lessons on that day.”
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This season, the Canalmen are trying to envision what their best game looks like, and Kelley and Bonito, along with an old but new face, will be at the heart of it.
Kelley was selected as the team’s captain this season, with Bonito as his linemate, and one of the assistant captains. The pair of seniors, along with junior forward Joziah DeSouza, were the trio selected by Carpenito to pay close attention to this season, and he certainly had his finger on the pulse.
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The trio accounted for each of Bourne’s goals in the win. Kelley had a hat trick to lead the way, and Bonito and DeSouza each added a goal. In total the three combined to score seven of the team’s 10 points.
“They’re great in transition, you get loose pucks (and) they’re on it,” Carpenito said. “And then once they get the puck on their stick, they’re dangerous. They can make things happen for themselves, (and) for their linemates.”
Kelley says team must improve on scoring chances
It’s hard to imagine in a game where five goals were scored, that the Canalmen felt they were wasteful with chances. Kelley said after the game that his team needs to improve in that area.
“Definitely capitalizing on our chances in front of the net,” Kelley…
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