TAUNTON — Three Greater Taunton hockey teams are getting set to try their luck in the upcoming Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association tournament.
Win or go home.
Fourteenth-seeded Coyle-Cassidy got things rolling on Monday with a Division III South preliminary contest against 19th-seeded Attleboro at Gallo Ice Arena. Taunton High travels to Tabor Academy today to take on fourth-seeded Old Rochester in a Division II South first-round contest.
No. 1 seed Southeastern/West Bridgewater/Bristol-Plymouth faces 16th-seeded Norwood tonight at 6 at Gallo Ice Arena.
Here's a look at the previews:
COYLE-CASSIDY WARRIORS
Head coach: Darrell Borges
Players to Watch: Drew Arpin, Tom Lorden, Jacob Ducharme, Ben Tufts, Domenic Leo, Shaun Galbato and Brett Borges.
2017-18 record: 8-6-6 (3-0-3 in Eastern Athletic Conference).
The Warriors had their first taste of Division III playoff action this season after a long run in Division II.
C-C, EAC co-champs, faced off against 19th seed Attleboro on Monday night at Gallo Ice Arena. (Coyle won the contest, 4-0). For more on the game, visit www.tauntongazette.com). The Warriors faces third-seed Rockland on Friday.
The 14th-seeded Warriors have a young nucleus of talent that competed against the very best this past winter. Led by junior co-captain Drew Arpin, Ben Tufts, Domenic Leo and Shaun Galbato, C-C comes at its opponents in waves on offense.
Senior co-captain defenseman Tom Lorden and senior co-captain forward Jacob Ducharme are the glue that keeps things together for the Warriors.
One of the big keys to C-C's run in the postseason will be the play of their goaltenders — Brett Borges and Griffin Speicher.
The 19th-seeded Bombardiers team come into the playoffs as winners of four of their final five games.
Attleboro (9-9-2) took on three teams within their league (Hockomock Kelley-Rex) that play in Division I.
TAUNTON HIGH TIGERS
Head coach: Kris Metea
Players to Watch: Will Walsh, Trevor Pietrzyk, Michael Albert, Jake Roberts, Andrew Carter, Cam Sneyd, Dylan Nichols and Sean Bunker.
2017-18 record: 11-7-2 (1-5-2 in Hockomock Kelley-Rex).
The Tigers are making their third straight postseason appearance — the second time a Tiger team has done that since Taunton did it three times back in 1994-96.
Taunton, the 13th seed, takes on fourth-seeded Old Rochester/Fairhaven tonight in a first-round game at Tabor Academy, beginning at 7:45 p.m.
The Tigers will need a big game from Hockomock League leading scorer Will Walsh, who finished with 21 goals and 23 assists. Taunton will also need a big game from Trevor Pietrzyk, Michael Albert, Jake Roberts and Cam Sneyd. Between the five players, 73 goals have found the back of the net.
Andrew Carter, Jeremy Chappell and Dylan Nichols are key on defense.
Bunker has his hands full with top teams in Division II. He will need to play solid in order for the Tigers to be in the game.
Last season's state finalist Old Rochester (15-3-3) has had an exceptional season, thanks to the play of first-line players Tayber Labonte, Ryan Raphael and Sam Austin.
Goalie Jacob Demoranville will look to keep Taunton in check between the pipes.
The Bulldogs defeated the Tigers in an earlier matchup this year, 5-2.
SOUTHEASTERN/WB/BP HAWKS
Head coach: Mark Cabral
Players to Watch: PJ Page, Thomas Fillion, Dean Georgeantas, Kyle Burns, Joe Fregoe and Matt Lavoie.
2017-18 record: 17-4 (11-1 in Mayflower Large Division).
The Hawks hope to avoid an early exit and make a deeper run in the tournament. SE/WB/BP was bounced from the tourney last season by Dartmouth in the first round.
The No. 1-seeded Hawks are led by star defenseman co-captain PJ Page, who set the regular season school record for points (58). He also went over the century mark in career points.
Page will need help from his teammates on offense, especially from senior Thomas Fillion, Dean Georgantas and Kyle Burns.
Senior co-captain goalie Joe Fregoe had a goals against average of 1.53 in net.
He made 186 saves out of 206 shots.
Sixteenth-seeded Norwood (7-8-5) will look for the upset in today's Division II South first-round game.