Ducks Aim to Extinguish Dragons for Second Division 2 Title

While the girls hockey team has certainly faced their share of adversity, they’re also on the verge of capturing their second Division 2 state title in three years.

Advancing to their third consecutive title game, the Ducks will no doubt have a daunting task awaiting them when they face Duxbury in Sunday morning’s championship showdown at the TD Garden. Face-off is slated for a 9 a.m.

After posting a 13-2-5 regular season mark, the Ducks' march through the tournament kicked off with a convincing 4-0 first round win over Whitman-Hanson-Pembroke followed by a thrilling 3-2 overtime win over .

Advancing to the semifinal round, the Ducks overcame a 2-0 third period deficit to prevail in an impressive 3-2 overtime win over top-ranked .

Not only have the Ducks dealt with some nagging injuries along the way, but also the loss of senior captain and defender Meg Collins, who was suspended for an intentional tripping call in the Ducks’ quarterfinal win over Walpole.

“We’ve certainly been battle tested,’’ said coach Bob Huxley. “We were down (2-0) in the third period (against Norwood), and the girls never gave up. The girls came out and battled, and we just didn’t go away. We kept fighting and fighting and in the end, we ended up with the win. Now we’re looking forward to facing off against Duxbury in Sunday’s championship game.”

Over the past two seasons, the Ducks have handled the Dragons in the semifinals. Prevailing in a 3-0 win in 2009, the Ducks held off a furious Dragon rally en route to a 4-3 win.

While the Ducks have had to claw their way back to the state title game, the Dragons have cruised in their tournament run, extinguishing Natick (5-1), Canton (7-0) and Concord-Carlisle (4-0), by a combined score of 16-1.

“(Duxbury) has a lot of talent, and they can beat you in so many ways,’’ said Huxley. “They have a lot of shooters, and have a great defense, and they’re great with the forecheck. We have to come out and play our best hockey of the season and we have to be focused and ready to go.”

Leading the way for the Dragons are forwards, Lily Connolly and Olivia McCarthy followed by Brianna Connolly. Other key contributors for the Ducks include Hannah Murphy and Zoey Griffin.

Defensively, the Dragons are guided by Caroline Shaunessy and Ally Hammel while freshman goaltender Rachel Myette has managed to keep opposing teams in check in the post-season, averaging a stellar 0.33 goals against average.

With Collins, possibly out of the lineup, Huxley will once again rely on a short handed unit of blue liners. In last week’s 3-2 win over Norwood, Huxley managed a  consistent rotation of Kayanna Ham, Michelle Barrett, Erin Ferrara and Kristen McCarthy, all of whom have seen quality playing time during the course of the season.

“Barrett’s been huge for is in the tournament,’’ said Huxley. “She’s a puck moving defender, and she can move the puck up to the ice to our scoring lines. We’re going to be continuing to rely on her a lot, especially if we’re going to be shorthanded.”

Leading the way for the Ducks has been senior standout and captain Taylor Shepherd, who in addition to accumulating 43 overall points during the regular season, contributed with both overtime game winning goals in the quarterfinals and semifinals  while posting five points through three tournament games (3-2-5).

Other key offensive contributors for the Ducks include (6-19-25) along with Erin McLoughlin (11-14-25) and Russell with 22 points (11-11-22) followed by freshman Shannon MacIssac, junior Maggie Leary as well as Madison and Natalie Devine.

Coleman has also fared impressive in the post-season, posting four points (1-3-4) along with McLoughlin (2-2-4).

“(Shepherd) is one of the best players in the state, and she’s been doing a great job leading us in the post-season,’’ said Huxley. “We have a nice supporting cast around her, and they’ve been taking advantage of scoring opportunities because a lot of people have been zeroing on Taylor.”

As for goaltenders, Huxley will probably stick with Milton native and sophomore Lan Crofton, who recorded 23 saves in the Ducks’ win over the Mustangs. While Crofton has been battling an assortment of injuries, senior Sam Curley has also recorded a fine performance this season, posting a 1.68 goals against average.

After suffering a 2-0 defeat to Winchester last season, the Ducks are well aware that they can’t take anything for granted on Sunday.

“We have to play a full three periods of hockey,’’ said Coleman. “Nothing would be greater than to finish the season with a state title. We know how great Duxbury is, and we have our work cut out for us, but if we can play our game, and stay within ourselves, then I think we have a great chance to be state champions.”

The pictures above were taken by Pat McCarthy. For more photos, click on http://mccarthy-clan.smugmug.com/Fontbonne-Hockey/2010-2011-Season