By: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings
WATERTOWN, CT – Taft Rhinos goaltender Rudy Giumond (Pointe-Claire, QC) was solid between the pipes with a 35-save shutout, ending the prep school regular season with a 19-8-1 record in a 4-0 win over the Hotchkiss (Lakeville, CT) Bearcats before a packed house on Seniors Day at Odden Arena.
The Rhinos battled to make the New England Prep playoffs with five other schools. They wound up with the Large Division home playoff date on Wednesday. They are the #1 seed and play at the Odden Arena at 4:45 pm against #8 seed Kent School.
Guimond played like a brick wall shutting down the Bearcats on quality chances and limiting them to one-and-done chances by the CSB-ranked netminder.
Guimond came out of his crease and cut angles down repeatedly. At 3:15 of the first period, Guimond turned aside Derek Tremblay (Boischatel, QC), then turned away scoring bids by Dylan Ah Now (Short Hills, NJ) and Big James Mackay (Villanova, PA) on the left wing, Jake Owens (Chittenano, NY), and D Nate Harrison (New Canaan).
After a scoreless first frame, Taft tallied the first goal at 1:13 when Zave Greene converted on a two-on-one break.
Late in the second, Taft’s Ken Alexander (Watertown) had a solid chance, and Guimond stopped Hotchkiss’ Michael Buenzow (Evanston, IL).
Hotchkiss goalie Grant Kloeber (Raleigh, NC) stopped Greene, Remy Reynolds, and Aidan Foley (Southport) before they eventually scored.
Hidy Preston tallied before Jackson Holl was on the left wing and converted a one-timer at 8:49 and at 12:03. Lemieux closed out the Taft scoring from the right wing.
NOTES:
Guimond is undecided if he will return to Taft next year. It will likely hinge on whether he gets drafted. He is currently #16 among North American goalies. Both the USHL and NAHL are options, or if he is selected in June’s QMJHL Draft as a Quebec native, he won’t count as a North American import are possibilities.
Other Connecticut schools still in play include the Open Large Division perennial postseason contender #3 Avon Old Farms Winged Beavers. They will be hosting #7 Westminster Prep of Simsbury at 2:45. #5 Brunswick School of Greenwich takes on MA-based #4 Noble Greenough at 4:30 at Noble.
In the large division, along with Taft, are the #2 Salisbury Crimson Knights, who will host #7 Loomis Chaffe of Windsor at 4 pm. In small school action, #3 Frederick Gunn School of Washington, Connecticut, hosts #6 Tilton School of New Hampshire at 5:30 at Deerfield Academy in Enfield.
All games are on Wednesday. The winners will play in the semifinals on Saturday at the school of the higher seed. The championship finals will be held Sunday at NCAA Division III Sullivan Arena on the campus of St. Anselm College in Manchester, NH.
Matt Chennette, Taft Class ’84 living in MA, an Iraq war vet, is battling ALS. Donations are being made to help the family defray medical costs.
