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By Michael Flanagan
Hometown Weekly Sports Editor
Following a successful 14-5-1 (12-4 BSC) regular season, the Wellesley High School varsity boys hockey team earned the No. 2 overall seed in the 2017 MIAA Division I South Sectionals as well as a first-round bye. On Sunday night, the Raiders took to the ice at Canton Ice House against long-time rival Natick in their quarterfinal matchup, prevailing 5-1 behind an offensive surge in the final two periods of play led by junior forward Darrald Webb (two goals, one assist) and senior forward Bo Picking (two goals).
Like every Natick/Wellesley grudge match, this one started off with a high-paced and physical tempo, with both teams playing with an extra step in their strides from the opening faceoff. Both the Raiders and Redhawks delivered punishing body checks to one another along the boards in the early going, getting both student sections into it. Despite the physicality and up-and-down tempo throughout the first period, neither the Raiders nor Redhawks were able to net a goal in period one. Wellesley senior captain and defenseman Zach Doughty had arguably the best chance of the first frame when he came in on a two-on-three and fired a shot that beat the Natick goaltender up high, but clanged off the crossbar and went out of play. Because Doughty’s wicked wrister went bar-up rather than bar-down, the game remained scoreless at the intermission.
Following the break, the Raiders were able to find their offensive rhythm in the second period by generating cycles down behind the net and feeding the puck out to open defensemen in the slot after tiring out the opposition. Bo Picking got the scoring started with a shot from just inside the lower hash marks less than four minutes into the period, followed by Darrald Webb smacking home the rebound of a Zach Doughty shot from the point to give Wellesley a 2-0 edge with eight minutes to play in the period. Zach Doughy then gave Wellesley some insurance with a goal on the power play in the final seconds of the period to put the Raiders up 3-0 at the second intermission.
Entering the third period ahead by three, the Raiders knew that they had to keep firing on all cylinders so that they could put away their arch rivals. Just less than five minutes into the period, Darrald Webb struck again to make it a 4-0 lead for Wellesley off of a rebound in front. After Natick spoiled the Andrew Hubbard (22 saves) shutout bid to cut the deficit to 4-1, Bo Picking put the game away with his second goal of the night with four minutes remaining to make it a four-goal lead once again for the Raiders at 5-1. Wellesley would hold on to win by the same score.
The win over Natick advances Wellesley to the Division I South Sectional Finals against Braintree on March 9.
