The Hillers Boys Varsity Hockey Team Makes It To The Garden

Goalie+Jack+Lang+protecting+the+Hillers+goal+from+Walpole.+The+Hillers+were+getting+ready+to+skate+back+to+Walpole+territory+to+score+a+goal.+I+think+its+a+great+team.+Everyone+wants+to+win%2C+Mansur+said.+

Gabby Semanduyev

Goalie Jack Lang protecting the Hillers goal from Walpole. The Hillers were getting ready to skate back to Walpole territory to score a goal. “I think it’s a great team. Everyone wants to win,” Mansur said.

The Hopkinton Hillers Boys Varsity Hockey team took Walpole in a 5-1 Hiller Victory last Sunday at Loring Arena in Framingham.

Senior center Pavit Mehra with 4 goals, senior defense Dylan Mansur with 2 assists, and freshman leftwing Cam MacPherson with 1 goal and 1 assist.

Mansur’s highlight of the game was “going up on the power play and then taking the lead 2-1.”

“It was great being on the point and moving it to my buddy Pavit, knowing he’d do the rest,” Mansur said.

Mansur is in possession of the puck. He is skating down the ice to get ready to pass the puck. “I attempted to break it out of the zone,” Mansur said. (Gabby Semanduyev)

Mehra’s highlight of the night was “Dylan Mansur’s pass on the powerplay to me in the second period of the game for the goal.”

The game started with Walpole in the lead with 1 point on the scoreboard. It wasn’t long until the Hillers scored a point, resulting in a tied score of 1-1 during the first period.

Leftwing MacPherson scored the first Hiller goal in the game.

“We played a great game as a team, and when the puck came to my stick, the first thing I did was find a place on the net and shot it,” MacPherson said.

In the second period of the game, Mehra took over with 4 goals for the Hillers. The first goal was passed by senior captain Joe Scardino, who then passed it over to Mansur. Mansur walked it over to the top of the zone, passing it to Mehra, who scored his first goal in the second period.

Mehra scored his second goal when MacPherson passed the puck to Mehra, who scored another goal for the Hillers, leaving the score at 3-1 with the Hillers in the lead.

Mehra is skating down the ice. He is getting ready to steal the puck from Walpole. “I was ready to go for it,” Mehra said. (Gabby Semanduyev)

Mehra stole the puck from Walpole and skated to the net, where he shot his third goal with 7:28 left in the second period leaving the Hillers in the lead at 4-1.

With 1:41 left in the period, Mehra scored his final goal in the second period leading the Hillers 5-1.

The team has been working hard all season to reach their goal of making it to the garden.

“I think our chemistry made us a better team because we are all friends, we work well together and work on our passing, and we know where everyone is on the ice, I don’t think a lot of teams have that,” Mansur said.

When asked what Mehra’s been doing to improve, he said, “I shoot a lot on my own. That’s the one big thing. I skate when I can in the mornings because I’m not going to school, so I have some free time. Shooting on my own is really the big one, and I’ve been doing that for a while.”

“I’ve been working out at home a lot to get better. I do workouts and stick handling. I have a hockey net in my backyard, and I like to shoot on that just to improve my accuracy. I’m always trying hard at practice and trying to be the best I can,” Mansur said.

MacPherson, with 1 goal and 1 assist this game said, “We have practice every day, but I like to shoot a lot, and I go to my skating coach when I can.”

MacPherson is skating on the ice. MacPherson was skating around in between periods, ready to transition back into the game. “We’ve been practicing hard and playing hard,” MacPherson said. (Gabby Semanduyev)

Mansur, Mehra, and MacPherson agreed that training had been dialed down now that the team is in playoffs.

“I would say we are focusing on different things now; every practice now is more game situational. We’re trying to prepare for the next game because we don’t have much time in between. So we do less tedious stuff like edge work, and it’s more based on skill now,” Mansur said.

As seniors on the team, Mansur and Mehra have leadership responsibilities on the team.

“The biggest thing is setting a good example for the underclassmen. I think leading by example is a good one. Having a positive attitude and playing the game the right way. Showcasing yourself the right way is a good thing,” Mehra said.

As a Freshman on the team, MacPherson looks up to the upperclassmen.

“As a freshman, I look up to all the seniors. We have 12 of them, so it’s easy to watch what they do and try to learn from them,” MacPherson said.

The Hillers will take on Canton at TD Garden Sunday, March 19, in the final to determine the Division 2 state winners.