FRANKLIN – A clean sheet of ice. Plenty of extra space.
A pure goal scorer’s paradise.
Jordan Sousa skated down the right side and bared down on the net. Just as he did an hour earlier. The first time, he picked the far post. The second, during 3-on-3 in double overtime, the Hudson sophomore went top shelf to the glove side to set off a wild celebration with a bare-chested student section.
Sousa’s 31st goal of the season and second of the game propelled the Hawks to a 3-2 victory over Medway on Saturday night and moved the red and white into the Division 4 Elite 8. After he potted the winner, Sousa headed straight for his schoolmates as a stampede developed on either side of the boards.
Hudson senior Sean Foley ended up on top of the dasher to celebrate over the glass with the shirtless scrum.
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“That was great,” Sousa said of the postgame pandemonium. “A lot of people texted me before the game, saying how hyped they were. I knew I had to get it done for the town. Everybody else for Hudson sports is out (of the playoffs) right now, so I’m just doing it for them at this point.”
The Hawks (18-2-2) will meet No. 2 Hanover in the next round (TBA).
Sousa scored shorthanded in the second period to put the 10th-seeded Hawks up 2-0 before the No. 7 Mustangs came back and valiantly tied the game late in regulation. He described his thinking on his two tallies.
“Whenever I come down 2-on-1, I always look for short side high,” Sousa said. “That’s just my go-to spot. The first goal I saw the far side open. This time coming down, I knew I had to score. Saw the short side open: snipe.”
Sousa’s stepfather Jeff Chaves, a 2008 Hudson grad, also played for head coach Mike Nanartowich, who breathed a sigh of relief just outside the locker room at Pirelli Veterans Arena.
“My blood pressure’s coming down now,” he said.
Nanartowich’s own son, senior captain Owen, similarly exhaled.
Just 10 days prior, Hudson defeated Medway 7-1 behind Sousa’s three goals, at this same rink. The rematch was anything but lopsided.
“Hockey’s a game of ups and downs, just like life,” Owen said. “They’re gonna get one, you’re gonna mess up. (Mike Nanartowich) told us in the locker room – he gives us a quote every day: don’t live in the past.”
The Mustangs (11-10-1) entered the final period down a pair of goals, but Michael Cortis deflected in a goal with nine minutes remaining to give his team life. Medway then killed off a 5-on-3 situation and tied the game when on the power play when Jason Drake found the top corner past an otherwise brilliant Brandon Garzia with 3 minutes, 50 seconds remaining.
After a scoreless first overtime with players skating 4-on-4, new ice was made and Sousa quickly put an end to the game.
“I think both teams were physically exhausted,” Mike Nanartowich said. “They don’t play a ton of guys; we don’t play a ton of guys. That’s what it comes down to, a break like that. To Jordan, a goal scorer.”
Hudson sophomore Thomas Chamberlain did indeed delve into the past, referring to Hudson’s 0-16 season in 2021-22, when talking about Saturday’s win.
Not-so-good times:After going 0-16 and 3-16, Hudson hockey team last undefeated team in CMass
“Just a few years ago, we were struggling to win hockey games,” he said. “Now, to have the ability to come out to the playoffs and win it, it’s just incredible.”
The Hawks scored first against Medway, with Brayden Diodato netting his 19th of the season in the opening period. And it was the eighth-grader who had the inspirational words in the locker room before the second overtime.
“He just said, ‘(seniors) Owen and Sean (Foley) and Brad (Deleskey) – they deserve this,” Owen Nanartowich said. “It was just really finding strength for them. It’s just incredible that I get to share this moment with all of them.”
Tim Dumas is a multimedia journalist for the Daily News. He can be reached at tdumas@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @TimDumas.
