LOWELL — You couldn’t blame Canton coach Brian Shuman for having flashbacks to last season on Sunday at the Tsongas Center when his team fell behind just 11 seconds in against Woburn.
Unlike a season ago, however, the Bulldogs responded and turned in a standout defensive effort over the next 44 minutes. That opened the door for Canton’s best offensive weapon, Travis Thomas, to break a 1-1 second-period tie and give his team a 2-1 win, its 21st in a row, and a fifth trip in six years to the Division 2 final.
“The kids have done a great job of adapting all year and (Sunday) was no different,” Shuman said. “I wouldn’t have believed it would be that type of game after the first shift. But they’ve been resilient all year long.”
Finding a way to put the shackles on Woburn’s (17-6-1) top line of Jack McEleney, Jack Lee and Jameson Needham was something not many teams had done all season. And it looked like Canton was en route to being another casualty when Lee took a Needham feed and ripped one over Connor Geoghan’s shoulder just 11 seconds in.
After that, however, Woburn would struggle to find any open space as Canton’s (23-1-1) defense put on a clinic. It allowed Canton to regain its bearings and even the game a little over for minutes later. Cullen O’Brien gained the line with speed and made a nifty cut into the right circle before ticketing a shot over Adam Gerry’s shoulder.
“Cullen’s goal was huge. We see him to that in practice all the time and for him to get that one was great,” Shuman said.
Still tied at one heading to the second period, Canton netminder Connor Geoghan stepped into the spotlight as he came up with a couple of clutch stops.
“We knew that Connor’s game was coming and this was it and he stepped up,” Shuman said.
Then just before the midpoint of the period, Canton’s top unit delivered a lightning bolt of its own. Joey Ryan got the puck to Ryan Elrick behind the net. He circled around before finding a cutting Thomas at the top of the crease for an easy tap in past Gerry.
“Our first line has been huge and it seems only fitting that they came up with that one,” Shuman said. “That was two of the best first lines in the state, any division, going against each other.”
The third period turned into a defensive clinic by Canton as the Bulldogs held Woburn to only three shots on goal in the final 15 minutes. Their relentless pressure didn’t allowed Woburn to pull Gerry until there was half a minute left to go before two critical face off wins helped run out the clock.
“To get to the finals five times in six years says a lot about the culture of this program,” Shuman said. “These kids have bought into what we’re teaching more than any team I’ve had in the past.”