The Walter Brown Arena in Brookline was packed with excitement as young children ran up and down the aisles and adults peered down onto the ice. Everyone eagerly awaited Travis Roy’s opening speech and the intense game that would follow it.

Brookline’s boys varsity hockey team faced off against Plymouth South High School on Feb. 20, winning the game with a final score of 7-2. The funds raised from the event went to the Travis Roy Foundation.

Travis Roy had suffered a severe injury while playing for Boston University, causing him to be paralyzed from the neck down. Before the game, both teams lined up on the ice to hear Travis Roy speak about his foundation, an organization that works to make adaptive equipment and support people with spinal cord injuries.

Within four minutes of the start of the game, sophomore Owen Erdman scored, setting the pace of the game and putting Brookline in the lead. Following this goal, senior Colin Finnegan scored, assisted by senior Eli Bak.

Goalie and senior Gil Markman made multiple saves in the first period, allowing Brookline to leave the first period with a strong 2-0 lead.

Freshman Emmet Teahan suffered a hit and was taken off with a head injury in the second period.
Only one goal was scored in the second period, by sophomore Grayson Badger, while the remainder of the period was unsuccessful for Brookline.

While junior and captain Ellis Vish acknowledged the lead Brookline had going into the second period, he wanted the team to maintain their momentum going into the second period.

“We had a very strong forecheck and continuously kept getting shots on net, which gave us a good lead going into the second period. The second period we came out slow and finished slow, as a team we need to be able to go start to finish always at top speed heading into the playoffs for a deep run,” Vish said.

Vish scored one minute into the third period with an assist by sophomore Campbell Hawkins. Plymouth South fought back and scored two goals quickly, one due to a breakaway from junior Casey Donovan, and another scored by senior Nick Ferrel from a scramble in front of the net.

Brookline then scored three more goals in the third period. Badger scored a notable goal from a breakaway eight minutes into the third period. Finnegan and freshman Marcus Paes scored the final goals of the game, resulting in a final score of 7-2.

Brookline left with another win last night, furthering the team’s strength and momentum going into the playoffs. According to Vish, the team succeeded in the third period because of a change in strategy

“We went into the third period with some changes in lines but it paid off as we scored in the first shift, Vish said. “From there we kept scoring goal after goal eventually leading to the win,”