The #8 Neponset Valley River Rats made a statement in their USA Hockey 15U National Championship opener, rolling past the #16 Sioux Falls Power 7-1 in Green Bay. The final score was lopsided, but the stat sheet told the bigger story: 11 of 17 River Rats skaters registered at least one point. This wasn't a one-man show. This was a complete team effort from a program that's been building toward this moment all season.
Leading the charge were two kids from Braintree who know each other as well as any two players on the ice. Jake Guerriero (#91) led all scorers with 3 goals and an assist for a 4-point game, while Lochlan Horsman (#8) added a goal and two assists for 3 points. Their chemistry was undeniable - and for good reason.
Guerriero and Horsman have been playing together since Town Hockey in Braintree. They moved up through the Boston Jr. Terriers together, and now they're teammates on the Neponset Valley River Rats at USA Hockey Nationals. The only time they've been separated is at the high school level - Guerriero plays at Archbishop Williams while Horsman skates for Xaverian. But put them back on the same team, and the connection picks right back up.
The depth went well beyond the Braintree duo. Drew Short (#88, Winchendon) potted two goals, continuing his strong postseason form. Defenseman Sean Farrell (#18, Catholic Memorial) chipped in a goal and an assist from the blueline, while Colin Walsh (#74, Framingham HS) set up two goals with a pair of assists.
The assists were spread across the entire lineup. Brendan Martin (#5, St. Sebastian's), Jameson Needham (#6, St. Sebastian's), Jack Queally (#19, St. Sebastian's), Nick Tulipano (#17, Burlington HS), Colin Dunlap (#22, Xaverian), and Cam Daigle (#61, St. George's) each registered an assist. That's 11 of 17 skaters who made it on the scoresheet. Everyone contributed.
The River Rats came into Nationals as the Massachusetts Tier 1 Regional Champions with something to prove on the national stage. Mission accomplished in Game 1. When 11 out of 17 skaters are on the scoresheet, it sends a message to every team in the bracket: this isn't a team built around one or two stars. This is a deep, connected group that plays for each other.
The Rats advance to 1-0 at USA Hockey Nationals. Stay tuned to State of Hockey for continued coverage of both Massachusetts teams in Green Bay.