Doherty helps temper the expectations and ease the pressure of defending a title by setting multiple goals for the team. In ascending order, they are: making the tournament, winning the MVC/DCL Division 2 title, and then going as far as they can in the tournament.
Tewksbury opened the season with a loss to Chelmsford but has rattled off five wins and a tie since then, including a 3-0 trip to Maine during last week’s holiday vacation. Doherty was told to expect a loss in the holiday round-robin tournament before he took his team up there. It was a message he clearly relayed to the Redmen, and they turned it into motivation, beating Scarborough, 2-0; Cheverus, 3-1; and Yarmouth, 3-2, in three consecutive days.
“Three games in three days is tough, but we were able to use four lines and get some guys some rest,’’ said Doherty, who has taken his team to Maine the last nine years as a business trip with a team-building bonus.
“We’ve done very well up there; it’s good team-wise for bonding and getting to know each other.’’
The greenest of the Redmen is goaltender Kyle Paquette, a freshman. He has been a revelation, posting a 1.70 goals-against mark with a terrific .921 save percentage. In Sunday night’s 1-1 tie with unbeaten Boston Latin, the diminutive backstop nearly stood on his head at times as Tewksbury turned the puck over frequently in its own end, leaving Paquette on an island.
“We’re very happy with the way he has started; he’s played very solid for us,’’ said Doherty, who credits his goaltenders coach, Randy Boyce, with expediting the development of a young freshman for the rigors of varsity hockey. “We hope as the year goes on he continues to work and get better.’’
