By Larry Moko
After a one-year absence, the boys' hockey team from St. Jean de Brébeuf is back and making its presence felt.
"Last year we didn't have enough guys to put a team in," Braves coach Nick Bruccoleri said Wednesday after Brébeuf and the St. Thomas More Knights battled to a 2-2 tie at Chedoke Arena.
The east Mountain high school's return to hockey competition gives the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic league six entries once again.
"It just wasn't enough numbers to make it safe for our guys to play varsity last year," Bruccoleri added. "This season, though, we definitely garnered enough interest. We have more than enough players. We had younger guys coming in which will bolster the varsity program for the future.
"They're surprising us. They're doing better than we expected."
Bruccoleri currently shares the coaching duties with veteran Mark Fama. But both say the transition plan calls for Bruccoleri to take over and eventually handle the reins.
"He's a good mentor to have," Bruccoleri said.
Said Fama: "We don't even know most of these guys (players) because we didn't have a team last year. We've got maybe five guys back."
Brébeuf opened the scoring against second-place More (3-1-3) on a second-period goal by captain Sandro Guttaiano. On the play, the Braves centre spun around in the slot and slid a backhanded shot along the ice and into the net.
By the end of the second, however, More grabbed the lead. Ryan Hedgcock connected on a quick one-timer from the edge of the crease and Logan Slack cashed with a high shot to the glove side on a breakaway.
Isaiah Slegtenhorst capped the scoring on a powerplay -- swiping at the puck while laying on his side -- with six minutes remaining in the third period.
"We fought hard," said Guttaiano, who also plays rep for AAA U-18 Hamilton Steel. "Obviously we want to win, but we're OK with that point."
Guttiano and linemate Dawson Dos Santos both wore Brébeuf colours when they were Grade 9 students. Slegtenhorst played while in Grade 10.
"It's awesome," Guttaiano said of Brébeuf's decision to ice a team for 2025-26. "We all like to compete. We're playing good hockey right now so it's fun."
The tie was the third of the season for Brébeuf. The Braves also have one win and three losses.
"We've got a good group of guys who are buying into being on the grittier side of things," Bruccoleri said. "Everybody knows their role. Maybe we don't have the skill of some other teams, but we work together and we're committed to play the right way."
According to coach Bruccoleri, the Braves are doing a good job and have developed some chemistry together.
"Game by game we're improving," he said. "That's what we want to see as a coaching staff."
The St. John Henry Newman Cardinals sit atop the standings (5-1). They're followed by More, the Bishop Ryan Celtics (4-2), St. Mary Crusaders (2-3-2), Brébeuf and the Bishop Tonnos Titans (1-6).
Photos by R.F. (Bob) Butrym, RFB Sport Photography
More photos on HWCDSB Athletics Facebook page
