Robby Campbell – Junior

Goaltender – Braintree

Campbell’s aggressive goaltending was the shining light for a 2008 Wamps team that fell just short of tournament play this season…The Bay State Conference All-Star boasted a goals against average of just under two…Also posted a Bay State Conference best four shutouts this winter…With Campbell returning for his final year at Braintree High next season, look for the Wamps to rally behind their senior netminder for what promises to be a stronger season for the Wamps in 2009.

ROBBY CAMPBELL
Braintree

This 5-7 left-handed netminder produced a sparkling junior season, giving the Wamps a strong base upon which to get back to the tournament next year after falling just short in 2007-08 Posted a 1.85 goals-against average and .940 save percentage as a Bay State Conference first-team all-star Registered four shutouts, including a 28-save blanking of Walpole Limited Milton to two goals on 34 shots in a 3-2 victory “He would’ve been the best reason they had a shot to make tournament,” said an opposing coach. “He would’ve been the guy that carried them.” Possesses good side-to-side quickness and an ability to anticipate the play An honor roll student, Robby also played for the Walpole Express Junior A team this fall Planning to play in college for a NESCAC school.

Wamps hockey looks to pull ahead of .500 mark as state tourney nears
Braintree - The month of February is typically a do or die time for most hockey teams, and right now, the Braintree boys hockey team is walking a very fine line.

At 7-7, the Wamps are caught smack in the middle of being state tourney bound and watching the post season from the sidelines. With eight games left to go before the close of the regular season, the Wamps must win at least four to earn themselves a post season berth.

“I just hope the kids know this is crunch time,” Braintree head coach David Fasano said.

Following what would appear to be a .500 theme this season, the Wamps went 1-1 last week, taking a 3-0 decision over Dedham January 30 and dropping a heart stopping 3-2 decision to Newton North Saturday in a game that was decided by a penalty shot.

Joe Gaughan tallied up a hat trick against Dedham, which proved to be all the offense the Wamps would need to pull out the shutout victory over the Marauders. Gaughan slipped one past Dedham goalie Mike Rahilly with 9:22 to go in the first to put the Wamps out in front early 1-0.

The score remained deadlocked at 1-0 through the second, as both Rahilly and Wamps goalie Robbie Campbell were strong between the pipes. But Gaughan, the team’s leading goal scorer, tacked on two more for insurance in the third, including one on an assist from junior captain Christian Sullivan in front of the net with 3:47 left to play in the game. Gaughan added an empty net goal with :13 left to play in regulation to seal the win for Braintree.

But while the 3-0 win was much needed by the Wamps, with 54 shots on net against Dedham’s 17, Fasano said the team needs to do a better job of finishing and putting the puck in the cage.

“The kids are trying hard and we’re getting plenty of shots, but we have to find a way to make the hard work pay off,” he said. “We’re just not finishing.”

The Wamps followed up their win over the Marauders with a 3-2 loss to Newton North Saturday afternoon. In what Fasano called “the most bizarre game he’s ever coached” from the Wamps’ bench, both teams skated to a scoreless tie midway through the third period when Justin Quinn got on the board for Braintree with 7:30 left to play.

Newton quickly rebutted with two goals, one at 5:30 and another with just over 3:00 to go, to put the Tigers up 2-1 late in the game.

But the lead was short lived as Gaughan struck again, this time intercepting a poor pass at mid ice and taking it in for the goal to tie things up at two a piece with a minute to play.

A face off with just under 30 seconds left in the game drew a scrum of players in front of the Braintree goal, leading one official to call for a Newton North penalty shot with :12 left in regulation. The Tigers capitalized, putting them up for good 3-2.

“It was rather ugly,” Fasano said of the closing seconds leading up to the penalty shot. “We didn’t like the call, but it is what it is. It’s devastating.”

But the Wamps have little time to dwell on the near-win, as they face a heavy two weeks of play down the stretch, including a match up tonight with Bay State League heavyweights Wellesley at Zapustas Arena.

“They’re a good team with only one loss, but I think we can compete with them,” Fasano said. “We’ve played some good teams and have hung in there with them, so I think we’re going to be alright. We just have to finish strong.”

Braintree skaters look sharp; win three in a row
Braintree - After an 0-3 start to the hockey season, Braintree has reeled off three consecutive wins, including back-to-back shutouts and a solid 6-2 win over a good Newton North team Saturday.

“Things are looking pretty good at this point,” said coach David Fasano. “We’re getting good defense from all six, we have three solid lines going and the goaltending has been outstanding.

“After an 0-3 start, it was crucial for us to get a couple of wins,” Fasano added. “We’re back in the hunt.”

Braintree opened the season with loses to Natick (4-1), Needham (3-0) and Canton (3-1) and the team was looking to find its scoring touch.

Fortunately for the Wamps, Durfee was next up on the schedule. A 10-0 pounding of Durfee on Dec. 29 was followed by a tighter 1-0 victory over a decent Walpole team on Jan. 2.

Fasano said the back-to-back shutouts and the victory over Newton North were just what the team needed.

“We got contributions from all the lines and Robbie Campbell was outstanding,” said Fasano. “It was a real good victory against a decent team.”

Newton North had entered the contest with a 4-1-1 record.

Braintree took a 1-0 lead in the first period on a goal by senior Brian Downing on a shot from the right slot at the six-minute mark of the period. Joe Gaughan assisted on the goal, which held up for the rest of the first period as the lone goal.

Forty seconds into the second period junior Kevin Earnest scored an unassisted goal on a hustle play when he beat his opponent in the corner to give the Wamps a two-goal lead. Newton North got on the board four minutes into the period to cut the lead in half.

In what Fasano called the turning point of the game, Campbell stopped Newton North’s best player on a breakaway four minutes after Newton North’s first goal to keep it a 2-1 lead for Braintree.

“That could have easily changed the momentum of the game had they scored,” said Fasano.

Instead, Braintree picked up the pace in the waning minutes of the second period to bust the game wide open.

The Wamps scored three goals in the final three minutes. Senior Pat Morris was the first to score and was followed a minute later by a goal from Gaughan. Earnest netted his second goal of the game with 14 seconds left in the period to give Braintree a commanding 5-1 lead at the end of two periods.

Junior Kevin Lydon pushed the lead to 6-1 with a goal five minutes into the third period.

Newton North scored late in the period for the 6-2 final.

Lydon finished with a goal and two assists and Justin Quinn contributed two assists in the Wamps’ third victory of the season.

“We got contributions from all three lines,” said Fasano.

Braintree made a second period power play goal from Shawn Kenney stand up against Walpole last Wednesday to take a 1-0 victory. Lydon got the assist on the goal, which was a shot from the point that found its way to the back of the next.

The Wamps took it to Walpole, which entered the game with three wins, for the remainder of the second period and the third period to ice the victory.

It was the second shutout in a row for Braintree.

The Wamps destroyed Durfee on all fronts on Dec. 29, 10-0.

“Durfee was a good game to get our confidence going,” said Fasano, especially on the offensive end. The Wamps had entered the game scoring only two goals in the team’s first three games. Campbell also was solid in net, and the defensemen played well.

Braintree will look to keep its win streak alive tonight (Wednesday) when the Wamps face off against Milton at home. Game time is 7:50 p.m. at Zapustas Arena in Randolph.

“Milton is 4-2 and it should be a real good game,” said Fasano. “We’re at home, so hopefully we’ll have a good crowd.”

Braintree hosts Brookline Saturday (2:55 p.m.) and Framingham Monday, Jan. 14 at 7:10 p.m.

Braintree skaters ready to battle
Braintree - Playing in one of the most competitive leagues in the state, Braintree hockey coach David Fasano knows what his team will be up against this season. With the Wamps scheduled to face perennial powerhouses Needham, Framingham and Weymouth throughout the season, as well as Duxbury and Barnstable, Braintree will have its hands full on the ice.

Fasano’s skaters competed well for half the game against a strong Natick team Saturday before Natick pulled away with two quick goals in the second period to pull away.

After battling to a scoreless tie after one period, Natick took the lead with a goal five minutes into the second period. The lead didn’t last long as Brian Downey scored for Braintree two minutes later on assists from Mike Stanford and Pat Morris.

Natick scored two more goals in the next five minutes to take a 3-1 lead, which held up until it added a fourth goal with six minutes remaining in the third period. Natick held on for the 4-1 victory and left Fasano hoping for a better effort from his team.

“We were in the game for most of it,” Fasano said. “My expectations were higher, though. I wish we had competed a little harder.”

Braintree will have to compete if it wants to be in games this season, going up against some of the toughest teams in the state outside the elite Catholic conference.

“Our non-league schedule is brutal,” Fasano said, referring to late-season match ups against Duxbury and Barnstable in February. “That’s part of our program, though.”

But before Braintree gets to February, the Wamps will have to face one of the top teams in the state tonight (Wednesday, Dec. 19) in Needham.

“We obviously have some work to do,” Fasano said. “It’s not going to get any easier. I’m expecting a better effort from the whole team.”

Fasano will be relying on the experience of his three forward lines and counting on junior goaltender Robby Campbell to continue the play he showed at the end of last season.

“He’s an excellent goaltender and had an outstanding end of the season last year in the last five or six games,” Fasano said. “Hopefully that confidence can carry over.”

Campbell will have to be on his game with a young and inexperienced defensive corps in front of him. Braintree will have three sophomores playing regular shifts this season in front of Campbell, along with seniors Christian Sullivan and Craig Nelson. Senior Mike Yaxter is getting his first action with the varsity this season. The three sophomores are Shawn Kenney, Chris Flaherty and J.D. Machado.

“They’re good hockey players,” Fasano said of the three sophomore defensemen. “It’ll just take some time to adjust to playing at the varsity level with the speed of the game.”

The Wamps are experienced on offense, which should be the strength of the team this season, according to Fasano.

“They’ll definitely have to step it up if we’re going to do anything this year,” the coach said.

Leading the way on the forward lines are senior captain Pat Morris, senior Mike Stanford and senior Brian Downing, who is seeing his first varsity action. Juniors Justin Quinn, Kevin Lydon, Joe Gaughan and Glenn and Kevin Earnest are returning for their third year of varsity action. Sophomore Tim Harrington rounds out the top three lines for Braintree this season. Fourth line players include Steve Hoban, Tim Gibbons and Matt Rowell.

The backup goalies for Campbell this season are junior Dave Brunet and senior Bobby Olson.