Spartan icemen get ready

The St. Mary?s boys hockey team failed to qualify for the state tournament for the first time in 18 years last season, and that?s a ship both the coaches and players will be looking to right.The Spartans finished 8-12-2 last year despite losing 16 players from the 2011 team that made it into the Super 8. Coach Mark Lee is expecting good things from this year?s group.?The majority of our impact players from last year are returning this year,” Lee said.Among the returnees up front are Jordan Manthorne, a senior captain from Peabody who led the team in scoring last year with eight goals and nine assists. Manthorne is coming off an impressive football season for the Spartans.?He?s a hard-nosed, up-and-down Cam Neely type,” Lee said. “He?s a bruiser. He?s aggressive, hard-hitting and he?s talented around the net.”Junior Jon Powers of Revere is also back in the fold. He was second on the team in scoring with 14 points (7 goals, 7 assists).?He didn?t have a ton of points, but he?s really good around the net. He has a great shot. He?s someone we?re expecting some offense out of,” Lee said.Jackson Allard of Nahant made an impact up front as a freshman and Lee is looking for big things from him.?Last year he improved tremendously from start to finish,” Lee said. “He?s a tenacious type of forward. He?ll be used on special teams.”Drew DeMaiti has been a mainstay on the Spartan defense the past few years, but Lee said he plans to try him up front this season.?I think he?ll create offense,” he said.Senior captain Chris Price of Lynn will be giving the Spartans some experience on defense.?He?s very smart with the puck. He has very good hands and he?s got a very good shot from the point,” Lee said.The returning contingent also includes senior Ryan McManus of Peabody, a 6-4, 200-pounder, and junior Joe Scalli of Gloucester, who?s been on defense for the last two years. Some other returning players whom Lee expects to contribute include Shawn McBurnie (he had 7 goals last year) and Brett Molea of Lynn.Lee is flush with talented goalies. Bailey McBurnie, who was in net two years ago as a sophomore when the Spartans made it to the Super 8, is back with the Spartans after spending his junior year at a prep school. He?ll vie for time with three junior goalies, Nick Holt of Salem, Connor Jennings of Salem and Ryan Borders of Lynn.?He (McBurnie) is a big, solid goaltender who plays his angles,” Lee said. “He?s the type of kid who can steal games for his team. He got a lot of experience at a young age playing in the Super 8 two years ago. He brings a lot of experience with him.”Holt played in 12.34 games and posted a 2.27 goals-against average. Jennings was in net for 7.33 games and posted a 2.31 goals-against average and Borders saw action in 2.33 games. He finished with a 1.29 goals-against average.?All three would easily be starters in any other program,” Lee said. “We?re very lucky to have such a solid goaltending corps.”Lee also has a couple of freshmen who he expects to make an immediate impact, including Eric Pedro of Lynn and Dante Maribito of Georgetown. Both are freshman forwards. On the defensive side, eighth grader Max McKay could be seeing some action.?We?re hoping to improve from last year?s record,” Lee said. “We?re going to take it one game at a time. We expect to go out and be a blue-collar team against some of the best competition in the state.”Lee traditionally loads up the schedule with some top-notch teams, and this year is no exception. BC High, Malden Catholic, Springfield Cathedral, Hingham and Austin Prep are all in the Spartans? crosshairs this season.?We?re very proud of our schedule,” Lee said. “But it?s a grind. It?s the type of schedule you can go out and play a fantastic game and not win.”Lee?s coaching staff returns intact with Jason Bullock, Doug Surette, Chris Nagy and Devin Anno all in the fold.