WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — Todd Bebeau sees what was the future of Hartford High boys ice hockey pass his house most any given morning when Colby Boyce leaves for school.
Boyce, Bebeau’s neighbor four doors down, has transferred to Kimball Union Academy. Bebeau, the longtime Hartford coach, is starting the process of figuring out what’s next for the Hurricanes in the goaltending department now that an unexpected series of falling dominoes has given Boyce a chance to take another step toward a high-level playing future.
“It was very last-minute,” Boyce admitted in a recent phone interview. “I found out the week before school started here (at KUA). It was just an opportunity that I kind of had to take, although I felt guilty leaving Hartford so late. I couldn’t say no to it.”
Bebeau expected big things from Boyce when he arrived last winter for his freshman season with Hartford. Boyce delivered, backstopping a 15-7-1 campaign that brought the Canes to within a game of a VPA Division II state championship berth. Boyce posted seven shutouts, a .940 save percentage and a 1.51 goals-against average, all big things for a team that scored only 54 goals in 23 games (2.34 per game).
KUA coach Tim Whitehead noticed.
“He has a nice calm demeanor in the net; he doesn’t get rattled, doesn’t take himself out of position,” the former NCAA D-I college coach said. “I like the way he moves in the net. He’s a very good skater; that’s going to help him continue to improve. He doesn’t play the puck much, which is fine. He has good hockey sense and keeps his head on a swivel. He reads the play well, loves to compete, loves playing. His attitude is fantastic.”
Boyce’s playing options evolved quickly over the summer.
A transfer to KUA would most likely have happened next year. The situation changed when returning netminder Zak Brice, already a 2022 commit to Arizona State, left the Meriden school over the summer for junior hockey with the USHL’s Lincoln Stars. The Wildcats’ other puck-stopper, Finland native Veeti Kohvakka, graduated last spring, and Whitehead had only incoming recruit Charlie Schenkel to man the Wildcats’ net this winter.
So he reached out to Boyce.
“I had pretty strong feelings that he was going to get an opportunity either in prep school or at the junior hockey level,” Bebeau surmised. “It surprised me and his family a little bit how early the opportunity came, but that’s a tribute to him.”
The coronavirus pandemic has presented both Whitehead and Boyce an unusual start to the season.
KUA will only play its seven Lakes Region League rivals in home-and-home sets starting in January; there will be no holiday tournament trips, and the Wildcats’ normal schedule will likely be halved. However, Whitehead has been permitted to start team practices early, and Kimball Union is also getting in autumn exhibitions when it can.
Boyce has appeared in both so far, wins over New Hampton on Oct. 11 and Holderness on Sunday. Whitehead anticipates that Boyce will play regularly in a schedule filled with Saturday and Sunday back-to-backs.
“It definitely will be a little different,” Boyce said. “At the same time, practices are really where I can improve the most and see what helps the most. Mainly, I’m thinking this is the year to prepare and get ready. Next year, I’ll have to be better to get time.”
Boyce, who is a sophomore at KUA, hopes to play NCAA Division I hockey someday, to the point of identifying the University of Michigan as a target. Whitehead’s recruiting contacts make it more likely Boyce will move up to high-level junior hockey in the next couple of years, if he continues to progress.
Meanwhile, Bebeau is back to square one in goal. Rivendell Academy freshman Davey Bradley — a former Upper Valley Storm netminder, like Boyce — will join the Canes through the VPA’s member-to-member program this winter; Bebeau likes what he’s seen of the youngster. Beyond that, the 23rd-year Hartford coach gets a lot of experienced players back, and they’re capable of adjusting their games to better protect their goal.
Bebeau is disappointed to not have a second season with Boyce but isn’t bitter about it.
“Coaches want to be affiliated with good people, and that’s what Colby is,” Bebeau said. “The physical part, he’ll learn.”
Greg Fennell can be reached at gfennell@vnews.com or 603-727-3226.