After a rough start, the Old Rochester Regional High School/Fairhaven boys hockey team is playing strong in the stretch before the playoffs. A 3-1 win over Wareham/Carver on Sunday night has the team hoping a tournament berth will follow. 

“I couldn’t be prouder,” said coach Chuck Jancaterino. “They’re sticking together, playing well and here we are.”

This season marks the first with Jancaterino, a physical education teacher at the school for 21 years, at the helm. He took over for longtime coach Eric Labonte who ushered the team to multiple division championships during his tenure. Jancaterino noted the team’s record was 3-7-0 at one point.

“We weren’t having much success,” he said.

However, that changed over the past few weeks as the team skated to four wins in seven games.

The team’s record is now 7-7-3 with playoffs starting on Feb. 25. The team needs to earn three points in the next three games to secure a playoff spot, though.

“It’s going to be difficult because we’ll be facing Division 2 teams,” said Jancaterino. ORR/Fairhaven is a Division 3 team.

Sunday’s game had the team leading the entire time. ORR/Fairhaven scored in the first period and twice in the third, once on an open net as Wareham/Carver attempted to tie the game with less than 1 minute left.

The team’s next game is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 17 against Plymouth South at Tabor Academy. The puck drops at 7:15 p.m.