Participating in a scrimmage of alumni against current players, the former Boston University star let his competitive side run wild. Players note that this was not abnormal -- the 46-year-old Corazzini took a shot off his shin Tuesday and brushed it off.
"It starts with coach Corazzini," said Evan Nee, a senior captain from Arlington. "He's a great coach, a great leader, a great mentor around school. He's always lifting us up."
Fresh off the program's first trip to the NEPSAC quarterfinals, Corazzini has the Lions roaring to a 6-0 start, bookended with a head-turning 51-8 goal differential.
Corazzini, who won his 200th career game in a recent 8-1 shellacking of Brooks, has transformed this prep school of 380 students into one of the best hockey programs in New England.
Collegiate jerseys dotted the ice, from Richard Gallant sporting Harvard threads, to a pair of Yale and Air Force jerseys, and many high level Division 3 tops. Those players have bought into his culture.
Speaking glowingly of his time playing for the late Frank Bellefeuille in Framingham youth hockey, Corazzini suited up for St. Sebastian's before captaining BU (2000-01) and later reaching the NHL, spending time with the hometown Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks. Now as the director of wellness at St. Mark's, Corazzini uses his role to build relationships with his players that transcend the X's and O's on the ice.
"It's awesome to have a friend, someone in your life that you can always go to -- that makes the hockey side of it easier," said junior forward Will Manchuso, who previously starred at Concord-Carlisle.
Rather than individual wins, Corazzini points to moments like Air Force junior Brendan Gibbons texting him that he had clawed his way into the lineup before his first collegiate game. Or Gallant and Yale senior Tucker Hartmann embracing after a fiercely contested rivalry game despite never playing together at St. Mark's.
"That's what you're doing it for," said Corazzini.
The relationship extends well beyond Gardner Rink.
Corazzini challenges his players to one-on-one basketball, squash matches, and ping pong. That competitive bond filters down through the leadership group and across the locker room.
"Tight group in the locker room that brings it onto the ice," said junior Caiden Pellegrino, an Uxbridge resident. "Scoring from up and down the lineup, deep team -- that's the key to success."
The 5-foot-8-inch, 155-pound Pellegrino, committed to Providence, has an impressive 22 points (nine goals, 13 assists) through six games. Nee (11 goals, six assists) oozes leadership, but also brings a dynamic scoring touch. Nee started his four-year career as an energy, complementary player; he now drives his line.
"From Day 1, you knew Evan was going to be a leader," said Corazzini. "Infectious energy. When one of your best players and leaders comes to the rink each day with that energy, it's hard not to follow that."
Other local standouts also have reached double digit points, including junior Cam MacPherson (Hopkinton) and sophomore Keith Olympia (Lincoln-Sudbury).
The 6-foot Manchuso stands out as the team's "can't miss" player. Committed to Dartmouth, he is one of four players playing high school hockey in Massachusetts on the NHL Central Scouting preliminary players to watch list, currently mocked as a fourth- or fifth round draft pick.
His cordial demeanor off the ice transforms into a bit of snarl when he puts the pads on. He can dominate games. Every time he jumps over the board, watch out.
"He doesn't understand how good he is," said Corazzini. "When he does, it's 'oh boy.' He skates as fast as anybody. He shoots as hard as anybody. When he goes, it's scary."
With the majority of last year's core back from a first-round loss, the Lions' success has painted a target on their backs. With the results comes a sense of responsibility to return to the Elite 8, and as Nee put it, "finish the job."
▪ It took overtime, but Barnstable was able to halt Nauset's 39-game regular-season unbeaten streak Wednesday with a 2-1 takedown at Charles Moore Arena in Orleans, with Brody Nighan scoring both goals. The Red Hawks had lost four times to Nauset during the streak, never by less than three goals. Nauset, 24-0-1 in last year's run to the Division 3 title, had not lost in the regular season since Dec. 13, 2023, at Nantucket and was dealt its first defeat since dropping the Division 3 final to Marblehead on March 17, 2024.
▪ With a 6-2 victory over Somerset Berkley in the opening round of the Prenda Cup on Wednesday, Taunton coach Kris Metea moved into a tie atop the leaderboard for most wins (133) behind the bench for the Tigers, matching Steve Matthews. Metea, who played at Taunton in the early 2000s, is in his 15th season. Taunton plays Diman in the Prenda Cup final Saturday.
Saturday, No. 3 Pope Francis vs. No. 8 BC High, Martire Family Arena, 5 p.m. -- The Eagles finally drop the puck on their season in the Sacred Heart Tournament in Fairfield, Conn., where the Cardinals will be waiting with a 2-0-1 record already.
Tuesday, No. 5 St. John's (Shrewsbury) at No. 18 Arlington Catholic, Ed Burns Arena, 2 p.m. -- The Pioneers will have had six days since taking Pope Francis to overtime.
Tuesday, No. 7 Xaverian at No. 12 Winchester, O'Brien Rink, 5 p.m. -- It's the first nonleague game of the season for the Red & Black, who'll be hoping to contain a Hawks offense that delivered nine goals in its opener.
Tuesday, Scituate at No. 13 Marshfield, The Bog, 5:20 p.m. -- Meeting for the only time this season, can the Sailors make it three straight against their Patriot League neighbors without a loss? Scituate is 1-0-1 vs. Marshfield over the last two seasons, including a 1-0 victory last season.