JP CASEY led the Warriors with 2 goals and an assist in Wakefield’s 4-1 win over Peabody/Swampscott/Saugus on Monday night at the Stoneham Arena. (Alicen Encarnacao Racca Photo)
By DAN PAWLOWSKI
STONEHAM — The Wakefield high boys’ hockey team earned their first victory of the season on Monday night at the Stoneham Arena, defeating the Peabody/Saugus/Swampscott co-op team by a final score of 4-1.
The Warriors were the better team in all three periods, outshooting the Tanners 38-15.
Wakefield took a 2-1 lead after one and added single tallies in the 2nd and 3rd for insurance.
The Warrior attack was led by junior JP Casey who finished with 2 goals and an assist. Goals were also scored by sophomores Daniel Curran and John Taylor. Freshman Michael Yianacopolus picked up 2 assists and single assists were credited to senior captain Trevor Veilleux, senior Ryan Metsis and junior Brady Walsh.
Junior goalie David Rocca was locked in from start to finish, picking up 14 saves on his way to a win.
The first period was scoreless for the first 11 minutes and then the two teams combined for 3 goals in the final 3 minutes.
Wakefield was peppering the net throughout the frame, especially on a power play five minutes in when Veilleux had a couple of good looks from the point but the Tanner goalie was up to the task.
Meanwhile, Veilleux and the defense did a good job of clearing the zone and limiting chances for the visitors. Anything the Tanners did get was handled by Rocca, including a nice poke check and later a glove save.
Two of Wakefield’s 15 1st period shots finally found the back of the net, first a tally by Curran followed by Taylor’s.
THE WARRIORS got to celebrate a victory on Monday night after a grueling schedule to start their season. Wakefield will meet Stoneham at the Stoneham Arena on Saturday at 4 p.m. (Alicen Encarnacao Racca Photo)
Curran’s goal was started with a defensive zone face-off win for Casey. Curran, a defensemen, created space and waited for the play to develop, skating the puck up and connecting with Casey through the neutral zone. Casey weaved past a couple defenders and dropped it back; it deflected off Metsis and ended up on the stick of Curran between the dots, allowing him to get a good shot off that he buried for the 1-0 lead with 3:18 to play in the period.
Wakefield added to their lead about 45 seconds later. Veilleux and Yianacopolus had a give and go in their own zone and Veilluex took it up into the offensive zone, sending a nifty backhand pass to Taylor in front who one-timed it in from a tough angle to get the home crowd into it.
Peabody responded with a goal of their own just 15 seconds later to bring Wakefield’s momentum crashing down going into the 2nd but the Warriors had officially won the 1st, 2-1 while outshooting the Tanners 15-3.
Both teams settled back into a stalemate in the 2nd with the majority of the period battled in the neutral zone. Wakefield thought Metsis had a goal after a face-off win from Casey and a shot through traffic by Veilleux found the stick of Metsis, but it was ruled that the Tanner goalie kept it out.
Both teams found some fatigue in the 2nd but it was the Warriors who finally broke through with 2:13 left in the frame when Casey scored an unassisted and shorthanded goal.
With the Tanners on the power play, Casey broke up a pass at center ice and won the race to it on the half-boards, pushing it past the final defensemen and creating a 1-on-1 with the goal that Casey would emphatically win after an impressive backhand to forehand deke that opened the cage up for an easy finish and a 3-1 Wakefield lead.
Rocca gobbled up a point shot and gloved another attempt from the ensuing face-off to send his team into the 3rd up two goals.
Wakefield kept up the pressure in the 3rd, working hard to secure a win that they were hungry for.
Rocca’s save of the day appeared to be with around 8 minutes left on a sprawling glove stop. That is until he topped it with 1:20 left, somehow stopping a breakaway with his blocker. That save created an odd man rush for the home team, starting with Yianacopolus who moved it along the boards to Walsh. Walsh cut towards center ice after crossing the blue line and found Casey who was crashing the net. Casey settled the puck and calmly scored his 2nd of the night to ice a hard-earned, 4-1 win.
Wakefield, who improved to 1-6 on the season, had fought through a tough early-season schedule against some of the best teams not only in the Middlesex League but in the state, including Arlington, Woburn and Belmont. A young team overall, those experiences helped Wakefield find another gear on Monday night that they hope they can replicate moving forward.
The Warriors got back to league play last night at the Kasabuski Rink in Saugus against rival Melrose. Melrose came away with a 4-1 win.
Wakefield will be back at the Stoneham Arena on Saturday at 4 p.m. for a matchup against Stoneham.
