THE MELROSE High boy’s hockey team is power ranked at #28 after another win last week. (photo by Nadia Del Sonno)

 

 

 

After press time: Melrose falls 4-3 to Wakefield (OT) – Feb 7
Melrose defeats Burlington 1-0 (Feb 10)

 

 

Published February 9, 2024

Wright’s 2 goals tops Watertown, 3-2

By JENNIFER GENTILE

SAUGUS—The Melrose High school boy’s hockey team has won two of their last four games in something of a late season turnaround with a hard fought 3-2 win over Watertown on Saturday, Feb. 3 at Kasabuski Arena in Saugus. With 5 games on the schedule—mostly all Freedom league games—Melrose could be in a position to reach a post season appearance in playoffs. As of Tuesday, Melrose was Power Ranked #28, with top 33 spots qualifying.

Against Watertown, Melrose senior Jack Wright had two goals in the game. While Watertown was first on the board early in the game, Melrose was not fazed by it.

“We didn’t panic and get down in the dumps like we have been earlier in the year. That was a great sign,” Melrose coach Joe Ciccarello noted. “Even down one we played well, just didn’t get enough bodies in front. We fixed that in the 2nd.”

Melrose’s Jack Wright scored his first of two goals to tie things up and teammate Brendan Healy got the 2nd goal on a power play. “Brendan had a great persistent digging out front on a rebound,” notes his coach.

At net, junior goalie Matthew Fuccione got the win. “Matt’s played really well and has been in the last few games,” says Ciccarello. “We have two very good goalies so we will ride the hot one. Both are such great kids and work hard everyday in practice.”

And he had plenty of help on defense. “As a team we are putting a ton more focus on our zone,” notes the coach. “Covering players, getting sticks, not an area. It has been helping. Everyone plays defense. Heading toward the end of the season those are the players that will get more time, the ones that take care of our zone first.

Wright earned the game winner, a redirection shot with assists going to Brendan Doyle (two for the day)

Ciccarello credits Watertown, a historically strong team. “They’re always tough. They play discipline and stay in their roles. Tough to play against,” he says.

As the regular season approaching its end, there is a feeling that the team understands the sense of urgency and is acting on it. “We have 12 seniors certainly don’t want to end their high school hockey career not getting in the tourney,” says the coach. “So a heightened sense of urgency for all things we do and pay attention to the details has been team focus.”

As they finish their Freedom schedule in the coming week, there are a few things they’d like to focus on. Notes the coach, “Take one shift at a time. We must learn and focus on the little details that have made us successful lately. Hard work, focus on our zone, and getting gritty. The goals are in the dirty areas. We have to go in there and get them.”

They will travel to the Burlington Ice Palace for a 2:15 p.m. game on Saturday. And on Feb. 17 they will celebrate their Senior Night. The best may be yet to come.

“I love these kids,” the coach says. “They do everything we ask outside the ice. We put on a youth clinic this past Sunday and they were all great. I hope they commitment themselves to the team and put ‘we’ over ‘me’ the rest of the way and lets just see what happens.”