Warriors still searching for first win, suffer 4-1 setback

JAMES MCAULIFFE, a senior forward, skates up the ice with the puck. The Warriors took on rival Melrose on Saturday night at the Kasabuski Arena. Wakefield played the Red Raiders tough until the final period when Melrose pulled away for a 4-1 victory over the Warriors. (Donna Larsson File Photo)

JAMES MCAULIFFE, a senior forward, skates up the ice with the puck. The Warriors took on rival Melrose on Saturday night at the Kasabuski Arena. Wakefield played the Red Raiders tough until the final period when Melrose pulled away for a 4-1 victory over the Warriors. (Donna Larsson File Photo)

By DAN BYRNE

SAUGUS — It was a rivalry matchup that went the way you might expect a typical rivalry to go as the Wakefield Memorial High School varsity boys’ ice hockey team hosted Melrose High at the Kasabuski Arena on Saturday night in a contest filled with plenty of emotion.

The contest featured 18 penalties (nine for each team) and five goals scattered in among the scuffles and scrums. When the final buzzer sounded Melrose emerged victorious on the scoreboard winning the game, 4-1.

Head coach John Pellerin felt his team put forth the necessary effort against its closest foe.

“These boys skated their back sides off,” he said afterward. “We were right there. We had them on their heels.”

Wakefield was the first team to go a man down. In an unusual sight, Warriors’ goalie Ben Yandell was called for tripping just a couple minutes into the first period. Nick Hill served the minor penalty, which Wakefield escaped unscathed with the 0-0 score still intact.

With the teams playing at even strength, there was some decent hockey for stretches of time, with both sides creating scoring opportunities. Melrose outshot the Warriors 9-6 in the first.

It was Melrose that had the breakthrough score as Zack Mercer and Brian McLaughlin linked up to find Jack Hickey, who scorched one by Yandell to put the visiting Red Raiders in the lead.

Wakefield killed off another tripping penalty, this time Dylan Melanson was called for the infraction at 12:32.

Melrose had its first player sent to the box just seconds before the first period ended. Sean Connolly was whistled for interference at 14:08, meaning Wakefield would begin the second period on the power play.

In the second period, things got rough. Melrose players were sent to the penalty box four times, while Wakefield’s skaters were disciplined five times in the period.

The second wasn’t short of a little controversy either, as the net appeared to come off its mooring at 4:46 when Melrose’s McLaughlin shot off the post and in. But the refs convened and ultimately allowed the goal to the dismay of the Wakefield players.

Interestingly, Coach Pellerin did not seem to protest very adamantly as the ruling was explained to him, nor did he mention it after the game.

When the puck dropped once again, Melrose held a 2-0 lead. Perhaps it was the flail of desperation from the Warriors skaters to climb out of their two goal hole but something sparked them after that goal was allowed, and the physicality intensified on the ice.

The inevitable end to that shift in play is that players were called for penalties. Unfortunately for Melrose, its first 2 came a mere 18 seconds apart, meaning Wakefield had a two-man advantage.

The Warriors capitalized on the 5-on-3 advantage as Dom Bruno found Dave Melanson to cut the lead in half for the home side. The goal resulted one of the confined Melrose players to be released back onto the ice and the Red Raiders were able to minimize the damage by not allowing Wakefield to score again.

The shots were even 8-8 in the second period and, with the score 2-1, the teams took the ice to start the third period.

“We got to the third period and we were still down 2-1,” said Pellerin. “We had two power plays and we didn’t capitalize on those. Up until that seven minute mark, we were there, seven minutes to go, we were one goal away. We had two power plays but didn’t capitalize on that.”

Melrose killed off all of its penalties in the third and seemed to be able to weather the storm churned up by Wakefield cranking up the pressure on offense.

Committing more players to the offensive part of the game left Wakefield itself exposed defensively. The first instance of Melrose exploiting the Wakefield defense came at the 8:30 mark when McLaughlin picked up a loose puck at center ice, skated around one defender and found himself alone with Yandell in the Wakefield half.

The Red Raiders’ winger let a shot fly but Yandell was quick to react and denied McLaughlin from re-establishing the two goal advantage.

Melrose added to its lead as Hickey jumped on a loose puck at center ice and found himself on a 2-on-1 break. Hickey left the puck for Cal McDonald, who zipped one by Yandell to make it 3-1 Melrose.

The Red Raiders added a fourth goal, as Ryan Feeny’s one-on-one effort was turned away by Yandell, but Steve Guitaduro was there to clean up the rebound and make it 4-1 in favor of the visitors.

Wakefield’s skaters never slowed down but now time was working against them. Melrose opened the door a little for Wakefield in the final few minutes as it couldn’t avoid the penalty box. But the Warriors were unable to capitalize on any further man advantages.

“I think the fundamental side of things got us tonight,” Pellerin said. “In a couple of situations we back-checked all the way to the net and stopped a 2-on-1. But then the puck squirted out in the wrong direction and, boom, they scored a goal.”

Wakefield gave its best effort on Saturday but wasn’t able to come home with the victory.

“The kids have been working hard, the effort is there,” Pellerin has noticed. “They come to practice and they’re eager and willing to learn and continue to strive toward getting better. We’re so close to having that result. We’re in every game.”

The coach recalled how his team had performed to start the year.

“We’ve played seven games and given up a total of 21 goals,” he said. “And the first game was seven goals. We’ve tightened our defense down we just haven’t fixed our offensive challenges.”

The road doesn’t get any easier for the Warriors as the next time out they face Burlington on Wednesday at 8 p.m. at the Ice Palace.

“It’ll be a tough one,” Pellerin said. “We’ll just keep working hard at it, (we’ll get) back to work on Monday to get prepared for Burlington.”

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At Kasabuski Arena, Saugus

Melrose…………….1  1  2 — 4

WAKEFIELD……..1  0  0 — 1

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First Period — Mel, Hickey (Mercer, McLaughlin) 8:12. Penalties — Wak, Yandell, served by Hill, (tripping) 2:09. Wak, Dy.Melanson (tripping) 12:32; Mel, Connolly (interference) 14:08.

Second Period — Mel, McLaughlin (un.) 4:46 (pp). Wak, Da.Melanson (Bruno) 6:43 (pp). Penalties — Wak, Hill (interference) 4:03; Mel, Wells (interference) 5:51; Mel, Karelas (elbowing) 6:15; Wak, Stackhouse (roughing) 8:00; Mel, Mercer (roughing) 8:00; Wak, Hill (roughing) 8:44; Wak, McAuliffe (charging) 11:28; Wak, Bruno (roughing) 12:41; Mel, Mercer (roughing) 12:41.

Third Period — Mel, McDonald (McLaughlin) 11:18. Mel, Guitaduro (Feeney) 13:28. Penalties — Mel, Hickey (interference) :46; Mel, Bench minor, served by Champagne (too many men) 2:30; Mel, Connolly (roughing) 9:33; Mel, Mercer (interference) 13:01; Wak, Dy.Melanson (cross-checking) 13:01; Wak, Bruno (interference) 14:58.

Shots on Goal — Melrose 9-8-16 — 33. Wakefield 6-8-8 — 22.

Power Plays — Melrose 1 for 5. Wakefield 1 for 6.

Goalies — Mel, Brown (22 shots-21 saves). Wak, Yandell (33-29).