THE WMHS boys’ hockey team had its home opener last night at the Kasabuski Arena. Claudia Miksen (center), the daugher of former assistant hockey coach and teacher Bob Miksen, drops the puck to begin the season. To the left of her are the Arlington captains. On the right are Wakefield captains Anthony Funicella, Dylan Melanson, Steve Marino and Ben Yandell.
Published in the December 24, 2015 edition.
By DAN BYRNE
SAUGUS — The Wakefield Memorial High School varsity boys’ hockey team hosted Arlington on Wednesday evening at the Kasabuski Arena in the 2015-16 home opener for the Warriors.
It was not the homecoming the Warriors were hoping for as the Spy Ponders took a 7-0 win.
The first goal for Arlington wasn’t actually a direct shot, it just kind of looped around the boards and deflected off Wakefield goalie Ben Yandell’s stick into the net.
“It was a tough one tonight,” Head Coach Chris Gianatassio said after the game. “We just had a slow start. They came out and scoring a fluke goal in the first couple of minutes, then they scored two more quick ones in the next few minutes to make it 3-0. They’re one of the best teams in the league and they made us pay for a sluggish start.
“We started to play after it was already 4-0,” the coach said. “We turned it around and had a good second half of the period but they scored the first four goals in maybe six or seven minutes.”
After changing goalies things got a little better according to Gianatassio.
“We had Nick Porter come in about halfway through the first period. He really kept us in it,” the coach said. “Porter played about a period and a half then we had Tyler Pugsley come in for the third period to get a little bit of time. We have three goalies who are very good but obviously we can only play one at a time, so it was good to get Tyler some time as well. They all came in and supported each other.”
It was 4-0 after the first period, 6-0 after the second and Arlington got one goal in the third to make it a 7-0 final.
“We need to get better and we need to have a better start,” Gianatassio said. “We had a really bad start but after that we settled in and played better hockey.
Wakefield next plays in the Kasabuski Tournament on Monday against Danvers and Tuesday against either Lynnfield or Saugus.
“Our goal is to win the tournament and get back on track.”
—–
At Kasabuski Arena, Saugus
Arlington………..4 2 1 — 7
WAKEFIELD…..0 0 0 — 0
—–
First Period — Arl, Pigett (un.) 4:07. Arl, Hanley Schescharey, Ovellette) 5:12. Arl, Tomaszewski (un.) 6:11. Arl, Tomaszewski (Healion, Ryan) 8:06. Penalties — Arl, Schescharey (holding) 13:40; Arl, Hanley (roughing) 15:00.
Second Period — Arl, Ovellette (un.) 1:48 (pp). Arl, Ahern (Tomaszewski) 12:43. Penalties — Wak, Marino (roughing) 1:30; Arl, Foran (cross-cheching) 1:50; Wak, Funicella (cross-checking) 2:27; Arl, Connelly (roughing) 8:30; Wak, Guarino (roughing) 8:30; Wak, Marino (boarding) 11:48; Arl, Schescharey (interference) 12:28.
Third Period — Ahern (Messuri, Simon) 10:55. Penalties — Wak, Marino (holding) :59; Arl, Mazzei (tripping) 11:08.
Power Plays — Arlington 1 for 4. Wakefield 0 for 5.
