Warriors blanked by Danvers in Kasabuski Tournament opener
GOALIE BEN Yandell braces for a shot from Danvers’ Nic DiSciullo as defenders Logan Dunn (#2), Ben Coccoluto (#11), and Dylan Melanson (#15) surround the Falcons player. Wakefield was blanked by Danvers, 2-0, yesterday afternoon in the opening round of the Kasabuski Christmas Classic. (Donna Larsson Photo)
By JIM SOUTHMAYD
SAUGUS — The one positive that the Wakefield Memorial High boys’ hockey team can take away from the opening round of the Kasabuski Christmas Classic is that the penalty killing unit did a magnificent job of killing all of the Warrior penalties.
The negative, however, is that the Warriors were forced to kill a host of penalties, including two major infractions in the third period, which never really gave them a chance to win the game.
Wakefield was shut out by Danvers, 2-0, yesterday afternoon at the Kasabuski Arena in a South Division game of the tournament. As a result, the Warriors played Lynnfield (6-5 losers to Saugus yesterday) this afternoon in the consolation game for the South Division.
Wakefield fell to 0-2-1 overall on the season and is still searching for its first victory. Not coincidentally, Wakefield is also seeking to score its first goal of the winter.
“We lost some battles and then in the third period we lost many more,” said coach John Pellerin. “Ben Yandell did a good job in goal but we didn’t generate enough offense. We lost too many face-offs and we took too many penalties. We’ve got to do a better job offensively and create more quality scoring opportunities. We can’t take the long shots. We need to get the odd man rushes and then bury the shot. If we can do that, then it will be a whole different game. But tomorrow is a new day and we’ll came out and battle.”
Neither team scored in the first period and Wakefield held a slight edge in shots. However the Falcons (3-2) changed all that within the first minute of the second period. Ryan Buchanan, from near the right post, redirected a puck past Yandell. Stephen Ganley earned the assist with the pass/shot from the top of the right circle.
The Warriors killed off a penalty and then had a brief two-man advantage. However it was right after the second penalty had expired that the Falcons took a 2-0 lead with a 2-on-0 odd man rush. Kyle Cahill took a pass in front from Robert Tibbetts and buried the shot at 8:55. Also assisting on the goal was Tom Mento.
Danvers led 2-0 after two periods and outshot Wakefield, 7-6, in the middle frame.
However it was the third period where the Falcons really dominated against the Warriors. Danvers outshot Wakefield, 19-3, and that was a result of the Warriors being assessed five penalties in the frame. Two of those penalties were major hitting from behind infractions at 11:01 which resulted in Wakefield being two men down most of the remaining time of the third. Danvers was called for a tripping penalty at 13:24 of the third which resulted in a 4-on-3 situation.
The Falcons had many scoring bids but was repeatedly denied by Yandell in between the pipes and the Warrior defense on the penalty killing unit. One of Yandell’s best saves came late in the period as he made a glove save on a wrist shot by Troy Fleming.
Even though Wakefield didn’t let up a goal in the third period it couldn’t erase the deficit and lost to the Div. 2 North tournament power.
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Kasabuski Christmas Classic
At Kasabuski Arena, Saugus
First Round
Danvers……………0 2 0 — 2
WAKEFIELD……..0 0 0 — 0
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First Period — No Scoring. Penalties — None.
Second Period — Dan, Buchanan (Ganley) :26. Dan, Cahill (Tibbetts, Mento) 8:55. Penalties — Wak, Brown (interference) 4:42; Dan, Buchanan (holding) 5:48; Dan, Weimert (cross-checking) 7:01; Dan, Mento (misconduct) 10:04; Wak, Noyes (misconduct) 14:09.
Third Period — No Scoring. Penalties — Wak, Brown (hooking) 1:14; Wak, S.Melanson (tripping) 2:15; Dan, Deinstadt (tripping) 6:33; Wak, Salamone (charging) 9:59; Wak, Bruno, major, (hitting from behind, misconduct), served by Da.Melanson, 11:01; Wak, Funicella, major, (hitting from behind) 11:01; Dan, Ganley (tripping) 13:24.
Shots on Goal — Danvers 2-7-19 — 28. Wakefield 3-6-3 — 12.
Power Plays — Danvers 0 for 6. Wakefield 0 for 3.
Goalies — Dan, Taylor (12 shots-12 saves). Wak, Yandell (28-26).
