Gardner gets 100th win, Damiani, 100th point for LHS hockey

By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI

PEABODY — In an afternoon game on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Lynnfield High boys’ hockey team edged Westwood 3-2, at the McVann-O’Keefe Rink in Peabody. With that non-league victory, the Pioneers improved to 9-0-1 overall.

Nick Lucich scored the game-winning goal with 3:07 left assisted by the Norton twins, Will and Aiden. Will Norton tied the game just 10 seconds before the game-winner assisted by his brother and Drew Damiani.

“We knew it was going to be a low-scoring game going in,” said Pioneers head coach Jon Gardner. “Their second goal was controversial but by coming back after that shows volumes about our team.”

Jack Carpenter scored the first goal assisted by Damiani in the opening period only 25 seconds in. Westwood tied it in the second period at the 9:01 mark. In the third, the Wolverines took their first lead on the power play 3:22 in when Lynnfield thought the referee stopped play on a save by Dan McSweeney.

McSweeney (9-0-1) made 19 saves as the Pioneers outshot Westwood on goal 22-21.

Last Saturday night, in another non-league game, the Pioneers beat host Groton-Dunstable, 4-1, at the Groton School Rink. Aiden Norton scored first from his brother Will 1:24 into the game. Groton-Dunstable tied the game at one  2:04 later.

Will Norton then gave the locals a, 2-1 lead with 45 seconds remaining in the first assisted by Tim Sullivan.

The Pioneers then capitalized on a 5-on-3 power play later in the second as Damiani lit the lamp assisted by Jarret Scoppettuolo and Will Norton with 3:19 left.

Sullivan had the final tally in the third period with 11:04 left in the game and that tally was assisted by Will Norton and Lucich.

“It was a sloppy game with no flow because so many penalties were called,” explained Gardner as 20 penalties were called overall.

McSweeney made 19 saves as the Pioneers outshot the Crusaders, 34-20, on net.

On Jan. 11, the Pioneers hammered host North Reading, 9-3, at the Kasabuski Rink in Saugus. There were a few milestones the Pioneers accomplished in the win. Gardner picked up his 100^th coaching win, and Damiani had his 100^th-career point assisting his brother Dylan’s goal. The other milestone is that Will Norton posted his first-ever hat trick.

Lynnfield came out the gate strong netting five goals to lead by thee after the first period. They led 6-2 after the second as Scoppettuolo scored.

Carpenter and Owen Considine had the other LHS goals.

“We got down 2-1 and then started playing how I know we can,” recalled Gardner, who wanted to credit his players over the years, including this year’s squad, for helping him reach the 100 win mark.

Lynnfield, who improved to 4-0 in the Cape Ann League, outshot the Hornets on net, 41-21, as McSweeney made 18 stops.

The Pioneers were ranked 1^st in the latest Div. 3 power rankings.

The team has the rest of this week off as their next game is Jan. 25 when they visit Triton. That contest is at the Graf Rink in Newburyport and will start at 4 p.m.