Published in the March 16, 2017 edition
Jr Patrick Scanlon (25) scores to put the Hornets ahead 1-0 in the 2nd period. Jr Owen Maxwell (background) made a great centering pass for an assist.
By Stephen Martellucci
LOWELL – In the quarterfinal round of the Division 2 North state tournament, the North Reading High hockey team beat Lincoln-Sudbury, 1-0, in double-overtime. In the semifinal round, the Hornets were on the other side of the ledger as they lost to Stoneham, 2-1, in double overtime on March 7th as the Tsongas Center in Lowell.
With the defeat, the second-seeded Hornets ended the year at 16-3-3. Meanwhile, the 11th-seeded Spartans ended up losing to Lowell Catholic, 2-0, on Monday night in the North final at the Tsongas Center to end the season at 13-9-2.
Nick Feliciano was the hero for the Spartans scoring the game-winning goal in the second overtime when it was a 3-on-3 setup with a wrist shot that found the top corner of the net. Nick Federico had the assist.
“We had one of our greatest wins against Lincoln-Sudbury and then have one of our most disappointing losses in this one,” said North Reading head coach John Giuliotti. “This is a tough one to swallow.”
After a scoreless first period, the Hornets struck first as Patrick Scanlon scored with 1:41 left in the second period. James Doran and Owen Maxwell both assisted.
Stoneham tied it up with goalie Peter Barry pulled for the extra attacker as Eric Roberts scored with 24.7 seconds left in the third period to send the game into overtime. Adrian Sousa and Jake Paonessa both assisted.
Barry was pulled with just under a minute left.
In the first overtime session, which was 4-on-4, Stoneham thought they scored but the goal was disallowed by the officials as they lost sight of the puck and it never went into the net.
That set up Feliciano’s heroics in the second overtime as he scored with 3:02 left setting off a wild celebration by the Spartans. Had the second overtime finished, the game would have went into a shootout to decide it.
“They are a well-balanced, team and (Barry) played great,” said Giuliotti, about the Spatans, who play in the very tough Middlesex League.
North Reading goalie, John Day, made 33 saves while Barry had 34 as both teams had 35 shots on goal. Day finished the year at 16-3-3 in net.
