UPDATE: Icemen ties Marlboro, splits non-league games and prepares for Vineyard trip to close regular season

 

 

After press time: Lynnfield ties Marlboro 2-2 (Feb 14)
Lynnfield defeats Essex Tech 3-2 (Feb 17)
Lynnfield defeats Hopkinton 7-2, wins Fairleigh Dickinson Tournament (Feb 18)

 

By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI

PEABODY — Last Saturday afternoon, the Lynnfield High boys’ hockey team lost to visiting Scituate, 3-1, in a non-league game at the McVann-O’Keefe Rink in Peabody.

With that result, the Pioneers, who were celebrating their Senior Day, fell to 8-9 overall. Scituate, meanwhile, improved to 14-3-2.

With 2:52 left in the opening period, Luke Ryan scored to give the Sailors a 1-0 lead assisted by James Sullivan.

With 29 seconds remaining in the second period, the visitors struck again as Jon Donahue lit the lamp assisted by Jackson Belsan.

“We talk about allowing goals in the final minute of the period frequently,” said Pioneers head coach Jon Gardner, knowing that those type of goals can be back breakers.

Early in the third, at the 1:11 mark, Jarrett Scoppettuolo got the locals on the scoreboard assisted by Will Norton as he put home Norton’s rebound by goalie Tim McMellen who had 25 saves.

With 1:37 left, Gardner pulled goalie Mike Marenghi (25 saves) for the extra skater but the Sailors closed the door with 1:03 remaining as Donahue scored for the second time.

Lynnfield’s power play struggles continued as they were 0 for 6 against the Sailors.

“The power play has cost us at least four games this year,” admitted Gardner, whose team also had a 5-on-3 advantage in the second period that they could not capitalize on.

There is a chance these two schools could meet in the Division 3 state tournament as the Sailors entered this week slotted at No. 2 in the MIAA power rankings while Lynnfield is ranked No. 5.

The news was much better on Feb. 7 as the Pioneers beat guest Gloucester, 5-2, in another non-league game.

The Pioneers were able to split the season series with the Fishermen as they lost the first meeting, 6-2, back on Dec. 30.

Tim Sullivan was the story in this one as they junior winger recorded his first-career hat trick.

“That was his best game as a Pioneer,” stated Gardner. “He possesses an amazing shot.”

Sullivan scored the first goal at the 6:04 mark of the first period assisted by Jack Carpenter and Nick Kelter.

Sullivan then made it 2-0 only 17 seconds into the second. Kelter and Aidan Norton both assisted.

The Fishermen scored later in the second stanza to cut the lead to one.

Dylan Damiani made it 3-1, 2:51 into the third period assisted by Jake Connell and Marenghi.

Gloucester cut the lead to one again a few minutes later but Sullivan’s hat-trick goal came with 4:39 remaining to make it 4-2.

After the Fishermen pulled their goalie with just over a minute left, Owen Considine scored on the empty net with 54 seconds left to close the door.

“We had one, bad, 10-minute span the first time we played them,” recalled Gardner. “We outplayed them most of that game and all of this game.”

The Pioneers out-shot the Fishermen, 27-21, as Marenghi had 19 saves.

On Feb. 14, the Pioneers will visit Marlboro at the Navin Ice Rink at 6:30 p.m.

The Pioneers then take their annual trip to Martha’s Vineyard this weekend to compete in the Farleigh S. Dickinson Tournament.

On Feb. 17, they take on Essex Tech at 5 p.m. The next day, they will play either Martha’s Vineyard or Hopkinton in the title or consolation game.

The consolation game is at 11 a.m. and the title game is at 1:30 p.m.