By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
SOPHOMORE SHOT. Jared Valade, number 13 for the Hornets, takes his shot on net. (Stephanie Tannian Photo)
NORTH READING — Last Saturday afternoon, the North Reading High School boys hockey team beat Peabody, 5–2, in the Division 2 North quarterfinals in front of a big crowd at the O’Brien Rink in Woburn.
With that win, the second-seeded Hornets improved to 18-4 while tenth-seeded Peabody ended the year at 10-9-3.
Things did not look good for the Hornets going into the third period as they trailed 2–0. However, the offense erupted for five goals in the third to win going away.
Just 29-seconds into the third, Mike Driscoll scored assisted by Tyler Calos and Jared Potter. A little over a minute later, Jared Valade tied it on a slap shot on the power play. Nick Day had that assist.
With 11:25 left in the game, Calos got the game-winning goal on a breakaway assisted by Jared Potter and Driscoll.
Pat Driscoll made it, 4-2, with 1:03 left in the game assisted by John Merullo. Potter had final tally just 14-seconds later. Calos had that assist.
“I told them to believe in themselves,” said Hornets head coach John Giuliotti. “We were able to use our speed in the third period and go to the net.”
Peabody’s Chris Gillen had the first goal of the day with 57 seconds left in the first period assisted by Ethan LeBlanc. Bob Caproni had the second tally for the Tanners in the second period 1:51 in assisted by Jason Marshall.
North Reading goalie Nick Ponte made 14 saves in net. Peabody net minder Aaron McDonnell, meanwhile, made 23 stops.
“They are a tough, hard-nosed team,” said Giuliotti, about the Tanners.
In the first-round game on Feb. 25 at the Chelmsford Forum, the Hornets blanked Stoneham by a final of 4-0. With the loss the 15th seeded Spartans ended the year at 5–14–2.
Mike Driscoll led the way with a pair of goals while Potter and Pat Driscoll had the two other goals. Calos had two assists while Potter added one assist.
Ponte made 17 saves to post the shutout. The Hornets, who scored once in the second and three times in the third, outshot the Spartans on net 23-17.
Two of the goals came in the final 1:45 and the final one was on the empty-net.
“They are a dangerous low-seeded team,” said Giuliotti. “They play in the very tough Middlesex League and came in very battle-tested.”
On Wednesday night the Hornets faced 11th seeded Haverhill in the semifinals at the Chelmsford Forum (results not available at press time).
If the Hornets won that game they would play the Masconomet- Concord-Carlisle winner next Monday night at the Tsongas Center in Lowell (starting time to be determined) in the North final.
