After press time: Lynnfield defeats North Reading 8-2 (Jan. 24)
Lynnfield falls to Amesbury 6-4 (Jan. 27)
By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
PEABODY — In the season opener on Dec. 9, the Lynnfield High boys’ hockey team fell to host Triton 4-3. Last Saturday afternoon, the Pioneers were able to avenge that loss, beating the visiting Vikings, 5-2, at the McVann-O’Keefe Rink in Peabody.
With that win, the Pioneers improved to 5-6 overall and 3-2 in the Cape Ann League. Triton, meanwhile, fell to 7-5 overall with the loss.
Triton, who knocked the Pioneers out of the state tournament last winter, scored the first two goals but Lynnfield was able to flip the switch and scored the game’s final five goals.
Triton scored twice in the first period including a shorthanded one with one second left as Alex Pasquini and Josh Hersey both lit the lamp.
With 9:48 left in the second, Evan Rocha scored the first Lynnfield goal assisted by Devin Henehan and Jack Neenan to cut the lead to 2-1 heading into the final 15 minutes.
In the third, Owen Considine scored the game-tying tally unassisted 1:48 in. He then scored the eventual game-winning goal with 11:47 left assisted by Will Norton and Nick Kelter.
Jack Carpenter then scored a shorthanded goal with 1:43 left in the game assisted by Tim Sullivan and Aidan Norton.
The final tally came on the empty net with 18 seconds left as Will Norton scored.
“In that first game against them we beat ourselves,” said Pioneers head coach Jon Gardner. “We out-shot them, 15-2, in the first period but found ourselves down 2-0, so I was proud of the way we were able to overcome the early adversity.”
Lynnfield out-shot the Vikings 38-16, as Pioneer goalie Mike Marenghi, made 14 stops. Marenghi improved to 4-4 in net with the win.
On Jan. 24, the Pioneers will host North Reading at 8:15 p.m. They then host Amesbury on Jan. 27 at 4 p.m.
