THE MELROSE Red Raider hockey team picked up a needed win over Medford, 3-1 last week. Pictured (foreground) TJ Sullivan and (background) Joey O’Keefe. (Jennifer Gentile photo)
Melrose beats Wilmington, ties Burlington
By JENNIFER GENTILE
MELROSE—The Melrose High boy’s hockey team has picked up their first win of the season after beating Middlesex Freedom rival Wilmington, 3-2 at the Stoneham Arena on Saturday, Jan. 15. Additionally, they played to a tie against rival Burlington on January 11, earning some needed points against Middlesex Freedom competition.
The Red Raiders hosted the Wildcats and enjoyed goals from senior captain TJ Sullivan, along with Jason Pino and Justin D’Antona, which sealed the deal against the Wildcats. Against Burlington, Melrose enjoyed a score from junior Pat Cotter. While Melrose skated to a 5-2 loss to Winchester on Monday, they’re not going to let that interrupt the flow. After a month of challenge in their first half of the season, it’s important to note the growth this young team is displaying.
Head coach Vin Mirasolo sees improvements as they continue their season. And he was pleased with their win over Wilmington. “It was great to get a win. We’re making progress.”
He gave large credit to the goaltending of the team, in this case, a tandem pair who’ve kept Melrose in good shape. “I can’t say enough about the effort of our goalies, Joe Smith and Matthew Fuccione. They’re playing exceptional and are as good as anyone in the league. It’s because of them that we’ve been able to compete to win.” Smith was key in Melrose’s win over Wilmington, and Fuccione held the fort against Burlington as Melrose skated to a draw.
Mirasolo continued. “Our defense is making progress and that’s what we want to see. I think the team is getting comfortable with our systems and is overall making progress.” He pointed to the efforts of junior Joey O’Keefe on the ice. “Joey’s been playing really well on defense and is showing nice leadership out there.”
Melrose has a very busy schedule, which include some non-league games. They host Bedford this Saturday at 4:00 p.m. at the Stoneham Arena and travel to Triton on Monday for a 3:30 p.m. game. They will then embark on their second set of games against their Freedom opponents in the coming weeks.
There is a good chance this team will look different in February than January as they continue an upward trajectory. Says the coach, “I’m seeing a real positive turn on the team, and they’re buying into the systems we’re running. The effort is there and that’s a start.”
