THE MELROSE Red Raider hockey team played a competitive Div. 2 playoff opener against Tewksbury but fell 6-2 last Thursday on the road. Pictured Jason Pino (19), Pat Cotter (20) and TJ Sullivan (12) (Jennifer Gentile photo)

 

 


Puts up great fight in loss to #1 seed Tewksbury

 

By JENNIFER GENTILE

MELROSE—The Melrose High boys’ hockey team’s season ended on March 3 at The Breakaway Arena in Tewksbury when they opened their Div. 2 playoff run against #1 seed Tewksbury and fell, 6-2. Melrose’s entry into the Div. 2 playoff fold proved curious given their regular season record of 1-18-1, but that win/loss ratio was enough to secure the last seed in the Div. 2 bracket at #32, based on their strength of schedule (Div. 1 heavy). And, don’t let the game score fool you. It was Melrose’s strongest effort of the season as they kept pace with the Redmen over three periods with scores of 1-1 and 3-2. It’s also worth noting that Melrose recently moved to Div. 2 after decades of competing as a Div. 1 team.

Scoring for Melrose were senior captain TJ Sullivan (1 score, 1 assist) and Jason Pino. Two Tewksbury empty netters in the final minutes of the game resulted in this slightly misleading score. Tewksbury’s Jason Cooke would score first before Melrose’s Sullivan shot an equalizer that carried the Red Raiders to a 1-1 tie at the end of the first, a score no doubt the Redmen weren’t anticipating. Tewksbury’s Caden Connor would do the rest of the damage, but not before Melrose’s Jason Pino was fed an assist by Sullivan to make it a 3-2 score late in the game, not the score many would have predicted with a #32 seed facing a #1 seed.

Tewksbury certainly had the shot advantage and Melrose freshman goalie Matthew Fuccione went above and beyond at the net, with incredible saves over the night. His work, plus goalie Joey Smith, prevented what might have been a double digit loss against a tough-as-advertised Tewksbury offense. No doubt “Foosh” (Fuccione) was a frustration to Tewksbury’s skilled shooters over the night. “He played exceptionally,” says Melrose coach Vin Mirasolo of Fuccione. “Both he and Joey [Smith] all season have played phenomenally out there. They two of them, stat wise, have almost identical numbers with goals-against and minutes played. They were certainly rock solid for us all year.”

While there was a general sense the Redmen, as favorites, would pull away with a win, Tewksbury couldn’t have felt too comfortable with a small lead of 2-1 going into the third. In fact, the Redmen clung to a tie of 1-1 and small leads of 2-1 and 3-2 most of the game.

 

FRESHMAN MATTHEW Fuccione at the net was a big advantage for Melrose in their Div. 2 playoff opener against Tewksbury, who knocked Melrose out last Thursday evening. (Jennifer Gentile photo)

 

“Tewksbury was as good as anyone we’ve played,” says Mirasolo. “And we came into the game prepared, having scouted, and I think we executed our plan well and the team bought into that game plan and I think the result is what you saw on the ice. It was just a real competitive game.”

Melrose’s effort against #1 Tewksbury (17-2-0) proved a few things: Melrose was playing their best hockey at the right time, and it was a reflection of the strength of the Middlesex League, arguably the toughest public league, which gave Melrose preparation to face strong teams from other districts. The Red Raiders proved it not only belonged in the Div. 2 playoff field, but that they were up to the task of playing competitively against a #1 seed, despite their record.

And leading that effort was Melrose senior captain TJ Sullivan, who essentially carried the team on his back this year with 15 goals and 8 assists. He had his hand in 23 of Melrose’s 28 goals. And his grateful coach admired his season’s effort. “These numbers speak to TJ’s role on this team. He’s been so significant for us. He did everything we asked and more.”

On March 7, Tewksbury went on to beat Longmeadow, 3-0, to advance to the Round of 8. Melrose hangs up their skates having left it all on the ice.

“It was a season of ups and downs,” says Mirasolo. “They could have packed it in, but didn’t. Coming into this game tonight, this team was prepared and displayed an incredible work ethic. They wanted to be on the ice tonight and win. Even if we lost, it’s much better to have left on a positive note.”