Cam Marks’ game-winner lifts Melrose, 4-3
Published January 11, 2019
By JENNIFER GENTILE
MELROSE—The Melrose Red Raider hockey team improved to 7-0-1, following a gripping thriller against 2018 Div. 2 state finalist Stoneham on Saturday. Jan. 5 at Stoneham Arena. Melrose prevailed in a buzzer-beating 4-3 win thanks to a goal from Cam Marks to help steal victory in the final seconds of the contest. Marks scored the game winner with 56 seconds left while teammate Joe Lucien had 2 goals and Brendan Fennell had four assists, including the game winner.
Melrose defense, headed by Adam Bain and Liam Crovo, helped stop a dangerous breakaway in the final stretch of the game, while Melrose goalie Mark Dewling fended off offensive shots to ride out the win. The result was the 7th straight victory for Melrose, who continues to move up in Div. 1 rankings.
This is coach Vin Mirasolo’s best start in the six seasons he’s coached the Red Raiders. After the game, he spoke of their effort. “It was a nice win, I think we had some chances we could have taken earlier, but it was a great goal by Cam and a solid job by our defense.”
Being technically undefeated at this stretch of the season is a special thing for Melrose. It doesn’t happen every year. Says the coach, “This is a high skill level team that plays sound hockey. A good mix of experience and youth who are just fun to watch and fun to coach.”
THE MELROSE Red Raider hockey team are 7-0-1 following a come from behind win over Stoneham. (Donna Larsson photo)
Red Raider Brendan Fennell was a nuisance to the Spartans on Saturday, as he has been all season against the opposition. Says Miasolo, “Brendan leads us in points this season for a reason. He never takes off a shift. He leads us in ice time and does so much for us.”
Mark Dewling, meanwhile, clamped down on a tricky Spartan offense at the net. “Mark has played solidly for us,” says the coach. “He blocked a lot of critical shots towards the end.”
With help from their defense, which remains the team’s calling card, Melrose is preparing for a playoff-run season. “Our defense is as good as anyone’s in this league,” says Mirasolo. “Our goal-against numbers are down and that’s what we want to see. Defensively, this starts with Adam [Bain] and Liam [Crovo], but we have a whole unit who has contributed strongly.”
The coach points to the work of Joe Lucien, Will Pierce, Sam Shippee, Nolan Castergine, Ryan Morris, Gavin Crowley and Will Brandon. “We have a solid core, and its helped us win these games.”
On Saturday, Melrose came into the game expecting a competitive Stoneham team and the Spartans lived up to their name. But Melrose struck first when Fennell, along with teammate Andy Calvert, fed Cam Marks the puck for the first score of the game in the first, giving Melrose a 1-0 edge. Joe Lucien scored two goals (assisted by Fennell) before Stoneham tied it up 3-3. Mark’s goal with just a minute left finished the job.
Now, as the halfway mark of the season approaches, Melrose couldn’t ask for a better record to possess right now. They are cracking top 15 lists in Div. 1, where most Super 8 contenders rank. But Mirasolo acknowledges that it’s a long season. “It’s nice to be ranked, and mid season accolades are great, but ultimately they don’t mean anything. We have a tough stretch coming up against Belmont and St. John’s Prep. And after those games we will see where we sit.”
In the meantime, he’d like to see Melrose bring their “A” game to every opponents on the ice. “I’d like to see an overall consistency in our play; to not ‘play up’ or ‘play down’ depending on the team we play. I’d like to see us bring the same sound hockey to each game.”
They get that chance when they take on league rival Wakefield on Saturday evening at 8:00 p.m. at Stoneham Arena.
