Boys’ hockey team splits pair of road league games

NOLAN DEGREGORIO and his line including Max Forristall and Tom Gazda are playing at a high level as the Hornets enter the heart of their CAL schedule. (Eric Evans Photo)

By DAN ZIMMERMAN

ROCKPORT — As the North Reading hockey season begins to ramp up, a definitive win-loss pattern had emerged in the early games leading to a 3-3 overall mark. Under the circumstances, considering the relative youth and experience level of this program, the Hornets are in pretty good shape as they prepare to face the heart of their regular season schedule.

To review, North Reading dropped their season-opener to non-league opponent Dracut-Tyngsboro, 5-1, but bounced back several days later, edging Pentucket, 3-2. Hamilton-Wenham handed North Reading a 3-0 defeat but once again, the Hornets rallied with an impressive 4-3 win over Bedford to improve to 2-2. Following an extended holiday hiatus, North Reading suffered a 4-3 overtime loss to Amesbury but responded in Rockport.

“I think we’re a pretty complete team right now and heading in the right direction,” said North Reading coach Brian McAuliffe. “The Rockport game is a pretty good indicator of that.”

McAuliffe was referring to last Saturday’s rout of the Rockport Vikings, which is actually a cooperative team made up of players from Rockport, Manchester, and Essex.

Led by freshman Robert Daley, who added a natural hat trick to his impressive resume, the Hornets dealt Rockport a lopsided 5-1 defeat, moving back to .500 hockey.

“Robbie Daley is just an extremely talented hockey player,” said McAuliffe. “He’s very similar to Cole (Lopilato) from last year, a player who was a threat to score every time he touched the puck. Like Cole, Robbie is able to skate coast-to-coast and finish. He can score in so many ways. He was a relative unknown in the league but I think our opponents are starting to catch on.”

Daley put the Hornets ahead of the Vikings less than a minute into the contest off a feed from junior Nolan DeGregorio. In the middle frame, Daley went to work in earnest, scoring back-to-back shorthanded goals, five minutes apart to complete the natural trick, which is achieved when a player scores three uninterrupted.

Also contributing in this important win was junior Tyler Morello, who added a pair of third period goals. Daley provided the helper on the second Morello tally and currently Daley leads the team in scoring with 6 goals and 4 assists.

Prior to the trip to Rockport, the Hornets faced Amesbury, which was described by McAuliffe as “a team as strong as they’ve ever been.” In the first period, Amesbury took full advantage of a rusty North Reading club that was coming off a 10-day holiday hiatus and went ahead 2-0. The Hornets battled back, however, halving the deficit with seconds remaining in the middle frame. Senior Teddy Suny picked up his first of the year, from Max Forrsitall and Thomas Gazda.

“Max Forrsitall, Nolan DeGregorio, and Tom Gazda are all playing at a high level,” said McAuliffe. “Tom had a goal and two assists in the Bedford game and that was certainly helpful. He is starting to throw his weight around and is coming into his own. But we’re also getting key contributions from guys like Matt Young, one of our senior captains. Matt doesn’t always show up on the scoresheet but he is providing the leadership and grit this young team needs.”

Heading into the third period, Amesbury reestablished a two-goal lead but the tenacious, no-quit Hornets reeled them back with a pair of goals, 8-seconds apart. At 6:59, freshman Christian Lava drilled home his second of the year, from Daley and Forristall and at 6:51, Morello added his third of the year to tie it, from junior Luke Baker. Unfortunately, the overtime segment didn’t go the Hornets’ way.

“I felt we were dominating the game at this stage,” said McAuliffe. “But a fluky turnover led to an Amesbury breakaway and there was little we could do about that.”

Last night, North Reading faced the D3 5th-ranked Lynnfield Pioneers (results in after press time) and will host 4-1-2 Triton at 7:20 p.m. on Saturday.

“The effort has been there,” said McAuliffe. “Barring a few mistakes in the first six games, we could certainly be 5-1 right now. We just have to keep doing what we’re doing.