THE HORNETS warm up before their 1-0 win over Essex Tech on Dec. 29 at the Hawks’ new on-campus rink. Pictured in net is freshman Blake McMeniman who teamed up with senior captain Sam Elliott to earn a shutout for the now 4-1 Hornets. (NRHS Athletics Photo)
By DAN ZIMMERMAN
DANVERS — Despite a little rust after a prolonged layoff, the North Reading Hornets closed out 2021 with yet another win, edging the Essex Tech Hawks in a classic 1-0 hockey nailbiter.
Senior blue-liner Cole Lopilato provided the lone goal early in the second period and the Hornets made it stand-up to improve to 4-1 overall and remain even in the win column with Cape Ann League rival Lynnfield, which currently holds a 4-0 mark.
A Christmas Eve scratch by Newburyport, due to several Covid-19 positives, left North Reading with 11 hockey-free days, except for practice sessions. The most recent Hornets’ game, prior to paying a visit to the Essex Sports Center in Middleton last Wednesday night, was contested back on December 18.
“Certainly, going this many days without having a game can have an impact, especially with Essex Tech playing a couple in the meantime,” said North Reading Coach Brian McAuliffe. “But those are the things we have to deal with, especially in a season like this with Covid-related postponements.”
Until they hosted the surging Hornets, the Essex Tech Hawks had demonstrated they were proficient, running up a 4-0 record and yielding only three total goals during that stretch. It was clear, based on the similarity between the combatants, that defense and goaltending would likely be the deciding factor.
The Hornets started with senior Sam Elliott, who was tested with 9-shots through mid-game. But in a surprise move, at least for the spectators, McAuliffe substituted Elliott with Blake McMeniman.
“It was kind of an unorthodox move but that was my decision,” McAuliffe explained. “I felt that both guys were capable. I did talk with them about it and I know for some, going in rusty halfway through a game might not be something they’d want to do. I talked with Blake and he said he was absolutely on board. The result was a two goalie shutout, which is pretty rare.”
The Essex Tech folks would agree. Typically, a “cold” goalie can be an advantage to the opposition but McMeniman proved exceptional, particularly in the third frame when the Hawks, desperately seeking an equalizer, leveled 10-shots on the freshman netminder.
Offensively, the Hornets were sluggish at the outset, obviously a result of the downtime. Essex Tech proved adept at keeping most of the activity out of harm’s way, around the perimeter. Five minutes into the game, Andrew Daley, who is tied in scoring with 4-goals and 2-assists, found a lane from the left circle but Hawks goalie Kyle Mahan was quick to glove the threat.
“Essex Tech is a highly-ranked Division 3 team and they have a lot of skill,” said McAuliffe, when asked about the early struggles of his usually effective forwards. “It’s likely we’ll see them in the State Tournament. They can wheel and they put a lot of pressure on us, clogging things up. But I thought we did the job, adapting, and kicking it back to the defense to dictate where the puck was going next.”
Quality team or not, there’s little an opponent can do to stop Cole Lopilato once he decides to go it alone. Early in the middle frame, the dynamic defenseman collected an errant pass at center ice and stick-handled around three skaters to reach the net. For a moment, it looked like he might run out of room but somehow got enough blade under the puck to lift it over Mahan’s outstretched glove for the go-ahead goal and eventual game-winner.
“First and foremost, he has the speed, vision, and skill,” said McAuliffe of his secret weapon who is no longer a secret after a number of recent end-to-end rushes resulting in goals. “As we’ve seen in the past couple of games, he’s very difficult to stop and he’s fun to watch.”
Aside from Lopilato, McAuliffe gave the nod to senior captain Daley, who “had a great game, dishing out hits and left everything on the ice,” along with senior Matt Ryan who was a stalwart on defense.
But much of the credit for this important win again, belongs to the goaltender tandem, particularly McMeniman, who dealt with a 5-minute major penalty handed to the Hornets early in the third.
“I knew he had the makeup similar to a baseball closer who will go out there and be laser-focused,” said McAuliffe, who faced Amesbury at the Malden Valley Arena on Wednesday evening after press time. “And all the credit in the world to Sam, as well, who is on fire. To have two hot goalies is a good problem to have.”
