THE PLNR girls’ hockey team takes on Winthrop at McVann-O’Keefe Rink on Dec. 29. The Tanners host Marblehead on Saturday night. (Courtesy Photo)

 

By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI

HAVERHILL — In a day game last Friday during the Holiday break, the Peabody-Lynnfield-North Reading High co-op girls’ hockey team defeated host Masconomet, 6-1, at the Haverhill Valley Forum. With that win, the Tanners improved to 4-1-1 overall and 4-0-1 in the Northeastern Hockey League.

The Chieftains, meanwhile, fell to 2-3 overall and in the NHL.

Jenna DiNapoli, who is from North Reading, opened the scoring with just over five minutes left in the first period assisted by Catie Kampersal. PLNR then made it 2-0 with 2:33 left when Ella Chase (North Reading) lit the lamp assisted by Penny Spack.

In the second period, Spack and Chloe Considine scored back-to-back goals in a 14-second span to make it 4-0. Spack’s tally, at the 5:27 mark, was assisted by North Reading’s Caroline Burton. Considine’s goal, with 5:13 remaining, was assisted by Avery Bird.

The Chieftains got on the scoreboard with 44 seconds remaining in the second on a Kailyn Willa goal as the score was 4-1 heading into the second intermission.

In the third, goals by Catherine Sweeney and Considine rounded out the scoring. Sweeney scored with 9:19 left assisted by Kampersal. Considine’s goal came with 7:57 left and was assisted by Ava Buckley and Vanessa Steinmayer who are both from North Reading.

Alysa Mutti (3-0) was the winning goalie turning back 15 shots as PLNR outshot the Chieftains 33-16.

“It was a good way to end 2021,” said Tanners head coach Michelle Roach. “That win keeps us in first place in the league.”

On Dec. 29, the Tanners were tied by visiting Winthrop, 2-2, at the McVann-O’Keefe Rink in Peabody in a penalty-plagued game.

The officials called a staggering 15 penalties in this contest which featured three total power-play goals.

The Vikings struck early as Julia Holmes scored unassisted just 1:11 into the game.

DiNapoli tied it on the power play with 2:02 left in the first assisted by Sarah Powers and Hannah Gromko.

After a scoreless second period, the Vikings took the lead 2:17 into the third as Mia Martucci scored, unassisted, on the power-play.

Powers got the game-tying tally, also with a man up, with 8:34 left in the third. That goal was also unassisted.

In the five-minute overtime session there was no scoring, although the Tanners did have a power-play opportunity.

“It was a very physical game,” pointed out Roach. “They have a strong team and we were evenly matched with them. It felt like the entire third period some team was on the power play.”

PLNR was 2 for 6 on the power play while Winthrop was 1 for 5.

The Vikings outshot the Tanners 33-20 as Tanner goalie Audrey Buckley made 31 stops to go to 1-1-1 in net.

“Audrey was fantastic,” stated Roach, about the senior co-captain from North Reading.

On Wednesday (Jan. 5) the Tanners hosted Newburyport at 5:15 p.m. They welcome Marblehead on Saturday with that game starting at 4 p.m.