Thibedeau one of five seniors honored

Published February 4, 2021

By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI

PEABODY — It was a successful Senior Night for the Peabody-Lynnfield-North Reading High co-op girls’ hockey team last Friday as they beat visiting Beverly-Danvers-Ipswich 4-1 at the McVann-O’Keefe Rink in Peabody.

That win improved the Tanners’ mark to 6-1 overall and they are in first place in the Northeastern Hockey League.

“The seniors set the tone,” said PLNR head coach Michelle Roach. “Jade (Moynihan) also stood out in net for her first game.”

Moynihan, a sophomore, found out she was making her first career start just a couple of hours before face-off and she made 15 saves as the Tanners outshot BDI, 25-16.

PLNR scored just 1:24 into the game as Catie Kampersal lit the lamp assisted by Penny Spack.

With 6:40 remaining in the second, North Reading’s Jenna DiNapoli made it 2-0 with Spack picking up her second assist.

Jen Flynn made it 3-0 only 24 seconds into the third assisted by fellow Pioneer Hannah Gromko.

The visitors got on the scoreboard with 3:26 left and pulled their goalie with a little over a minute left.

Elise Staunton then closed out the scoring with an empty-net tally with one minute remaining, assisted by Flynn.

Before the game, the five PLNR and four BDI seniors were honored. North Reading senior Paige Thibedeau was one of the five honored. 

“Although we are scheduled to play 14 games, we wanted to make sure we had a Senior Day in case there were any problems later with COVID,” explained Roche, as the league will not have a league playoff after the season. 

Sink Clippers 3-1

On Jan. 27, the Tanners beat Newburyport 3-1 also at home.

The Clippers scored first with 10:17 left in the opening period. However, the Tanners scored twice later on in the first. With 7:31 left, Kampersal scored assisted by Flynn and Chloe Shapleigh.

Flynn then gave the locals the lead for good with 5:28 remaining as Gromko and Speck both assisted.

Late in the third, the Clippers pulled their goalie for the extra attacker and Reilly Ganter scored on the empty-net with nine seconds left.

“We killed a 5-on-3 advantage in the second which was big for us,” pointed out Roach.

North Reading’s Audrey Buckley improved to 5-1 in net as she made 10 saves.

PLNR outshot Newburyport 21-11.

On Feb. 3, the team played host to Masconomet at the Essex Sports Center in Danvers after press time.

PLNR welcomes Marblehead at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 6.