JACK CARPENTER (7) leads the Pioneers in goals with 3 through the first two games of the tournament. The junior had 2 goals in a first round win over Foxboro and a goal and 2 assists in a second round win over Methuen. Lynnfield, ranked 2nd in D3, will play No. 10 Triton in a quarterfinal matchup on Wednesday night, 8 p.m. at the Stoneham Arena. (File Photo)
By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
PEABODY — Last Saturday afternoon, the Lynnfield High boys hokey team knocked off Methuen, 5-2, at the McVann-O’Keefe Rink in Peabody in the MIAA Division 3 Round of 16 state tournament game.
With that victory, the second-seeded Pioneers improved to 20-1-1 while the 15h-seeded Rangers ended the year at 13-6-3.
“They are a good, little team,” said Pioneers head coach Jon Gardner. “They battled us for a while but we were able to put a lot of shots up.”
Leading, 1-0, after the opening 15 minutes, the Pioneers took command in the second outscoring the Rangers, 3-0, in the second stanza.
Lucas Cook had the first-period tally 3:25 in assisted by Drew Damiani and Jack Carpenter.
In the second, Cook lit the lamp again on the power play for the second goal just 1:17 in. Carpenter and Jared Scoppetuolo both got assists.
Dylan Damiani made it 3-0 with 9:11 remaining assisted by his brother, Drew, and Tim Sullivan. Carpenter then had the third goal of the period with 7:57 left assisted by Drew Damiani and Cook.
Early in the third, the Rangers finally got on the scoreboard as Owen Kneeland scored 50 seconds in.
Jaret Scoppettuolo then made it 5-1 on the power play with 7:44 left in the game. Drew Daminai picked up his fourth assist of the afternoon and Aiden Norton also assisted.
Methuen had the final goal of the afternoon as Kneeland notched his second goal with 4:13 remaining.
Lynnfield outshot the Rangers 44-18, as Pioneer goalie Dan McSweeney made 16 saves.
“The senior captains (Cook and Drew Damiani) really came through in their final home game,” stated Gardner, as the pair finished with two goals and five assists combined.
In the Round of 32 game on March 1, the Pioneers blanked guest Foxboro by a final of 5-0 in a game Lynnfield dominated. With the loss, the 31st-seeded Warriors ended the year at 8-13-1.
“Although we didn’t score in the first period, we were all over them the entire game,” said Gardner.
After a scoreless first period, the Pioneers struck twice in the second.
Nick Lucich scored the first goal assisted by Tim Sullivan and Dylan Damiani 2:25 in. Carpenter then scored the second goal at the 8:23 mark assisted by Lucich and Scoppetuolo.
LHS then pulled away in the third netting three goals. Carpenter scored 4:16 in assisted by Drew Damiani and Cook. The Damiani brothers then combined on the next goal with 9:26 left as Drew scored assisted by his younger brother Dylan.
Ryan Hooper had the final tally with 1:59 remaining assisted by Deven Henehan.
McSweeney picked up his first-ever playoff with 14 saves as the Pioneers outshot the Warriors on net 55-14.
“Their goalie played well,” said Gardner, as Trevor Marder made 50 saves.
The Pioneers will take on a team they are very familiar with in the D3 quarterfinals as they will face Triton on Wednesday evening .The game will take place at the Stoneham Arena and face-off is at 8 p.m.
The Vikings, who are the 10th-seed, enter the game with a mark of 13-7-2.
n the regular season, LHS was 2-0 against the Vikings. On Dec. 17, they beat them, 3-1, at home and on Jan. 25, the Pioneers won on the road 4-2.
“We know that each game is a separate event,” said Gardner, about trying to beat them a third time. “We can’t get too cute.”
If the Pioneers can win that game, they will play either Nashoba Regional or Medfield in the state semifinals (date, location and time unknown as of press time).
