MAURA FLAWS and the PLNR girls’ hockey team pushed their winning streak to six with a 6-0 win over Medford-Malden on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. (Eric Evans Photo)

 

 

After press time: PLNR defeats Masconomet 5-2 (Jan. 20)

 


By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI

PEABODY — The Lynnfield-North Reading-Peabody High co-op girls’ hockey team hosted Medford-Malden on Martin Luther King Day at the McVann-O’Keefe Rink in Peabody. The Tanners ended up winning the morning contest 6-0 to improve to 8-1 overall and 8-0 in the Northeastern Hockey League. It was the team’s sixth-consecutive win.

Erin Dee had the first period goal while Yasmine Giacalone made it 2-0 in the second period.

In the third, the Tanners erupted for four goals.

Alexa Pepper had the first one 1:24 in. Shirley Whitmore then scored a power play goal at 10:03 from Lynnfield’s Catie Kampersal and Leah Buckley for the fourth one.

Ava Buckley scored at 6:56 unassisted off an end-to-end rush and Giacalone closed out the scoring with 37 seconds left off the rebound from Ava Buckley for her second tally of the day.

Tanner goalie Alyse Mutti recorded her fourth shutout of the winter improving to 8-1 in net.

“The first power ranking of the season came out last Friday and we are currently ranked 5th in Division 1,” pointed out Tanners head coach Michelle Roach.

On Jan. 10, the Tanners had another shutout win as they beat host Masconomet, 5-0, at the Haverhill Valley Forum.

Pepper scored twice in one shift to get the team off to a great start. Her first goal was scored at 11:11 in the first from Buckley and Kampersal followed by her second goal at 10:35 from Eleni Spack.

Buckley scored on a drop-back pass from Kampersal with 3:22 left in the first.

Buckley then struck again in the second 1:01 in as Daniella White assisted.

Whitmore had the final goal at the 10:03 mark of the third assisted by Kampersal and Buckley and that goal came on the power play.

On Jan. 6, the Tanners edged host Marblehead, 2-1, at Rockett Arena on the campus of Salem State.

Kampersal became the hero scoring the game-winning goal with only three seconds left in the game assisted by Pepper.

Whitmore scored at 8:29 in the first on a rebound of a shot by Mia Lava.

Marblehead scored the equalizer at 6:13 in the second as Ava Schultz lit the lamp.

“Unfortunately, there was confusion down below and Marblehead was able to break free for a quick one-timer from the slot,” pointed out Roach.

The Tanners controlled the territorial play for most of the evening but Lady Headers goalie Scarlet Lee kept her squad in the game.

“(Lee) played exceptionally,” stated Roach. “She did a great job at getting in front of everything we threw at her. I am proud of my group for recognizing we were fighting the puck a bit but through their battle and continually pushing until literally the horn went off we were able to come away with the win.”

The next game for PLNR is on Jan. 20 as they host Masco looking for the season sweep. Face-off is at 4 p.m.