Warrior icemen suffer 6-2 setback against one of the league’s best

By JIM SOUTHMAYD

WOBURN — The Wakefield Memorial High boys’ hockey team has faced the iron of the Middlesex League the past week with back-to-back contests against Freedom division power Burlington and Liberty division power Arlington before facing Woburn yesterday afternoon. Woburn may have been the best team of all of three, at least the Tanners may have been the best team in the M.L. Liberty division.

The Tanners scored goals in bunches and used their speed, skill and depth to hand the Warriors a 6-2 loss in a M.L. crossover game yesterday afternoon at the O’Brien Rink.

Wakefield fell to 0-8-2 overall on the season and 0-7-1 in the M.L. Freedom division.

The Warriors held a lead for the first time this season as they scored first at 6:35 of the first period. Junior defenseman Dylan Melanson took a shot from the left point and the elevated shot beat Woburn goalie Sam Best. The assists went to senior forwards Joe Stackhouse and Bryan Noyes.

Wakefield held the 1-0 lead until the Tanners struck for two goals in less than a minute late in the the first period. Woburn also scored a power play goal in the final minute to take a 3-1 lead at the first intermission.

The Tanners had numbers going forward and Tim Doherty scored from in front of the net as he put a shot past freshman goalie Tyler Pugsley, who made his first start in net, at 12:14. Justin Alves and Evan McDonald assisted on the score.

Woburn took the lead for good less than a minute later at 12:58. Alves collected a puck near the right post and lifted a shot into the upper left corner for an unassisted goal.

Wakefield then went a man down as senior defenseman Dom Bruno was sent to the penalty box for interference. Woburn made the Warriors pay with a power play goal at 14:22. From in front of the net, McDonald took a shot that slowly trickled over the line. Alves and Tyler Shaw earned the assists on the play as the Tanners led by a 3-1 tally after the first period.

“They scored in bunches,” said Coach John Pellerin. “They were deeper than Arlington. They had more speed than us behind the net and they’re a skilled team. We scored first and had a lead for the team for the first time. But Woburn is a very good team.”

There was one goal scored in the second period by the Tanners as they extended their lead to 4-1. McDonald took a pass from Joe Santanello while skating down the left side. McDonald fired a wrist shot into the net at 11:41.

Woburn tallied its final two goals in less than 30 seconds early in the third period.

At 2:02, Tim Concannon skated over the blue line and fired a high wrist shot into the goal. Christian Brinkley earned the assist.

Woburn scored its sixth goal at 2:24 as Andrew Palmer took a puck in the left circle and fired a low shot into the right corner of the net. Joe Bishop earned the assist on the goal.

Play a got a little chippy later in the period as there was a scrum in back of the Tanner goal. There were several roughing minors handed out and a player from each team received a misconduct. There was also a bench minor on the Tanners and Wakefield, which was on the power play at the time, had a two-man advantage when all was said and done.

While the Warriors didn’t score on that power play opportunity, they did net a power play goal in the final minute after Palmer was sent to the penalty box for holding. The goal came at 14:25 and was scored by freshman John Adragna, a JV call-up. Adragna took a puck in the left slot and went top shelf of Tanner goalie Tom Connors to make the score 6-2. Sophomore forward David Melanson and junior captain Anthony Funicella earned the assists.

“Tyler Pugsley made his first start for us,” said Pellerin. “We also dressed three JV players and they played on our fourth line. One of those players, John Adragna, scored a goal for us. He’s a freshman and he has been doing well at JV. I was glad to see that. We’ll move on to St. Peter Marian and look for a better result to get the monkey off our back. Woburn was quicker and they are very skilled. Their speed caught us.”

The Warriors play St. Peter Marian in a non-league game tomorrow night at 8 p.m. at the Stoneham Arena. Wakefield will be the home team for the contest.

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At O’Brien Rink, Woburn

WAKEFIELD……..1  0  1 — 2

Woburn…………….3  1  2 — 6

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First Period — Wak, Dy. Melanson (Stackhouse, Noyes) 6:35. Wob, Doherty (Alves, McDonald) 12:14. Wob, Alves (un.) 12:58. Wob, McDonald (Alves, Shaw) 14:22 (pp). Penalties — Wob, Concannon (high-sticking) 1:13; Wak, Bruno (high-sticking) 1:13; Wak, Bruno (interference) 13:44.

Second Period — Wob, McDonald (Santanello) 11:41. Penalties — Wak, bench minor (too many men), served by Adragna, 5:49. Wob, Shaw (slashing) 6:20; Wob, Concannon (cross-checking) 7:58; Wak, Brown (high-sticking) 10:00.

Third Period — Wob, Concannon (C.Brinkley) 2:02. Wob, Palmer (Bishop) 2:24. Wak, Adragna (Da.Melanson, Funicella) 14:25 (pp). Penalties — Wak, Bruno (roughing) 7:14; Wob, Gatcomb (charging) 9:24; Wak, Brown (roughing, misconduct) 9:56; Wak, Bruno (roughing) 9:56; Wob, Concannon (roughing, misconduct) 9:56; Wob, Doherty (roughing) 9:56; Wob, Bench minor (unsportsmanlike conduct) 9:56; Wak, S.Melanson (roughing) 11:41; Wob, Palmer (holding) 13:38.

Shots on Goal — Wakefield 5-5-6 — 16. Woburn 12-8-8 — 28.

Power Plays — Wakefield 1 for 5. Woburn 1 for 5.

Goalies — Wak, Pugsley (28 shots-22 saves). Wob, Best (10-9); Connors (0:00, 3rd, 6-5).