Published February 24, 2021
By DAN PAWLOWSKI
ARLINGTON — A first glance at the Middlesex League girls’ hockey bracket might have been disheartening to some Warrior girls’ hockey fans.
With the No. 8 seed, 4-5-1 Wakefield drew top-seeded and undefeated Arlington (8-0-2) in the first round to be played on the Spy Ponders’ home ice at Ed Burns Arena on Feb. 17.
Anything but disheartened, the Warriors, choosing to view the challenge as an opportunity rather than a tall task, gave Arlington everything they could handle, skating right with the Liberty Division champions all night until the buzzer sounded in a 3-1 Spy Ponder victory.
“Every single one of my players worked hard Wednesday night,” said head coach Jacqui Mansfield, a Warrior hockey and Wakefield High alum who finished up her first year as head coach. “We stayed right with a first seed team; it was a great way to end the season.”
Wakefield junior goalie and associate captain Abby Boudreau continued her tradition of spectacular postseason play to conclude her fourth season as Wakefield’s starting goalie, tallying 36 saves and making it clear to the home team early on that any puck crossing her line would need to be very much earned.
Arlington pushed the pace from the start, playing the majority of the first 10 minutes in Wakefield’s zone but Boudreau and the Warrior defense were up to the task. Junior Emma Johnsen, who later scored Wakefield’s only goal of the night, blocked a shot with her skate early, setting a tone most every Wakefield player would follow throughout. Boudreau made two quick saves in a row then trapped a shot from the slot, trying to slow the game down as the Spy Ponders hunted the first goal.
Arlington’s masterful puck possession continued until sophomore defender Charlotte Rossicone picked off a pass and skated it into the offensive zone for Wakefield’s first chance of the game. Freshman Fiona Recene followed with a strong forecheck as Wakefield started to fight back.
Arlington’s first goal came on the powerplay with 12:41 left in the opening period. It was scored on a tipped shot in front.
Wakefield responded well as junior Kayli Porter forced a turnover and started up a 3-on-1. With the defender playing pass the whole way, Porter took the chance to shoot but was stopped by a nice save.
Boudreau continued to stand up to the Spy Ponder pressure. She made 15 saves in the first which felt like a lot until, of course, the second when she made 21.
Johnsen’s unassisted, game-tying goal came with 9:21 left in the first. After Rossicone cleared the puck, a Spy Ponder defender lost control of it while trying to skate it out of her own zone. An alert Emma Johnsen wasted no time in sprinting to the puck, taking a couple strides and putting a perfect deke on the goalie before finishing top shelf.
After some more great defensive blocks from the likes of Porter, Rossicone and junior associate captain Olivia Johnsen, Arlington responded just over two minutes after Wakefield’s goal with an incredible individual effort to make it 2-1.
Wakefield closed on a really strong shift from Porter, Fiona Recene and junior Bailey McDevitt along with Rossicone and Olivia Johnsen on defense. Rossicone did a good job of skating it into the O zone again and McDevitt later recovered it and put a shot on net that was saved.
With Arlington fighting to extend the lead in the second half, Boudreau and the Warriors held strong until about five minutes in when a shot from the point found its way through traffic to make it 3-1. Boudreau had already made six saves in the first five minutes of the second period including a big stop on a one-on-one breakaway. Arlington’s goal came just moments after Porter was robbed on a breakaway bid of her own. It wasn’t quite a one-on-one situation like Boudreau’s previous save as Porter was fighting off a Spy Ponder on the back check but she got a good look with a backhand shot and was stoned on a great pad save.
Boudreau stood tall for the rest of the game as the Warriors struggled to get it out of their own zone.
Captain Sam Colliton moved up to forward from her typical defense position and played well with junior Maeve Recene and freshman Julia Welch. The three put together a relentless forecheck with nine minutes left in search of making it a one-goal game.
Wakefield somehow had the energy to play up in the offensive zone more as the final period went on, but had a tough time getting pucks to the net. Elite puck possession, an organized defense and fearless shot blocking were some of the many traits on display of a No. 1 team – something the Warriors can definitely learn from for future seasons.
As for this season, it was a proud way to finish. Cliches aside, Wakefield will have no doubts that they left it all on the ice.
“I am very proud of the way the girls played,” said Mansfield. “Arlington is a great team and we showed them you can’t take Wakefield lightly.”
Wakefield’s final regular season game was on Senior Night Feb. 16 as they honored captains Colliton and Erin Mulcahy. It just so happened that both players scored their first goals of the season during Wakefield’s convincing 6-0 win over Winchester.
“It was a hard year to be a student athlete and even harder to be a senior,” said Mansfield. “Our seniors, Sam and Erin, have had a great attitude all season. I was happy we got to have a tournament to reward them with. The Middlesex League adding this mini tournament was a great way for Erin and Sam to end their high school careers. It made this weird season feel a little bit normal.”
In addition to Mulcahy and Colliton, Olivia Johnsen scored twice and Rossicone scored once as five of Wakefield’s six were scored by defensemen. Emma Johnsen was the only forward to score. Junior Yana Herzog had two assists, Maeve Recene had two assists, Fiona Recene, Welch and Erin Leary each had one.
“It was good to see my team cheering each other on; the team camaraderie was great,” said Mansfield. “You can tell the girls are happy to see their teammates succeed.”
