BEVERLY — For two cities that reside directly on the Atlantic Ocean, it makes sense that some of the goals scored Wednesday night between the Gloucester and Beverly boys hockey teams came in waves.
Unfortunately for Beverly, it was the visiting Fishermen who rode a stunning tsunami of late tallies to a shocking victory.
Trailing by three with under five minutes to play, Gloucester scored four times on its final five shots, all within a span of 3 minutes and 6 seconds, to astound both the Panthers and the crowd at Endicott College’s Bourque Arena while taking home a 5-4 triumph late Wednesday night.
Sophomore winger Connor Curley scored the game-winning goal for Gloucester (5-3-1) with just 64 seconds remaining. Using a Panther defenseman as a screen, he hit the blue line on the left side and fired what head coach Derek Geary called “a fluttering rocket” that found the top shelf of the Beverly cage.
“When Beverly called its time out after we tied it (with 2:34 to play), I didn’t say much for a change because I really felt we had a chance to do something crazy and end it in regulation,” said Geary. “I’m thrilled for Connor; that was his best game of the season and he deserved the goal.”
Another sophomore, Cam Amero, had tied the game at 4-4 after collecting a pass from Curley and beating Beverly goaltender Tyler Chin-Aleong (21 saves) with a stick side wrist shot.
It was a staggering loss for the Panthers (5-3-1), who had a seemingly comfortable 4-1 lead in the third period following a goal by freshman Colby Kaszynski with a little over 11 minutes to play. It was also their first defeat in Northeastern Conference play (3-1-1).
“Playing well for two-plus periods isn’t good enough in this league. You have to play hard and play well for three full periods,” said Beverly head coach Andy Scott. “Sometimes you score again early in the third and get a little too big for your britches and think you can coast … it doesn’t work that way.
“Our league is very even, and Gloucester has some talented guys who can score. If you give them time and space and allow them in your zone too often, they’re going to score.”
Kaszynski’s second goal of the season, coming just after teammate Mikey O’Leary had been denied in alone on GHS keeper Trey Marrone (19 saves), put the Panthers up three for the first time.
Gloucester (now 3-1 in NEC play) took its time out with 6:28 in order to regroup. Two minutes later, defenseman Sam Sanfilippo took a nice pass from freshman Bryce Albano scored on the power play to keep his team within striking distance at 4-2.
“I hadn’t been too happy with our passing for the first two periods,” admitted Geary. “Guys were hanging onto the puck, telegraphing shots, and we weren’t skating as hard as we could. I demanded that we be accountable for moving the puck in the third. So when Bryce made that beautiful pass to Sam and it scores, we started playing our brand of hockey … and things took on a life of their own.
“It’s amazing the chasm between a 4-1 deficit and a 4-2 deficit in hockey,” Geary continued. “Down 4-1 feels like an eternity to come back from, but 4-2 seems attainable. The game takes on a different slant.”
Sanfilippo scored again, with Jackson Harnish assisting, to slice the Beverly lead to 4-3 with 2:49 remaining.
“Gloucester’s a good team and Derek’s a terrific coach,” said Scott. “He called that time out at the right time, and his players responded.”
Amero’s game-tying tally — which Geary never saw, as he was drawing up a potential play for if and when his team had to pull Marrone for an extra skater — happened just 23 seconds after Sanfilippo’s second goal. Beverly then used its time out to try and staunch the bleeding and got a few looks at Marrone, but couldn’t put another one by him. Curley then dramatically put Gloucester ahead with 1:04 left on the scoreboard clock.
After captain Lukas Albano gave Gloucester an early 1-0 lead, Beverly scored four straight goals. Captain Logan Bowen before the first period ended before fellow senior Alex Alexeyev’s opportunistic goal (he picked up a puck that fell of a Fishermen defenseman’s blade out front) gave the Orange-and-Black a 2-1 lead. Defenseman Ryan Everett boomed home a shot from the point to make it a two-goal game after two, and Kaszynski’s goal early in the third period stretched the Panther advantage to three.
Having come off solid back-to-back showings, Scott and his team were left frustrated another potential victory slip away.
“Some of the (13) seniors we have, tonight they were nervous at times and Gloucester took advantage and took the game away from us,” he said. “We weren’t hard enough on pucks or do the right things at the right time. It can all be very fleeting. We’ll see how they respond next time out (Saturday vs. Division 1 North Andover).”
For Gloucester, who will seek their first win at Winthrop’s Larsen Rink in the Geary era when they face the Vikings Saturday (3 p.m.), keeping the momentum from this momentous win is at the top of the priority list.
“Obviously we want to gain confidence from this and have that hunger that you’re never out of it,” said Geary. “I’m hoping that we learn that if you play with a certain level of intensity and turn it up a notch when you’re emotionally down, anything can happen.”
Gloucester 5, Beverly 4
at Bourque Arena, Endicott College, Beverly
Gloucester;1;0;4;5
Beverly;1;2;1;4
First period: G, Lukas Albano (Cam Amero, Cade Francis), 8:42; B, Logan Bowen (Coby Malionek), 11:07.
Second period: B, Alex Alexeyev (un), 3:50; B, Ryan Everett (Malionek, Casey Chirco), 6:24.
Third period: B, Colby Kaszynski (un), 3:37; G, Sam Sanfilippo (Bryce Albano), ppg, 10:50; G, Sanfilippo (Jackson Harnish), 12:11; G, Amero (Connor Curley), 12:34; G, Curley (Lukas Albano), 13:56.
Saves: G, Trey Marrone 19; B, Tyler Chin-Aleong 21.
Records: B, 5-3-1; G, 5-3-1.
Contact Phil Stacey
@PhilStacey_SN