NEWBURYPORT — Saturday afternoon’s Division 2 playoff hockey tilt between Newburyport and Gloucester was one of those high level games that truly could’ve gone either way.
At times it looked like the Fishermen had the advantage, and at other times the host Clippers controlled the play.
The back and forth action made for an extremely competitive, extremely physical and fast paced clash in front of a Graf Rink crowd of more than 1,000 lively spectators. Gloucester had its chances throughout to pull in front, but was never quite able to get over the hump in an eventual season-ending 4-2 defeat.
The two sides were deadlocked in a 2-2 tie heading for the third, Newburyport put one home midway through the final period to jolt in front, and the Clippers added an empty netter in the final second to officially seal the victory.
“I thought it was just an unbelievable high school hockey game; our guys’ effort was incredible and we couldn’t be more proud of the effort that our guys put forth,” said Gloucester head coach Derek Geary, his team wrapping up the year at 11-9-2 with the Sweet 16 setback.
“Credit to (Newburyport). They’re a really hard working team, lot of seniors as well, so it just unfortunately didn’t go our way but I thought it was an amazing game by both teams and I tip my hat to them and wish them well.”
Back in early January, Gloucester hosted Newburyport for a regular season tilt and walked away with a convincing 5-2 victory. That was a long time ago in the scheme of things, however, and the Fishermen knew all too well what they were up against in the win-or-go-home rematch.
Early in the first period, just after Chris Karvelas dinged a shot off the post on the other end, Newburyport got some puck luck and seized the momentum. Finding themselves in the attacking zone, Clippers’ senior forward Colby Arel corralled the puck between the two circles and pulled back to let loose a shot at goal. Arel didn’t get a clean stick on it and the shot wasn’t struck particularly well, but it slowly made its way towards the net and found its way home five-hole.
That particular goal was a backbreaker for Gloucester, which had hoped to get off to a strong start in the hostile environment.
“You never want to give up the first goal on the road like that; it was just an unfortunate sequence of events,” said Geary. “We couldn’t get the puck out and then I think our goaltender lost sight of it and it just kind of trickled in.”
It was tough to tell if Gloucester goalie Nick Tarantino (20 saves) was screened on the play, but regardless it was just one of those unlucky moments that you wish you could have back. Tarantino was largely stout throughout, so it’s tough to blame him on the early strike.
The Fishermen would respond later in the frame, drawing consecutive penalties and benefiting with a 5-on-3 advantage. Following some patient puck movement in the zone on the ensuing power play, Colby Jewell found some space and sniped an absolute laser of a shot through traffic to the top shelf to knot things up.
Newburyport ultimately took a 2-1 lead after one when Will Palermino snagged a steal as Gloucester was trying to clear, dangled a defender and flipped a wrist shot to the back of the net with 2:54 to go in the first.
Despite facing an uphill battle, the Fishermen came out strong in the second and visibly flipped the script. They became the aggressor, dominating possession and firing nine more shots on goal (they had 10 in the first).
Gloucester opened the frame by killing a ‘Port power play and netting the equalizer moments later. This time it was Chris Karvelas who followed up his own shot that was initially thwarted by Clippers’ goaltender Damien Lamb, and punched home the rebound with authority.
By the end of two it remained a 2-2 game, and Newburyport came out with a purpose for the stretch run.
“I said to them after the second period that we’ve been in close games all year against good teams, they’re a good team and we’re in another close game so let’s do what we do: win close games,” said Clippers’ coach Paul Yameen. “We squeaked it out.”
The game-winner unfolded with just under nine minutes to play in the final stanza. Newburyport got out on a classic 2-on-1 break and Palermino sent a pass across the middle to Luke MacIsaac, who finished off the shot into the open area of the net.
Gloucester continued to press from there, but the momentum seemed to change back into the Clippers’ favor following a pair of bone-crushing hits on Jewell. The senior standout absorbed the first one and got back to his feet, attacked the puck to his left and looked to move up ice before getting smushed again and skating gingerly back to the bench.
No whistle was blown on either hit, and Gloucester was swiftly called for a penalty moments later, likely in a moment of retaliation and frustration.
“I thought Kane Brennan’s hit right there on (Jewell), I think that changed the momentum for us,” said Yameen. “That was a bone jarring hit and I think it really woke us up a bit.”
Nobody would have blamed Jewell for sitting out the remainder of the contest, but he somehow shook things off and returned to the ice in crunch time. His play throughout was inspiring, and he helped Gloucester generate some more quality chances in the final minutes, but it ultimately wasn’t meant to be.
Gloucester pulled its goalie with 53 seconds left but weren’t able to get much going and Newburyport hammered the final nail in the coffin with Jack Sullivan’s empty netter right at the horn.
“Colby (Jewell) played like a warrior,” said Geary. “I thought it was just another incredible season for him and he took some brutal hits today but strapped his helmet back on and went back out there. You certainly can’t fault the effort there. Lot of skill but a lot of heart.
“And (Brett) Cunningham, too,” continued Geary. “The whole team came to play. I can’t even single out any of those guys.”
Gloucester finished with 26 shots on goal to Newburyport’s 24. Karvelas, who was simply terrific for the Fishermen down the regular season stretch and into the playoffs, played another heck of a game, as did Cunningham and defenders Joe Orlando and Will Lowthers. Jackson Hakes, Colby Warren, Chris Dailey and Cade Cooper all made their presence felt as well.
It was a tough way to go out for Gloucester, but didn’t take away from the season they had as a whole.
“I thought it was a terrific season. We’ve got a great group of kids that dealt with adversity and handled it well,” said Geary. “Towards the end of the season we started playing our best hockey which I think shows character in a good team. We got healthy and kind of refocused and became the dangerous team that we know we are.”
“It was like the old days with Gloucester when they had the Salah boys,” added Yameen. “They come here it would be a packed house, we go there and it would be a packed house. So usually a tight game like that when we play them and I feel bad for them really. I think either team could’ve won that game.”
Newburyport 4, Gloucester 2
Division 2 Round of 16
at Henry Graf Rink, Newburyport
Gloucester;1;1;0;2
Newburyport;2;0;2;4
Scoring summary
First period: N, Colby Arel (Will Palermino), 13:35; G, Colby Jewell (James Sanfilippo), ppg., 8:28; N, Palermino (un.), 2:54.
Second period: G, Chris Karvelas (Colby Warren, Chris LoJacono), 9:38.
Third period: N, Luke MacIsaac (Palermino, Arel), 8:46; N, Jack Sullivan (Caden Eiserman), 0:01.
Saves: G, Nick Tarantino 20; N, Damien Lamb 24.
Records: G, 11-9-2; N, 18-4-1.