GLOUCESTER — The Danvers High hockey team was flying in the third period Wednesday night, playing by far their best 15 minutes of the evening.
Unfortunately for the Falcons, that’s the exact same time that Gloucester goaltender Trey Marrone took his game up another level.
Marrone stopped 14 of 15 DHS shots in the final stanza and finished the night with 30 saves as the Fishermen shut down Danvers, 3-1, at the Talbot Rink.
“Trey was not only the First Star of the game,” said Gloucester head coach Derek Geary of his sophomore puckstopper, “he was also the Second and Third Star of the game, too.”
Whether it was getting his body in front of shots while screened out front or reaching back to make a backhand paddle stop while sprawled out in his crease, Marrone turned in one of his best performances of the season.
The only shot to beat him came on a Falcons’ power play early in the third period, when Cooper Dunham tipped home a Gaven Cooper slapshot from the left point. By that point, the Fishermen (7-7-1) already owned a three-goal lead, and thanks to Marrone’s goaltending acrobatics — particularly when he robbed Falcon Seamus Cary in the crease by pouncing on a loose puck — their lead never subsided.
“That third period we finally decided to play hockey after two subpar periods,” said Danvers head coach Bill Sheehan, whose team fell to 3-8-2. “Being a former goalie myself, I love seeing goalies steal games, and (Marrone) played unbelievable for them tonight.
“But it wasn’t there for us for two periods tonight, and as a coach I have to do a better job of getting them prepared.”
Gloucester went 2-for-4 on the man advantage, cashing in late in the first period to take a 2-0 lead into the first intermission, then again while skating 5-on-4 early in the second period.
Freshman Jackson Harnish came off the lower side boards and put a shot through Danvers goaltender Cody Standring’s (19 saves) pads for a 1-0 lead midway through the first. Captain Giacomo Martell doubled that advantage by getting himself open back post and knocking in a power play tally at 13:51.
Sophomore Sam Sanfilippo — who earlier had robbed Cary on a rebound attempt by blocking a shot in the crease with his torso — made the pass of the night when he threaded the the needle to a wide open Cade Cooper backdoor, and the captain’s PPG increased the GHS lead to 3-0.
“We were pleased with our effort and our passing in the first two periods. Also our defense; we played a fairly sound 30 minutes. “But we knew Danvers plays with a ton of emotion and would come out flying in the third; you could even see it on their bench. But thanks to Trey, we held on.”
“They’re a good team that plays very well on this ice surface. They had us on our heels,” added Sheehan.
Danvers returns to action Saturday at Bourque Arena against Littleton High from Central Mass. (5 p.m.), while Gloucester remains in the Northeastern Conference when it plays at first place Winthrop Saturday (3 p.m.).
Gloucester 3, Danvers 1
at Talbot Rink, Gloucester
Danvers 0 0 1 1
Gloucester 2 1 0 3
First period: G, Jackson Harnish (Cam Amero), 7:34; G, Giacomo Martell (Cade Cooper, Colby Warren), ppg, 13:51.
Second period: G, Cooper (Sam Sanfilippo, Martell), ppg, 5:03.
Third period: D, Cooper Dunham (Gaven Cooper), ppg, 3:22.
Saves: D, Cody Standring 19; G, Trey Marrone 30.
Records: D, 3-8-2; G, 7-7-1.