GLOUCESTER — Saturday dumped an unexpected 10+ inches of snow on Cape Ann. But Saturday night inside the bitter confines of the Dorothy Talbot Rink, the Gloucester High hockey team might’ve dumped Beverly’s dreams of capturing this season’s Northeastern Conference championship while bolstering their own title-winning efforts.
Controlling the contest with their superior skating and commitment to defense, the Fishermen pinned a 3-0 shutout loss on the first place Panthers, giving them a two-game season sweep of their long-time rivals.
Scoring once in all three periods while putting more shots on goal in each ensuing period (from 5-to-8-to-15), Gloucester made a four-way battle for the NEC crown even tighter.
Beverly remains atop the pack with a 7-3-1 record (15 points), but has only one more league contest remaining and no longer controls its own destiny; it needs a lot of help to capture their first crown since 2014.
With the victory, Gloucester (7-3-0) jumped into a second place tie with idle Danvers (6-2-2) with 14 points; each of those teams plays two more NEC games. And Winthrop (6-2-1), whose scheduled Saturday tilt against Masconomet was postponed, has 13 points with three league games left to play.
“It’s frustrating because we knew what was at stake, we knew (winning the title) was in our own hands, and now it’s not,” said Panthers head coach Andy Scott, his team falling to 9-5-2 overall.
“I didn’t see this coming,” he added. “When you’re playing B-minus hockey in your 16th game of the season, that’s not good. I would’ve liked to have seen our (13) seniors bring a little more fire and poise in a game like this.”
The Fishermen (10-5-1 overall) started to turn the tide in their favor midway through the first period and never let up the rest of the evening. Goaltender Trey Marrone turned in his second shutout over the last three games after stopping all 18 shots he saw, including a terrific 2-on-1 save on Beverly’s Coby Malionek four minutes into the third period.
Following that save, Gloucester transitioned the puck up ice and captain Lukas Albano buried an unassisted goal, making it 3-0. While the Fishermen celebrated, head coach Derek Geary pointed to Marrone as if to say ‘You deserve the assist there.'”
“It was a classic matchup of speed and strength. They’re bigger and stronger than us, but this rink helps us get away from that and utilize our speed,” Geary stated after the game.
“Our passing was really good, too. We were supporting pucks and making 5- and 7-foot passes, rather than lug the puck through the neutral zone without making a pass or look for a 50-foot bomb across the middle. Shorter passing makes us faster; that’s when we play our best hockey.”
Sophomore Luke Salah gave the home club a 1-0 lead going into the first intermission after he snapped a rebound off the glove of Panther goalie Ty Chin-Aleong (25 saves). The hosts doubled that midway through the second when Connor Curley stuffed one 5-hole off another rebound from Will Linn, with the visiting Orange-and-Black unable to clear the front of the net in front of their goalkeeper.
“Will’s been one of our best players for the last five games. He’s really come on in the second half,” said Geary. “Our entire third line (wingers Reis LoPiccolo and Connor Mahoney, with Linn in the middle) has been like a secret weapon for us because we play them regularly throughout the game. They give us more depth.”
Marrone and the Gloucester defense, meanwhile, limited the NEC’s highest scoring team (47 goals in 10 league games coming in) from both putting shots on net and creating quality chances.
Scott noted Beverly’s lack of shot volume prevented them from earning offensive zone faceoffs and rebounds out front, which in turn hampered their ability to get any momentum.
“The overall theme tonight was not enough effort and not enough poise from guys who should be poised,” said Scott. “Our best players on the team need to show up, especially in these big games.”
Scott and assistant coach Andrew Irving did praise the continued strong play and work ethic of alternate captain Drew Murphy, who centers the second line and is a key part of the Panthers’ penalty kill. “He just works and works and works,” said Scott.
Geary — who loved the work of Bryce Albano and Jackson Harnish on the penalty kill — said that his team, which has now won in three in a row and eight of its last 10 games, is starting to peak at the right time.
“We played with more confidence (than Beverly) and came out on a mission. Plus, we played to our strengths,” he said. “When we do that, we’re the fastest team in the NEC.”
Gloucester 3, Beverly 0
at Dorothy Talbot Rink, Gloucester
Beverly;0;0;0;0
Gloucester;1;1;1;3
First period: G, Luke Salah (Jackson Harnish, Bryce Albano), 14:41.
Second period: G, Connor Curley (Will Linn, Sam Sanfilippo), 7:38.
Third period: G, Lukas Albano (un), 4:12.
Saves: B, Ty Chin-Aleong 25; G, Trey Marrone 18.
Records: B, 9-5-2; G, 10-5-1.