MIDDLETON — Eight weeks on the sidelines rehabbing a broken collarbone had Chase Ruberti hungering to get back into the Essex Tech lineup.
Wednesday night in the Hawks’ playoff opener, the junior defenseman from Middleton was feeling no pain at all after scoring his first career goal.
Ruberti’s shot from inside the left point late in the first period proved to be the game-winner as third seeded Essex Tech mowed down visiting Foxborough, 6-2, in a Division 3 first round clash at the Essex Sports Center.
“It was such an unreal feeling to score your first goal in a playoff game … and for it to be the winner for us, wow,” marveled the 16-year-old Ruberti. “I saw it go into the net after I shot it, and I just lit up.
“Being out of the lineup for so long with that injury, especially this season, when I was getting my first real playing time, was hard,” he admitted. “That’s why it feels so good to be back and help us win.”
Essex Tech (17-3-1) head coach Mark Leonard acknowledged that Ruberti is one of the team’s friendliest and most popular players, and he was thrilled to see him rip the twine for the first time.
“He’s just one of those kids that everyone loves,” Leonard said of Ruberti. “He was playing so well over the summer and when our season started, but then wiped down into the boards during one of our practices, and the next day couldn’t move. It was broken, and we felt so bad for him. But he persevered, got healthy and has come back and really been contributing the last 6-7 games. That goal was huge.”
The Cape Ann League champion Hawks will welcome Hopedale-Milford (10-11), a 3-0 upset winner over Somerset-Berkley Wednesday night, into the Essex Sports Center Saturday (12:10 p.m.) for a second round playoff joust.
Ruberti, along with junior Ted Tsoutsouris and senior captain Brady Leonard, all had a goal and an assist for the victors while 11th grader Brian DeLisio dished out a pair of assists.
Leonard, who was named the Cape Ann League’s Most Valuable Player earlier this week, hit the 30-goal mark with his score. He leads the North Shore in goals and points (51). Already the program’s all-time leading scorer, he’s one shy of 150 for his career.
Linemate and right wing Jaydan Vargas, another senior captain, had one assist Wednesday and is two points away from hitting the 100-point mark.
Junior goalie Teagan Moreau made 11 saves in the Essex Tech win while his teammates put 42 shots on Warrior goalie Jack Pessa.
Michael Ruo scored for Foxborough just 1:16 in to give the visitors a surprise early lead. But Essex Tech responded as Ben Rehal and defenseman Riley Sobezenski tallied 85 seconds apart to give the Hawks a lead they’d never relinquish. Rehal one-timed a Brian DeLisio pass from behind the net to tie it up, and Sobezenski pinched down low and roofed a feed from captain Andrew McKenna for his second goal of the season.
Ruberti then broke into the scoring column by wiring a shot from the left point through traffic before seven minutes had gone by.
The 31st seeded Warriors (10-11-1) got within a goal on captain Leo Campbell’s tally six-plus minutes into the second frame. But again the Hawks responded, with Leonard gathering up a loose rebound in the crease and lifting a backhand home for a power play tally.
Third period lamplighters from Tsoutsouris and senior Mikey Cann put an exclamation mark on the victory.
“We did what we had to do to win,” said Mark Leonard. “Now that we have one playoff game under our belt, it’s time to get back to focusing on what we need to do to win games.
“We already reminded our guys that we were upset at home in the second round last year (by Somerset-Berkley) and need to be focused this Saturday so that it doesn’t happen again.”
Essex Tech 6, Foxborough 2
at Essex Sports Center, Middleton
Foxborough 1 1 0 2 Essex Tech 3 1 2 6 First period: F, Michael Ruo (Finlay Campbell, Connor Reardon), 1:16; ET, Ben Rehal (Brian DeLisio, Ted Tsoutsouris), 4:21; ET, Riley Sobezenski (Andrew McKenna), 5:46; ET; Chase Ruberti (Brady Leonard, Anthony Bisenti), 6:56.
Second period: F, Leo Campbell (Nikko Charadonna), 6:12; ET, Leonard (Jaydan Vargas, Cam Casey), ppg, 12:13.
Third period: ET, Tsoutsouris (DeLisio, Mason Sutcliffe), 6:03; ET, Mikey Cann (Tyler McHugh, Ruberti), 6:03.
Saves: F, Jack Pessa 36; ET, Teagan Moreau 11.
Records: ET, 17-3-1; F, 10-11-1.
Contact Phil Stacey
@PhilStacey_SN