CAPTAIN CELESTE Scoppettuolo scored a hat trick during Wakefield’s 7-1 win over Melrose on Saturday at Flynn Rink. (Dan Pawlowski Photos)
By DAN PAWLOWSKI
MEDFORD — The Wakefield High girls’ hockey team cruised to their fifth win of the season on Saturday afternoon at Flynn Memorial Rink with an impressive 7-1 victory over rival Melrose.
The Warriors (5-2) were led in this one by center Celeste Scoppettuolo who scored a hat trick. The senior from Northeast Metro Tech, playing in her first season with the Warrior-Golden Knights co-op, was wearing a new “C” on her jersey, joining senior captain Charlotte Rossicone as an official leader of the 2022-23 Warriors.
Scoppettuolo’s first line, which includes senior Grace Seabury and senior associate captain Ava Gustafson, continued – as they have all season – to set the tone with a relentless fore check and consistent scoring.
This line accounted for five of Wakefield’s seven goals on Saturday as Seabury and Gustafson each added one to go along with Scoppettuolo’s three.
Wakefield’s penalty kill got a quick rep just 20 seconds into the game but Rossicone and junior Erin Leary led the way on defense to limit any chances as Wakefield worked on regaining a rhythm afterwards.
That work paid off when Gustafson scored with 9:43 left in the frame after a strong shift from that top line finally wore out the Melrose defense.
Melrose got another power play a minute later but couldn’t get any shots on net as Scoppettuolo had a good clear and Leary made the defensive play of the game, breaking up a 2-on-1 by picking off a centering pass attempt.
Wakefield capitalized on that momentum when Seabury weaved through two zones and multiple defenders before a shot on net forced a quality save but gave Scoppettuolo an open look on a rebound to make it 2-0 with 5:36 left.
Junior goalie Julia Welch (13 saves) made a nice blocker stop towards the end of the 1st and the Warriors entered the first intermission with a lead but probably some motivation in knowing they could turn it up a notch.
The visitors wasted no time in turning that dial in the 2nd period as Scoppettuolo scored just 14 seconds in, putting a quick shot on net that trickled through the goalie for a 3-0 lead.
The Warriors continued to take complete control in the 2nd, outshooting Melrose 13-3 on their way to a total shot advantage of 40-14.
Wakefield’s second line took center stage in the middle period. Freshman Rory McNeil, junior associate captain Fiona Recene and junior Alexis Biscoe showcased strong passing and multiple exciting chances. McNeil scored with 12:38 left in the 2nd for a comfortable 4-0 lead and Scoppettuolo completed her hat trick with 3:46 left in the 2nd before Melrose got on the board late to make it 5-1 after two.
The Warriors maintained their control in the 3rd but the defense stepped up to feature Wakefield’s complete game. Junior Gianna Scoppettuolo had an impressive steal and long skate with a shot on net that almost went in and Leary disrupted another good Melrose chance.
Welch was busy early in the period with a huge stop on a breakaway, which brought plenty of stick taps from the Wakefield bench. She continued to hold strong and later made another highlight reel stop on a deflection, trapping the redirect against her shoulder to stop play. Welch made 7 of her 13 saves in the 3rd.
Scoppettuolo set up Seabury’s goal in the 3rd after an impressive deke around a defenseman at the right dot before sliding a pass across to a waiting Seabury who slammed it home to make it 6-1 with 2:58 left.
Recene finished the scoring soon after, and the Warriors sent their fans back home through the Fells with a 7-1 win and plenty of anticipation for what they could accomplish this year.
The Warriors will rematch Melrose back at Flynn on Wednesday at 6 p.m. before getting ready for a huge game against 6-2 Stoneham/Wilmington on Saturday, 6 p.m. at the Stoneham Arena.