ANDREW MARTIN fires a shot on net. The freshman, playing on Wakefield’s first line next to senior captains Bobby DeFeo and Matt Elwell, scored the first goal of the game for the Warriors in the 2nd period during an OT win over Wilmington on Wednesday. (Dan Pawlowski Photo)
By DAN PAWLOWSKI
WILMINGTON — It was only fitting that Wednesday night’s key, boys’ hockey league game between Wakefield and Wilmington would come down to the wire at the Ristuccia Arena.
With the 2nd-place Wildcats just one point back of the 1st-place Warriors in the Middlesex League Freedom Division standings, the significance of the matchup was clear from start to finish.
Wilmington got their packed student section going with a strong, opening period, taking a 2-0 lead into the first intermission.
Wakefield fought back to tie it in the 2nd behind a pair of gritty goals from freshman Andrew Martin and senior captain Bobby DeFeo.
A physical and chippy game led to a stalemate in the 3rd thanks in large part to senior goalie Dom DeAngelis’ save of the year with 1:28 left on a one-timer bid.
In a game always destined for OT, it was the Warriors who had the stamina to win it as senior captain Matt Elwell finished on the rebound off a shot by DeFeo with under a minute to play, sending the Warriors off to celebrate on the glass in front of that rowdy student section now stuck in shock.
In the end, it was about as fun as it gets between two quality teams, both ranked in the top 15 in Div. 2.
Of course, the significance was even greater for a Wakefield squad on the hunt for a Freedom Division title. The Warriors went on to beat Melrose 3-2 on Senior Night Saturday at the Stoneham Arena, bringing their overall record to 9-6-2 and their league record to 7-4-2 (16 points). Wilmington, 6-7-1 in the league (13 points) is now 3rd in the Freedom while Watertown (6-6-3) is 2nd with 15 points and one game left against 5th place Stoneham. Wakefield has two league games left: Wednesday against Stoneham and Feb. 18 against last-place Burlington.
On Wednesday at the “Stoosh” the hometown Cats went up 1-0 just 4:17 into the game on a tough-luck play for Wakefield as the puck bounced to an open forward after a shot block by senior captain Joe Colliton.
About a minute after the Warriors came up short on a power play opportunity, Wilmington struck again on a perfectly executed 2-on-1, one-timer, making it 2-0 with six minutes to go in the period.
That tally got the hometown crowd on their feet, where they stayed throughout most of the game.
DeAngelis, who made 23 saves in this one, kept his team within striking distance with two strong saves tight against the right post to prevent a wraparound and another rebound chance right before the buzzer sounded. Even still, it was Wilmington with all the momentum going into the first break.
Wakefield wasted no time in levying their response in the 2nd as Martin scored on a rebound just one minute in with an assist to Colliton who had the initial shot.
The next 12 minutes was a battle of attrition as both teams looked for chances while playing strong, team defense.
Wakefield killed a penalty with 8:21 left as multiple PK lines stepped up most especially Colliton and sophomore Trevor Veilleux on defense and senior forwards Jack Curran and Sean Hogan.
As the period ticked away with the Warriors working hard to find an equalizer, it was the first line of Elwell, DeFeo and Martin who created pressure and finally cracked a stubborn Wilmington defense.
DeFeo’s tally, one of 14 shots for Wakefield in the period, was the epitome of an all-out, effort goal as all three of Wakefield’s first forward line crashed the net relentlessly until it crossed the line with 2:35 left in the 2nd.
That goal evened the score and sparked what has been one of the best rivalries in the league over the past five years as the two teams had to be separated while they skated off the ice for the second intermission.
That intensity never wavered throughout the 3rd as both teams had some exciting chances with Wakefield outshooting Wilmington 13-7 in the period (and 38-25 for the game).
Those chances came as a result of tired legs, the two teams leaving everything on the ice in hopes of a division-altering goal.
Wilmington thought they had it with 1:28 left.
On a similar 2-on-1 chance that they finished for their 2nd goal, the Cats again perfectly executed the play for a one-time bid in front.
This time, DeAngelis was ready for it.
The quick netminder, a bit unorthodox with his trapper on the right hand, had a powerful push from left to right and flashed that leather in a sprawling effort, deflecting away a shot programmed to fit neatly into the top shelf.
That play drew the loudest response from the Wakefield fans, matched by DeAngelis himself, who let out a roar and earned each stick tap as he returned to the bench with his teammates to get ready for extra time.
The 4-on-4-overtime period was more free flowing but not necessarily faster as the top lines for each team started to battle exhaustion in addition to the clock and the opponent.
Just as it appeared headed for a tie, Elwell ended it.
The center won a draw back to Colliton on the play but couldn’t handle a return pass. Sticking with it, Elwell dove to tap the loose puck away from a forward and back toward a defensemen who couldn’t handle it on the bounce. DeFeo was on the spot, recovering, fighting off a stick lift and maneuvering to get a shot off just in front of the left dot. Elwell had meanwhile skated in front of the cage and was ready for the rebound, which sprung off the goalie’s pad and right to Elwell’s forehand. He smashed it home to set of an epic celebration.
It was Wakefield’s third OT game of the season, their first two both ending in ties against Winchester and Reading on Jan. 27 and Feb. 1.
The Warriors, ranked 9th in D2, will look to take the Freedom crown this Wednesday against the Spartans, 8 p.m. at the Stoneham Arena. They travel to the Burlington Ice Palace on Saturday at 2:20 p.m. and finish the regular season on Feb. 20 against Danvers at the Stoneham Arena.