After press time: North Reading falls to Lynnfield 8-2 (Jan. 24)
North Reading defeats Rockport 4-3 on Senior Night (Jan. 27)
By DAN ZIMMERMAN
EVERETT — The explosive offense of the North Reading ice hockey team was on full display last Wednesday evening, as the Hornets, trailing by a goal after two frames, fired the afterburners late in the game to dispense with Northeast Tech.
Led by junior forward Duncan Gulino, who chalked up a natural hat trick, North Reading scored four unanswered down the stretch to lock down a 6-3 win over the Knights.
Winners of four of their last five, North Reading has improved to 6-3 overall, 3-0 in the Cape Ann Baker League, a game ahead of Rockport in the win column. The Hornets also continue to improve upon their MIAA Power Ranking, climbing from 19th place in Division 4 to 16th.
“I told my guys that we are a different team – different people – than we were when that game took place,” said North Reading Coach Brian McAuliffe, when asked about the significant improvement since the first meeting with Northeast, which dealt the Hornets a 6-2 defeat in early December. “That’s the transformation that can take place, especially with a young, resilient team.”
Gulino, who had been “snake-bitten,” as McAuliffe described it, enjoyed a breakout game, scoring all three of his goals in an 8-minute span in the third. Shorthanded and skating on a penalty kill, Gulino was ragging the puck behind the Northeast net, seeking to send it to the front. Finding nobody open, he ripped a backhander from an impossible angle and found top shelf for the go-ahead goal and eventual game-winner. Just 1:24 later, Gulino beat Knight’s goalie William Baker, again while skating a man down.
North Reading has now scored a pair shorthanded in back-to-back games, and in each instance, both goals were tallied in the midst of a single penalty kill.
“We’ve been talking about being more aggressive and trying to disrupt the opposition’s power plays,” said McAuliffe. “Obviously, we’ve been successful.”
The Hornets were out to an early lead as freshman blueliner Jack Hodgin, on a feed from Jacob Freedman, beat Baker on the man advantage for his second of the season.
Minutes later, Northeast pulled even on a two-on-one break, as Joseph Hurley got the better of Hornet netminder Charlie Cooper.
The second period was similar, with each club lighting the lamp once. The Knights climbed into a 2-1 lead when Cal Baglio had one too many pokes at a puck that seemed safely trapped beneath the pads of Cooper, who was sprawled across the crease. The official allowed the goal which drew the ire of the Hornets coaching staff, as well as the North Reading faithful gathered at the Allied Veteran’s Skating Rink in Everett.
It wasn’t long, however, before the Hornets put the disputed goal behind them and knotted the game at 2-2. Freshman Christian Lava, who is currently second in scoring (6 goals, 7 assists), leaned into one from a tough angle, with Nolan DeGregorio picking up a helper.
“We were getting good puck movement tonight,” said McAuliffe. “This is the time of the season where they’re starting to click a little better and those passes a couple of weeks ago that were wayward are now connecting. When you can connect like that through the neutral zone, it’s going to open things up and generate scoring opportunities.”
At the outset of the pivotal third period, the Knights reclaimed a one-goal lead. Luke Baker, who is fresh off a hat trick against Pentucket, evened the game at 3-3 with a one-timer off a rebound of a Tommy Gazda bid in front. Several moments later, Gulino began his quest to join his linemates, Gazda and Baker, in the exclusive hat trick club. His third goal was memorable. With the Northeast goalie out of the net for the final minute, Gazda slipped behind the defense with Gulino trailing. Instead of chipping it in himself, Gazda passed up the easy goal, instead sliding it back to his linemate, who obliged.
“He is a really great teammate, to do that for me,” said Gulino. “Especially considering he’s competing with Baker for points. Each player on our line now has a hat trick. We have to keep this momentum going as we face a number of tough teams in the weeks ahead.”
“The pieces are in place and right now, I feel like we’re all playing to our capabilities,” said McAuliffe. “That’s all I can ask for. My expectation is that we will be one of the best teams in Division 4 hockey.”
North Reading traveled to face the 5-6 Lynnfield Pioneers Wednesday night (results in after press time) and will host 5-8 Rockport in a rematch on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.