THE LHS boys’ hockey team celebrates’ Anthony Calla’s game-winning goal in double overtime of a state tournament victory over North Middlesex. (Shlok Kudrimoti Photo)
By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
FRANKLIN — The season came to an end for the Lynnfield High boys’ hockey team on Saturday evening as the Pioneers lost, 4-1, to host Medfield at the Pirelli Veterans Arena in Franklin in the MIAA Division 3 Round of 16.
With the defeat, the 15th-seeded Pioneers ended the 2024-2025 campaign at 10-12. Meanwhile, the 2nd-seeded Warriors improved to 20-1-1 as they will take on Melrose in the quarterfinals on March 6 at 5 p.m. in Woburn.
The Warriors led 2-0 after the first period and also after the second. They then scored the first two goals of the third before Owen Considine lit the lamp assisted by Brendan Driscoll midway through the third.
“They have a very solid team,” said Lynnfield head coach Jon Gardner. “Their goalie also played well, especially in the second period when we outplayed them.”
In the opening period, Matt Dickson scored the first Warrior goal while his younger brother, Luke, had the second tally.
Although the Pioneers outplayed the Warriors in the second stanza, Medfield goalie Charlie Duggan, stood tall keeping the Pioneers off the scoreboard.
Early in the third, John Shaughnessy scored to make it 3-0 and then Joey Nee had the final Warrior tally.
Medfield out-shot the Pioneers 29-23 as Lynnfield goalie, Mike Marenghi made 25 saves.
In the first round on Feb. 26, the Pioneers won a thrilling, 5-4, game over visiting North Middlesex that was decided in double-overtime at the McVann-O’Keefe Rink in Peabody.
Anthony Calla was the hero in that game scoring the game winner assisted by Owen Considine, setting off a wild celebration.
“It was one of the most memorable games in our team’s history,” stated Gardner. “We had to comeback twice and Angelo (Covino) made a huge save on a breakaway in overtime to keep the game going.”
Lynnfield trailed 2-1 after the first period and 4-3 after the second.
Braden Amidon gave the Patriots a 1-0 lead early in the first period. Driscoll tied it later on in the period assisted by Considine.
Amidon netted his second goal on a power play later in the first to give the guests the lead going into the second.
Early in the second, Amidon got his hat trick on another power-play tally.
Calla then scored his first goal of the evening on the power play assisted by Nick Kelter.
Lucas Deraps tied the game on another power play goal assisted by Calla
The Patriots, however, were able to regain the lead with just over a minute left in the second when Joshua Cruikshank scored.
With a little over a minute left in the third, Gardner pulled Covino for the extra attacker and Considine tied it with 29 seconds left assisted by Calla.
The teams then played a 4-on-4 eight-minute overtime period that became a 3-on-3 second overtime period.
Covino made 22 stops in net to finish at 6-4 as the Pioneers out-shot the Patriots 28-26.