Fantastic run for Melrose finishes a 12-win season
BY JENNIFER GENTILE
WOBURN—The Melrose High boy’s hockey team’s joyride season came to an end on March 6 in the Elite 8 round of the Div. 3 MIAA playoffs when they fell to Medfield, 2-0, at O’Brien Rink in Woburn, following two playoff victories.
No. 7 seed Melrose finishes their impressive season at 12-10-1. They were up against a tough Medfield (21-1-1) team but remained one of the last Middlesex League teams standing in the MIAA post season across divisions 1-3, with Stoneham and Woburn having particularly nice runs before bowing out before state finals. Melrose also allowed the least amount of goals in Medfield’s drive to the state finals. (At press time Medfield has advance to the State Finals to battle Nauset this Sunday.)
Medfield defense, however, was incredibly hard to penetrate for Melrose and the Warriors earned a shutout.
“We knew we weren’t going to get a ton of [scoring] chances,” said Melrose head coach Joe Ciccarello after the game. “Just needed a puck-luck goal. We couldn’t, but not from a lack of trying. Their goalie is very good as well as their defense.”
Medfield came to the ice with a lot of big game experience and it showed. Notes the coach, “They’re much older on average and in tight, big tourney games. They’ve been in this game 3 years in a row and lost the last two. So experience and age means a lot.”
Melrose played even in the first period and both teams were deadlocked with no score at the end, making for a gripping game. Melrose senior captain goalie Matt Fuccione held the Warriors scoreless, as did Medfield goalie Charlie Duggan.
Six minutes into the second, Medfield capitalized on a Melrose penalty and scored via Joey Nee. Melrose took plenty of shots in the ensuing moments but Medfield’s Duggan was a brick wall. Medfield took the 1-0 lead doing into the third.
Six minutes into that period, Medfield’s John Shaughnessy hit the Warrior’s second goal of the game, putting them up 2-0, a score Melrose wouldn’t recover from. Medfield held Melrose to only 3 shots in the third, including a nice attempt by Charlie Hoskins, and late in the game Melrose pulled goalie Fuccione, but Medfield defense did what they did best and Melrose took the 2-0 defeat, ending their thrilling season.
According to coach Ciccarello, he was happy that Melrose more than held its own in that scoreless first period. “We executed what we wanted to do very well. We were exactly where we wanted to be going into the second half of the game. We just needed to score to crack them, and get our fans going, to feed off the energy.”
He remains proud of Melrose’s defensive effort, holding a team like Medfield to just two goals. “That has been our three main points all year: the 3 D’s: Defense, discipline and desire. Desire was always there all year and our discipline has improved greatly from last year. Defense was our biggest strength—everyone on our team had a role and responsibility. We held teams at bay all year and when you do get to our goalie, we have Fooch! We know they were not going to score a ton off us. We just had to score.”
One thing is for certain, this team has revived a hockey audience in Melrose. “It was a blast,” says the coach. “They woke a sleeping hockey city and the city came out in droves for them.”
Melrose loses 8 seniors this year: Matt Fuccione, Justin D’Antona, Quinn Haggerty, Brendan Doyle, Jackson Kendall, Aidan Barber, Griffin Brady and Anders Guiliano.
“It’ll be tough to say good bye,” says the coach. “I’ll have to do it with a tear in my eye and head held high, as they have brought this program to a great height. They made sure everyone felt included, had rides. They created a culture in the locker room that is the foundation of a successful season. They are a tribute to their families, school, and city. To see them grow and become the young men over the last 3 years has been so great for me as a parent, educator and coach. They will always be part of the Melrose hockey family. Heck, they helped build it.”
When the time comes to turn the page, Melrose will look to continue their winning ways in 2026. They return a lot of starters and scorers.
“We move to Div. 2 next year and that won’t be easy,” say Ciccarello. “We have to rise up to that challenge. We know we have talent coming back, a good 8th grade class coming in, and who knows who might come back to MHS. We will get to work this summer. We want to always play hockey in March. It’s a memory these kids will have for a lifetime.”
Coach Ciccarello and his staff would like to thank the wider Melrose hockey community for the incredible support. He says, “To all the alumni, students, school administrators, teachers and community members for the overwhelming support. From packing rinks to the well wishes, it made it so special and says a lot about this community. We will be back.”