After press time:
Melrose falls to Burlington 4-1 (Feb. 8)
By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
STONEHAM—The Melrose High girls’ hockey team will have to wait another day to officially punch their ticket to the MIAA playoffs.
On Tuesday, Feb. 5, Melrose was looking for a season sweep of Wakefield after taking down the Warriors, 2-0, back on Jan. 8 in their first meeting. However, the Warriors were able to get a 3-3 tie in this one at the Stoneham Arena.
With the draw, Melrose’s record is 9-5-1 overall and 5-5-1 in the Middlesex League. Playoffs, however, remain likely.
“We really deserved to lose this game,” admitted Melrose head coach Frank Sorrenti. “We didn’t move the puck well on offense so we were lucky to get the one point.”
Wakefield, (1-14-1) scored first as Rory McNeill scored with 7:08 left in the first period. Nora Murray tied the game with an unassisted tally with 3:36 remaining in the first.
Melrose took its first lead 2:02 into the second as Ella Daniels scored assisted by Jessica Zulon and Julia McNeely. The Warriors tied it at the 8:51 mark on a goal by Molly Burns.
Melrose took the lead again, early in the third as Murray scored her second goal with 12:18 left. Daniels got the credit for the assist. Paige Eriksen had the game-tying tally with 2:57 let in the game. Nobody scored in the 4-on-4 five-minute overtime session as each team picked up one point. Melrose out-shot the Warriors on net, 32-29, and goalie Ruby Hansen made 26 saves.
On Jan. 29, Melrose fell to Woburn, 3-1, at the Flynn Rink. It is the second time Melrose fell to the Tanners, as Woburn won the first match-up 4-2, on Jan. 6.
“They came at us in waves and we were unable to generate anything on offense,” said Sorrenti.
Savannah Powers got the guest on the scoreboard at the 13:31 mark of the first period.
With 12:04 left in the second, Brooke Abreu made it 2-0.
Melrose lone tally came with 4:23 left in the second as Daniels scored assisted by McNeely and Murray. Ella Spinazola had the final goal of the night with 11:27 left in the game. Woburn out-shot Melrose on net, 33-14, as Hansen made 30 saves.
On Feb. 8, Melrose will host Burlington, looking for the season sweep over the Red Devils. Face-off is set for noon.
The next two Melrose games are non-leaguers. On Feb. 10 they take on Concord-Carlisle at the Edge in Bedford with that game starting at 4:10 pm. Melrose then hosts Ursuline Academy on Feb. 12 at 6:00 p.m.