MAURA FLAWS, of Lynnfield, had an assist in PLNR’s 2-1 win over Pope Francis in the Sweet 16 on Sunday. The No. 9 Tanners will take on No. 1 Notre Dame of Hingham on Wednesday night, 8 p.m. at the John Ryan Arena in Watertown. (Eric Evans Photo)
After press time: Peabody-Lynnfield-North Reading falls to Notre Dame of Hingham 2-0 (March 6)
By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
SPRINGFIELD — On Sunday afternoon, the Peabody-Lynnfield-North Reading co-op girls’ hockey team traveled west to Springfield to take on Pope Francis at the Smead Arena in the MIAA Division 1 state tournament Round of 16 game.
It was a fun ride home for the Tanners as they won, 2-1.
Shirley Whitmore was the hero scoring the game-winning goal with 6:10 left in the game. Mia Lava and Lynnfield’s Maura Flaws both assisted.
Eleni Spack scored the first goal of the afternoon in the second period with 9:29 remaining. Alexa Pepper and Erin Dee assisted.
Kaitlyn Ondrick tied the game in the third on a slap shot on a 5-on-3 power play with 8:40 left in the game.
Late in the third, the Cardinals had two other power play chances but the Tanners were able to kill both of them.
Tanner goalie Alyse Mutti made 19 stops while Cardinal net minder Felix Goeckel made 18 saves as both teams had 20 shots on net.
With the victory, the 9th-seeded Tanners improved to 18-4-2 and they will take on top-seeded Notre Dame of Hingham on March 6, 8 p.m. in the quarterfinals at the John Ryan Arena in Watertown. Notre Dame enters the game with a record of 16-4-2.
The 8th-seeded Cardinals, meanwhile, ended the year at 13-8-2.
In the opening-round game on Feb. 28, the Tanners edged guest Winchester, 1-0, at the McVann-O’Keefe Rink in Peabody.
Lynnfield’s Catie Kampersal had the lone goal of the night scoring with 8:38 left in the opening period. Abby McInerney assisted.
Mutti was the star of this game turning back all 31 Red and Black shots as the Tanners had only 17 shots on net.
Winchester goalie, Molly Hillier, made 16 stops.
The 24th seeded Red and Black, who play in the very tough Middlesex League, ended the year at 9-10-2.