NICK KELTER and the No. 15 LHS boys’ hockey team is set to host No. 18 North Middlesex in a first round matchup on Wednesday night, 7:15 p.m. at the McVann-O’Keefe Rink. (Shlok Kudrimoti Photo)
MIAA state tournament updates after press time:
Lynnfield falls to Medfield 4-1 (March 1)
Lynnfield defeats North Middlesex Regional H.S. 5-4 (Feb. 26)
By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
PEMBROKE — It was a rough way to end the regular season for the Lynnfield High boys’ hockey team on Feb. 20 as they were shut out by host Scituate, 5-0, at the Hobomock Ice Arena.
With that result, the Pioneers ended the regular season at 9-11 while the Sailors ended up at 16-4-2.
“They have a good team and they jumped on us right away,” said Pioneers head coach Jon Gardner, as his team was shut out for the fourth time this winter. “We did play better as the game went along.”
The Sailors scored three times in the first period to take command. They then scored single goals in the second and third periods.
One of their first-period goals came on the power play.
“We were also missing Jay (Carpenter) who was sick and that didn’t help,” added Gardner, about his senior co-captain.
Nate Sannella, Griffin Lochiatto, Shane Ryan, his brother Luke and Tommy Lynch had the five Sailor goals.
The Sailors out-shot the Pioneers 29-21.
Mike Marenghi (16 saves) started the game in net and played until the middle of the second period. Angelo Covino played the rest of the game in net and made eight stops allowing one goal.
Lynnfield got the 15th seed in the MIAA Division 3 state tournament after the final power rankings and they will host North Middlesex at the McVann-O’Keefe Rink in Peabody on Wednesday night in a first round game. Face-off is at 7:15 p.m.
North Middlesex is the 18th seed as they enter the game with a mark of 8-9-3.
“They have a very good first line,” said Gardner. “It is going to be a dogfight.”