By DAN PAWLOWSKI
STONEHAM — Hockey buzzer-beaters are all but impossible. A puck crossing the goal line just before the clock hits zero is improbable. A puck crossing the goal line simultaneously with the buzzer sounding is astronomical.
So it was on Tuesday night when the Melrose High boys’ hockey team scored a literal last-second goal to beat Wakefield 5-4 in the most exciting game of the season.
After the Warriors iced it with 3.4 seconds left, Melrose pulled the goal and called a timeout to set something up. A face-off win, a blink of an eye and somehow a goal ended it on the spot. They didn’t even have a tenth of a second left to drop the puck once more as a formality.
Of course, were this the NHL, a long replay would’ve ensued. Maybe the Warriors would’ve gotten a chance at overtime.
Instead, Melrose completed a season sweep with an impressive 3rd-period comeback against their rivals at the Stoneham Arena.
Wakefield was in the driver’s seat late thanks to senior captain Trevor Veilleux who completed a hat trick five minutes into the 3rd period, his 3rd goal giving Wakefield a 4-3 lead.
Already an epic battle to this point, the Warriors felt like their 2nd win of the season was loading until Melrose crashed the system and got their packed student section back on their feet with an equalizer through traffic in front to tie it with 3 minutes left.
Physically and mentally exhausted, both teams battled it out until the end with Melrose’s miraculous buzzer-beater setting off a big celebration for the visitors while the Warriors were left shocked.
Of course, few believed Wakefield could hang with their rivals on this night, thanks to record and power rankings (Melrose, 7-7-1, 7th in D3 and Wakefield 1-13-1, 23rd in D3).
That notion seemingly rang true as Melrose sprinted to a 2-0 lead in the first six minutes of the game. That is until Veilleux dispelled it with two first period tallies. Both got his team back to within a goal, helping Wakefield believe with each one.
The senior captain’s breakaway finish under the pad of Melrose goalie Matthew Fuccione made it 2-1 with 6:22 to play. Both teams were just getting started in a wild opening period.
After a goal on a rebound extended the Melrose lead to 3-1 with 2:53 to go, Veilleux again caught the defense off guard, putting on the jets to break free and finishing a snap shot high from in close for his second unassisted tally of the frame.
Both teams settled down in the 2nd. Melrose outshot Wakefield 7-5 in the middle period (and 22-19 total) but the Warriors won it anyways, buckling down on defense and winning battles in the neutral zone.
Just as a 5-on-3 Wakefield advantage was coming to a close, the Warriors converted on the power play with a goal by sophomore Brayden Myette who fired one in from the blue line with junior
Cam Sartori creating traffic in front. Junior Brady Walsh assisted on the goal.
Melrose got a power play of their own with just over two minutes left in the period but junior goalie David Rocca made three big stops to keep it level.
Veilleux’s 3rd goal, a deflection off a shot by junior JP Casey who got the assist, silenced the Melrose student section as Veilleux jumped into the glass in front, reminding the visitors of the home ice in this one.
However, it was that student section that had the last laugh in the end, thanks to an equalizing goal and later the ever-rare hockey buzzer-beater.
Although a win or even a tie would have done wonders for Wakefield’s playoff hopes, they proved they can compete with not only a deep and talented Middlesex League Freedom Division, but also a top-10 team in Div. 3.
The Warriors have four more games to accomplish their postseason dream, starting with a rematch against Stoneham back at the Stoneham Arena tomorrow night at 6 p.m. The Spartans won the first matchup 8-1 on Jan. 11 against an injury-plagued Wakefield team that has since returned multiple key players.