Melrose beats Watertown & Wakefield in thrillers
After press time:
Melrose falls to Burlington 1-0 on Senior Night (Feb. 8)
By JENNIFER GENTILE
SAUGUS—Playoffs seem all but a certainty for the Melrose High boy’s hockey team, who may be posed to not just enter the MIAA playoff but perhaps host a playoff opening game, this after a solid week of Middlesex League play.
On Tuesday, Melrose prevailed in a down-to-the-wire thriller against Wakefield in a 5-4 victory sealed by a buzzer beating shot by Jack Feeney. Last week, Melrose also beat Freedom foe Watertown and tied #2 ranked Woburn (11-2) an effort that has all but sealed a playoff run, as they remain a very strong #7 in Div. 3 Power Rankings with a 8-7-1 record, their best since 2020.
Against Wakefield (1-14-1) Melrose lost an early 2-0 lead and faced deficits of 3-2 and 4-3 before launching a comeback that saw Melrose score off a faceoff with just 4 seconds left on the clock, courtesy of Feeney. Players Anders Guiliano, Quinn Haggerty, Justin D’Antona and Brendan Doyle also had key goals in the game.
“It was a wild game and it’s always tough playing them [Wakefield] regardless of records,” said head coach Joe Ciccarello after the game.
Last Saturday, Melrose also took a 2-1 win over Watertown at the John Ryan Arena, which was their second meeting of the season. Melrose completed the sweep (a previous 5-1 win happened in January) over the Raiders.
Melrose went up early 2-0 thanks to goals from Declan McLean who scored first with assist from Justin D’Antona and Ray Willis IV. D’Antona scored Melrose’s next goals with an assist from McLean. Watertown scored late in the third on a power play, but Melrose held on thanks in part from the work of Melrose goalie Matt Fuccione.
“Fooch was great again. Steady. Keeps us in every game,” said coach Ciccarello. “Watertown is well coached, and we knew they’d come back much different. We didn’t have our best night and their fight had something to do with that. We held on.”
Defense became critical in the third when the Raiders pushed back against Melrose after their late goal narrowed the gap. Says the coach, “Defensively, we challenged our captains to step up in the third and Justin [D’Antona] and Quinn [Haggerty] did that with their effort and took the game over.”
Just three days earlier, Melrose had hosted a very talented Woburn (11-2) team on January 29 at Kasabuski Arena and skated to an impressive 2-2 tie with the Tanners. “They are one of the top teams in the state. Ranked 2nd in D2,” says Ciccarello. “They have what I think is one of the top lines in the state. Last year we played them tough also and only lost 2-1.”
Scoring for Melrose was Justin D’Antona, off an assist from Declan McLean. Melrose’s Ray Willis IV scored the second on a power play with an assist from McLean.
It was another solid effort at the net for Fuccione. “He was steady and focused,” says his coach. “He’s our captain for a reason. He made many 10-bell saves and always gives us a chance against anyone in the state.”
Ciccarello credited his whole defensive unit for their work. “I thought Justin and all of our defensemen played real well, holding such a high-powered offense in check. The whole team deserves a ton of credit not getting down when Woburn went ahead. We stayed calm and tied the game in the third. I’m really encouraged at our resiliency.”
With just four games left, Melrose is facing a near certain playoff qualification in Div. 3. The top 33 teams in each division play in, and Melrose is ranked #7 and likely not to drop significantly. Playoffs are no stranger to Melrose, who has played in as lower seeds the last two seasons. But coach Ciccarello stresses that ranking means little when the post season whistles blows.
“We are ranked 7th, but that doesn’t mean much,” he says. “Last year we were #30 and almost knocked off a #3 seed. So, we need these last few weeks to learn to play consistent Melrose hockey. We know what that means. Stick to our system and stay structured in D zone. Many good teams are in the bracket so being consistent is the key.”
Many of Melrose’s games have been determined by one goal this season, which means not only does Melrose have the ability to surprise, but the ingredients to make a serious playoff run.
Says their coach, “I love this team. I love their fight, the compete level, their love for one another, their commitment to what coaches are trying to do, and most importantly, their character. Such great kids. We are having fun.”
Melrose next hosts Burlington on Saturday evening for a key Freedom league game at 7:20 p.m.