Reading, MA – We took a quick trip to Burbank Arena tonight to take in the Rockets’ annual Endowment Game – facing off against the Knights from North Andover. There was a lot of jump in the building early with a student section decked in full Holiday regalia and packed sections of parents on both sides and town residents cheering on their players.
The first period was owned largely by Reading who came out firing offensively and a mishandle by North Andover led to their first goal five minutes in. Sophomore forward Ryan Goodwin broke in and took a shot on net after a turnover which produced a juicy rebound out front which he roofed over a prone Knights goalie: 1-0 Reading. Two minutes later the Rockets scored again when freshman Evan Pennucci deftly walked around a North Andover defenseman and roofed the puck to finish off a nice individual effort: 2-0 Rockets. The Knights were able to mount a couple of good charges before the period ended but none that resulted in goals.
In the second period, the action was almost entirely spent in the neutral zone and North Andover’s defensive end. As a result, Reading just kept pounding North Andover goaltender Ben Williamson with shots. A third one went in eight minutes into the period as senior forward Sean Barbara stuffed home a puck on the power play to make it 3-0. About four minutes later the Rockets struck again when defenseman Charlie Miele took a point shot that snuck through the 5-hole. The second ended with the score 4-0 Rockets.
The final period featured a little get back from the Knights as a penalty carried over from the second period and Reading was called for another 30 seconds into the frame which created a 5-on-3. It was junior forward Cole Fagan who cashed in off a puck that pinballed down low and landed on his stick with a yawning net in front of him: 4-1 Reading. The remaining 5-on-4 power play led to a couple of additional chances but nothing that dampened the home crowd’s spirits. Five minutes later, the Rockets put the game away for good when North Andover looked to create some additional momentum on a power play but a turnover at the blue led to a clean breakaway from the red line for senior Sean Golden, and he didn’t miss: 5-1 Reading. Four minutes later, they added one more for good measure when junior forward Colin Mulvey put a shot on net producing a rebound that Michael Dufton was able to clean up: final score 6-1 Reading.
Three Stars
- F Evan Pennucci, Reading (GWG)
- F Sean Golden, Reading
- D Nick Herald, North Andover
NZ’s Take
This game featured a lot of puck possession for Reading and ultimately North Andover struggled to defend their team speed for long stretches. The Rockets were stronger on pucks as well which made for troublesome results near the net. North Andover has plenty of athletes on its roster but in this game it was tough for them to hang with the constant attack for three periods.
For Reading, senior defender Matt Fiorenza opened some eyes with his quick feet and ability to read situations. He was able to utilize his space well both on the attack and in shutting down space in his own zone. Another senior Sean Golden looks to have taken another step forward; he looks stronger on the puck compared to last season and he was going full throttle on every shift to win races. Additionally, don’t sleep on freshman Evan Pennucci who played in all situations for the Rockets: 5-on-5, PP and PK. He has good size for a 2004 birthyear and he showed good awareness and a knack for creating offense because of his quickness and ability to take ice when he sees an opening.
For North Andover, the above the fold headline was the play of junior defenseman Nick Herald. It’s hard to say there was anyone who played more consistently well than he did. He can do a little bit of everything for you. He plays the body extremely well for a smaller defender, he has the acceleration ability to beat the other team up the ice, he can catch and shoot it offensively, and he might be the best skater on the team. If you haven’t had a chance to watch him play, you won’t regret taking a trip: he is worth the price of admission. Additionally, junior forward Adam Heinze showed some flashes of skill and athleticism that point to some upside that could be intriguing for the latter half of the season. He is tall and very lean but his stride is fluid and he hustles on every shift to win races. We also like his approach on the offensive end: taking odd angle shots to produce rebounds.
