Tewksbury, MA – In our second game of the day scouted via video from Breakaway Ice Center in Tewksbury, this time we watched an inter divisional tilt between the D1 Chelmsford Lions and the D2 Tewksbury Redmen. The two squads met last night as well in the same locale and the Redmen emerged victorious 4-2, but the Lions came into this game with a little get-back. It should also be noted that this game was played in three 15 minute periods, restoring some normality from last season.
The first period was a rock ’em sock ’em affair, complete with big hits all over the sheet and lots of battling along the walls. The teams weren’t quite as crisp as the action began as they went through a full warmup and a Chelmsford player’s shot broke the glass which led to a delay and both teams having to go back to the rooms before emerging once more for puck drop. As the period wore on, each team started to connect the offensive dots and both sides created chances, but only one would find the back of the net. The Tewksbury goaltender went to cover a puck by the left post with just over two minutes remaining, but it evaded his glove and after some poking and prodding behind the cage, sophomore forward AJ Bongiorno said “Hello” on a wraparound: 1-0 Lions. (We are guessing he has heard this refrain all too often…) That would be our score after 1.
In the middle frame, the Redmen were energized and came back to tie it up eight minutes in as sophomore Brady Chapman saw a loose puck squirt out to him at the dot and he fired it home: 1-1. Nearly 30 seconds later another goal for the Redmen as junior defender Caden Connors took a shot from the point that found the back of the net after the Lions netminder went down after making contact with some traffic in front. The Lions believed there should have been interference called, but on they went. Nearly two minutes later came the third unanswered goal as assistant captain Jason Cooke was teed up for a shot from the top of the circle and he didn’t miss: depositing it upstairs to make it 3-1 Redmen: our score after two periods.
In the final stanza, Tewksbury sewed up the win. After some back and forth posturing the Chelmsford goalie lost sight of the puck behind the net and junior forward Aaron Connelly banked it off him to make it 4-1. Three minutes later, the Lions were on the power play and started to gain some momentum after junior Owen Flanagan spun around at the top of the circle and fired one in that the Tewksbury goalie never saw up top: 4-2. And that was your final for this one. Tewksbury moves to 4-0 and head coach Derek Doherty secures his 250th career win: a great milestone for the longtime bench boss in Tewksbury.
Three Stars:
- D Caden Connors, Tewksbury
- F Jason Cooke, Tewksbury
- F AJ Bongiorno, Chelmsford
NZ Notes:
- This was a knock down, drag out battle all game long. No love lost between these two local towns. Chelmsford has more size and strength on its roster, but Tewksbury has some skill and wiggle that prevailed in this one.
- Despite giving up four goals, senior goalie George Fredericks made some spectacular saves. His style was unorthodox at times, but without his efforts this game could have easily been a blowout.
- Defenseman Caden Connors was the star of this game: simply taking over when the Redmen needed a boost: he can get to the net he can shake off forecheckers and he patrols his own zone pretty well too.
