Reading, MA – Neutral Zone was in attendance virtually to watch a rivalry game between Arlington and Reading at Burbank Arena in Reading, MA. The game was broken into two halves and was a fast, physical affair. Both teams used speed wide and quick movement of the puck to create scoring chances.
Reading would strike first after a smooth zone entry. Tommy Sumner would curl back to buy some time and lift a backhand pass to Charlie Miele who would one-time the puck from the point past the goalie. Arlington would even the score a few minutes later after a net-front scramble. Jack Sadowski jumped on a loose rebound and stuffed the puck past the Rocket goalie. The home team again would take the lead when Cullen Emery would walk off the half-wall and roof a slick forehand. However, Arlington would not go away, and with a little over 2 minutes to go in the first half, Sadowski would get his second on a spinning backhand from a bad angle. The teams would head into the break knotted at two.
Reading would start the second half fast and would strike a few minutes into the frame. Junior Ryan Goodwin would snap a puck past the Spy Ponder netminder from the low circle. The home team would stretch the lead a few minutes later when Goodwin would toe drag around a defender at the opposing blueline then snap a pass to a streaking Mike Dufton backdoor for the tap-in. Johnny Vedder would stretch the lead to 5-2 on a power play goal and then Treavor Owens would bang in a rebound to make it 6-2. Arlington would get one back seconds later when Jake Russell drove to the net and banged one past the Rocket goalie. Sadowski would complete his hat trick with about 2 minutes to go in the game to make things interesting at 6-4. However, that’s where this one would end, with the Rockets skating away with a 6-4 victory.
The two teams are scheduled to meet again next Wednesday at Ed Burns Arena in Arlington.
Three Stars:
- F Ryan Goodwin, Reading
- F Jack Sadowski, Arlington
- F Cullen Emery, Reading
NZ Notes
The game was generally back-and-forth for a majority of the first half. Reading controlled stretches of the play, but Arlington refused to go away. The Rockets were finally able to pull away in the second half and proved to be too much for Arlington down the stretch. Overall, this was a hard fought game. It will be interesting to watch when these two teams meet again next week.
For the home team, Cullen Emery is one to watch. The freshman plays a ton of minutes for the Rockets and is expected to drive the offense. He scored a nice goal showcasing his hands and patience. He is skilled with the puck on his stick and has the quick first step to gain separation from defenders. He is effective on the power play and plays the half-wall well. He sees the ice and jumps in and out of soft ice. Ryan Goodwin was all over the ice. He works hard in each zone and gets to spots. He plays a direct game and doesn’t try and do too much with the puck. He has a good set of hands which lets him break down defenders in space. He made several nice plays to create scoring chances for teammates. On the back-end, Charlie Miele had a nice night. He plays a shutdown style in his own end and plays physical when needed. He has a big shot from the point and does a good job moving his body to collect feeds from the half-wall. He made some nice reads through the middle of the ice to create positive plays.
For the visitors, Jack Sadowski scored three goals and was a threat to score each time out on the ice. He was always around the net and jumped on rebounds. He has some skill and made a few athletic plays to create scoring chances. He sees the ice well and doesn’t panic under pressure. He gets to the right spots and thinks the game plays ahead. Reid Malatesta was a physical presence all night. He is fast in straight lines and hit everything that moved. He created turnovers and forced bad decisions. He is always around the puck and battles in the dirty areas. He has a high motor and never stops his feet from moving. On the back-end, Mike Dunning is used in all situations and plays a ton of minutes for the Spy Ponders. He is controlled and doesn’t force plays. He lets plays develop and will snap feeds into the open seams. He closes quickly on forwards and keeps them to the perimeter of the rink.
