by Paul Criscione
VETERANS RINK-PEABODY MA: A Sunday morning 8:45am puck drop at Peabody Rink had the Masconomet JV Chieftains up early, and ready to battle the Bishop Fenwick Crusaders. With only 50 minutes of ice time, the game would consist of 3 x 17 minute, running time periods. Not ideal, but conducive to getting off to a quick start, which is exactly what Masconomet would do. After a pre-game stretch, Coaches Panella and Roach opened the door, and Jason Begley, “The Quiet Man,” would lead the team out for warm-ups. The Coaches welcomed, Mike Dooley, Joe Emma, Edison Forbes, and Steve Pease to the line-up as Forwards. The Coaches decided to roll 3 center men and 4 sets of wings. The centers were, Jared Brann, Joe Emma, and Vitaly Knowles. The wing combos were LW Tom Cashin/RW Mike Dooley, LW Mike Major/RW Jake Esposito, LW Andrew Anzalone/ RW Kevin McDevitt, and LW Steve Pease/RW Edison Forbes.
The Coaches rolled 5 defensemen alternating Mike Jesi, Jake Jesi, Mike Caputo, Jake Giacchino, and Cody Hesse for the injured PJ Criscione. [Editors Note; PJ Criscione attended Sunday's game vs. Bishop Fenwick, joining his teammates on the bench in street clothes just 8 days after suffering a broken back vs. Lynnfield, in the same Peabody Rink. PJ and his teammates were happy to share the bench.]
With no official scorer, and no score sheet we are forced to do the game recap from memory. Masco came out flying with the Emma/ Cashin/ Dooley line converting on the first goal, Tommy Cashin getting the goal from his line mates, Emma and Dooley, 1-0 Masco. The fun continued with Jake Giacchino scoring on a swift shot from the point, to make it 2-0, with a helper from Caputo. Tommy Cashin played as thorough of a game as he had all year, potting the 3rd goal from Dooley and Brann to stretch the lead to 3-0, Masco. Mike Major capped the 1st period scoring with assists from Emma and Esposito to make it 4-0, Masconomet.
“Strong period, stated the Coaches, quick passes, hard to the net, plenty of traffic and shots, keep it up.” Begley was not tested severely in the first period but would start out the 2nd period with two quality saves, and covered up both rebounds. Begley makes the first save, and now his rebound control, is improving as well. Hats off to the Quiet Man. Good play abounded in the 2nd period. Jake Giacchino with a smart play using his soccer skills, to play a puck forward with his skates, getting the puck to Brann, who returned the favor and set Giacchino up for his 2nd goal of the game, to make it 5-0, Masco. Smart hockey from Giacchino and Brann.
Good shift, Forbes, Brann, and Pease, using speed and physicality to control the puck and control the play. Forbes and Pease, both big and strong, used their size and strength to dominate in the corners and around the boards. Fenwick, getting frustrated took a boarding penalty, putting Masco on the man-advantage. Good puck movement from Giacchino to M Jesi, over to Cashin, great save, Fenwick. The momentum continued with Esposito sending in Major, only to be stoned by the Crusader goalie. Mike Jesi, playing a strong game in all three zones, carried the puck through center, and blasted a shot that Major tipped past the Fenwick keeper, to make the score 6-0, Masco.
Good hustle hockey from Brann, and McDevitt, using speed and quickness to blow past the Fenwick fore-check. Cody Hesse, getting better every day at defense, making smart plays and smart decisions with the puck, moving it quicker, and keeping it deep in the Fenwick zone. A Masco forward’s penalty had Masconomet short-handed. Dooley, Cashin, Giacchino and J Jesi climb over the boards, and they kept the play out of the Masco zone, while on the penalty kill. Knowles and Brann relieved the forwards and kept the puck primarily in the Fenwick zone. Knowles and Brann combined for a slick give and go, Knowles to Brann to Knowles, only to be stoned by the Crusader goalie.
Back to even strength, Major sent Brann in alone to make it, 7-0 Masconomet, nice pass, pretty goal. The pressure continued when Emma dished the puck to McDevitt, who found Anzalone, and Anzalone, a sharp shooter didn’t miss, as he went top corner to make it 8-0, Chieftains.
Masconomet was doing the little things well, Pease hustled back and stole the puck, sending Knowles away with the loose puck, Knowles with Forbes 2 on 1, but Vitaly elected to shoot. Next time, The Russian Rocket will slide that puck over to the open Forbes for the tap in goal. All good learning experiences in an 8-0 game. The period ended with Bishop Fenwick showing their displeasure, when Forbes was decked cleanly by a Fenwick skater in a 1 on 1 battle. No worries though, as Masco skated off with an 8-0, lead.
Coach Panella walked down the bench and tapped Connor Pellerin on the shoulder. Pellerin would start the 3rd period for Masconomet in the goal. The good puck movement continued with Jake Jesi moving the puck D to D to Giacchino, who found Forbes for a scoring chance. Next shift had Dooley blasting a Fenwick puck carrier, picking up the loose puck and finding Cashin in the slot, shot score, a hat trick for Cashin, making it 9-0. All a result of the strong play, and passing of Dooley.
The hustle plays continued as Emma used his speed to race the puck through center and deftly pass it to Esposito who found his line mate Major for a quality scoring chance. The little things add up. Knowles back checking in his own end, working hard to get the puck out and up ice. Mike Jesi sending defenseman Hesse off with a long pass on a partial breakaway, save Fenwick. Forbes staring down the goalie from point blank, but missing high. Another hustle shift from Brann, using speed and determination. Hesse returned the favor and set up D partner, Mike Jesi for a blast on goal. Esposito, hard work in the defensive zone on the half-boards, moving the puck up and out of the zone. Good fundamentals, by a well-coached Masconomet team.
The hard work paid off with Knowles connecting on a strong play from Hesse, Hesse delivered the hit, shoveled the puck to Vitaly, who deposited the puck behind the Fenwick keeper to make it 10-0, Masconomet. Not to be outdone, Emma and Dooley moved the puck in the offensive zone, found Mike Jesi at the point, for the one-timer, and MJ blasted the shot past the shell-shocked Crusader goalie to finish the scoring at 11-0, Masconomet.
The game would end with Bishop Fenwick picking a Masco skaters pocket, and going one on one with Connor Pellerin, on the break-away. Pellerin stood his ground and the Fenwick skater blinked first and Pellerin smothered his scoring chance. The horn sounded, and the Masco bench swarmed out to celebrate with Pellerin, a great save in a big win.
“Good solid win. Good puck movement, you shared the puck and made the smart play. We play Wilmington on Tuesday at MVF-Lawrence. They are traditionally one of our toughest opponents, so we will need everyone’s best effort. Let’s eat well, get plenty of rest and be ready to go Tuesday vs. Wilmington.”
Masconomet’s record stands at 14-1-0, through 15 games. Masconomet has 103 goals for, and have allowed only 15 goals against, in 15 games, impressive numbers on both sides of the puck.
FINAL SCORE MASCONOMET 11- BISHOP FENWICK 0, TEAM RECORD 14-1-0
Next game Tuesday 2/7/12, @ MVF-Lawrence, 4:30pm face-off vs. Wilmington