Lowell, MA -The Lowell HS Red Raiders hosted the Acton-Boxboro HS Colonials at the Tsongas Center at UMass-Lowell. Puck dropped at 6:00 PM and AB scored in the first minute. Senior defenseman Andrew Welch snapped a shot home from the point and into the net. The Colonials struck again on a terrific hockey play. Junior forward Camden Matthews made a slick, cross-crease pass at top speed to an open forward Evan Kilfoyle. Kilfoyle made no mistake as he one-touched the puck home to give AB a 2-0 lead. Sophomore Jack Roche was tested in his first-ever start but stood firm and kept the Red Raiders off the board. The teams went to the locker room and 2-0 was the score after 1.
The second period ended much like the first, with a 2-0 lead for the Colonials. The play was even with AB having a slight advantage in puck possession time. Junior Lowell goalie Aidan Lavoie made a few great stops including one on sophomore AB forward Connor Nannene who cut in, swiveled and put a hard backhand on net. With about seven minutes left Lowell had a 2-on-1 chance. A perfect pass was made and an empty net awaited the shooter. He made an accurate shot. However, Roche dove across and stopped the puck by batting it out with the side of his stick paddle. It might be the save of the year. AB senior Thomas Argento hit a post in the last minute but the score remained unchanged as the period ended with the score 2-0 Colonials.
In the third period, most of the play was carried by AB. They had chances and broke through with a power play goal a few minutes into the frame by Kilfoyle, his second of the game. The assists came from Argento and Welch. Then halfway into the period they finished the game off when senior Mason Doncaster won a faceoff in the offensive zone and passed it back to Nannene who sniped it top cheddar: 4-0. Sophomore goaltender Jack Roche earns the shutout in his first varsity start.
Three Stars:
- G Jack Roche, Acton-Boxboro
- D Andrew Welch, Acton-Boxboro
- F Evan Kilfoyle, Acton-Boxboro