Norwood, MA – It was Senior Night for Norwood HS at the Skating Club of Boston and Neutral Zone was in attendance for their Tri-Valley League matchup against Westwood HS. This border-based rivalry matchup pitted two 10+ win teams against each other and would prove to be an important game for seeding in the upcoming State Tournament.
Norwood came out flying and controlled most of the first period. They did a great job of forechecking, getting pucks behind Westwood’s defenseman and pressuring them in the process. Norwood played at a fast pace with high intensity in all three zones. They were able to sustain a large chunk of offensive zone time and had some scoring chances, but Westwood’s sophomore goalie Jack Holland stood tall and kept them off the board. In the final three minutes of the period, Westwood began to gain some momentum, but Norwood would eventually get on the board. With three minutes left, junior forward Sam Lally took a breakout pass in the neutral zone and went in on a 2-on-1. He froze the goalie then beat him far side with a quick snap shot. The final two minutes were up and down the sheet with both teams generating chances to score, but it would inevitably end 1-0.
The second period was more of the same for Norwood, as they controlled the period from start to finish. They played in Westwood’s zone for most of the game, in part due to their tenacious forechecking. They beat Westwood’s defensemen to most of the dump-ins and were very physical down below the goal line. Norwood’s defensemen did a great job of holding the blue line and keeping pucks alive in the offensive zone as well. Norwood would go on the power play with 8:00 left in the period, and senior assistant captain Kevin Broderick would extend the lead to 2-0. Broderick, playing the left elbow on the power play, received a pass from senior defenseman Paul Sheehan and wasted no time ripping a shot over the Westwood goalie’s right shoulder. One minute later they would make it 3-0. Senior captain Sean Dittmeier held the blue line, keeping the puck in the zone. It would bounce to junior Andrew Gillis in the high slot who snapped off a rocket beating Holland for the third and final goal of the period.
Westwood came to play in the third, looking to get back into the game, and they would start the period on the power play. They were able to generate some quality chances on the man advantage but Norwood’s junior goalie Anthony Amato stood tall and kept Westwood off the board. Norwood wanted to protect the lead and throw pucks deep, making Westwood have to go the whole length of the ice on their breakouts. This led to Westwood working their way back into the game. They began breaking out with speed, and numbers and would subsequently be rewarded. With speed through the neutral zone, Westwood senior Danny Sullivan beat the Norwood defenseman down the side wall and tried tucking the puck past Amato. He made a pad save at the post but freshman Benjamin Levering was on top of the crease to bang home the rebound. 3-1 Norwood was now our score. Westwood kept the pressure on but was called for a penalty with about four minutes to go. It looked they would kill it off but with one second left Norwood’s Dittmeier walked off the wall and beat Holland far side for their fourth goal. Westwood junior Maximilian O’Brien would knock in a puck through a scrum with 11 seconds to go in the game, giving Westwood their second goal of the game, but time ran out on their comeback attempt and Norwood would take the 4-2 win on Senior Night.
Three Stars:
- F Sean Dittmeier, Norwood
- F Sam Lally, Norwood
- F Kevin Broderick, Norwood