Woburn, MA – The top team in the MIAA Power Rankings, the Knights of Catholic Memorial traveled north to take on an upstart team, the Red and Black of Winchester, ranked at 23. The Knights certainly looked the part this evening at O’Brien Rink in Woburn. CM came out flying using their speed to tilt the ice in their favor in the opening stanza. At the 9:04 mark of the first period the Knights put themselves in front for good after a hard forecheck by freshman forward Nick D’Olympio led to a turnover and subsequent goal by sophomore forward Tyler Hamilton. The period would end 1-0 CM with shots in the first CM 10 and Winchester 4.
Just 25 seconds into the second period CM doubled their lead when senior forward Brendan MacNeil buried a give-and-go from junior forward Connor Fryberger and Bowdoin commit Finn Burke. CM would control the play for the next 10 minutes winning the possession battle. With 11 minutes to go in the period CM would get back-to-back power play opportunities cashing in on the second. The goal would come from sophomore forward Morgan Lenehan off his face mask on a shot by junior defender Mike Corbett from the blue line making it 3-0 CM. Winchester would turn up the pressure and with just 1 second left in the period the Red and Black got on the board via junior forward Danny Collins from freshman D Nolan Wrenn and senior forward Kevin Bertocci sending the teams to the rooms with CM leading 3-1. Shots in the second were CM 14 and Winchester 7 for a two period total of CM 24, Winchester 11.
In the third period CM would add another goal on a gorgeous 2-on-1 completed with a nice forehand-backhand finish by D’Olympio from Hamilton and Burke. With just two minutes to play the Knights would make it 5-1 on a goal by sophomore D Anthony Pellitteri from Lenehan. That score would be our final as both teams completed their regular season slate and awaited the final Power Rankings to be issued in preparation for the playoffs, with both teams comfortably in the field of 32. Shots in the third were split down the middle at CM 8 and Winchester 8. Game shots total CM 32, Winchester 19.
Three Stars:
- F Nick D’Olympio, Catholic Memorial
- F Tyler Hamilton, Catholic Memorial
- D Finn Burke, Catholic Memorial