Billerica, MA – This matchup attracted a lot of attention in the D2 bracket on Saturday night. The #1 seeded Billerica Indians played host to the 16th seeded Norwood Mustangs in a Round of 16 matchup. This game would determine who moves on to the Elite 8 and are just a couple of steps from getting to TD Garden.
There was a good flow to this game from the drop of the puck. There was a little bit of a feeling out process with neither team wanting to make a crucial mistake early. Each team traded a few chances and the game was back and forth for the first few minutes of the period. With 11 minutes to go, Norwood would strike first. Senior forward TJ Martin intercepted a puck from the Billerica defenseman at the blue line and went in on a two-on-one. He pulled off a forehand to backhand move on Billerica senior goalie Steven Macintosh and flipped it by him to give his team the 1-0 lead. Just a few minutes later Billerica would answer. Senior forward with James Columbus stole the puck on his defensive blue line, broke down the right wing on a breakaway and beat senior goalie Brody Foley through the five hole to tie the game 1-1. Billerica would soon take the lead minutes later. With four minutes to go, junior forward Timmy Murphy won a battle and carried the puck around the net sending a pass to Columbus, who was sitting on the doorstep. Columbus whacked at it but Foley made the initial save. Columbus stuck with it and on his third attempt beat Foley to give his team the 2-1 lead. Two and a half minutes later Billerica would extend their lead when junior forward Ryan Johnson picked off a puck in the neutral zone and hit senior Eddie Conley in stride down the right wing. Conley skated the puck into the zone and took a shot at the top of the circle. A Norwood defenseman may have deflected the shot and it beat Foley over his right shoulder to give Billerica the 3-1 lead. Billerica it turns out wasn’t finished, and with 10 seconds to go senior forward Adam Priest would add to their lead. He won a puck battle behind the net, pulled it around the goalie’s right side, and slid it five hole to give his team the 4-1 lead and end the period.
Just two minutes into the second period, Billerica would get their fifth of the game. Johnson picked off a puck at the blue line, walked through two defenders and beat Foley in tight, short side high. Billerica controlled this period and spent long stretches in Norwood’s zone. With eight minutes left in the period, Johnson would strike again. Freshman forward Cameron Smith won a puck battle on the wall and found Johnson alone at the top of the left faceoff circle. He sent a one timer past Foley to give Billerica the 6-1 lead. Senior Danny Viscione would make it 7-1 when he picked up a bouncing puck in front of Foley, pulled it around him and slid it into the empty net. The last couple minutes of the period were a bit chippy and Billerica went to the box for a five minute major.
Norwood began the third with plenty of time on the power play, they had some good looks but just couldn’t get anything past Macintosh. Norwood battled hard but Billerica was winning puck battles all over the ice and just playing too fast for Norwood to get back into the game. With five minutes to go, freshman forward Tommy Egan carried the puck into Norwood’s zone on a 3-on-2. Smith drove the net and Egan found freshman Brady Graham in the slot. Graham missed the pass but Smith found the puck lying in the crease and banged it home to extend their lead to 8-1. Viscione would make it 9-1 with a minute left in the game. He broke down the left wing, walked around the defenseman and tucked it in around the goalie. Billerica will now face #8 seeded Auburn in the Elite 8 at a neutral site (date and time TBA).
Three Stars:
- F Ryan Johnson, Billerica
- F James Columbus, Billerica
- F Danny Viscione, Billerica