North Billerica, MA – As the fans cleared out and braved the utter chaos that was the parking lot of the Chelmsford Forum, a new set of fans were filing in. We were getting ready for the main event: the Eagles of St John’s Prep against the Spy Ponders of Arlington. In the pregame, both crowds were fired up: the Eagles faithful were clad in USA attire (joined by an inflatable Eagle) while the Spy Ponders busted out rally towels andlots or Spy Ponder jerseys. It seemed as though every decade was represented. Both sides were quite vociferous and trading chants before the teams even hit the ice and it would ramp up again once warmups started. The anthems were a patriotic affair as the Arlington fans sang along and we were ready for hockey.
In the first period, the opening minutes were a collection of both teams trying to set the tone, and it was also a collection of missed passes and turnovers in the neutral zone. The Eagles were physical from the get-go but the Spy Ponders were working their transition game efficiently to move the puck up ice. The shots favored Arlington early as they were able to break through the neutral zone. As the period wore on, the Eagles started to win more battles below the red line and that led to more scoring chances. Ultimately though, none of them went in the net. Both teams created a couple of Grade A looks but neither was able to convert. We finished the first period still deadlocked at 0-0.
As both teams took the ice to start the second period, the crowd stood up cheering with excitement, waiting for the play to pick back up as they lined up at center ice for the faceoff. As the play went on both teams picked it right back where they left off, which was being very physical and having an aggressive forecheck looking to get their offenses going. But both goalies were standing on their heads making great saves, keeping this game scoreless. As we approached the 10-minute marker the Spy Ponders sophomore Sean Patterson crossed the blue line and slid it over to junior forward Drew Beck and he unleashed a wrist shot from the top of the circle right under the crossbar, giving the Spy Ponders a 1-0 lead. As expected, the large Arlington crowd erupted with excitement. From there, the game went right back to its comfortable give and take: both teams creating great scoring chances but not being able to capitalize on them. As the game hit the one minute marker, Nolan Russell made a very hard forecheck racing down the ice and won the puck battle in the corner and threw a pass right out front to Cam Petrillo who then tried to slide it backdoor but it got broken up by an Eagles defender. With that big stop it brought a wrap to the end of the second period.
Back for the third period in this close game as both teams were amped up to play these final 15 regulation minutes. The Spy Ponders came out flying, getting right on pucks and finishing their bodychecks all over the ice trying to extend their lead. But momentum shifted to the Eagles as they started possessing the puck in the offensive zone, looking to climb back into this one. Contrastingly, every time the Spy Ponders got the puck they rushed it to the red line and dumped it in. As we entered the final minute of the period, the Spy Ponders had an excellent breakout as JP Messuri rushed into the offensive zone and used a shifty move to get by the defenders for a great scoring chance but was denied by the Eagles goaltender. We entered the final minutes of this game and the Eagles had a big offensive zone faceoff win where senior defender Greg Benedetto passed it over to junior sniper Brandon Ward on the half wall who ripped a one timer right by the Spy Ponders goaltender with 17 seconds to go, sending this game to overtime.
In overtime, there was a hush that had come over the crowd as it was a stunned silence after the game-tying goal was scored with 17 seconds left. You could cut the tension with a hockey stick blade. In this period, both teams were being overly cautious in 4-on-4 action with the puck and regrouping carefully to set up the rush. There were chances in tight at both ends but the best chance might have been a clutch cover by Arlington goalie John Snider as he was caught out of the crease and prevented a wrap attempt from the goal line sneaking in. Ultimately, Arlington would call its timeout with 2:38 remaining and we would remain in a stalemate for the rest of the period: we were headed into 2OT.
In the second OT, after the ice was fully resurfaced (a new rule recently implemented this year), this game took on a different dynamic. Arlington was able to use their quickness and speed with more room to roam in 3-on-3 play. As the period wore on, both teams were surgical in sorting out their breakouts, refusing to take chances with the puck. One of these breakouts is what won the game. It was sophomore defender Kurt Beck who rushed the puck with speed off the left wing and criss-crossed the zone with Messuri. It caused issues in coverage for St. John’s Prep as both defenders looked to stop Beck, which left Messuri open on the back door. Beck fired an intentional shot off the left pad of the St. John’s Prep goalie which landed right on Messuri’s stick and that’s all she wrote. Arlington advances to the Final Four where they await the winner of St. John’s Shrewsbury vs Winchester.
Three Stars:
- F JP Messuri, Arlington
- D Kurt Beck, Arlington
- F Brandon Ward, St. John’s Prep