Woburn, MA – In a Middlesex League Liberty matchup the Spy Ponders of Arlington HS traveled to the O’Brien Rink to take on the Tanners of Woburn HS.
Arlington showed its team speed from the opening faceoff, consistently getting pucks deep behind the Woburn defense and forechecking with tenacity and physicality. Woburn senior goaltender Adam Gerry was busy early and often in the opening period as Arlington dictated the pace. The Spy Ponders struck first with eight minutes remaining in the period. Senior Drew Beck won a faceoff cleanly back to senior Evan Sparks at the blue line. Sparks slid the puck across to senior Armen Vartanian, who fired a shot on net. The rebound kicked off Gerry and was tapped in by senior Dylan DiNucci to give Arlington the 1–0 lead. Both teams played a tightly checked, physical brand of hockey as the Tanners tried to slow Arlington’s fast breakouts and quick zone entries. As time wound down in the period, Beck carried the puck through the neutral zone, beat a defenseman wide, and drove hard to the net, cutting across the crease looking to slip the puck five-hole. Gerry made a terrific save by snapping his pads shut, but once again the rebound bounced to DiNucci, who slammed it home at the buzzer to give Arlington the 2–0 advantage.
Arlington came out flying to start the second period, cycling the puck and generating two or three prime scoring chances early. Gerry continued to stand tall, making save after save to keep it a two-goal game. Woburn spent much of the first 10 minutes on its heels, focused on surviving Arlington’s relentless offensive pressure and heavy forecheck. Gerry was the story of the period for Woburn, flashing the glove, making pad saves, and turning aside multiple odd-man rushes, including a pair of two-on-one chances. Woburn went on the power play with four minutes remaining, but Arlington senior goaltender John Snider answered with several big-time saves to keep the Tanners off the scoreboard. The final two minutes were all Arlington again, with Gerry continuing to steal the show as the period ended with the score still 2–0.
Looking to get back into the game, Woburn came out with more purpose in the third period, forechecking harder and tightening up defensively. The play was more back and forth than in the first two periods, though Arlington still held the edge in scoring chances. Gerry remained a brick wall, turning away every shot he faced in the third. With seven minutes to go, Woburn earned another power-play opportunity after an Arlington slashing penalty, but the Arlington penalty kill was strong, and Snider made timely saves to preserve the shutout. Woburn generated a few chances down the stretch, and even pulled Gerry for the extra attacker with under a minute remaining, but Arlington killed off the 6-on-5 to secure the 2–0 victory.
Three Stars:
- G Adam Gerry, Woburn
- F Dylan DiNucci, Arlington
- F Drew Beck Arlington