Tewksbury, MA – All covered via the magic of LiveBarn, the MassNZ 10th-ranked 9-0 D1 team Waltham Hawks traveled north to the Breakaway Ice Center to face off against league rivals MassNZ 2nd-ranked 8-0 D2 team Tewksbury Redmen. Both teams were putting their undefeated records on the line in a clash of titans tonight in Tewksbury – the barn was packed and it was time to get after it.
The opening five minutes were very much a feeling-out process, with both Tewksbury and Waltham relying on a dump-and-chase forecheck style to establish tempo. The pace was physical right from the drop of the puck, as big hits were delivered all over the ice. While quality scoring chances were limited early, the period featured tenacious play, strong puck battles, and little time or space given by either side. Tewksbury would be the first to break through. Junior forward Cameron Hatch chipped the puck past the Waltham defenseman, drove hard to the net, and ripped a shot bar down past the Waltham goalie to give Tewksbury a 1–0 lead. Following the goal, the ice tilted in Tewksbury’s favor. The final five minutes of the period were spent largely in Waltham’s defensive zone. Tewksbury’s forwards cycled effectively, applied sustained pressure, and fired pucks from all angles, throwing everything they could toward the net to close out a strong first period.
The second period began much like the first, with heavy hits setting the tone while both teams traded scoring chances early. Each goalie stood tall as Waltham tried to get every puck to the net, looking to tie the game. Back pressure from both sides was relentless, with neither team willing to give up the next goal. At the 7:39 mark, Tewksbury extended its lead. Junior Jake Cunha held the puck in at the blue line and chipped it down low. Junior Jason Shreenan battled for possession along the boards, and the puck squirted free to junior Kevin Andriolo. He carried the puck around the circle and ripped a shot through traffic, beating junior goalie Garo Gebeyan to make it 2–0. On the very next shift, Waltham generated a two-on-one chance, but it was broken up. Senior sniper Tyler Bourgea then carried the puck into the Waltham zone, cut around a defenseman, and drove hard to the net. Though he was pulled down, Bourgea managed to slide a pass from the ice to the back door, where Shreenan was waiting to bang it into the open net, pushing Tewksbury’s lead to 3–0. Tewksbury took back-to-back penalties at the six and four-minute marks, and Waltham capitalized on the opportunity. Junior defenseman Ray DeVincent held the puck in at the blue line and chipped it down to senior Tim O’Toole. O’Toole attempted a pass through the slot that deflected off a Tewksbury defenseman and landed on the stick of junior Brian Fleming. He quickly slapped a shot from just feet outside the crease, beating sophomore goalie Cole Abruzi to get Waltham on the board. The final two minutes of the period were tightly checked, with neither team giving an inch. The period came to a close with Tewksbury holding a 3–1 lead over Waltham.
Tewksbury opened the third period shorthanded and did an excellent job killing off the penalty. With just 50 seconds remaining on the kill, Waltham took a penalty of its own, setting up four-on-four play. Tewksbury took advantage immediately to extend its lead. Senior defenseman Cameron Duval picked up the puck in the neutral zone and sent a cross-ice pass to Andriolo. He fought through two Waltham defenders to gain the zone and then delivered a perfect cross-ice feed to Shreenan, who snapped a quick shot over Gebeyan’s shoulder to make it 4–1. Waltham was whistled for another penalty right off the ensuing faceoff, putting Tewksbury back on the power play. On a draw to the right of Gebeyan, the puck kicked back to Bourgea at the blue line. He sidestepped pressure from the Waltham forward, settled the puck, and fired a shot through traffic that beat Gebeyan, pushing the lead to 5–1. The remainder of the period was choppy, with little five-on-five play as emotions ran high and both teams played a physical, chippy style. With just over a minute remaining, Tewksbury went back on the power play one final time. Following a defensive zone faceoff, junior defenseman Michael Macauda sent a cross-ice pass to Andriolo, who moved the puck ahead to Bourgea streaking up ice. He entered the Waltham zone, walked around a defenseman, and ripped a far-side shot past Gebeyan for their 6th goal of the game, sealing the 6–1 victory for Tewksbury.
Three Stars:
- F Tyler Bourgea, Tewksbury
- F Jason Shreenan, Tewksbury
- F Kevin Andriolo, Tewksbury