Methuen, MA – MassNZ made the trip out to Methuen HS for what promised to be a top-shelf D3 tilt as the Methuen Rangers hosted the Shawsheen Tech Rams. This game would have major implications as far as the Power Rankings were concerned and this could even be a potential playoff preview for March. The Rams were rated 5th in D3 as of this morning’s MIAA Power Rankings and the Rangers checked in at 10th. Both teams have won 14+ games on the season, so this matchup was an iron sharpens iron situation. Interestingly, the rink was quiet early due to the 4pm start time, but everything began to pick up once folks were able to log off from work to come down and watch the game. After a brief round of lineup intros, we were ready for hockey.
In the first period, the game started out with both teams battling for possession in all three zones. There were no clean puck touches as both forechecks were active and there was plenty of physicality on both sides. We would give the edge on the biggest hits to Shawsheen who delivered some massive shots. Ultimately, the biggest shot in this period would come off the stick of senior captain Will MacLaren. He was able to fly the zone and took a pass from junior Liam Worden and he carried to the net and stuffed it home at the far post to give his team the 1-0 lead. The opening score was only two minutes into the proceedings and that meant there was a whole period left to play. Both teams were playing at full tilt as they worked hard to win races, gain inside ice and make sharp passes. Both squads would create Grade A looks for the next 13 minutes, but ultimately it was only MacLaren’s goal that would find its way onto the scoresheet: 1-0 Methuen after 1.
In the second period, Shawsheen looked to build some momentum coming out of the locker room and they continued to push the pace on every shift, working to earn more puck luck. The balance of power would shift early in the period thanks to two penalty calls on the Rangers. Three minutes into the frame, senior assistant captain Justin Thibert fired one home from the faceoff dot through a screen on the power play to tie things up 1-1. The Rams were charging and would take the lead a minute later. A strong point shot from sophomore Bode Mackenzie found the waiting stick of fellow sophomore Kyle MacKeen who tipped it home, again on the power play, to give his squad the 2-1 lead. After the man advantage had ended, so too did the early momentum Shawsheen had in this game as Methuen began to activate their forecheck and were winning more pucks. It would take a turnover in the neutral zone to shift the balance of power as senior Kevin Nestor cruised into the slot and ripped one home to tie us up at 2-2. That score would hold up for the majority of the frame as both teams continued to battle for the upper hand but Shawsheen would cash in just before the period ended on the penalty kill. A nice play by senior assistant captain Jacoby Patterson would lead to a 2-on-1 rush shorthanded and sophomore Josh Baker faked a pass back to Patterson before ripping it top shelf to make it 3-2 Rams. That would be our score after 30 minutes.
In the third and final period, the Rams took control quite literally from the opening faceoff with a set play we would assume was discussed in the locker room during the intermission. It was Baker who would skate the puck up the left wing and beat the defender up the wall, allowing him to deliver a tap-in to the back post for Thibert, which would make it 4-2 Rams just nine seconds in. This could have easily been a demoralizing goal for the Rangers, but full credit to them: they played some of their best hockey as they responded to that early goal and it would lead to a couple of power play chances that they created with speed and effort. Just under five minutes into the frame they would get that early goal back as senior Elliot Perry fed MacLaren up the middle and he cruised in on the breakaway, finishing on a second-chance opportunity after his initial shot was denied: 4-3 was our score. This meant the momentum was back on their side, but Shawsheen was able to calm things down a bit on the next couple of shifts. Ultimately, a penalty assessed to the Rams would crack the door open enough for Nestor to walk through and tie us up. Nine minutes into the frame, on the man advantage, a shot in front produced a juicy rebound which MacLaren took a swing at but the loose puck would pop over to Nestor, who would deposit it on his second shot attempt: the score was now 4-4. It was anyone’s game at this point, which is where Shawsheen came up big to take control and put this thing to bed. There was still residual penalty time remaining for both teams as the action was 4-on-4 which meant more open ice. As a result, Patterson drifted to the slot and wired one home with a lightning release to give his team a lead they would not surrender: 5-4 was our score with five minutes left. Not only would this prove to be the game winner, it was also the 100th point of his career on the final day of the regular season. The Rams were not done however as 30 seconds later they would add another score. Senior Jake Banda put a shot on net that produced a big rebound and sophomore Dylan Minasian was on the spot to fire it back on net and past the netminder. That tally produced our final score of 6-4.
Three Stars:
- F Jacoby Patterson, Shawsheen
- F Will MacLaren, Methuen
- F Justin Thibert, Shawsheen