Shawsheen hands Essex Tech first loss
Freshman Thibert nets pair of goals for the Rams
MIDDLETON >> Freshman Justin Thibert of Wilmington scored two first-period goals and the defense of the Shawsheen Tech boys hockey team came up big for the second straight game as the Rams defeated previously-undefeated Essex Tech on Saturday, 3-1.
“It’s huge,” said Ram coach Chuck Baker after the victory. “I think it’s big right now at this time of the season. We threw in a wrinkle with the forecheck yesterday, which I was nervous about, but they bought into it and we slowed them down. I think we found a new way we’re going to start playing.”
Up 2-1 after one period, Shawsheen pushed its lead to two when sophomore Dylan Higson of Bedford scored on the rebound of his own shot at 4:08 of the second.
The Rams made the lead stand up behind junior goalie Mike Cedrone of Billerica, who made a terrific save on Essex junior Logan Casey of Beverly during a power play, sliding to his left to make a pad save to foil Casey’s bid from the post.
In the third, Shawsheen (11-2-1 overall) killed two penalties, including one with 1:33 remaining with the Panther net empty. The quartet of Higson, junior Brody Amenkowicz of Billerica, senior Nick Calouro of Tewksbury and Kevin Ackerley of Wilmington stayed on the ice for the entire 93 seconds of the penalty kill.
Since a 4-0 loss to Essex on Jan. 16, the Rams are 4-0-1, with only five goals allowed during that stretch.
“We did a good job today,” Baker said of his defense. “We took care of the puck, that’s the biggest thing.”
Shawsheen opened the scoring at 3:19 of the first period when Thibert rifled a wrist shot into the top corner.
“He’s one of those special kids,” Baker said. “Justin is a solid player. He’s got some skill.”
After Cedrone stopped a clean breakaway by Essex sophomore Brady Leonard of Peabody, Thibert scored for the Rams only 28 seconds later when he finished a pass from junior Roland Spengler of Tewksbury at 5:58.
Essex cut the lead in half at 9:39 when sophomore Jaydan Vargas of Peabody made a steal with his team shorthanded and finished a breakaway.
At 11:02, Shawsheen was whistled for two penalties on the same play, leaving the Rams down two men
for two minutes, but a unit of Calouro, Ackerley and Amenkowicz, along with the trio of Higson, sophomore Larry Cullity of Billerica
and senior Evan Curtis of Burlington ,successfully killed the penalties.
Shawsheen finishes its Commonwealth Athletic
Conference league schedule against Northeast Regional on Thursday and will need some help if it is to catch Essex for the conference
championship.
Essex plays Lowell Catholic to finish the CAC campaign and will win the league title with a victory.