STONEHAM — It was a group effort in each sense of the phrase for the Marblehead boys hockey group on Saturday at Stoneham Arena.
Whether it was blocking pictures, killing penalties or getting a well timed purpose, all of it got here collectively for the Magicians as they surprised No. 2 Shawsheen, 2-1, to earn this system’s first state ultimate berth since successful all of it in 2011.
Not dangerous for a group that started the season 0-6 however has received 16 of its final 20 video games since.
“We’ve been telling the kids that we are the team to beat,” Marblehead coach Mark Marfione mentioned. “Yes, we were 0-6, but we knew that we had a good team and everything we were doing was fixable.”
Getting to the end line on Saturday appeared prefer it was going to be straightforward for Marblehead after London McDonald scored on a breakaway late within the second interval to offer the Headers the lead.
Marblehead then killed off an influence play for the Rams to start the third and held Shawsheen to 1 shot on purpose because the clock ticked down.
Then like a tidal wave, the momentum modified when the Headers had been known as for too many males with 3:21 to go.
Leo Burdge (22 saves) got here up with a pair of big stops on the kill because the Rams had been compelled to drag Mike Cedrone for an additional skater with 1:45 left.
Moments later it appeared like they had been going to pressure additional time when Burdge obtained caught out of place and a unfastened puck was there for the Rams to place residence. But defenseman Toby Grenier laid out on his abdomen and made a exceptional save to maintain the lead.
A penalty was known as for delay of sport on the play, giving Shawsheen a two-man benefit for the ultimate 69 seconds however the Marblehead protection stood its floor and clinched the win.
“We knew that Shawsheen was going to be the team to beat for us to get where we wanted to go,” Marfione mentioned. “They were a really good team.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com