HAVERHILL – Just about each time the Shrewsbury ladies hockey group steps out on the ice, head coach Frank Panarelli emphasizes the significance of crashing on unfastened pucks within the soiled space. On rebounds, ricochets – no matter floats across the internet.
Wednesday night time, that’s precisely what propelled the No. 3 Colonials to a signature, early-season win over a fellow Div. 1 energy on the street.
With two objectives from Taylor Ryder and a very good defensive effort to restrict alternatives as the sport progressed, Shrewsbury (3-0) defused a fiery begin from No. 4 HPNA (2-1-1) and shortly flipped the script en path to a 4-1 MVC/DCL win at Veteran’s Memorial Rink. Both of Ryder’s objectives got here on these unfastened pucks across the internet, and each put her group forward as Shrewsbury scored the sport’s opening purpose and wanted to separate from a tie within the second interval after a short HPNA rally.
Pair that with an 18-save effort from Risa Montoya in internet, in addition to numerous performs on the blue line to interrupt down something HPNA fought again with, to make for an enormous win inside arguably the hardest convention within the state.
“I preach (dirty area goals) every day,” Panarelli mentioned. “Every goal counts, the dirty area goals are just as important. We have some grinders, we work hard. … Our league is so strong, every game is like a playoff game. It’s just exciting. Even tonight, the atmosphere for a regular third game of the season (was great).”
By watching simply the primary seven minutes of the sport, you’d have thought HPNA was effectively on its approach to a win with how the forecheck seamlessly saved the puck on the assault and the strain on Montoya. Goalie Julianna Taylor (24 saves) blocked no matter Shrewsbury might reply with, and a Colonials penalty with 7:23 left in a scoreless opening body gave HPNA much more of a bonus.
That benefit shortly became 4-on-4 play when HPNA drew a penalty, and shortly thereafter gave Shrewsbury a 4-on-3 off one other infraction. That’s when the Colonials took over.
Shrewsbury couldn’t capitalize on the 30 seconds of its 5-on-3 benefit, however might inside the remainder of the second energy play. Yasmine McKenzie hammered a shot off the highest of Taylor’s shoulder to hit the boards behind the web, and Ryder swooped in on the ricochet that slid simply far sufficient into an open scoring lane for the 1-0 lead.
Taylor had a tricky time getting her glove on rebounds across the internet from there as Shrewsbury bombarded her with harmful pucks, however was in a position to stand up to the strain to keep up the one-score deficit till Mia Kmiec buried a rebound on the opposite finish for a 1-1 tie halfway by way of the second quarter. The Colonials saved the strain on with their dominant forecheck, although, and it didn’t take lengthy for Ryder to regain the lead on one other unfastened puck simply two minutes later.
“I was yelling on the bench, this (slow start) is bus legs, let’s get over this,” Panarelli mentioned. “Scoring that power play goal was huge. … We started to play better in the second half of the first period.”
The second interval proved probably the most one-sided regardless of the 1-1 tie, as Shrewsbury blocked most of no matter pictures HPNA might produce earlier than they bought to Montoya. The Colonials out-shot the house group 12-6 within the body as Taylor and the protection saved going through lingering pucks across the soiled space.
It isn’t to say that Shrewsbury wouldn’t want luck, as a well-defended backcheck noticed a Colonials shot deflect off an HPNA defenseman all the way in which throughout the width of the ice. The puck met Rachel Bunsick completely in stride crashing towards the web, and one juke round a defender arrange an insurance coverage purpose for a 3-1 lead.
All it took was two minutes within the third interval to make the sport nearly unreachable, as Katie Vona completed off yet another unfastened puck in entrance of the web for the 4-1 lead. Shrewsbury dedicated its share of penalties to offer HPNA a chance to claw again, however particular groups held it 0-for-4 on energy performs to safe the important thing win.
Source: www.bostonherald.com