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Sachems sack Red Raiders 7-2
Team
outplayed on home ice
Flynn- The Melrose Red Raiders were
beaten by the Winchester Sachems by a score of 7-2 at Flynn Rink in
Melrose. In what was probably the most sub par performance of the
year, the Red Raiders were never really in synch in terms of flow and
intensity spotting Winchester a 4-1 lead after one period and a 7-1
deficit after two periods. Winchester’s Monte Marrocco provided the
offensive spark netting the 3-goal hat trick. Seniors Joe Gerhig
(1-1-2) and Tucker Delaney Winn (1-2-2) played strong games for
Winchester and Mike Seward chipped in with a pair of assists. Chris
Powers and Captain Mike Fimiani each scored a goal for Melrose in the
loss which brought the Melrose record to 5-11-2 with two games
(Wakefield and Everett) remaining in the 2007 -2008 season.
Joe Gehrig opened the scoring for
Winchester taking a feed from Seward at the Melrose line for a near
breakaway. Defenseman Chris Healy for Melrose got back and seemed to
have angle position on the play however the senior made a move to the
left and beat Melrose goaltender Sean Morris with a sniper like shot
back to the right top corner of the goal. Marracco scored his first at
3:41 converting on a 2 on 1 break to the net off a feed from Seward.
On the ensuing face off Chris Powers got Melrose right back in the
game with another nifty goal ( his 18th), a back hander that ricochet
of the left goal post past Winchester goalie Jed Robinson who was
trading shifts with starting Goaltender Mike Messuri.
Winchester continued to have the
territorial advantage throughout and scored two more goals in the
final two minutes of the period. A deflected shot off the stick of
defenseman Paul Troiano at the right point slipped behind Morris at
the post but not over the goal line until it was pounced on by
Winchester Captain Tucker Delaney-Winn for the easy tap in. Then with
.38 seconds remaining Marracco scored again on another 2 on 1 feed
from the left wing that looked more like an instant replay of his
first goal. He has great hands and outskated the Melrose defenders to
the net. Melrose was flat and not playing very physical and as a
result it made a fast skating Sachem team look even faster.
In the second period Winchester scored
three more times (once shorthanded) to further the differential and
put the game out of reach early. Winchester Ben Lawrence scored at the
very end of a power play wristing a shot from the point that eluded a
screened Sean Morris. Moments later Winchester scored again while
killing off a penalty which is the cardinal sin for the team with the
man advantage. Sachem forward Jay Spry sped past the Melrose defense
and converted a loose rebound that Morris was having trouble
containing in the crease to the far corner. Seward had just
intercepted a poor Red Raider breakout pass and threw a bouncing puck
in on Morris with Spry crashing the net to earn the assist. This pure
hustle goal deflated any hopes Melrose had to mount a comeback in this
game. Marracco then completed the hat trick with .24 seconds left in
the period skating the perimeter of the Melrose zone uncontested and
wristing a shot low to the ice to the left corner of the net to make
it 7-1 after two.
Melrose changed goaltenders in the
third period with Freshman Matt Hollow replacing Sean Morris. Mike
Fimiani scored his 17th of the season off a feed from Chris Powers
through the five hole of Mike Messuri who was back in the goal for
Winchester. In total Melrose had nine power plays but little success
on the power play in this one. The team will be ready to rumble with
Wakefield in their final home game of the season at Flynn Rink on
Saturday. NOTE: It will be a special day for the Seniors in the their
final home varsity game.
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