Bransfield, Jets earn first-ever win

Things started true to form on Saturday night at Connery Rink as the Peabody hockey team flew up and down the ice against the Lynn Jets, taking a 2-0 lead into the first intermission.Between periods, however, the Jets got a pep talk from head coach Al Melanson that was very simple.”Between that first and second period, we said that as coaches we believe in you, now you have to believe in each other,” Melanson said.Well, the Jets must have gotten the message loud and clear as they tied the game in the second period and then got their first-ever win as Liam Bransfield scored with five minutes remaining for a 3-2 win over one of the top teams in the Northeastern Conference.”We have the ability to skate with anybody in the league and the kids showed a tremendous amount of character,” Melanson said. “I’m happy, but I’m happier for the kids.”Peabody coach Mark Leonard was quick to give the Jets praise for coming back.”Lynn played great and I have to give them credit,” Leonard said. “We went from dominating the game to losing it. It’s tough to figure out.”The Tanners (1-1) certainly came out looking like the team most expected as James Noftle made it 1-0 five minutes in and Elijah Cohen gave Peabody a 2-0 lead just past the midpoint of the period.From there on, however, goaltender Tyler Slepoy and the Jets defense became very stingy.”Tyler came up big and kept us in the game,” Melanson said.It was still 2-0 late in the second period when freshman Bucky Surrette cut the lead in half off assists from Matt Lundin and Terry Finnegan. The Jets pulled even with 75 seconds left in the period on Billy MacDaniel’s third goal in two games, giving the Lynners a big boost.”That was very important to go in 2-2,” Melanson said.The game stayed 2-2 for most of the third until Bransfield got the game-winner, assisted by Eric Bransfield and Mike Duggan.