Beverly icemen blast Big Blue

SALEM – Beverly coach Bob Gilligan knew that the Panthers 2-0 lead after two periods on Wednesday against Swampscott wasn’t quite going to be enough.That fact was true because GIlligan knew that Swampscott had come from behind to tie Danvers in the season opener after trailing by two goals in the third. Well, the Panthers didn’t let the Big Blue come back as they scored three times in the third to take a 5-0 win at Rockett Arena.”We didn’t want to let them get a sniff because they can hang around and tie the game,” Gilligan said. “The kids played pretty sound hockey.”The Panthers (5-1-1) 2-0 lead was precarious because Swampscott had done everything but put the puck in the net during the second period. Of the six shots the Big Blue got, four of them were quality scoring chances against freshman Tony Walsh. But none of them were able to find the mark.”We just seem to struggle to put the puck in the net against good teams,” Swampscott coach Gino Faia said. “We didn’t play our game (Wednesday).”Swampscott (2-3-2) began the third on the attack, but failed to find the mark. The missed chances eventually turned the tide on the Big Blue and the Panthers were more than ready to deliver the knockout blow.Kyle Irving’s long-distance pass on a line change found its mark on the stick of Mike Boches for a breakaway from 50 feet. Boches went to the backhand and roofed his shot over Tyler Gallagher’s shoulder for a 3-0 lead.Just over a minute later, Beverly’s first line erased any thoughts of a Swampscott comeback. Jack Leathersich’s seventh goal of the season, assisted by Boches and Alex Baker, came on a rebound at the top of the crease at 5:33 to make it 4-0.Chris Freni capped the perfect third period for the Panthers with his third of the season at 10:24, assisted by Bryan Spencer.”We needed to get this win,” Gilligan said.The Panthers opened the scoring at 2:50 of the first when Chris Bushey beat Gallagher 5-hole on a breakaway for a 1-0 lead. Swampscott tried to answer early in the second, but Walsh made four straight saves at the outset of the period to keep Beverly in front.Beverly defenseman Ryan Karp gave the Panthers a 2-0 lead with 5:09 left in the second when his drive from the right point hit a stick and sailed over Gallagher’s shoulder.