Saugus’ Vecchione sends MC to Garden

LOWELL – Three years ago, Mike Vecchione was sitting in the stands at TD BankNorth Garden watching the Saugus High hockey team lose in overtime in its quest for a third straight state title.Well, Vecchione’s seat on Sunday at the Garden is going to be a little better this time.The freshman scored with 2:37 left in regulation to help Malden Catholic, coached by another Saugonian, Chris Serino, to a 3-2 win at Tsongas Arena over Catholic Memorial in the semifinals of the Division 1A hockey tournament.The Lancers will now take on another upstart and fellow first-time finalist, Reading, on Sunday (7:30) in the title game. The Rockets, seeded fifth despite losing only once, became only the third public school to make the 1A final (Weymouth last year and Medford in 1993) as they put an end to Xaverian’s remarkable run with a commanding 5-2 win in the night’s first semifinal.But for Vecchione, getting to the Garden was beyond his wildest dreams, let alone playing for a state title there.”It’s crazy,” Vecchione said. “Words can’t explain this. It’s just amazing.”The game-winning goal was simply a thing of beauty.After the two teams had played a very defensive third period and the game looked like it would be heading for overtime, the Lancers finally found a crease in the Knights’ defense.Alex Minter, another freshman, made a pass through the legs of a CM defender to Vecchione in the right circle. Vecchione didn’t wait long to slide his shot between the pads of Tom Conlin and spark madness in the MC student section.”Alex made a great pass and I looked and saw the 5-hole open,” Vecchione said.Vecchione’s goal was the cap to a spectacular comeback from Malden Catholic. The Lancers trailed 2-0 after the first period and probably would have been behind by even more if not for several spectacular saves from goaltender John Carbonneau.”Obviously it’s nice to win the game and give the kids a chance to play for a championship,” Serino said. “But it’s a little sweeter to do it when you’re down 2-0 and come back ? John made five or six big saves in the game, and to move on, you have to have that.”In the 17 years the Division 1A, or Super 8, tournament has been in existence, no team has been more dominant than Catholic Memorial.Simply put, the Knights have been the kings of the Super 8 in a way like Boston University is during the Beanpot. CM has won an astounding 12 of the 17 titles in 1A. Only BC High (4) and Arlington Catholic (1) have also laid claim to the crown.Well, a fourth team will now join that elite trio.”I never thought that we’d be here and going to the Garden,” Vecchione said. “But everybody brought it up in the second and third periods.”The way the night started for Malden Catholic, heading to Boston on Sunday seemed to be highly unlikely.The Knights, who have gone a remarkable two years without a title, had beaten the Lancers twice in the regular season, but both games were very competitive (3-1 and 6-4). And right from the outset, CM was out to make it 3-for-3.Putting pressure on Carbonneau from the get-go, the Knights grabbed a 1-0 lead just 2:54 in.Senior forward Mike Collins’ hard work behind the net led to a perfect pass to one of the Knights’ sensational sophomores, Derek Collucci, who one-timed the pass over Carbonneau’s left shoulder for a 1-0 lead.MC struggled to get anything started against the Knights and Conlin, who stopped all six shots he saw in the first period. At the other end, Collins again played the role of setup man when he was instrumental in the Knights doubling their lead.Sophomore Shane Walsh picked up the second of his two first-period assists when he fed Collins on the left wing that was tipped home by, you guessed it, another sophomore. This time, it was Troy Starrett doing the deflecting as he tipped the shot inside the right post at 8:25.The Lancers got a chance to halve the deficit late in the first when Collins was sent off for cross-checking at 10:33, but Conlin and the penalty killers held strong