NEC cruises past CAL in all-star hockey game

SALEM – It was one last chance for the best the Northeastern Conference and Cape Ann League have to offer in hockey to put on a show before the state tournament begins on Tuesday.Click here for a photo gallery of Saturday’s gameOn Saturday at Rockett Arena, the NEC stars blew open a close game with four unanswered goals and cruised to a 5-1 win in front of a large crowd.With the bulk of both teams set to play in the state tournament next week, there weren’t the big bodychecks and aggressive forechecks that come with a normal game. But the show was still quite entertaining.Neither team could dent the scoreboard in the first as Wilmington’s Zach Rosa and Winthrop’s Pat Feeley threw up zeroes. In the second, though, the NEC stars took control of the game.Swampscott’s Justin Massey gave his team a 1-0 lead early in the second when he converted a Bucky Surette rebound against Pentucket’s Andrew Mueskas. A little over three minutes later, Danvers’ Kyle Larson took a pass from Saugus’ Steve Groark and labeled a shot over Mueskas’ shoulder to make it 2-0.At the other end of the rink, Revere’s Nick Dimare was keeping the CAL at bay, robbing Masco sniper Pat Crosby and North Andover’s Jack Hyman point blank late in the period.The NEC put the pedal down in the third and pulled away from its local rivals.Massey got his second goal of the game early in the third of a nifty backhand pass from teammate Gino Cresta to make it 3-0 at the 28 second mark.On the next shift, Peabody’s Andrew Bucci took a pass from teammate Matt Rodgers and beat Lynnfield’s Craig Cataldo with a bullet under the crossbar at :48 to make it 4-0 NEC.The CAL stars climbed back midway through the third as North Reading’s Matt Anderson scored on a breakaway against Swampscott’s Tyler Gallagher.But NEC South MVP Jake Kulevich of Marblehead insured the win at 9:43, assisted by Jay Sasso and Larson.