Local hockey teams ready for season openers

SALEM – With the puck set to drop for most of the North Shore’s hockey teams beginning today, Sunday’s 5th Annual Salem State Hockey Jamboree gave 12 teams a chance to work out the final kinks before the season begins for real.Click here for a photo gallery.For the Lynn Jets, Sunday’s 50-minute-long scrimmage was a chance to break in 15 freshmen and sophomores against a powerful Peabody club. The Jets acquitted themselves very well against the defending NEC North champs as the Tanners needed Chris Kordis’ goal with 6:15 left to steal away a 3-2 win at Rockett Arena.”I’m really happy with the effort,” Lynn coach Joe Conlon said. “It’s a good way for us to go into Wednesday and the season.”The Jets actually got off to a quick start as Kyle Devin’s rocket from the top of the left circle off a turnover beat Derek Savage glove side for a 1-0 lead at the 6:36 mark.Peabody would begin to take control of the play after Devin’s goal, forcing the Jets into three straight penalties, but solid goaltending from Nick Comeau kept Lynn in front. Late in the first, however, Peabody got the equalizer when Rob Houghton finished off a Steve Hatchouel pass with 2:40 left.”Lynn is a feisty team. They’re going to do some damage in the Small,” Peabody coach Mark Leonard said.Peabody continued to push the play in the second 25 minutes and took the lead for the first time on defenseman Eric Muise’s shorthanded marker at 8:40. Two minutes later, freshman Kyle MacDonald tipped home a Kyle Martin drive to deadlock things at 2-2.The Tanners got the winner, however, when Kordis went to the goal and tapped home a Tom Marmiani pass.St. John’s 3, Marblehead 1In what was the marquee matchup of the jamboree, the defending Division 3 North champs played well, but the Eagles’ speed and physicality helped them grab a 2-0 lead in the first and let them hang on from there.Jon Farrow got the Eagles on the board on a breakaway off a Colin Blackwell feed at 6:45. Late in the first, Farrow returned the favor as Blackwell finished off a perfect give-and-go to make it 2-0, Prep.Matt West’s goal early in the second period increased the lead to 3-0 before Ryan Dempsey’s shorthanded goal for the Headers closed out the scoring at 14:07.Saugus 5, Revere 0The Sachems made coach Jeff Natalucci’s debut a memorable one as four different players recorded goals and 11 players had at least a point against the Patriots. Kurt Rodrigues and Tyler Stretton had goals 1:14 apart late in the first to stake Saugus to a 2-0 lead.Ralph Paglucca and Mike Colby added second-period goals to make it 4-0 before Stretton notched his second of the game late.Danvers 5, Swampscott 1The Falcons dominated most of the way as Jack McCarthy had a pair of goals to lead Danvers. Gino Cresta had the Big Blue goal, assisted by Matt Videtta with two seconds left.Winthrop 4, Beverly 2The Vikings trailed 1-0 after one thanks to Andrew Irving’s power play goal but rallied for four goals in the second 25 minutes to defeat the Panthers.Salem defeated Rockport, 2-0, in the opening game of the day.