Balanced Pioneers pounce on Pentucket, 7-2

PEABODY – The Lynnfield High hockey team achieved offensive nirvana during Saturday afternoon’s 7-2 dismantling of Pentucket at McVann-O’Keefe Rink.Seven players scored single goals; 13 found the scoresheet; and each line contributed to a 34-shot barrage of Sachems goalie Samantha Bomba. Since losing to Newburyport on Jan. 21, the Pioneers (12-2-1, 8-2-1) have rattled off four consecutive wins to close to within two points behind Cape Ann League leader Triton. Both have three league games remaining.”That was a solid workmanlike effort, a complete team performance. We’ll take it. I thought we controlled all three zones and we got contributions from the second and third lines,” said coach Vin Mirasolo.However, make no mistake: The first line of senior captain Greg Meininger (goal, two assists), senior Dylan Costa (goal, assist) and sophomore John Festa (goal, two assists); and the trio of senior captains/defensemen Tyler Smith, Jeremy Young (two assists) and Craig Anderson drive this club.”They’re all gifted players, they all move well without the puck and they’re unselfish. They all have great instincts and when they’re on top of their game, I feel that first line with any combination of the three senior defensemen is as good as there is around,” Mirasolo said.The Pioneers wasted little time getting on the board as Matt Boehner wheeled out of the left corner unmarked and snapped a quick shot past Bomba’s stick side at 2:52 of the first period.Lynnfield made it 2-0 at the 9:24 mark as Young’s patience waiting for a seam to open in Pentucket’s passive forecheck eventually resulted in a 2-on-1. Meininger’s delivery from the left circle found the hard-charging Costa for a goalmouth finish.Pentucket’s Tom Pingree made it a 2-1 game with a close-range finish just 55 seconds into the second period.”Give Pentucket credit – they always compete. They’re well-coached and they play hard,” Mirasolo said of the gritty performance that has come to typify the Sachems under their long-time coach Bill Burns.Lynnfield re-asserted itself with a three-goal burst in a span of 5:30 to exit the period with a 5-1 lead.Set up by Young, Festa dangled right to left through the high slot before solving Bomba over the right shoulder at 4:25. Fifty-one seconds later, Young’s laser pass from the half wall set up Chris Lang for a re-direct into the open left side. Meininger got into the act with 6:05 left in the period, roofing a five-footer after Costa forced a giveaway.Steve Corcoran and Chris Davis stretched the lead out to 7-1 with scramble goals at 9:55 and 10:46 of the third period. Pentucket’s Lee Tremblay snapped a rebound past Lynnfield goalie Joe Bassi (13 saves) at 14:06 to finish the scoring.