MIAA Boys Hockey: Pioneers hope to break through in Division 2 North

They have been arguably the most consistent program in Division 2 North for the better part of a decade, but have yet to lay claim to a sectional championship. But for the Lynnfield hockey team and coach Vin Mirasolo, the time for a title might be at hand.The Pioneers will be the No. 1 seed when they open play in the North tournament on Tuesday (8) at Ryan Skating Arena in Watertown against No. 16 St. Bernard’s.The two teams have a postseason history, having met in the 2000 North final, won by the Bernardians, 2-1.This year, the Pioneers have been outstanding en route to a 17-3-1 record, outscoring the opposition 76-39.”It’s been a great year,” Mirasolo said. “The kids really should be given their due for having a 17-win season. We have exceptional leadership and that’s been a big difference for us.”Lynnfield will look to its first line of John Festa (47 points), Greg Meininger (45 points) and Dylan Costa (38 points) to help shoulder much of the offensive burden. The Pioneer defense also has been on the ball all year in front of goalie Joe Bassi.”We can roll three lines and five defensemen with regularity,” Mirasolo said. “Our depth is a big factor for us to be successful.”On the other side of the bracket, a pair of NEC North teams will meet for the third time as No. 6 Beverly (14-5-1) takes on 11th-seeded Saugus (11-6-3) at Stoneham Arena on Tuesday (8).The Panthers are one of the hottest teams entering the tournament, having won their last 10 in a row, including a 4-1 win over Saugus two weeks ago. The Sachems, sectional runner-up last year, have had a roller-coaster season but coach Jeff Natalucci knows his team has to be ready for Beverly.”It’s going to be a battle,” Natalucci said. “Both of us know each other pretty well, so I expect it will be a pretty good hockey game. Beverly is as hot as anybody right now, so we need to play for 45 minutes.”Saugus will have its hands full in containing the trio of NEC North MVP Connor Irving (55 points), his cousin Andrew (30 points) and winger Brenden Mitchell (37 points). But the Sachems have a veteran team that has been down this road before and Natalucci hopes that will bolster his team.”Hopefully, what we went through last year will help us. We have a lot of guys that know what it takes to be successful and they want to not come up short again,” Natalucci said.Other first-round games see NEC North champions Danvers, the four seed, taking on Methuen on Tuesday (8) in Woburn; and No. 10 Winthrop meeting defending state champion Tewksbury at Stoneham (5:30).DIVISION 3 NORTHTo say it’s been a roller-coaster week of emotion for the Lynn Jets would be a gross understatement. On Tuesday, the Jets seemingly saw their playoff hopes end with a 3-1 loss to Rockport only to find out 24 hours later that the Vikings had to forfeit because of using an ineligible player.Consequently, the Jets are now the No. 9 seed in the tournament and will take on No. 8 Weston on Thursday (7:30) in Watertown.”You go from feeling about as bad as you can to getting a surprise like we did,” Jets coach Joe Conlon said. “Now we have to take advantage of this second chance. Weston is a good team from a good league, but we’re just happy that we get to practice again.”One of the marquee matchups of the opening round will be in Stoneham on Thursday (5:30) as defending state champion Marblehead takes on No. 5 Shawsheen in a rematch of last year’s sectional title game.”Shawsheen will be ready to go because we beat them last year, so we need to be ready to match them,” Marblehead coach Bob Jackson said.On the other side of the bracket, it will be another NEC team meeting one from the MVC/DCL league as No. 10 Swampscott takes on No. 7 Wayland in Stoneham at 8 on Thursday.The Big Blue have NEC South MVP Gino Cresta and his league-leading 41 points on their side but will be facing a challenge from a Wayland squad that was a semifinalist last year.”Wayland is a very good team and are a lot like us,” Swampscott coach Gino Faia