Hockey: Tanners ice Swampscott with last-minute goal

Youth and inexperience have dogged the Peabody hockey team throughout the season but the Tanners gave a glimpse of what their future may hold Saturday afternoon, knocking off tourney-bound Swampscott, 4-3, on Tyler Gillespie’s close-range goal with 58 seconds to play in NEC crossover action at McVann-O’Keefe Rink.The Tanners (0-3-2, 3-8-2) climbed out of a 2-0 hole for a 3-2 lead, then kept plugging away Corey Carmody’s unassisted strike pulled the Big Blue (3-1-0, 10-3-3) even just under six minutes to play.”It was a great high school game. Both teams had a ton of good chances,” said Peabody coach Mark Leonard, noting that his club “showed a lot of character coming back on tough Swampscott team after trailing 2-0 and also after giving up the lead in third.”Following a scoreless first period, Swampscott built a 2-0 lead in the first five minutes of the second period on goals by Ryan Cresta (at 1:45) and Griffin Hunt (at 4:24). Sophomore Bobby Caproni put Peabody on the board with 8:46 left in the period and the Tanners drew even on junior Derek DeMild’s tally at 11:18. Caproni’s second of the game pushed the Tanners in front, 3-2, at 4:54 of the third period.Peabody goalie Joe Powers (31 saves) excelled and Leonard credited forwards Andrew Bisconti and Mike Vadala with strong defensive efforts. Swampscott keeper Tristan Bradley turned back 24 shots.Danvers 4, Lynn 0At Connery Rink, the Jets (3-2-0, 6-6-1) fell in NEC crossover play despite Mike Gately’s 33-save performance. Alex Taylor recorded the shutout for the Falcons (3-1-1, 7-3-3), who got two goals from AJ Couto and one each from Rob Buchanon and Kyle Cahill.”Danvers is a deep team and a tough team to come back against. They came in and earned the win. We need to pull together and put in our best effort every day going forward,” said Lynn coach Joe Conlon.St. Mary’s 4, Lowell Cath. 0At Janas Rink, the Spartans (5-8-2) toppled Lowell Catholic in a Catholic Central League crossover tilt Sunday night, outshooting their hosts, 37-18. Sophomore goalie Nick Holt (18 saves) notched the shutout while seniors Cam Grenham and Ryan Madden had a goal and assist apiece. Chris Price and Jordan Manthorne also scored while Drew DiMaiti dished out three helpers.”We had a slow start but picked it up halfway through the second period and played well all the way through the third. I thought Nick Holt had a great game,” said coach Mark Lee.Saugus 1, Salem 1At Rockett Arena, the Sachems (1-3-1, 2-9-2) piled up a whopping 41-12 edge in shots but needed sophomore Vic DeMatteo’s goal at 2:08 of the third period to secure the tie. Spencer Berholz gave the Witches (0-4-1, 2-8-3) a 1-0 lead midway through the first period.”We played selfish and uninspired hockey,” said Saugus coach Jeff Natalucci. “If it wasn’t for our goalie David Aiken making some big saves in the third period we would have lost.”Beverly 6, Revere 1At Cronin Rink, the Panthers (5-0-0, 12-0-1) rolled over winless Revere (0-3-1, 0-11-1) in NEC crossover play behind Connor Irving’s goal and three assists.Winthrop 1, Marblehead 0At Rockett Arena, the Magicians (4-0-0, 10-3-0) did everything possible but couldn’t solve the Vikings’ red-hot sophomore goaltender Ray Feeley, who made 16 of his 38 total saves in the first period en route to his fourth shutout in NEC crossover play. Junior Chris Page’s finish on an odd-man rush at 7:14 of the second period provided the only goal the Vikings (1-1-3, 6-2-4) the Vikings would need. Junior Harrison Young finished with 18 saves for Marblehead.Newburyport 5, Lynnfield 1At McVann-O’Keefe Rink, the Pioneers (0-7-0, 0-11-1) made it 2-1 on junior Nick LoConte’s first varsity goal midway through the first period but couldn’t match the Cape Ann League leading Clippers (7-0-1, 8-1-4), who got two goals each from Nate Hickman and Tyler Cusack and have yielded just six goals in eight league contests.In other games, it was Austin Prep 9, Fenwick 1GIRLS HOCKEYMarblehead 5, Everett 2At Rockett Arena, the M