Serino’s late strike lifts Swampscott past Lynn Jets

LYNN – As time melted off the Connery Rink scoreboard clock Saturday night, the Swampscott High hockey team, locked in a spirited scoreless tie with Lynn, faced the prospect of ceding a crucial point in the NEC South title race.That changed when Big Blue senior Robert Serino banged a second-chance rebound goal past Lynn goalie Mike Gately (29 saves) with 15 seconds remaining for a 1-0 win, keeping Swampscott (4-1-0, 11-4-0) two points behind Marblehead and providing the chance to face its arch rival Wednesday night (Salem State, 7) in a game with league title implications.”This is a huge win – it keeps us alive,” said Swampscott coach Gino Faia. “Now we have an opportunity against Marblehead. If we hadn’t won, it (the race) would have been pretty much over.”The outcome was as disheartening for Lynn as it was uplifting for Swampscott. Shut out for the second straight game, the Jets (3-3-0, 6-7-1) must accrue seven points in their final six contests to return to Division 3 North Sectional play.”We battled as hard as we could and had some chances in the third but were unable to cash in. Lately things haven’t been going our way, but I have confidence this team will go as hard as possible from here on out,” said coach Joe Conlon.It seemed somehow fitting the gritty Serino delivered the lone goal. Earlier in the period he had been sandwiched on the boards and then, laboring to reach the bench as play continued, bowled over by a Jets player pursuing the puck.The winning sequence evolved from defenseman Chris Carman’s shot from the left point. Both Corey Carmody and Nunzio Morretti had hacks at the puck during the ensuing goalmouth scramble before it squirted to Serino near the left post for an open finish.Nineteen seconds earlier, Swampscott’s freshman goalie Tristan Bradley (19 saves) gobbled up a point-blank bid by the Jets’ Tony Uva, set up by Mark Brazell’s deft dish from behind the net.”Robert played a good, hard, physical game. He’s a two-way player and he always battles,” said Faia. “And Tristan made some great saves down the stretch. We told the kids to stay patient. We forechecked well and we had a number of good opportunities.”While Swampscott held a territorial edge through two and one-half periods, tight checking severely restricted quality opportunities. However, both offenses found another gear in the game’s final eight minutes. Gately denied Morretti from the left circle with 7:19 left and turned back Noah Maercklein from close range with six minutes to play. Bradley matched him, frustrating Brazell from the mid-slot with 4:32 left before making three rapid-fire stops in the first 20 seconds of a Jets power play.