Team White wins NEC All-Star Game

SALEM – It goes without saying that all of those in attendance for Saturday afternoon?s Northeastern Conference boys hockey all-star game at Rockett Arena were expecting a high-scoring affair between Team Dark and Team White.After all, such events usually see two powerful offenses take center stage, racking up and cashing in on scoring chances.It seems both sides? goaltenders and defensive corps missed the memo this year.Both offensive juggernauts could muster only two goals apiece in 50 minutes of play, forcing the game into a shootout, which the White team won 2-1.?You certainly don?t see many low scores in games like this, but these are all-star goaltenders and defensemen as well,” said Team Dark coach Joe Conlon (Lynn). “It was a lot of fun out there today and it turned out to be a great game.”The victors featured players from Beverly, Danvers, Gloucester, Salem and Swampscott while the Dark team consisted of Lynn, Marblehead, Peabody, Revere and Winthrop.With the postseason right around the corner for seven of the 10 teams, the game was understandably played at a more casual pace, especially in the early going. Both coaches elected to keep teammates together to create as much chemistry as possible.?We didn?t have much time to put lines together, but we had at least three players from each team, so that was helpful,” explained Team White coach Ted Hanley (Salem).Ever elusive, the icebreaker finally came at the 15:12 mark of the first 25-minute running period, with a trio of Swampscott forwards doing the honors for the White team.A turnover led to Mike Johnson getting the puck to Ryan Donnelly before the latter found Ryan Cresta at the right post for an easy tap-in past Salem goaltender Brett Harring (5 saves).Just 1:20 later, the Dark team grabbed the equalizer when Peabody?s Reed Foster fed Tanners teammate Matt Pino at the bottom of the right circle before his sharp snap shot eluded Winthrop?s Ray Feeley (3 saves).The prettiest play of the game resulted in the White team retaking the lead with just 1:06 remaining in the period.Pat Todisco (Winthrop) broke in on a 2-on-1 with Ryan MacDonald (Lynn) leading to the former scoring after a beautiful display of quick passing in front of Harring.?That was a great play they put together,” said Conlon of the unfamiliar duo. “We mixed and matched lines a lot and let the kids figure things out. There was no stress today and everybody seems to have had a good time.”Team Dark led 8-5 in shots after the opening frame. While the chances would increase in the second, the goaltenders stepped up and stole the show.Beverly?s Tim Birarelli (7 saves) and Danvers? Alex Taylor (4 total) combined to stop all 10 shots the Dark team sent their way, allowing their squad an opportunity to even things.The chance presented itself 13:24 in when Beverly blue-liner Matt Hamor accepted a pass from Matt Lane (Gloucester) at the left point before his shot was tipped inside the right post by Panthers teammate Nick Albano, cruising the slot.Marblehead goalies Harrison Young (5 saves) and Miles Barry (2 total) split the second period for the Dark team.The shootout saw Birarelli beaten by Chris Page (Winthrop) in between stops on Matt Koopman (Marblehead) and Mike Vadala (Peabody).At the other end, a Sam Petri (Salem) goal preceded a miss by Graham Doherty before Beverly teammate Connor Irving scored, leading to Birarelli?s game-ending save on Lynn?s Pat Finnigan.Before the game began, the teams competed in a three-pronged skills competition.Derek DeMild (Peabody) was crowned fastest skater before Revere?s Brandon Mastropietro took first in a hybrid skating/stick-handling race.The finale, a shootout competition, saw Donnelly (3 for 7 overall) and Birarelli (6 for 6 in finals) earn co-victories.