Hockey Roundup: Lynnfield gets a much-needed victory

The Lynnfield boys’ hockey team has gone through a couple of lean years, and this season was supposed to be when all that work paid off for coach Jon Gardner’s Pioneers.
But coming into Saturday’s game at McVann-O’Keefe Rink against Pentucket, the Pioneers sat at 1-4-2 and were in what amounted to a must-win situation.
The Pioneers controlledl the play for most of the first two periods against Pentucket but still were in a 2-2 tie late in the third. That’s where senior Rob LoConte came through, as his breakaway goal with 4:52 left proved to be the winner in a 4-2 Pioneers victory.
?This, flat out, was a game we had to win and we weren’t afraid to tell the kids that,” Gardner said. “And they responded.”
Lynnfield (2-4-2) took an early 1-0 lead on a power play goal by Dan O’Leary, assisted by Jack Ganter (three assists) and Derek Crampe (two assists). The Sachems tied the game late in the first on a Colin Greenbaum goal and it stayed that way until the third period.
Freshman Cooper Marengi gave Lynnfield a 2-1 lead early in the third period before the Sachems again tied it up, and it looked like a great effort might by the Pioneers might go for naught.
But LoConte’s nifty backhand to forehand move on the break gave his team the lead.
Tyler Murphy then iced the game with an empty-net goal at 14:16 to give Lynnfield two points it desperately needed.
?The guys really stepped up after (Pentucket) tied the game,” Gardner said.
Williams 1, Fenwick 1
The Crusaders (2-5-1) earned a point in their first game under interim coach Chuck Allen, thanks to a second-period goal from Will Bethune, assisted by Eric Giguere and Mike Campatelli.
Allen was proud of the way his team was able to stay the course after spending most of the first period killing penalties.
?Getting the tie was good for the kids,” Allen said. “They are stronger than what you think sometimes. Our biggest thing as coaches was to have them work hard and that?s what they did.”
Fenwick also got a brilliant performance in net from Bobby Lombardi, who returned from an ankle injury suffered in the team?s first meeting of this season to make 35 saves.
Danvers 3, Lynn 2
The Jets (2-5-1) gave the NEC North leaders a huge scare as they twice rallied from a goal down to tie the game before Tom Mento notched the game-winner for Danvers at 7:10 of the third.
?It was a good high school hockey game. We left it on the ice, they just made a couple more plays than we did,” Jets coach Joe Conlon said.
Danvers (6-3) led 1-0 after one on a Kyle Cahill goal. The Jets tied it early in the second on Tyler Craig’s tally, assisted by Owen Sedille and Jon Kosmas, but the Falcons retook the lead at 11:32 on Ryan Buchanan’s goal.
Brandon Devin tied it up again at the :21 mark of the third, set up by Sedille and Brett Molea, before Mento notched the winner off a Buchanan feed.
Saugus 7, Revere 1
The Sachems (3-5) continued their strong play by following up a win over NEC North power Danvers with a solid three-period effort on the road. John Torres had two goals to lead Saugus? offense with Nik Straticos, Brendan Ronan and Chris Sanderson adding a goal and an assist each.
?It was good to see us put the puck in the net and build off the Danvers win,” Saugus coach Jeff Natalucci said.
Pat Cross and Ryan Groark also had goals for Saugus. Revere?s lone goal came early in the third from Dan Valente.
Peabody 6, Swampscott 0
It was the type of game that Peabody coach Mark Leonard had been waiting for from his 2-5-1 Tanners as they dominated from the opening face-off to the final buzzer. Peabody outshot the Big Blue, 40-8, in the game and scored four times in the first period to take control.
Devin Doucette, Aaron Dollin and Bobby Caproni all had a goal and an assist for Peabody. Pat McCarthy, Donnie Shaw and Jason Marshall also had goals for the Tanners.
?We really needed this,” Leonard said. “Hopefully this is the start of something good for us.”
Marblehead 4, Salem 2
The Headers (6-