Salem ends Jets hopes for postseason berth

SALEM ? A disappointing year for the Lynn Jets came to a disappointing end as they lost their season finale, 2-0, to Salem/Hamilton-Wenham Friday night at Rockett Arena.
The Jets (6-12-2) would have qualified for the state tournament with a win, which would have tied them for second place with the Witches (11-7-2) in their division of the Northeastern Conference.
Salem got a pair of goals from Sam Petri, on a wrist shot in the second period, and then an empty-netter late in the third period. Nick Holt stopped 26 shots for the shutout.
Rather than dwell upon the end of a season that started with so much optimism, Lynn coach Joe Conlon chose to praise Holt and the Witches.
?I certainly have a lot of respect for him and what they’ve done this year,” Conlon said. “They should be proud of what they’ve accomplished.”
The Jets had plenty of chances, particularly in the second period when they had nearly 5 ? consecutive minutes of power-play time, but couldn’t get a shot past Holt. Lynn also had some glittering chances in the first period, again during a power play at the six-minute mark, when a wrist shot from the right dot by Cam Vatour hit Holt in the mask. A couple of minutes later, Vatour broke in on a partial breakaway and tried to beat Holt to his glove side, but he missed the net.
In the final 30 seconds of the opening period, Lynn’s Brett Molea flipped a backhander over the net from close range.
Salem’s best chance of the first period was on a breakaway by Jake Quarles, whom Lynn goalie Jack Stafford robbed with a shoulder save.
Early in the second period, Petri collected the puck near the left half-boards, skated toward the slot and beat Stafford with a low shot to the stick side to give the Witches a 1-0 lead.
Midway through the period, Petri was sent off for a four-minute major for boarding, but the Jets couldn’t muster much offense. In fact, the best chance was a shorthanded bid by Salem’s Derek Zwiercan, who forced Stafford to make a good save.
With three seconds left on Petri’s penalty, Salem’s Quarles was called for tripping. But again, the Jets couldn’t get much going on the power play.
?It was frustrating,” Conlon said. “We certainly had enough opportunities.”
The early part of the third period was mostly a neutral-zone affair. Midway through the period, Vatour was sent off for four minutes for boarding, and Stafford had to make three good stops to keep his team’s deficit at one goal.
Needing to score twice to win, Conlon pulled his goalie with 2:43 left. About a half minute later, Petri picked up a loose puck in his own zone and whipped it the length of the ice for a goal that put the dagger in Lynn’s postseason hopes.?We’ve got some guys who are coming back next year who will have to work harder,” Conlon said. “For the guys who are leaving, we thank them and wish them all the luck in the world.”