PEABODY — The Lynnfield boys hockey team didn’t start the season the way it had hoped, falling 4-1 in a non-league game against Gloucester at McVann/O’Keefe Rink Saturday.
“Obviously it’s not how we wanted to start off,” Lynnfield coach Jon Gardner said. “We had a lot of chances in the first on the power play and then had a lot of 5-on-5 chances in the second. That has been our biggest issue since we’ve been here.
“We tell our guys to shoot pucks and you have to be able to bury shots,” he said. “We had a couple breakaways (but) we didn’t cash in.”
Pioneer goaltender Aidan Kelly allowed three goals, but made several great saves after defensive mistakes to keep Lynnfield in the game.
“His first save of his senior year was a shorthanded breakaway,” Gardner said. “He made some nice positional saves all game. I know, him being a perfectionist, he will say he wanted the second one back. But he is always a rock back there for us.”
Sam Pifco scored Lynnfield’s lone goal, finishing a rebound on a shot by John Simonetti.
“Sam is a junior, played junior varsity last year and went up and down with us a little bit,” Gardner said. “He’s just been a motor with a long reach. Chris Flannery on that line is a buzzsaw and Siminetti is another big tall long kid with some skill.”
The Pioneers ran into trouble early when a turnover gave the Fishermen a shorthanded breakaway just over a minute into the game. Kelly was able to hold strong on the play to keep the game scoreless.
Gloucester eventually capitalized on a chance later when Ryan Muniz ripped a shot from the point that was deflected by Derek Hopkins to put the Fishermen ahead 1-0 after one period.
The Pioneers gained some momentum after killing a 5-on-3 power play for Gloucester midway through the second period. Later in the period Siminetti ripped a shot that appeared as though it may have crossed the goal line but Pifco erased all doubt by scoring on the rebound to tie the game at 1-1.
“That line was buzzing around and Pifco just went to the net,” Gardner said of the play. “We thought that the first shot went in, but we were glad that we finished anyway after that.”
Gloucester pulled away in the third period. EJ Field slipped past a few defenders, scoring on a wrist shot and Ryan Bergin finished a rebound out front to give the Fishermen a 3-1 lead with 4:25 to play.
Lynnfield had a chance at a comeback with a two-man advantage after a Gloucester penalty, and with Kelly on the bench for an extra skater. But the power play struggles continued, and Muniz iced the game with an empty-net goal.
“We lost three guys from the power play last year, which was — beyond probably — one of the most effective ones in the state,” Gardner said after the Pioneers went 0-for-3 with the extra-man advantage. “The net presence … we lost guys there, so I think a couple times we didn’t really get a good screen.
“You can’t get your shots blocked on a power play, let alone wrist shots,” he said. “We did it countless times throughout the game.”
Lynnfield won’t have much time to dwell on the loss. The Pioneers look to rebound Wednesday when they travel to Masconomet.
“These guys know that our schedule is tough and there are no nights off,” Gardner said. “You have to find ways to score and be opportunistic. We weren’t tonight and we have to get better.”
