MIDDLETON — After outshooting its opponent by more than double and scoring three goals in the third period, the St. John’s Prep hockey team picked up a 6-3 win over Malden Catholic in a battle of top-20 teams Monday afternoon at Essex Sports Center.
For the Eagles — which are ranked as the No. 1 team in Division 1 in the latest MIAA power rankings — it was their fifth straight matchup against a top 25-ranked team.
Jake Vana scored two goals to lead the way for the Prep, while Ben McGilvray notched one goal and one assist. Jimmy Ayers, Cam Umlah and Aidan Holland each scored one goal. Theo Vetere, Will Van Sicklin, Zack Raposa, Pierce Blaeser and Tommy Tilas each had one assist.
Although the Eagles came out and dominated the opening minutes of play, it was actually Malden Catholic that jumped on the scoreboard first. After a series of three penalties in a row led to a 5-on-3 opportunity for the Lancers, Seamus Condon put Malden Catholic ahead when he knocked home a goal.
But the Eagles were not deterred, and they tied it up fairly quickly when Raposa sent a shot on net that was tipped into the net by Vana. Then, about a minute before the end of the first period, McGilvray put the Prep ahead after jumping a passing lane, getting on a 2-on-1 break with Vetere and finding the back of the net.
Malden Catholic answered in kind at the start of the second period, getting goals from William Fosdick and Joe Gafney to take back the lead at 3-2.
But that’s where the Lancers’ run ended and the Eagles took over.
A little more than a minute after Gafney’s goal, the Prep tied things at 3-3 when Holland rifled a shot in from the top of the circle. Then, just before the end of the period, Blaeser hit Vana in front of the net for a one-timer to score what would eventually become the game-winning goal and give the Eagles a 4-3 lead after two periods.
The Prep only stretched out its lead from there, as Umlah took advantage of a bad line change by Malden Catholic to make it 5-3 and then Ayers capped off the scoring on a pass from Van Sicklin. But it wasn’t just the offensive side of the ice that fueled the Prep win — as the Eagles only allowed Malden Catholic to get three shots on net in the third period.
St. John’s Prep (11-2-0) returns to the ice Wednesday evening (6:40) for a home game against St. John’s (Shrewsbury) back at Essex Sports Center.
