If there’s one thing every hockey coach wants to see, it’s consistency. For the St. Mary’s girls hockey team (4-0), that’s exactly what the Spartans did, scoring a goal in each period to defeat Matignon 3-0 on Wednesday evening at Connery Rink.
With dueling fans filling up the bleachers, Regan Sullivan, Amanda Forziati, and Gabbi Oakes were the goal-scorers as the Spartans dominated time of possession in a win that was never in doubt.
“We worked hard. We did well enough to get the win, and that’s the most important,” St. Mary’s head coach Frank Pagliuca said.
Assistant captain Maggie Pierce received two golden chances in the first four minutes, using her speed and puck-handling ability to create her own chances. The first came just 37 seconds in off a wrister, and with 10:52 remaining, she dangled past Matignon’s last defender and sent a quick shot towards goalie Taylor Daley.
With five minutes and change remaining, the game was at even-strength, but it looked like a St. Mary’s power play. The Spartans didn’t force shots, softly dumped pucks in, and were the more mobile team during the stretch.
“The girls are getting better,” Pagliuca said. “Just the movement and the flow of our game was better tonight.”
With 4:12 remaining, the Spartans broke the ice. With Pierce in front, Sullivan scored on a drive from the left point to make things 1-0, a score that remained at the first intermission.
Despite the early lead, Daley, who recorded upwards of 45 saves, kept Matignon in the game.
“They’re very defensive-minded,” Pagliuca said. “They always play us tough.”
In the second, St. Mary’s put on a clinic putting bodies in front of the net. A Spartan screened Daley on nearly every shot from the point, as constant movement made things difficult for her to corral the puck and freeze.
Forziati doubled the lead 2-0 with 6:46 remaining in the second. The puck bounced in front of the goal and, from the bumper position, Forziati fired from close range on the powerplay.
Peabody native Jenna Chaplain of the Spartans nearly scored in highlight-reel fashion, but her close attempt rang off the post. Another highlight came when St. Mary’s goalie Angelina Catino faced a redirection in the slot, but made an impressive position save with 1:15 remaining in the period.
The score read 2-0 heading into the third.
Then came some insurance. Oakes got control of the puck in the neutral zone and skated past the opposition. From there, she shot top right and the puck went off the iron and in to give St. Mary’s a commanding 3-0 lead with 7:19 remaining.
“She’s doing a great job finishing those chances,” Pagliuca said.
The clock expired on the Warriors and the Spartans moved to 4-0. Pagliuca was happy with the team’s performance, but wanted to see pucks being moved cleaner, and chances finished.
“We’ve got to finish off some of our two on ones. We had three breakaways and only finished one,” Pagliuca said. “We, sometimes, have to relax and not get frustrated.”
St. Mary’s returns to Connery Rink next Wednesday at 2 p.m. as the Spartans host Pope Francis.
