PEABODY — If you like seeing goals, then Thursday’s girls hockey game between Fenwick and Longmeadow was for you. Both offenses clicked from start to finish, leading to a 5-5 tie at the McVann-O’Keefe Rink.
The scoring kicked off immediately; Fenwick sophomore Penny Levine-Stein scored just seven seconds after the puck-drop, with senior captain Abbey Millman picking up the assist.
When asked if that was head coach John Kasle’s fastest goal his team has ever scored, he said, “yes, that definitely was.”
“That was the first time that line actually started in the last few games,” Kasle said. “I said to the assistant coach, these girls have been scoring lately, maybe we’ll get something here, and lo and behold, we got lucky.”
Unfortunately for the Crusaders, their lead didn’t last long. The Lancers worked the puck around on the power play and scored the equalizer.
Penalties have been an issue for Fenwick this season, Kasle said.
“It’s probably been the biggest thorn in the team’s side all year,” Kasle said. “We talk about it before the game – if I’ve said no penalties once, I’ve said it 1,000 times. We had nine penalties today.”
Fast forward a few minutes and a Crusader, once again, was sent to the box – this time for tripping. On the face-off that resumed play, the Lancers took the lead within seconds.
Luckily for the Crusaders, freshman Katherine Roddy came to play. After a good combination play for Fenwick, the puck ricocheted in front of the goal and Roddy was there to slot it past the Lancers’ goalie to tie the game 2-2 to conclude the first period.
The goals continued to flow in the second period, and the next thing you know, Longmeadow led 5-3 just nine minutes into the period. One of the Lancers’ goals was, again, on the power play.
Fenwick didn’t quit. The Crusaders got a goal back (5-4) through Millman, assisted by sophomore Ali Sprissler, to head to the third period down just one.
Then, with the Crusaders down a goal with less than a minute remaining, they pulled their goalie for an extra skater – spoiler alert, it worked.
Levine-Stein made a break for it with 30 seconds remaining, blowing by defenders before having her shot pushed away by the Lancers’ goalie. The rebound, however, found Roddy who fired it home to tie things up with 23 seconds remaining.
“Two of our smarter players [Roddy and Levine-Stein], they both can put the puck away,” Kasle said. “Kate, as a freshman, has really come on the whole season. She has been on the rise and she got rewarded today.”
In overtime, the Crusaders went back to being short-handed, but this time, they killed the penalty and ended their regular season with a draw.
Fenwick’s point-leaders
Millman: 1 goal 2 assists
Sprissler: 3 assists
Roddy: 2 goals
Levine-Stein: 1 goal 1 assist
Abigale Bruner: 1 goal 1 assist
Mya Jewell: 1 assist
