PEABODY — In order to win championships, you have to win the tight ones, the games that can turn on a bounce of a puck, an ill-timed penalty, or a slew of other situations that may be beyond your control.
Such is the case so far in the Division 1 girls hockey tournament for No. 9 Peabody/Lynnfield/North Reading. Despite averaging more than four goals a game during the regular season, goals have been few-and-far-between through the first two rounds with PLNR giving its fans, frankly, a ton of anxiety as both games have been real nail-biters.
In the Round of 32, PLNR (18-4) gutted out a gritty 1-0 win against a tough Winchester team. Then, Sunday, in the Round of 16 against No. 8 Pope Francis at Springfield, it was another Perils of Pauline affair, particularly over the last few minutes when Pope Francis had a couple of 5v3 power plays and even a 6v3 edge with under 10 seconds left in regulation before PLNR rode out the storm with a 2-1 win.
PLNR head coach Michelle Roach said the team played “three of the strongest periods it has all year.”
Fast forward to Wednesday night at John A. Ryan Arena in Watertown, where PLNR has the unenviable task of taking on top-seeded Notre Dame Academy of Hingham (16-4-2) in the Elite 8.
At stake is a trip to the Final Four. While PLNR has been to the Elite 8 three times, a win Wednesday night would be the program’s first trip to the semifinals.
Roach said the keys to getting there are things she’s been preaching all season long.
“We need to put shots to the net and we have to crash the net like we did Sunday,” she said. “We have to play like we did Sunday when we were very calm and very poised. They just came together and knew what needed to be done. The breakouts and the D were phenomenal. The passing and the way they were getting into lanes were great. It just all came together… That’s what we need to compete against Notre Dame.”
PLNR went into the tournament sporting some late-season baggage in the form of what Roach described as a few flat games – and some bad luck.
“The biggest thing for us was those last couple of weeks. We were not happy with the way some of our games shook out. We went to Winthrop and had a goal called back and lost 1-0. We had the 1-0 lead against HPNA and we gave that up, and then we go against Winchester (Round of 32) and didn’t have our best game.”
“I think that’s what sets the stage for the (Pope Francis) game,” Roach added. “We haven’t been happy with where we were at – considering our talent – and didn’t feel satisfied with the last three games we had played. We wanted to make sure we did what we needed to do in Sunday’s game because we didn’t feel satisfied with those other situations that had happened.”
Both Notre Dame and PLNR feature a couple of the stingiest defenses in girls hockey. PLNR, behind goalie Alyse Mutti and a rock solid defensive crew that includes Eleni Spack, Leah Buckley, Maura Flaws, Daniella White and Michaela Driscoll, has given up only 24 goals, while NDA has allowed just 20.
Offensively, PLNR owns a massive 82-54 edge in goals scored, but has scored only three in the tournament thus far. In contrast, NDA’s offense has been on cruise control with 10 goals in two games. Roach said she will be looking to her top scorers – Catie Kampersal, Ava Buckley and Shirley – to provide offensive punch and that Mia Lava and Alexa Pepper, as well as the entire D, will be “key contributors.”
While Ryan Arena is one of the smallest around, Roach feels the facility might be an advantage for PLNR. She has fond memories, having played there when she played at St. Mary’s.
“I actually think we do well in a tight space like Ryan,” she said. “I would rather have a space like that than Endicott or Salem State because those rinks are warmer. Watertown is a real hockey barn and I do remember the first time St. Mary’s made the tournament. We played there, so I have some really good memories of that rink.”
So, if you’re looking for some great tournament hockey, Watertown is the place to be Wednesday night. Puck drops at 8 p.m.
