Reading, MA – MassNZ is double dipping in Middlesex League action tonight as the 11th-seeded Rockets of Reading took on the 23rd-ranked Red and Black of Winchester. This was a special night at Burbank Arena as it was Pink The Rink Night and the players and parent staffers went all out to decorate the venue. The table up front was selling pink merch to benefit the Ellie Fund’s Skating Strides and in a cool touch before the game started, both teams lined up and every Reading player named a woman in their lives who they were playing for tonight. Every player also wore special pink helmet decals and pink skate laces as well. It was really cool stuff and we had a great vantage point up top to kick this thing off.
Once the puck dropped it was organized chaos for both sides. Both teams were looking to be aggressive, they both showed active sticks in the neutral and defensive zones and were able to spring transition as a result. Each team was trying to skate quicker than their feet could carry them, which led to a few spills on net turns and breakouts, but it was further evidence of how much both teams wanted this game. Reading had more high-quality chances but Winchester punched right back with a few of their own later on in the period. Neither team was able to find the back of the net in the first but the pace of play was both frenetic and exciting.
In the middle frame, both defenses came through yet again making it tough sledding for the offenses to get through the neutral zone. There was a sea of sticks and bodies that made it difficult to create sustained offense. It was fast, it was physical and it was great positional hockey to watch. Both teams put in the requisite hard work but Winchester had the slightest of edges midway through the period in terms of possession. Their penchant for hard work is what allowed them to break through later in the frame. Nine minutes in, senior forward Brian Hannon won a puck battle and fed senior striker Danny Collins who shrewdly curled at the dot to change his shot angle and fired a bullet up top: 1-0 Red and Black. Both teams would have power play chances and both teams would come up empty despite creating Grade A looks at either end. Winchester finished the period on a high note and went to the room up by one on the road.
In the final stanza, Reading began to tilt the ice in their favor. They were able to break contain and create even better looks at the front of the net and they were willing to get greasy, crashing the crease any chance they got. As the period wore on, there were chances by both teams looking for the dagger, but starters Chris Hanifan for Reading and Aiden Emerick for Winchester battled save for save. The best stop of the night came on a point-blank chance for Reading by sophomore forward Ryan MacCurtain and Emerick jumped out to the top of the crease and made a brilliant spread eagle save. The score remained the same despite Reading’s persistence and increased pressure in the attacking zone. It all came down to the final 1:40 in regulation as Reading pulled their goalie which fueled a couple of quality scoring chances. They would use their timeout with 31.5 seconds on the clock and shortly thereafter, Collins would put the game on ice with an empty-netter. With four seconds left he carried the puck into the attacking zone and threw it into the gaping net, skating over to the Reading fan section and making a “go to sleep” gesture because he was putting this game to bed. Our final score: Winchester 2, Reading 0.
Three Stars:
- G Aiden Emerick, Winchester
- F Danny Collins, Winchester
- G Chris Hanifan, Reading
