North Billerica, MA – This Saturday afternoon matinee featured the Lowell Catholic Crusaders hosting the Shawsheen Tech Rams at the Chelmsford Forum. Entering this game, Shawsheen was ranked third in the MIAA Power Rankings for D3 and Lowell Catholic checked in at 29th in D2, both teams in prime playoff positions. Physical is a good word to use when summarizing this matchup. Both teams played a very physical game, no one was safe when they touched the puck, a big hit was coming. Along the wall or in open space these teams were physical!
Shawsheen carried the play for the 10 minutes or so in the first period, then they went on then power play with seven minutes to go in the period. Lowell Catholic junior goaltender Keegan Winsor was strong during the two-minute kill, making multiple saves to keep it a 0-0 game. Just a minute after the power play, Shawsheen thought they had a goal but it was called back due to the net being off its moorings. Lowell Catholic caught a break and went on the power play right after the goal was called back, and would capitalize. Junior Andrew Marcucci got the puck at the top of the zone on the power play and slid it over to sophomore forward Jake Cabral on the left elbow. Cabral snapped a quick shot on net and it slid through senior goalie Mike Cedrone’s five-hole giving Lowell Catholic the 1-0 lead.
Shawsheen didn’t waste any time getting on the board in the second. Under a minute into the period, senior captain Chase Darcey beat the Lowell Catholic defenseman and drove the net hitting the far post with the shot. The puck bounced back out next to the post where junior Larry Cullity snuck it between Winsor and the post to tie the game 1-1. This period was filled with penalties by both teams but LC had a great opportunity in the middle of the period when Shawsheen had two players in the box. Lowell Catholic couldn’t get any more than a couple of outside shots through to the net as Shawsheen did a great job filling lanes and blocking multiple shots. Shawsheen gained some momentum and would go on the power play with four minutes to go. Darcey picked up the puck in the neutral zone, beating a forward into Lowell Catholic’s zone, then cut across the top of the circle and beat Winsor bar down to give Shawsheen the lead 2-1.
The third was back and forth for the first few minutes, with both teams trading chances. LC needed to find some offense if they wanted to get this game tied. With nine minutes to go senior Matt Cabral picked off the puck at the blue line and fed his brother Jake high in the slot. Jake split both defensemen and slid it along the ice, beating Cedrone five-hole again to tie the game. The tie didn’t last long, though. A few minutes later sophomore Justin Thibert put a shot on net from the blue line and the rebound found sophomore Jacoby Patterson in the slot. Patterson fired it home giving Shawsheen the 3-2 lead. Lowell Catholic would pull their goalie but Shawsheen held on for the win.
Three Stars:
- F Chase Darcey, Shawsheen
- F Jacoby Patterson, Shawsheen
- F Jake Cabral, Lowell Catholic
