Abbott Tough in Net, But Clock runs out on Mustangs comeback bid

Despite a thrilling third period comeback bid, the Medford High girls hockey team simply ran out of time yesterday, falling to non-league rivals Watertown/Melrose 3-2 at LoConte Rink.

The Mustangs are currently in the midst of a week that sees them play four games in seven days, and the fact that they skated to a 5-2 win over Gardner just 48 hours before the puck dropped yesterday was evident early on in the form of a sluggish start.

“We just started a little bit late,” said Medford head coach David McCarthy. “We didn’t get ourselves in sync as a team ... it was a little puzzling. We just weren’t on the mark at all. We were out of sync almost the entire first two periods.”

The Raiders controlled play for the majority of the first two frames, but a wild third period saw Medford claw its way back into things on the strength of a brace from freshman Brittani Lanzilli and another strong showing from eighth-grade goaltender Kassi Abbott. Samantha LoPilato collected assists on both Medford goals, while senior captain Kristina Bove assisted on the second.

Abbott, despite the three goals against her, played superbly in net. She was faced with the task of shutting down a barrage similar to what the Mustangs typically put forth, and kept Medford in the game, as the score easily could have been worse heading into the third if not for her heroics between the sticks.

“Kassi Abbott played great for us,” said McCarthy. “(She) is just legit. She’s playing solid hockey for us ... if we’re off a little bit, she’ll keep us in the game, and that’s what happened.”

Also notable was the play of Mustang defender Mary Kate Cullinane, whose clearance in the first period of a puck in the crease about to be tapped in by a Watertown/Melrose forward saved a goal for the home team.

Medford falls to 7-3 with the loss, while Watertown/Melrose improves to 6-1-3.

“Overall I thought we played a really, really strong game,” said Watertown/Melrose head coach Stephen Russo. “We were moving the puck well offensively and defensively, we were playing where we were supposed to.”

The Raiders got goals from Emily Kelland, Lauren Giordano (1 goal, 2 assists) and Erika Kelly (1 goal, 2 assists), while net minder Anna Kleis had to withstand a withering third period barrage from the Mustangs in order to seal the win for Watertown/Melrose.

With a 3-goal lead heading into the final frame, it looked as though the Raiders would escape LoConte with an easy win over an uncharacteristically toothless Medford team.

The third started off the same way the preceding two periods had ended: with Watertown largely having its way, but a spark of life was provided by Lanzilli with 9:14 remaining in the game, when she got loose on the Lady Raiders’ goal and cooly deposited the puck past Kleis, giving the home fans a glimmer of hope. 

“For the first five minutes of the third, things were going our way,” said Russo. “We had that little breakdown and they scored that first goal and that gave them a little bit of life.”

1:19 later, the freshman was at it again. 

This time, Lanzilli loosed a powerful effort from the right face-off circle that, although initially corralled by Kleis, trickled from her grasp and rolled into the net, pulling the Mustangs within one with almost eight minutes left. 

“Just a little bit of a breakdown there and it rolled in on the goalie,” said Russo. “I thought she was going to get it, but she didn’t. It gave them new life ... it gave them energy.”

The tally sent the Medford fans and players alike into raptures, and left them screaming for the tying goal.

The equalizer proved to be a bridge too far for Medford, as despite several golden chances, Lanzilli and the Mustangs couldn’t level the scoreline, even with a five-on-three power play chance in the final 2:00 of the contest.

“I saw the first one and our bench picked right up after that,” said McCarthy. “We got the second one and we just missed a little bit at the end ... it would have been fun if we could have pulled that off.”

Medford came close though, as a Lanzilli offering caromed off the goal post with 1:30 left, and seconds later, having pulled Abbott in favor of another attacking option, a brief but promising flurry in front of the Watertown/Melrose goal yielded no results and time simply ran out on the Mustangs.

Neither side will have to wait long for the rematch, as the two teams will face each other again on Wednesday at Watertown, in a game that was rescheduled due to snow from Dec. 27.

“It’s tough to beat anybody twice,” said Russo. “We’re hoping to at least get a split from them, we’ve gotten what we wanted so far, and now we’re trying to get at least another point, maybe two.”