White, Lanzilli and Bove Propel Medford Girls in Season Opener

The Medford girls hockey team cruised to a 7-2 victory over Cambridge/Somerville in the opening game of the 2010 season on Saturday at Veterans Memorial Rink.

The Mustangs got great production with their top-line of Jennifer White, Brittani Lanzilli and Kristina Bove to help keep the Falcons at bay. The trio accounted for four goals and eight assists, and tallied a goal in the opening minute of each period to get the Mustangs season off on the right foot.

"All three girls can really motor," said Mustangs head coach David McCarthy. "They can move. They can skate, and they have good skills."

The Mustangs jumped out a 3-0 lead after Lanzilli (1 goals, 3 assists) banged home a rebound past the Ruby Johnson. Johnson made the initial save on White's shot, but the rebound went up and over her head right to the stick of Lanzilli.

But the Falcons slowly managed to get back in the game with good pressure in the offensive zone. The Falcons earned a power-play and Katy Bayly capitalized on the pressure as she was in the right spot at the right time to put home a loose puck on the weak side of the goal at 8:54 of the second.

"The lines started developing and they starting jelling a little bit," said Falcons head coach Kevin Mitrano. "They were able to keep a lot of pressure them. I think our defense stepped up and they were able to keep the puck in the zone, but we are not sustaining that intensity."

Mitrano's worst fears came true, as the Mustangs put home two goals in the final 37 seconds of the second period.

McCarthy could feel the tide turning, and those two goals made life a little less stressful heading to the third with a 5-1 lead.

"There's an old hockey saying, first two, last two," said McCarthy. "We did it today. I've been on both ends of that. We book ended that period and that was good."

White scored her second of the game 44 seconds into the third period and Nicole Giampa got the Falcons' second goal of the game at 5:14 of the final period.

Samthan Lopilato added two goals and an assist for the Mustangs.