Stoneham Stuns North Reading in Double OT Thriller

You can't really practice to be hero. Or can you? And a team certainly can't practice celebrating a game-winning goal in the second overtime of a tournament hockey game. Or can they?

Stoneham advanced to the Division 2 North hockey final Tuesday night, beating North Reading, 2-1, in double overtime at the Tsongas Center in Lowell. The Spartans will face Lowell Catholic in Monday's final. The top-seeded Crusaders beat Saugus, 10-2, in the first semifinal.

As for the practice, it started in the first overtime with the score 1-1. Senior forward Nick Federico appeared to score the winning goal after a scramble in front of North Reading goalie John Day (36 saves). The fact the red light never came on didn't stop the Spartans from pouring onto the ice, sticks and gloves flying everywhere. But the official who had been by the goal quickly met with the goal judge and within seconds he skated to center ice and waved off the goal. Officials said later the puck never crossed the line.

"It was tough. We got that one disallowed, I didn't know if it did or didn't go in," said Stoneham coach Paul Sacco. "But the kids came together, brought the emotions back down and put it back out on the ice. Just a determined bunch of good little hockey players that wanted to get it done.

"I give a lot of credit to the kids for battling back, even when you think you won it those emotions get so high. And then to come back and put yourself in that game situation showed a lot of character from our kids."

Stoneham regrouped and kept up the pressure during the 4-on-4 overtime period. It appeared to pay off when sophomore Nick Feliciano was sent in on a breakaway with one minute left in the overtime. But Day made a spectacular save and the game went to a second overtime, this time with a six minute 3-on-3 format.

Midway through the second overtime there was Feliciano again, heading toward Day on a breakaway. His practice paid off because this time Feliciano scored, the red light came on, with the assist going to Federico. Stoneham again poured on the ice with sticks and gloves flying but there was no changing this call. No. 11 seeded Stoneham (13-8-2) had knocked off the No. 2 seed Hornets.

None of the overtime dramatics would have happened if it wasn't for Stoneham's Eric Roberts. Down 1-0 with 24 seconds to play in the third, the senior forward scored to knot it at 1-1. The assists went to Adrian Sousa and Jake Paonessa.

After a scoreless first period, North Reading took a 1-0 lead on a goal by Owen Maxwell at 13:19 of the second. The assists went to James Doran and Pat Scanlon.

At the end of two, North Reading had outshot Stoneham, 21-18. But by the time Feliciano scored, Stoneham had outshot the Hornets, 38-31. Stoneham goalie Peter Barry made 30 saves and was outstanding, especially early in the game when North Reading (16-3-3) outplayed Stoneham.