Stoneham's Garden Dreams Fall One Game Short

Few thought Stoneham would be playing in the Division 2 North title game, but moments after leaving the Tsongas Center ice Monday the Spartans and their followers weren't ready to accept how great a post-season run they had.

For the record, Lowell Catholic beat Stoneham, 2-0, in the title game and will advance to play South champion Scituate for the Division 2 state title Sunday at TD Garden. So close, and yet so far.

Sophomore Connor Doherty's second-period goal was the difference, giving the Crusaders a 1-0 lead that held up. Andrius Kulbis-Marino added an empty net goal with 4.1 seconds to go but it was Doherty's goal, his 23rd of the year, that was the difference.

"On the goal I think we got running around a little bit, left 19 out in the slot," said Stoneham coach Paul Sacco of Doherty. "He's a good little player."

Until then Stoneham had done a great job containing a Crusaders attack that produced 59 shots in a 10-2 semifinal win over Saugus. LC finished with 21 shots against Stoneham.

"Defensively we were ok, but obviously we had a hard time scoring," said Sacco. "The first five minutes we put a lot of pressure on them, we just couldn't find the back of the net. Our kids worked extremely, I think they gave everything they had. We played a good team tonight."

The first period was scoreless but Stoneham could have easily been on top after the first 15. At one point Stoneham held a 7-1 shot advantage but the advantage had shrunk to 8-6 after one.

In the second period with 4:09 to play Doherty struck with the assists going to Mitch Andrea and Nathan Donaldson. Lowell Catholic outshot Stoneham 10-7 in the period.

In the third period both teams had chances but Stoneham (13-9-2) goalie Peter Barry and LC goalie Stephen D'Urso were up to the challenge. With 1:30 left Stoneham pulled Barry and for the remainder of the game Lowell Catholic (19-2-2) took long shots from their end of the ice at the empty net, all resulting in faceoffs in front of D'Urso. Then Kulbis-Marino lined one up and made it count.

"The kids fought, played physical, put pucks on net, we just couldn't find the back of the net," said Sacco. "The kids fought all year. To get four games deep in the playoffs was big for us. We had such a good bunch of seniors who led the way for the younger kids. It was a good accomplishment for these kids."