Lincoln-Sudbury Boys Hockey Team Crashes The Nets to Beat Canton

Lincoln-Sudbury boys hockey coach Peter Elenbaas has emphasised crashing the net during practice sessions this season.

Against Canton Wednesday night at New England Sports Center in Marlborough, those efforts paid off.

Two goals within 35 seconds in the first period by juniors Nate Gyory and Colin DeFrancesco would decide the game for the Warriors in a 3-1 victory.

“We have really been practicing crashing the net, because we have not been scoring a lot,” said Elenbaas. “It was good to see them put into play what we had done in practice.”

With the game scoreless, Gyory managed to slap in a center ice goal off a screen from junior teammate Devin Patel.

Cutting behind the net, Warriors sophomore David Hall slipped the puck through the legs of Patel and to Gyory for the assist at 6:31.

“The first goal by Nate Gyory was great shot,” said Elenbaas. “But it was made possible by two guys really crashing the net and screening the goalie.”

Thirty five seconds later, DeFrancesco scored another goal. With the Warriors (7-5-1) pressuring the net, a ricocheted puck caught Canton sophomore goalie Richard Nee off guard.

DeFrancesco managed to cut around the crowd and to other side of the net for an open goal.

“You need areas near the crease where it is a battle and it is not a pretty goal,” said Elenbaas. “We have not been scoring enough of those. Tonight, we had good screens and good traffic.”

Facing their first man-advantage of the game, the Bulldogs responded with a goal from sophomore Mike Denehy at 3:49. With senior captain Greg Boyd cutting with the puck behind the net, Denehy manged to find an opening in front of the goal.

Boyd hit Denehy with a pass and the sophomore finished opposite side to bring the score to 2-1.

“To pull back in a game where we had three shots on net in the first period was huge,” said Canton coach Brian Shuman. “I was hoping in the second period we would show a little more energy, but the second period was unfortunately more of the same.”

Following the Bulldogs' only goal, the Warriors peppered Nee, who made seven straight saves. L-S outshot Canton, 26-13.

L-S's next goal came at 6:07 in the second period with a behind-the-net pass from DeFrancesco. Receiving the puck in front of the goal, L-S sophomore Shane Sefton managed to reverse his shot to put the Warriors up 3-1.

“Colin carried the puck behind the net on a cycle, looked off the Canton guys, and passed it back door to Shane Sefton,” said Elenbaas. “We told the guys if you go hard to the net and get the dirty goals, then the pretty ones come. It kind of worked out that way with the third goal.”

Canton junior Matt Malloy had two scoring chances in the third period. The first was a quick shot off a faceoff and the second a low, center shot that L-S senior goalie Peter Kramer smothered.

The Bulldogs (10-2-1) got another 90-second power play at 4:33 in the third period, but were unable to produce more than one light shot as the Warriors cleared most of their efforts.

“We were trying to gain possession first, because you cannot score on a power play without gaining possession,” said Shuman. “Lincoln-Sudbury did a good job of beating us to puck.”

Kramer had 12 saves, while Nee made 23.

“It was a 10-1 performance if Richy (Nee) was not in net,” said Shuman. “He was our lone bright spot for that game.”

L-S next hosts Haverhill on Saturday.