Senior Moment: After Celebration for Exiting Players, Wilmington Girls Hockey Team Dominates Visiting Peabody

The ceremony at honoring seniors on the and Peabody girls ice hockey teams was over. The host Wildcats, however, wanted to keep the party going onto the ice.

It had been three games without a goal for Wilmington, but captain Kelly Brandano, one of the team’s two seniors, scored just 13 seconds into the contest. The Lady Wildcats ended with four unanswered goals in the first eight-plus minutes of the opening period and cruised to a 6-2 victory Saturday afternoon.

“It was long overdue,” said Wilmington head coach Joe McMahon. “They did it for the seniors. They’ve been in a funk lately, and they were able to get out of it today.”

Following Brandano’s tally, teammates Adrianna Kippenberger, Michaela McLaughlin and Caroline Roberge cracked the scoreboard to put the hosts comfortably ahead.

Peabody’s Lyndsay Konovalckik put the Lady Tanners on the board with 5:32 remaining before the intermission after an initial shot clanged off the right post.

Then, with 12 seconds to play in the frame, defenseman Lauren White swatted a floating puck out of the air and into the goal, appearing to pull her team back within two goals. Much to the dismay of Lady Tanner players, referees waived to goal off and the score remained 4-1, Wilmington, after one.

Jane Farrell pushed the edge to 5-1 midway through the period and though the visitors notched a goal with less than a minute to play before the second intermission, the Wildcats sealed the win with a strong third that included a goal from Chloe Castellano.

“Wilmington has always been a strong team. They pass well, they control the puck well,” said Peabody head coach Larry Minehan. “I had to get them settled down. They came out a lot stronger than I expected them to, and sometimes when that happens it’s too strong for them. I think I did that in the second period and especially the third. They played smarter and did a little bit more passing than they did in the first.”

Though Minehan’s squad dipped to 1-15-1 on the year with the setback, he said he’s been happy with the Lady Tanners’ improvement throughout the season.

“As the season’s gone on this team has gotten a lot stronger,” said Minehan. “I can even see it in the last three or four weeks. They’re gelling a little bit more as a team. It’s too bad it comes so late in the season, but that’s the way it goes.”

McMahon’s charges, also under .500 on the season, said goodbye to Brandano and Meghan Pickett during the pregame ceremony. The rest of the team, however, is eligible to return next season as the Wildcats move to the Middlesex League.

“They’re going to be missed. They’re probably the best captains I’ve had,” said McMahon. “It’s the worst part of coaching, saying goodbye to your seniors. But the future is looking bright. I have a really good-looking bunch of kids.”