Boys' Hockey Loses First of Season

The boys' ice hockey team lost its first game of the season Monday night at the . The Tanners fell 3-1 in a slow-moving game against Wakefield that was originally scheduled to be held at the Kasabuski Arena in Saugus Dec. 30. 

Excluding an early 3:35 goal from Wakefield assistant captain Adam Giancola, neither squad could get much going until a penalty incurred by Woburn's Daniel Holland eight minutes into the third period provided the opportunity for Giancola's second goal of the evening.

The Tanners struck back just over a minute later when Joe Connors was able to sneak one by Wakefield goaltender Joseph Cerulo, but that would be as close as they would get as an empty net score from captain John Sartell with 29 seconds left would seal the victory for the Warriors.

It was hard to discern the main factor that gave Woburn their first defeat of the year. While rust from a 10-day layoff or the loss of four roster members to pneumonia may have contributed to the lack of consistent opportunities produced by his team throughout the first two periods, Woburn head coach Jim Duran thought the main cause might have been complacency.

"We played pretty good, but we needed a little bit extra, we needed a little bit more desperation in our game," said Duran. "I've been saying that all along, we've been sloppy and I think we cleaned up a little bit of the sloppiness, but we needed more desperation."

"I think Wakefield's a good team, I think everyone's underestimating Wakefield," added Duran. "They're the best team we've played so far, and they worked harder than us, they won all the one-on-one battles, and we only scored one goal and they got three."

To be fair, neither team was particularly desperate until after Giancola's second tally, with both teams trading 22 shots a piece over two opening periods that didn't see much more than six killed penalties and even more killed momentum. But even despite the relative lack of action in the first thirty minutes, Wakefield head coach Derek Edgerly was still pleased with his team's effort.

"I think all my lines are really working hard, especially my top line with Giancola (Kevin) Doherty, and (Brett) Buckley, they're just really playing well together," said Edgerly. "The style we play, we're not a shoot and gun team, we're not like a west coast offense in football; we're going to get that puck in and play every game like it's our last, that's our attitude this year."