Woburn Boys Drop 1A Opener to St. John's Prep in OT

The only thing that stood between the boys' hockey team and an upset win of St. John's Prep on the first day of Division 1A round-robin play at Merrimack College's Lawler Arena Saturday was the right pad of Eagles' goalie David Letarte.

Letarte stoned the Tanners' Casey Shea with a right pad save at 2:18 of OT and Jon Farrow banged home his own rebound four minutes later, as St. John's emerged with the 4-3 OT decision, joining B.C. High, Weymouth and Malden Catholic as day one winners.

St. John's coach Kris Hanson and his staff knew Woburn to be a far better team than its 6-0 loss to St. John's in mid-February would suggest.

“I hated the fact that we beat them 6-0. Woburn is the Middlesex League champion and they came here to win today. We battled and we're happy to be 1-0,” Hanson said.

In the OT, Shea—who scored all five Woburn goals in a win against Springfield Cathedral—streaked down the left side, cut to the slot, then fired across his body, attempting to beat Letarte (16 saves) back to the short side. However, Letarte extended his right pad for the save of the game.

Farrow's game-winner was set up by Colin Blackwell's elusiveness along the left wall. Blackwell avoided two Tanners and swept a backhand pass to Farrow in the slot. Woburn goalie Cam McGlashing (26 saves) nullified the first shot but the rebound squirted right back to Farrow, who poked in the winner after having been checked to the ice.

Woburn (18-4-1) grabbed a 1-0 lead at 5:32 of the first period when junior Dan Holland wheeled unchecked from behind the St. John's goal, turned and sniped a wrist shot over Letarte's glove.

The Eagles countered with two goals 1:33 apart to grab a 2-1 lead. On the first, freshman Shane Eiserman chugged up the left side and feathered a pass to Blackwell in the slot for a one-handed re-direct past McGlashing. On the second, junior Sam Kurker caught McGlashing anticipating a pass and snapped home a shot from the right dot.

When Farrow scored just 44 seconds into the second period, it appeared the Eagles were ready to roll. The Tanners, though, refused to buckle as Alex Holland pulled them to within 3-2 with a goal from the right circle at 2:39 of the period.

With 6:41 remaining in regulation, Shea accepted Alex Holland's long indirect pass off the right wall, wiggled past a St. John's defenseman, angled to the slot and pulled the puck around Letarte for a backhand finish to the far corner.

Hanson praised the gritty work of the third line of Ryan Palmer, Devin Murray and Matt MacDonald, matched against the Hollands and Shea for most of the game.

Bracket play continues for both teams Wednesday night at Merrimack. St. John's faces Needham and Woburn meets B.C. High at times to be determined. B.C. High shut out Needham Saturday, 2-0.