Whatever happened between the top two teams in the Middlesex League Saturday night wasn’t going to make or break either Burlington or Arlington’s season, but a win would sure help it.
The Red Devils and Spy Ponders have had plenty of big games over the years, with one or both teams representing the league in the Super 8 each year since 2015. This one wasn’t as big as a Super 8 game of course, but still plenty important.
Thanks to a three-goal second period, it was Arlington who made the loudest statement with an impressive 5-2 win at Ed Burns Arena.
The Spy Ponders are now 8-1-2 and are 6-0-2 in their last eight games. Meanwhile, Burlington (10-3-0) has now lost two straight after a 10-game winning streak.
“To play Pope (Francis) and Burlington in the same week and come out of that undefeated is a good week,” said Arlington head coach John Messuri. “Both teams are even, they have a very good team and we just had that one stretch in the second. If we played them seven times it’s a seven game series.”
Senior Anthony Messuri had the lone goal of the first period, a one-time rocket up high off a feed from sophomore Jake Murphy to give the Spy Ponders a 1-0 lead after one.
The second period was a wild one with the teams combining for four goals, but it was Arlington who got the better of the 15-minute frame and took a 4-1 lead into the dressing room after two.
After a ridiculous reach-back save from Burlington’s junior goalie Joe Trabucco (16 saves), the Red Devils couldn’t clear the zone and Murphy got a stick on a high wrister from senior defenseman Ryan Davies, deflecting it in to make it 2-0 early in the second.
Minutes later with 7:26 to go and Arlington on a power play, Davies let a laser go into the top right corner off a feed from senior Brendan Jones to make it 3-0.
Just 43 seconds later and with the Spy Ponders on another power play, senior Tyler Callahan buried a PPG with an assist to Davies to make it 4-0. Burlington responded 1:22 later with a power play goal of its own as Cam Costa let one rip into the top left corner with the assist going to Spencer Reith.
“We made a couple power play adjustments this week and the kids did a great job with it,” Messuri added.
“I just feel like we got beaten by a better team,” Burlington coach Bob Conceison acknowledged. “They got a great first goal, the second one was kind of lucky and then we put them on two power plays and their power play is awesome. We got behind and I felt like we responded well to being behind, but against a team like that you’ve got to come out with that energy earlier.”
The Red Devils cut it to 4-2 on a goal by senior John Condon with 3:59 left in the third after some early saves from Arlington senior goalie Nathan Brennan (20 saves), but an empty net goal from Brendan Pigott iced the game with under a minute left.
“I think that was the best game we’ve played this year,” said Davies. “It feels like a statement game. That’s a really good Burlington team that’s been on a roll. We’re going to enjoy this one tonight and then we have to turn the page and get on to the next game and focus on the next team we play.”
- By Kevin J Stone
