While much of the first round of the MIAA Division 2 boys hockey tournament has gone according to seed so far, Mark Ayvazyan and #25 North Attleboro threw a bit of a wrench into things Thursday at John A. Ryan Skating Arena in Watertown.
Ayvazyan scored on a breakaway with 1:18 to go to snap a tie and lift the Red Rocketeers to a 3-1 upset of #8 Newton South. Nik Kojoian added a late empty-netter to seal the win and give North Attleboro another tournament road game next week against either #9 Silver Lake or #24 Beverly.
Nick Longa also scored on a breakaway for the Rocketeers in the second period, but the Lions tied it on Ryan Quirk’s power play goal in the third. Kyle Gruber made 32 saves for NA.
Tewksbury 6, Melrose 2
The top-ranked Redmen didn’t have an easy time with #32 Melrose, but finally pulled away late at Breakaway Ice Center.
It was just a 2-1 game entering the third before Tyler Barnes got a big insurance goal. Melrose’s Jason Pino cut it back to 3-2, but Caden Connors again restored the two-goal cushion before Cole Stone and Nick Dicioccio added empty-netters.
Jason Cooke and Sean Lane had the other goals for Tewksbury. TJ Sullivan also scored and had an assist for the Red Raiders, who qualified as the #32 seed despite a 1-18-1 record.
Gloucester 8, Haverhill 1
The #2 Fishermen gave up a goal in the opening minutes, but that’s about all that went wrong for them in the eventual rout at Dorothy Talbot Rink.
The dynamic scoring tandem of Emerson Marshall and Jack Costanzo continued that, each potting a hat trick in the win. Brett Cunningham and Dan O’Leary also scored a goal apiece. Cunningham’s goal came after Jake Costa put the Hillies on top just two minutes into the game.
Masconomet 6, Hopkinton 2
Joe Young had a goal and assist during a four-goal first period for #4 Masco, which was never threatened after that in bouncing the #29 Hillers at Haverhill Valley Forum.
Mike Bevilacqua, Richie Guarino and Matt McMillan added goals in the first 15 minutes, and AJ Sacco dished out two assists. Sacco added a goal in the second, as did Josh Brann, as Masco rolled out to a 6-1 lead through two.
Drew Morse and Declan Durocher scored for Hopkinton.
Walpole 9, Mansfield 4
Jason Finkelstein had four goals and an assist, Griffin Curran added two goals and an assist, and the #6 Timberwolves broke out the offense in icing the #27 Hornets at Rodman Arena.
Declan Hunter, Grady Murphy and Joe Cox rounded out the scoring for Walpole.
Brayden Purtell scored twice for Mansfield, with Dillon Benoit and Mark DeGirolamo netting the others.
Wakefield 2, Somerset Berkley 0
Gabe Brissette posted the shutout and his brother Nate Brissette had the final goal that sealed the victory for the #11 Warriors over the #22 Raiders at Stoneham Arena.
After a scoreless first period, Joey O’Brien finally broke the ice with a wrist shot past SB goalie Brandon Silva. It stayed that way until the third, when Nate Brissette tipped home a shot to double the advantage.
Marblehead 5, Whitman-Hanson 3
Connor Jalbert scored a pair of goals, and Carter Laramie added a goal and assist apiece to lead the #15 Magicians at Rockett Arena in Salem. Eli Feingold and Aidan Jalbert also scored for Marblehead.
Matt Solari gave the Panthers the early lead before Marblehead rattled off the next four. A major penalty helped W-H get power play goals in the third from Luke Tropeano and Alex Ethier.
