NEWTON - It had been going badly for the Newton North boys hockey team recently. And it was about to get even worse.
After visiting Brookline outscored North, 3-1, in the second period, which included goals from Jackson Brisette and Michael Buckley in the last 1:02, the 1-9 Warriors entered intermission with a 5-4 lead, poised to exact revenge on their Bay State Conference rivals after the 9-2 whipping the Tigers had laid on them in the season opener.
To make matters worse, starting goalie Zach Visco sat on the bench with a swollen knee and junior Angelo Paolini was unavailable with a back injury.
But with the specter of a fifth straight loss hanging over the once-surging Tigers, sophomore center Mike Lopez capped a five-goal, two-assist performance, scoring two of North's four goals in the final frame while backup goalie and Visco protege Ben Levy stonewalled the Warriors (1-10, 0-9 BSC) in his one period of action to escape with an 8-5 win.
``It was crucial. It was a must win,'' said North coach Jay Ferraro. ``The kids are mature. Sometimes they're undisciplined, and they could have had an explosion in that locker room, pointing fingers and things like that, but they rallied after the second period. Mike and Brian Lopez each played a tremendous game and Mike Asaley's starting to play much better, especially in the second half. And Ben Levy was a little shaky at first, but he did a nice job to shut them out in the third, so it was a nice team win to come back and rally in the third period.''
Plagued by penalties and an inconsistent defense in losses to BSC heavyweights Weymouth and Needham, as well as non-league foe Everett, during the four-game skid, North viewed last night as chance to edge closer to .500 and tournament qualification pace. Though the Tigers (6-7, 4-5 BSC) came through with the comeback win, six penalties and five Brookline goals highlight some concerns, their own offensive onslaught notwithstanding.
``They threw a scare into us,'' said Ferraro. ``I give them all the credit. Coach (Daryl) Dwan's done a great job over there. We're deeper and more talented than they are, but they played hard throughout. They had some good plays off the screen and the set and we have to tighten up in our zone.''
As it has the entire season, the Brian Lopez-Mike Lopez-Anthony Moscatelli first line (which combined for seven goals and nine assists) sparked the Tigers in the decisive third period. Moscatelli (goal, 4 assists) started the rally, burying a feed from Mike Lopez - who seized the BSC scoring lead, raising his totals to 15 goals and 12 assists - on a 2-on-1 only 18 seconds into the frame.
Moscatelli, by way of junior defenseman Tim Bialecki (2 assists), returned the favor four minutes later, poking ahead a loose puck that Mike corraled before triple-deking Brookline goalie Mackie Anderson. Asaley scored at the 5:21 mark before Mike Lopez made it 8-5 25 seconds later from Moscatelli and Brian Lopez (1 goal, 3 assists).
``We knew we had to come out strong in the third period,'' said Moscatelli. ``They took it to us in the second period. They've improved and we may have underestimated them a little bit. We knew we'd have to play with them, play harder and luckily, we got some goals on the board early in the third.''
Brookline got on the board early as on a Will Schnoor tally at 1:10 of the first, but Brian Lopez answered at 9:03, the first of four goals in the next 1:21. It was Gary Bettman's dream as Mike Lopez knocked home a goal 15 seconds later, Brookline's Sam Belton tied at 2-2 at 10:17 and Mike Lopez drilled home a slap shot from the right side 22 seconds later.
``We worked well tonight,'' said Moscatelli. ``We passed the puck cleanly and we were talking to each other. I give props to Mike Lopez, scoring those five goals and setting me and his brother up for a few goals of our own.''
The chief beneficiary of the Tigers' cadre of talented forwards, the younger Lopez, who also notched North's only goal in the second period, reciprocates those props to his fellow first liners.
``Definitely one of my best of the year,'' said Mike Lopez. ``I just put one in stay focused and not get down on myself or the team when we got down in the game. Our line, Anthony and my brother played well and came through.''
To say the least. But with the stretch drive approaching, Ferraro cautions that the Tigers will also need production from the second and third lines.
`One line was really producing tonight but some other guys need to step it up,'' said Ferraro. ``We need a whole team effort to beat the better teams. We were lucky to get by tonight.''
Though Ferraro felt North might be ``a year away'' at the beginning of the year, there still exists the possibility to fulfill this year's goal of a tournament berth. The Tigers still have meetings remaining with top-15 teams Needham and Weymouth - who beat North by a combined 12-1 score - as well as at Framingham - a 7-0 winner in the first contest - Saturday (7 p.m.).
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`That was the goal, no question about it,'' said Ferraro of the desire to make the tourney cut. ``We have an uphill climb, we know that. We're right around .500 where we thought we'd be. Realistically, because we have so many young guys and some inexperience on defense especially, I thought we might be a year away, but we're right in the hunt. These kids want it and we're going to give it our best shot these last seven games."
