LYNN — The repeat is still in the cards for the Swampscott hockey team, as the Big Blue got off to a fast start in the first period and never looked back in an 8-1 win over the Lynn Jets, in the opening round of the Lynn Christmas Tournament at Connery Rink Monday night.
“It was a great way for us to start and the guys came out with a lot of energy, which was great to see,” said Swampscott coach Gino Faia. “For us to be able to jump out early was huge, and it really gave us a lot of options for the rest of the game.”
Max Gadon led the way for Swampscott with two goals and one assist, while Aidan Sprague had one goal and three assists and Zack Pierce had one goal and two assists. Derek Faia, Will Roddy and Kody Langevain each had one goal and one assist, while Aidan Fitzpatrick contributed two assists. Quinn Hitchcock, Frankie Pappalardo, Liam Herlihy and Ben Tolosa each had one assist. Goalie Jason Bouffard made 11 saves to earn the win in net.
“We’ve been getting a lot of contributions from a lot of guys lately and it’s been very welcome,” said Faia. “If we can keep playing that way, it’s only going to mean good things.”
For the Jets, Jaylen Porter scored the lone goal on an assist from Sean Leonard. Goalie Stephen Difilippo made 31 saves in the loss.
After a bit of back-and-forth play in the first minutes of the game, the Big Blue then took over. Swampscott peppered Difilippo with 20 shots in the opening period alone, scoring three times.
It started with 9:26 to go, when Bartrum’s decision to crash the net for a rebound paid off when he knocked a loose puck home to make it 1-0. Just eight seconds later, coming right off of the ensuing faceoff, Gadon made it 2-0 when he stole a puck in front of the Lynn net and flipped it past the goalie. After Derek Faia stuffed one home on a wrap-around from behind the net, the Big Blue held a 3-0 lead at the first intermission.
Things weren’t much different in the second period, as Swampscott opened with a powerplay goal from Gadon less than five minutes in. Roddy added a goal of his own a minute later, and Langevain’s tally with about five minutes to play gave the Big Blue a commanding 6-0 lead heading into the final frame.
Lynn finally got on the scoreboard in less than 15 seconds into the third, capitalizing on a great pass from Leonard to Porter for the Jets’ lone goal of the game.
Unfortunately for Lynn, Swampscott answered with two more goals of its own in the final nine minutes of play to skate away with the victory.
Lynn (1-3-0) will play Rockport in the consolation game Tuesday (4).
Swampscott (2-2-0) will play Hamilton-Wenham in the championship game Tuesday (6).
“I got a chance to watch Hamilton-Wenham play in the first round and they’re a tough team with a lot of good players,” said Faia. “We’re going to have to come out with another great effort if we want to come away with the win (Tuesday).”
