Boys hockey deadlocks Belmont, falls to powerhouse Tewksbury

Undefeated Dual County League leader Tewksbury powered past the Acton-Carlisle boys hockey team, 5-2, in front of a raucous midweek crowd at Breakaway Arena on February 4.

• Team record: Overall 7-6-3; Dual County League 6-3-1
• Big game: Tommy McKenna’s power play goal in the second period reignited the Patriots. Joe Grasso fed a pass to Christopher Bono, who fired the puck to the left of the net for McKenna to flick past the Tewksbury goalie.
• Unsung hero: Normally a defensive standout, Patriots goaltender Sam Griswold showed he could also spark offense, even from the goal crease. Griswold notched his first assist of the season, threading a pass up ice to Owen Moynihan, who found Theo Price streaking between two Tewksbury defenders to bring CCHS back to within two.
• Turning point: After a hard-fought 1-0 first period, Tewksbury scored three times in the second period to take a three-goal lead into the final frame.

CCHS 2, Belmont 2 

In the second game of the Ed Burns Coffee Pot Tournament on February 1, the Patriots took a 2-0 lead in the first period and held on for a 2-2 tie against a resilient Belmont squad.

• Big game: Calvin Alexander scored his first CCHS varsity goal with nine minutes left in the first period. The play began with Declan Daley winning the puck at the offensive blue line and circling a pass around the net to Grasso. Grasso calmly laid the puck off to Alexander, who beat the Belmont goalie under his stick for the 1-0 goal. Later in the first period, Moynihan scored the Patriots’ second goal, this time off a slick pass by Price from behind the net.
• Turning point: Belmont tallied late in the second period and early in the third period, leading to a tense final 10 minutes and a scoreless five-minute overtime.
• Unsung hero: Starting his first game on the top line for the Pats, Ben Brooks delivered high energy, crisp passing, and fearless defense.