MALDEN — Another top-10 opponent. Another elite opposing goalie. Another tight finish.
And yet, another win.
With two goals off rebounds in the final 16 minutes and a standout effort across the entire lineup, the No. 2 Malden Catholic girls hockey team extended its unbeaten streak to eight games Wednesday night by grinding out a 2-1 win over No. 8 Peabody/Lynnfield/North Reading at Malden Valley Forum on senior night.
Alyse Mutti (39 saves) nearly stole the show for the Tanners in an electric performance that kept the Lancers (11-2-3) off the board until the final minute of the second period, only for senior Megan Mullarky (17 saves) to take the win with her own impressive effort.
Junior Nevin Mustone played a part on both goals and Malden Catholic jumps to 5-0-3 over its last eight despite playing five teams in the latest MIAA power rankings’ Div. 1 top-10.
“Definitely a team effort from the goal line out,” said Lancers head coach Alexa Hingston. “We stressed the little things, doing the little things right every shift, every period. I thought we did. Obviously (PLNR) didn’t give up. But I just think we’re coming together. It’s the best time to, in February.”
“I think it’s all the effort,” added senior Mikayla Holland, who earned the team’s “hard hat” postgame. “Everyone on the team really wants to do it for everyone else that they’re playing for. Every game, we write numbers on our hands to see who we’re playing for.”
PLNR (13-3-1) traded rushes with Malden Catholic all night, though the Lancers’ defense played sound to quickly force an outside shot or a turnover. In the meantime, they peppered Mutti and the Tanners defense relentlessly.
Mutti was just about perfect working all angles, stonewalling bids up front and tracking pucks through traffic. She and the penalty kill staved off two Lancers power plays in the second period as well, putting Mutti at 26 saves through the first 29 minutes.
“We’ve had a little bit of trouble finding the back of the net,” Hingston said. “Not for the lack of shots, but the goalies have been great.”
Yet, Mustone wrapped around to Mutti’s left in the final minute of the second to force a rebound off the pads, and sophomore Avery White finished off the goal with 13.3 seconds left in the frame for a 1-0 lead.
With 6:45 left in the third, Mustone then took her turn with a rebound goal off a bid from Abbie Poole for a 2-0 lead.
PLNR wanted goalie interference called as it appeared Mutti was obstructed after a collision at the doorstep, but officials said the Tanners’ defense initiated it and the goal stood for much-needed insurance.
“We’re working together as a team,” Mustone said. “Every time we go on the ice, we want our teammates to score more than us. We just look for each other, we’re talking a lot, and it helps us put away the goals. … We just need to bear down and get to the net.”
PLNR responded just two minutes later with a goal from freshman Sydney Zizza to cut the deficit in half, though that’s all the Tanners could produce against Mullarky.
The senior didn’t see much of the same volume Mutti faced, but she stonewalled three PLNR breakaways in the first two periods – including one 2-on-0 opportunity.
“(Mullarky) wasn’t challenged a lot, but when she was, she came up big,” Hingston said. “When you don’t see a lot and you have those few, it’s good to come up big. Sometimes you get cold in the net, but Megan’s been solid for us.”
PLNR head coach Michelle Roach was pleased overall with the performance in its toughest test yet this season and felt there was a lot to build on.