ARLINGTON – In case anyone forgot about the excitement and parity in the Middlesex League Liberty, the Winchester boys hockey team took no issue giving a reminder in the Div. 1 state tournament second round Saturday afternoon.
In front of a packed house, the 11th-seeded Red and Black (14-9-1) overcame a late rally from league champion No. 6 Arlington to pull out a 3-2 upset win in double overtime.
The second of senior David Strong’s two goals was the game-winner, pairing with 35 saves from junior goalie Aiden Emerick, to lead the win despite the Spy Ponders’ rally from down 2-0 in the final four minutes of regulation.
Both of Winchester’s two wins this postseason have gone to overtime, and the heroics set up a date with the winner of No. 3 Catholic Memorial-No. 14 BC High. Evan Jones had both goals for Arlington to set the stage for an epic finish, but its season ended at 17-4-3.
“They played terrific,” said Red and Black head coach Gino Khachadourion. “I keep telling them, if they buy-in to how we play our system, our style … that’s the result. We got it right there, which is a big-time win for us.”
“We know it’s going to be tough in the tournament, every team comes to play,” added Strong. “So we’re coming to play right with them. … That’s a really good team over there, so we knew they weren’t going to go out without a fight. We knew they were going to come back and we kind of just kept our foot on the gas.”
Winchester led 2-0 for much of the way, as Arlington didn’t find its rhythm until the second period. Once Strong and Chris McCarthy’s goals were neutralized late in the third off two Jones goals in a 30-second span, it was then on the Red and Black to keep from unraveling and get back to form.
A tremendous up-and-down ensued in the first overtime, and tired legs still traded rushes into the second. Arlington nearly won it on a bid in front, but Emerick’s pad save ricocheted to Strong. He fed it to Luke Sardone up the ice along the left wing, and he carried it to the left circle before centering the puck back to Strong charging down the slot all alone for the goal.
Sardone also assisted Danny Collins’ game-winner against Waltham in the first round.
“I knew (Sardone) was going to put it right on my stick,” Strong said. “I saw a little hole and I put it there.”
“I know everything happens for a reason, so us going to overtime – I’m not too upset about it,” Collins added. “I think we can beat any team in this league.”
Arlington’s slow start was followed with a much-improved second, using three Winchester penalties in the frame to dial up 11 shots and a handful of quality chances. Emerick, much like he did through the first 11 minutes of the third, staved off everything.
Once Jones banged in a goal from the outside to cut the deficit to 2-1 with 4:01 to play, the life in a quiet building surged back. The top of Ed Burns Arena just about blew off when head coach John Messuri’s decision to pull the goalie for a 6-on-4 power play 26 seconds later turned into Jones’ second goal and a 2-2 tie right out of the first faceoff.
The Spy Ponders produced a bevy of near goals in the ensuing minutes, but Emerick and the Red and Black prevailed.
“The captain leadership has been great,” Khachadourion said. “They didn’t hang their heads. They knew we were going to win this and they just felt it.”
“Emerick, people got to start talking about him being one of the best goalies in the league,” Collins added. “When he’s hot, nobody’s getting by him.”