Wed, Feb 27, 2019
08:10 PM @
Londonderry
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| Salem |
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| Londonderry |
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Salem rolls past Londonderry in tourney opener
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Wednesday, February, 27
By David Willis
Staff writer
HOOKSETT, N.H. — As the final seconds ticked off the clock, Salem players dropped their sticks and flew towards the rowdy Blue Devil fan section, each taking their turn jumping into the boards in celebration.
“This feels amazing to get this win,”said Sam Maietta, who scored two goals. “We felt ready to fight today. We knew it was going to be a good battle, but we knew we had it in us to win. We had the intensity, and the team played lights-out.”
No. 9 Salem opened the tournament with a bang on Wednesday, rolling past No. 8 Londonderry 4-0 in the New Hampshire Division 1 first round at Tri-Town Rink.
The Blue Devils (10-10-1, 9-9-1 Div. 1) took the lead 4:41 into play on a Austin Salvetti goal, and never let up to down a Lancers (8-10-1 Div. 1) team they had beaten twice in the regular season.
“It feels awesome to get this win,” said co-captain Chris Wilson. “We’ve worked all season for this. We had beaten Londonderry twice, but it was a clean slate today. We battled and got the result we wanted.”
With the win, Salem advanced to face top-seeded Pinkerton (16-2-0) in the Division 1 quarterfinals on Saturday (6:30 p.m.) at the Hooksett Ice Den.
“They’re the top team in the state,”said Maietta. “It’s going to be a good fight. But if we bring the same intensity to the second round, we believe we can do it.”
Salvetti set the tone in the first, taking a pass from Nolan LaBossiere and burying a wrist shot.
Thanks to some brilliant work from goalie Brady Roux, it stayed 1-0 until there was 5:42 left in the game. That’s when some dirty work in front of the net paid off for Wilson.
“Anthony (Survilas) was worked hard down low and got the puck on the boards,” said Wilson. “I went down into the slot in front of the crease. I got the puck and banged it home.”
Just 20 second later, Maietta found himself living out a teammate’s premonition.
“Before the game, Ryan Demers told me I was going to score on a breakaway with a shot under the blocker of the goalie,” said Maietta. “And, sure enough, I got the puck and put it right under his blocker. It felt amazing.”
Maietta, who entered the game with seven goals, then chipped in with his second of the day with 2:01 left in the game. From his knees near center ice, he gathered the puck and flipped it into an open net for the 4-0 final.
“I though it was going to hit the post, but it swerved right and went in,” he said. “Everyone played a great game. Brady was lights-out in net.”
Roux, just four days after earning his first high school shutout in the regular season finale, made 20 saves for his second straight shutout. He was especially tough in the second, keeping the Blue Devils in the lead.
“I went into the game wanting to do everything I could,”said Roux. “The boys made it easy to track the pucks and make saves. We felt confident after the Windham win to end the regular season, and we carried that momentum into today.”
Salem will next hope to earn an upset over a Pinkerton squad that beat the Blue Devils 4-3 on Feb. 16 at the Ice Den.
“Our focus has shifted to Pinkerton,”said Roux. “They’re great. It’s going to take a lot of hard work, but we are going to do our best.”
Game Statistics:
Division 1 First Round
Goals: S — Austin Salvetti, Christopher Wilson, Sam Maietta 2
Assists: S — Nolan LaBossiere, Anthony Survilas
Saves: S — Brady Roux 20; L — Cam Donovan 28
