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By Josh Perry
Hometown Weekly Staff
Two years ago, Medfield skated in its first state championship game at the TD Garden as the underdog against North champion Beverly. Although the Warriors battled and nearly pulled out the win against the Panthers (falling 2-1), there was a case of being awed by the moment.
On Sunday afternoon, Medfield returned to the Garden looking to complete its mission of winning the program’s first state title, just three years after making the move up to Div. 2.
Thanks to a game-winning goal by sophomore Dylan McNally and 21 saves from senior goalie Matt Malvese, the Warriors achieved that goal beating Lincoln-Sudbury 3-1 to claim the program’s first championship trophy.
“It’s still the Boston Garden,” said Medfield coach Toby Carlow, “and there’s still a certain awe factor for them even though they were here two years ago, but they processed it faster, they got through it and they were used to the environment.”
He added, “It’s unbelievable. I’m so happy for the kids; they do all the hard work.”
Medfield nearly opened the scoring in the opening 30 seconds, but a John MacLean breakaway was stoned by L-S goalie Cameron Kessler. Medfield continued to create scoring chances, outshooting L-S 11-6 in the first but went into the intermission scoreless.
That changed five minutes into the second when Matt Treiber, off a MacLean assist, rifled a shot over Kessler’s glove side to put Medfield in front 1-0.
Just as soon as Medfield got momentum, L-S stole it back with a goal by Connor Reinhold after Eric Holden had the puck slide off his stick, which wrong-footed the defenseman.
“It was, guys lets calm down and it’s a tie game again,” said Carlow about the message after the tying goal. “It was 0-0 and now it’s basically 0-0 again. We were doing well and we have to capitalize if we see a mistake.”
With 1:07 left in the second period, Malvese made a play that turned out to be the game-winner when he fired a pass ahead, catching L-S in a line change and creating an odd-man rush. McNally was in the right place at the right time to take advantage, flicking his shot off the back of Kessler and in from an acute angle.
“I was just right there to bang it home,” said the sophomore forward. “It went off the goalie’s pad and I was right there and…put it home.”
Carlow said, “The third line goes out there and pops a fortunate goal and that’s what you need to win championships. You’ve to get it from uncommon sources sometimes.”
About Malvese’s heads up play, Carlow added, “He saw them making a bad change and he fires the puck up the ice and it ends up in the net. It was a smart play and it turned out to be the play we needed.”
With 8:33 left in the game, MacLean stepped up and slipped his shot through Kessler’s five-hole to give Medfield a two-goal lead. He admitted that his experience at the Garden two years ago was a big help in finding his footing early on Sunday.
He explained, “I’m sure some of the younger guys felt what I felt two years ago; it was a little overwhelming for me and having been here two years ago took a little weight off my shoulders.”
Lincoln-Sudbury continued to push for a goal that could get it back in the game and had several chances denied by Malvese and the group of defensemen in front of him, including senior captain Nigel Reiff, who cleared one off the line in the final minute, senior Michael Walsh and senior transfer Jonathan Seibel.
“That solid group of six guys and being deep back there makes a big difference,” said Carlow. “They did a great job back there keeping pucks to the outside…As time is dwindling down they’re out there and Matt Malvese is behind them to take care of things that might get by them.”
During the celebrations following the final horn, MacLean looked very emotional, hugging teammates and holding the trophy.
“It’s probably one of the happiest moments of my life,” he said. “I’ve been playing this game for 13 years and it’s sad to see it come to an end but I wouldn’t want to go out any other way than on top at the Garden.”
“I just can’t believe this is happening right now; it’s what I’ve wanted since I put on a Medfield jersey.”
MacLean and several of his teammates, including Treiber, Reiff, and Kyle Gately among others, were part of the Medfield lacrosse team’s back-to-back state titles but he explained that winning in hockey felt a little different.
“I don’t know why but the bond for lacrosse just isn’t as tight as it is for hockey,” MacLean said.
“I don’t know if it’s because there’s less people or anything or because we’re with everyone every single day for 2-1/2 hours, but yeah this definitely feels a little bit better than it does in the spring.”
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Josh Perry is an Editor at Hometown Weekly. He can be reached at news@hometownweekly.net and followed on Twitter at @Josh_Perry10.
