By Mike Flanagan
Hometown Weekly Sports Editor
Nothing beats the atmosphere of a high school hockey playoff game. With Pirelli Arena in Franklin serving as the home ice for both the Medfield and Medway High School boys hockey teams, Wednesday night’s round of 16 match between the two TVL rivals was a setting out of a movie.
With both schools packing the barn with students and fans, the Warriors and Mustangs put on a show. Junior captain and forward James Tyer opened the scoring just 6:01 in, burying a cross-ice feed from Matt Guindon on a two-on-one to make it 1-0 Medfield. The Warriors carried the play throughout the remainder of the period and entered the first intermission with a 1-0 lead.
With 11:05 to play in the second period, Nate VanSaun evened the game at one, chipping home a saucer pass from Pari Lykourinos on a two-on-one. Just 36 seconds later off an offensive zone face-off win, Henry Eaton sniped home a shot up high to put the Mustangs ahead 2-1. A little under three minutes later, the onslaught continued as Jack Carr fired home a one-timed feed from Sean Murphy to make it 3-1 and force Medfield to take a timeout.
Medway’s Alex Infanger was sent off for tripping shortly after the break, but the Warriors were unable to capitalize in the power play. Just after Infanger’s penalty expired, Infanger delivered a back-breaker. VanSaun won a race to a loose puck in the offensive zone and fed a pass out to Infanger all along in front. Infanger one-timed home a shot upstairs to put the Mustangs in front 4-1.
With 18 seconds remaining in the period, Max Sherman responded for Medfield and trimmed the deficit down to two. Following a face-off win by Kevin Arthur in the offensive end, Sherman corralled the puck and let a shot go from the point that made its way through traffic and stung the top shelf of the net. The game entered the second intermission with Medway in front, 4-2.
Midway through the third period, Medway’s Pari Lykourinos scored the potential goal of the year, taking a pass from VanSaun on the breakout and flying in on a breakaway. Lykourinos deked to his backhand and then tucked his stick between his legs and fired home a highlight-reel goal upstairs to make it a 5-2 game.
Ryan Dolan nearly responded on the power play for Medfield moments later, firing a shot that trickled through Medway goalie Evan Monaghan and towards the goal line. However, a heads-up play by Murphy to sweep the puck out of the crease and out of the zone kept the score at 5-2. Medfield was unable to mount any type of comeback as the Mustangs advanced with the 5-2 win.
For funny and incisive sports analysis as well as video highlights of games, follow Mike Flanagan on his personal Twitter and Instagram handles @flano0.
