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By Michael Flanagan
Hometown Weekly Sports Editor
The Needham High School boys varsity hockey team earned a signature win last Wednesday evening at home against Milton at Babson Ice Center. Trailing 2-0 towards the end of the second period, the Rockets (4-5-1) exploded with five goals during the final period and change to overcome the multi-goal deficit and earn a hard-fought 5-3 win over the Wildcats.
The Wildcats (4-5-1) netted a pair of goals in the first ten minutes of the game to enter the first intermission ahead 2-0. The Rockets came out in the second period determined to get themselves back into the contest, but were turned away by multiple sprawling saves by Milton goaltender Mark Guerra, and the game remained 2-0 entering the final minutes of the second.
Senior captain and forward Seth Jacobs finally broke through and got the scoring started for the Rockets with 49 seconds remaining in the second period on a breakaway following a clearing pass from sophomore defenseman Tommy Chmielewski, and the deficit was cut to one heading into the final period of play.
The Rockets turned on the switch in period three, as senior forward James Concannon netted the tying goal while shorthanded on an odd-man rush just three minutes in. However, the Wildcats responded on the power play just moments later to reclaim a 3-2 lead. Just three minutes after the Wildcats retook the lead, Concannon stepped up and delivered again for the Rockets, slamming home a rebound on a net-mouth scramble to knot the game back up at three.
Just a minute and 30 seconds after Concannon’s second goal to tie the hockey game at three, David Jacobs delivered the go-ahead goal when he flew down the left wing and fired a shot through the five hole of Guerra to give the Rockets their first lead of the contest at 4-3. Junior forward Danny McEvoy gave Needham some insurance when he put home the rebound of a Ricky Tamkin shot from the point, and the Rockets were able to hang on for the 5-3 victory.
At the time of print, the Rockets will return to the ice on January 25 when they travel to face Norwood before playing host to Framingham on January 28.
