By Paul Vozzella
Hometown Weekly Sports Reporter
Momentum can’t build up much more than it has for the Rockets as it secured its third consecutive win with a 7-3 stomping of Hopkinton. The end-of-season run, including fifteen goals over the three-game win streak, will not give Needham a home game to start the playoffs, but will give the team a more favorable seed.
Captain Joe Kujunski led the way for the Rockets with an impressive performance, culminated by his third goal of the game in the last minute of the second period. The senior found himself in the right spot at the right time to secure his first career hat trick.
“It felt great, but let’s be honest, [there were] a couple of lucky ones,” said Kujunski with a grin. “One from the corner [and] another hit someone’s skate, but [I was] moving around well.”
Hopkinton gave Needham a run for its money for about the first two minutes of the game before the Rockets took off. Goalie Conor Espinola made a tough stick-side save about a minute into action and would not relinquish any goals in his time on the ice. All three goalies got a period of work in the win.
“We talked about it beforehand; [playing all three goalies] was something we wanted to do, so we had the chance to do it, and we did it,” said Head Coach Mike Hoban. “Espinola had a great start, and he's carried us the last two games and played great in the minutes he played and thought it was good to get both Brownridge and Olson in… we'll see who's performing in practice and is battling and ready to take that starting position [for the playoffs].”
The Rockets carried a three goal lead heading into first intermission following two of Kujunski’s goals and another from senior Matt Rutter.
Rutter scored again at the 8:55 mark in the second period to give his team a 4-0 lead. Later on in the second, Needham found itself shorthanded after committing a penalty. The Rockets almost managed to score while killing the penalty, but a save and 3-on-1 break down the ice for Hopkinton led to its first goal of the game.
Goals from senior Sam Treacy and sophomore Matt Ledbury rounded out the offensive output from the Rockets. Despite tallying the second most goals in a game this season, Kujunski believes his team is capable of even more.
“We know that we can kick it into another gear and that we can do better than we're playing right now, but we're on the right track,” said the captain.
Needham spent the rest of the week practicing, straying away from its normal routine as it waits for a postseason opponent. Even with the change, Hoban was adamant in going 100% in practice to stay prepared, and both he and Kujunski expressed the teams’ high level of confidence heading into the tournament for the state championship. The playoff bracket is available on MIAA’s website.
