WEST SPRINGFIELD – “Too close for comfort.”
That is how Pope Francis boys’ hockey coach Brian Foley described Thursday’s game, as Rocco DeLuca scored one of his game-high two goals to help Natick make it a one-possession deficit with 8:04 left in regulation.
Though the Red Hawks called timeout in the 49th minute, Grady Flynn was soon called for tripping to ensure the Cardinals their fifth power-play attempt. And that proved vital, as Pope Francis held on for an eventual 3-2 season-opening win against Natick at Olympia Ice Center.
Mason Thayer (one), Whitaker Zinger (one), and Gabe Kolodjay (one) each scored for the Cardinals, while Wolfgang Zinger (one), Quinn Woytowicz (one), and Cole Hrapchak (one) also posted one assist each to help Pope Francis improve to 1-0.
Despite four separate individuals recording at least one point and a game-high 22 saves from netminder Brauer Malcom, the Red Hawks moved to 0-1.
“Natick played hard and (Malcom) also played well,” Foley said. “We had a lot of chances, but I also don’t like the chances that we gave up because it made it a little too close for comfort. Regardless, though, it feels good to get out of the first night with a win.”
Through 12 minutes of action, Pope Francis and Natick remained scoreless. That changed, though, as both teams committed three of the game’s nine combined penalties to ensure the Cardinals a 5-on-4 power-play attempt.
And Pope Francis seized its opportunity, as Thayer sent a wrister along the right wing through a crowded front. But after 10 combined unsuccessful shot attempts, Woytowicz deflected the puck by Malcom to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead with 1:03 left in the first period.
Pope Francis maintained a one-goal lead and a 7-1 shots-on-goal advantage over Natick as both teams entered the opening intermission.
The offensive attack continued in the second period, as Joe MacDonnell cleared the puck in the opposing zone for the Red Hawks. And as the loose puck crossed the blue line with help from DeLuca, Cardinals netminder George Ramsey (11 saves) attempted to clear the puck as he left the crease.
The junior was unsuccessful, though, as the puck snuck under his stick and into the back of the net to momentarily even the score at 1-1 with 12:16 left in the period. But the score didn’t remain that way for long, as Pope Francis earned its third power-play attempt.
“We have to pick up our goalie because (Ramsey) has been playing good for us,” said Kolodjay of the opposing goal. “So it’s important for us to always have his back and know that we are going to get another one.”
Kolodjay wasn’t incorrect, as Whitaker Zinger countered on a feed from Wolfgang Zinger to move the Cardinals back ahead less than two minutes after Natick scored its equalizer. After bidding farewell to their previous lead, Pope Francis made sure history didn’t repeat itself.
During the 28th minute, Hrapchak forced a loose puck in the opposing zone and connected with Kolodjay along the left boards. With no defenders near, the junior finished with a breakaway top-shelf netter to double the Cardinals’ lead to 3-1.
The go-ahead goal also marked Kolodjay’s first with Pope Francis, since he transferred from Longmeadow, where he recorded 22 goals and 15 assists in his previous two seasons for the Lancers.
Through 34 minutes of action, the Cardinals maintained their two-goal cushion and 13-8 shots-on-goal advantage over Natick.
“It was a little rough out there in the start,” Kolodjay said. “But we came together and got two points. After the first period, we talked in the locker room and understood we weren’t playing well, so we understand there’s still a lot of work to do.”
With fewer than nine minutes left in regulation, Pope Francis attempted to triple its lead with another breakaway attempt. Malcom said otherwise, though, as the netminder made a sprawling save along the left post to keep things close.
And that proved essential, as DeLuca scored on a feed from Braeden Clarke and Finn Moriarty to cut the Red Hawks’ deficit to 3-2. It wasn’t enough, though, as the Cardinals won their second consecutive game against Natick.
Pope Francis will now compete against the defending Division I champions in Catholic Memorial on Saturday inside Warrior Ice Arena at 7 p.m., while the Red Hawks will face Andover on the same date from Chase Arena at 7:20 p.m.
Meanwhile, the Cardinals’ matchup will offer added significance, serving as a rematch of last year’s D-I state semifinals, where Jack McCourt scored the game-winner to ensure the Knights defeated Pope Francis in a 1-0 thriller.
“It was nice that we weren’t fighting in our own end toward the end of regulation with the goalie pulled type of situation,” Foley said. “Overall, though, we’ll take the two points and then try and get ready for Saturday.”
