Hornets find stride with wins over Rockport, Saugus

Take Wakefield to the brink in Kasabuski championship

Published January 2, 2020

By DAN ZIMMERMAN

SAUGUS — Last year, at this early stage of the high school hockey season, North Reading had yet to win a game, losing six straight out of the gate. This season, while the team would admit there’s work to be done, the Hornets are in far better shape with a pair of wins and a 2-2-1 mark after this week’s action.

Most recently, North Reading earned a split decision in the annual Kasabuski Christmas Classic, dispatching Saugus in the preliminary round on Thursday, 5-4, followed by a disappointing 2-1 defeat at the hands of Wakefield in Friday’s tournament finale.

ALEX VERCOLEN tallied hat tricks during Hornet victories over Rockport and Saugus. The senior now has seven goals in five games. (Dan Pawlowski Photo)

“It was one of those games that make you feel content about the overall performance,” said North Reading coach Brian McAuliffe, when asked about the near-miss with Wakefield that snapped a two-game win streak. “We were in it to the end. But in hindsight, you wish you did some small things better.”

Earlier in the week, the Hornets picked up their first win of the season by decimating the visiting Rockport Vikings, 6-0. Alex VerColen contributed with a hat trick, scoring two goals in the first period and earning the trick with 18-seconds left in the game. William McCann added a pair and Matthew Ryan rounded out the Hornet offensive deluge. Francis Brachanow accrued a trio of helpers in the effort.

“We tried to keep it simple tonight,” said VerColen of the Hornet’s scoring binge against Rockport. “Simple breakouts and simple plays. We definitely needed this win to gain a head of steam and some momentum going into the Christmas break.”

“It felt good to back home at Kasabuski,” said McAuliffe, who was pleased to see the senior leadership of VerColen and McCann setting the tone. “The familiarity of this rink and some of the odd bounces that you get off these boards that we’re used to makes a difference. I thought we played sound hockey tonight in all aspects. The physicality, the passing, and the shooting were all there. Overall, it was good to get that first win out of the way.”

WILLIAM McCANN scored twice to help the Hornets beat Rockport on Dec. 23. (Dan Pawlowski Photo)

Armed with a 1-1-1 record, North Reading moved on to the preliminary round of the Kasabuski tournament on Thursday to face a struggling Saugus club. When all was said and done, the Hornets had advanced to the final, defeating the Sachems, 5-4. There was some concern, however, that the game was as close as it was. At times, it seemed as though North Reading was holding an impromptu clinic, outshooting Saugus 59-8.

“Not to make excuses but it can be tough in those situations for the goalie to stay in focus,” McAuliffe explained. “It’s human nature. At times, we were in the offensive zone for such long stretches, we got locked in and as a result, Saugus had a breakaway and a pair of two-on-ones.”

It seems that VerColen’s hat trick against Rockport was just a warm-up. Facing Saugus, he tallied a natural trick, scoring three consecutive goals between the second and third periods, including the eventual game-winner in the waning moments. Brachanow started the Hornet’s afternoon with a pair in the first period.

“Our goal is to shoot for the state tournament this year,” said VerColen, who now has seven goals to his credit in five games played. “I know this team is definitely capable of that and much more.”

Prior to North Reading’s win over Saugus, future opponent Wakefield was dishing out a classic beat down, trouncing Peabody, 11-1. Oddly enough, Peabody snapped back to defeat Saugus 4-1 in the tournament consolation round on Friday morning.

BRIAN McAULIFFE scans the ice during the championship of the Kasabuski Christmas Classic on Friday. McAuliffe picked up his first win as head coach when the Hornets beat Rockport 6-0 on Dec. 23 and followed that up with a 5-4 win over Saugus in the first round of the Classic on Thursday. (Dan Pawlowski Photo)

As the main event got underway, Wakefield set the tempo and carried the play. To their credit, the Hornets were adept at pinning the Warriors to the outside, allowing only perimeter shots for the most part. Late in the first period, Wakefield fell victim to the officials, committing back-to-back penalties including a five-minute major levied for a flagrant cross-check. As a result, North Reading skated five-on-three for 1:39 but could do little with it.

Late in the second, Wakefield snapped the scoreless stalemate with a power play goal from sophomore Mike Locke. North Reading goaltender Cam Alter made the initial stop on Chris Coombs but Locke was perfectly positioned to one-time the go-ahead score.

Locke added an insurance goal with 6:56 left in the contest, uncorking a hard rising wrister that beat Alter waist-high, stick side.

North Reading sophomore Joseph Collins halved the deficit two minutes later, from McCann and Nicholas Pasquale, but the Hornets were unable to extend the rally as time ran out and Wakefield claimed the Kasabuski Classic.

“I thought we matched up pretty evenly with Wakefield – that was a good Middlesex League team that we could very well see in the State Tournament,” said McAuliffe. “But ultimately, they were one better than us today. We’ll take something positive from this loss. I think we’re definitely in a good position at this early stage of the season and trending in the right direction.”