Marauders, SpyPonders Draw Blanks In Girls Hockey Showdown

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Photo: Belmont’s Bridget Gray makes the save early in the first period.

An anticipated barnburner between a pair of red hot teams never materialized as stone cold defense stole the show between Arlington and host Belmont as the Middlesex Liberty rivals skated to a joint shutout, 0-0, at the Skip Wednesday, Jan. 15.

The tie hampers both squads attempts to stay close to league leader Woburn (7-1-1) which beat Belmont, 5-2, but lost to Arlington, 5-1.

In a game which Arlington (5-1-2) held the upper hand for most of the 45 minutes, the highlights came from the top defensive pairings from both teams while each goaltender did what was required to come off the ice with a clean sheet.

The SpyPonders first D-line of junior Shea O’Day and first year Cailyn Murphy were especially solid tracking down Belmont’s top scorers – senior Katie Goden, junior Emma O’Donovan and first year Lilly Duffy – and limiting the offense to single shots on goal. Belmont’s seniors Meaghan Noone and Jenna Crowley produced more of an attacking punch for the Marauders (7-1-2).

The SpyPonders had the advantage of goal scoring chances including a pair of near breakaways (from first year players Molly Conneely and Madeline Krepelka) in the first six minutes of the game. But each one was stifled by Belmont’s goalie Bridget Gray, the first year standout in the league who earned her sixth overall and third consecutive shut out to lower her goal-against average to an eye popping 0.85.

Offensively, Arlington was happy to keep the puck on the boards before breaking out as it relied on its physical playing style. Belmont leaned on its quickness to attack on the counter and pounce on the odd SpyPonder miscue.

While Arlington’s sophomore tender Elise Rodd was troubled by a handful of shots – Belmont’s best chance came from senior Kara Rowan from the slot that flew by the left post in the second period – Gray faced 35 in which several required a quick glove hand including several sprawling pad saves early and late in the third.

Belmont welcomes Watertown on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 1 p.m.

Guden’s 5 Point Night Secures Home Opener Win For Belmont Girls’ Hockey, 5-2, Over Medford

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Photo: Belmont’s Katie Guden scoring her third and game-winning goal.

The first half of Belmont High Girls’ Ice Hockey home opener at the “Skip” on Thursday night, Dec. 13 was all Medford High as the Mustangs held a 2-0 lead and were peppering the Marauders’ goal with scoring opportunities galore.

The second half was all Belmont’s Katie Guden. The junior forward would put on an offensive show having a part in all of the Marauders five goal in Belmont’s 5-2 victory over the Medford. After opening the season with an away win at Burlington, 5-4, the night before, Wednesday, Dec. 12, Belmont, under head coach Ken Murphy, now stands at 2-0-0.

Number 14 – the same numeral Guden wears as the all-star quarterback of the field hockey team – tallied four goals (one an empty net) and assisted on senior Morgan Chase’s marker leading the Marauders in a four-goal outburst in the final period.

After surrendering a pair of first period goals to Medford’s Brenna Forbes and Elizabeth Lazzaro, Belmont appeared still a bit discombobulated against the speedy Mustang forwards heading into the second period.

Belmont would turn it around by taking advantage of the power play as Guden popped in her first six seconds before the midpoint of the game at 7:36. The Marauders then survived going two down shortly afterward and took control of the game. Just three minutes into the third, Guden found space between the dots at the top of the slot to snap it by Medford’s goalie Terrell Pesaturo to knot the contest at two. Less than four minutes later, it was Guden getting her hat trick by sweeping around the net and back to the slot to wrist the shot high stick side to give the Marauders the lead. The senior nearly made it four a minute later as she “clanged” a shot off the post.

Trailing for the first time in the game, Medford found their energy again but Belmont’s senior goaltender Amanda Hanley sprawled to her left to take a puck off a stick at the side the goal. 

Belmont put the home opener beyond reach when Chase scored off a centering pass by Guden with two-and-a-half to play. Guden ended her big night with an empty-netter – with the assist from her field hockey teammate senior defense Jordan Lettiere – while finishing the game with nearly a “Gordie Howe hat trick” ending up in the box ’til the buzzer for a high stick.

Belmont will be at home Saturday, Dec. 15, for a 1 p.m. matinee facing Wilmington which is coming off a stunning upset of perinatal Middlesex League and state top 5  Woburn, 3-1.

Sports: Girls’ Hockey Rockets To 3-0 Start With Home Opener Win Vs. Lincoln-Sudbury

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Photo: Belmont heading to the goal.

Everyone knew coming into the season that Belmont High Boys’ Ice Hockey would be a team to be reckoned with in the Middlesex League. But if you’re looking for the squad playing at the “Skip” with the undefeated season, look no further than the Belmont High Girls’ team who has rocketed its way to a 3-0 start which included an all-around solid 3-0 home ice opener against Lincoln-Sudbury on Monday, Dec. 18.

Led by junior goalie Amanda Hanley who pitched her first shutout of the season, the Marauders scored with some unlikely sources demonstrating that the team’s potent scoring punch – 14 goals in the first three games – comes from more than just a single offensive line.

Second line defender senior Meghan Noone scored Belmont’s second goal on a rising wrister from just to the right of the left circle on the power play at 11:34 in the second period with the assist from defensive partner junior Jordan Lettiere. The no-frills defender who contributes each shift for Head Coach Ken Murphy showed her versatility and senior leadership by immediately taking a 2-minute roughing penalty after a Lincoln-Sudbury player took one-too-many liberties at Hanley’s expense. The violation was deemed by one observer as “a good roughing penalty to take” in defense of the team’s netminder. 

After a first period stalemate against a good Warriors team – L-S came into the game 1-0 after defeating Concord-Carlisle 1-0 in its season opener – Belmont struck early in the second as freshman phenom Emma O’Donovan (coming off a hat-trick against Burlington) scored in tight with assists from fellow frosh Del Bonin and senior center Annabel Banks.

Hanley kept the advantage turning back two point-blank shots at the doorstep with five minutes to go in the period before Belmont took advantage of a call against L-S a minute later.

Belmont put the game out-of-reach early in the third as O’Donovan netted her second from a pass by Noone who came as close as one can in high school hockey to a “Gordie Howe hat trick”.

Belmont opened the season squeaking by Wakefield by one, 5-4, then coming away with a 6-2 victory over Burlington as O’Donovan and linemate Emma Brodigan scored five goals with sophomore center Katie Guden hitting the back of the net.

The Marauders will be busy this week with away match on Wednesday, Dec. 20 at Wilmington, away again on Friday, Dec. 22 at Medford before coming home to the fridged confines of the “Skip” on Saturday, Dec. 23 vs. Stoneham.