MALDEN, Mass. — Ava Baker didn't like her shooting angle.
Malden Catholic's junior captain out of North Reading, Mass., walked the blue line and skated toward the high slot as time wound down. With 15.7 seconds remaining in regulation, she sent a quick, low wrist shot toward goal. The puck changed direction and zipped past Duxbury goaltender Anna McGinty to lift MC to a 2-1 win over the top-ranked team in the state.
The Lancers completed the comeback after falling behind, 1-0, to the Dragons early in regulation, when Megan Carney jammed in a loose puck in front of the crease. Her linemates, Zoey Madigan and Addy Harrington, combined for the initial chance, which Taylor Daley (Malden, Mass.) saved.
Carney's line created strong zone time before the end of the first and at the start of the second. Daley stood tall for the Lancers, though.
MC started to find a groove as the game wore on, but couldn't solve McGinty until late in the second.
Senior captain Antonia DiZoglio (Wilmington, Mass.) tied it 1-1 during a 4-on-4. Alyssa Jankowski (Medford, Mass.) found DiZoglio alone in the slot, and she made no mistake, shooting over McGinty's glove for the score.
The loss, just Duxbury's (15-2-0) second of the season, ended the Dragons' 12-game win streak. The Lancers (11-3-2) won their third straight.
Here are seven takeaways and standouts from the game.
1. It's almost tournament time in Massachusetts, and this game was exactly the type of environment a coach should want their team to experience as they prepare. The Dragons really hemmed MC in early on in the game, but to the Lancers' credit, they weathered the storm. A large part of that was due to Daley's strong play in net, but MC still showed a lot of believability, getting much better as the game went on. That's a vital experience for a team that's eyeing a deep tournament run. As for Duxbury, they'll be just fine. The Lancers were very opportunistic, and Daley had almost every answer on the night. It's a great learning experience for the Dragons as they prepare to defend their Division 2 title.
2. The Lancers saved their best for the third period. Duxbury gave them fits breaking the puck out, especially in the first. But to me, MC simplified its game and settled down in the third. They broke the puck out quickly, and if a possession play wasn't there, they made the simple clear. They capitalized on some key Duxbury turnovers on some late penalty kills to bleed clock, too.
3. I thought Baker was MC's best player, overall, and she got rewarded in the end. She is so smooth on the breakout. Her head is always up, scanning the ice and looking for the best option. She has good edge-work and a smooth stride that allows her to evade forechecking pressure below the goal line. Baker had an excellent breakout pass in the first. Skating out from behind MC's net with her eyes up, she let the play develop before finding Avery White (Medford, Mass.) coming through the seam in the middle of the ice to exit the zone with possession.
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4. McGinty is one of the best goaltenders in the state, and Daley went toe-to-toe with her all night in what turned out to be a great goaltending duel. The former did an excellent job of tracking pucks through traffic, controlling rebounds and killing plays around the crease. One of her best saves came when she reacted quickly to deny Jankowski on the doorstep as MC pushed late. She played well enough for a win. At the other end, Daley was steady throughout for the Lancers. She had a terrific reactionary save with the left pad to rob Madigan's power-play bid in front during the second. Moments later she denied Maddie Greenwood twice, first saving her shot from the high slot before denying her on the rebound to the left of the crease.
5. Greenwood grabs a lot of the headlines for her offense. It's understandable, too, as she has 15 goals and 25 points in 16 games. She may just have the most powerful release I've seen in the MIAA this season. But I was impressed with her defensive play on Wednesday. Dan Najarian trusts her in all situations. She had a big blocked shot on one of MC's power plays, and she was terrific at the face-off dot all night.
6. Duxbury's second line of Carney, Madigan and Harrington could be a massive difference-maker come playoff time. The trio has great chemistry. They drove play and created chances each time time they were on the ice. I thought they were the Dragons' most consistent unit at even-strength on the night.
7. MC's top unit had a good game, overall, getting better as things wore on like the rest of their team. I was particularly impressed with DiZoglio and sophomore Abbie Poole (Wakefield, Mass.). DiZoglio's shot in the second to tie it was perfectly over McGinty's glove to the top right of the net. Her two-way game showed in the third, too, making two strong plays shorthanded. First she made a nice read to intercept a Duxbury breakout pass at the offensive blue line. It didn't lead to anything as strong layers for Duxbury won the puck back, but she showed good instincts and positioning. On another penalty kill, she stripped the puck from Greenwood on the forecheck before bleeding some time off the PK below the goal line.
As for Poole, her speed is a difference-maker for the Lancers. She creates a ton for herself and teammates with her legs. She broke off for a partial break in the first, but settled for a shot from distance. Another example came in the second. She had a burst of speed to lead a counter rush and find DiZoglio for a good chance in transition.
