Recap
Shrewsbury Scores 5 Unanswered Goals to Upend Wachusett 6 - 4
Wachusett Regional 4, Shrewsbury 6
Westborough, MA — Wachusett started out hot on Saturday night, racing out to a 4-1 lead with 7:40 left in the second period. But, the Colonials of Shrewsbury ended the game with 5 unanswered goals to walk away with a 6 - 4 win.
At 2:04 of the first period, Kyle O'Keefe scored the first goal of the night. The puck was dumped in behind the net where Aidan Riley forechecked hard and created a turnover. Riley then found O'Keefe streaking to the high slot and slid him the puck. O'Keefe one-timed a shot that beat the diving goalie. That was the first goal of the season for Kyle O'Keefe.
Six minutes later, Clark Gardula took a pass from Dennis Jardine in the neutral zone and raced down the left side. Gardula fired a wrist shot to the upper left corner of the net that broke off the goalie's glove and found the back of the net, putting Wachusett up 2-0 at the first intermission.
Shrewsbury would score first in the second period at the 3:04 mark, but Wachusett would get that back just 18 seconds later. Parker Meyer raced into the zone on the right side. As a defenseman closed on Meyer, he hit the brakes and cut to the middle where he sniped a shot over the goalie's left shoulder, putting Wachusett up 3-1 on the unassisted goal.
At 7:20 of the second, Wachusett had a strong forecheck, pinning Shrewsbury in their zone. As the puck came up the left boards, Kyle O'Keefe tracked it down and put a shot on net. Aidan Riley was there to bang home the rebound. The goal, Riley's third in the last 3 games, put Wachusett up 4-1, but, unfortunately, would be their last goal of the night.
The Colonials would score 4 goals in under 3 minutes from the 8:18 mark to the 11:11 mark of the second period to take a 5-4 lead into the second intermission. The game would stay 5-4 until Wachusett pulled their goalie with just over a minute to play. Shrewsbury scored an empty net goal with 4 seconds remaining to close out the victory.
Wachusett is now 7 and 3 at the midway point of the season and will turn the page to Hopedale on Wednesday at 5:30 pm at the Blackstone Valley Iceplex.