Lexington, MA — Senior Jason Flaherty erupted for 4 goals and 3 assists to lead Wachusett to an 8-5 win over Lexington in the first round of the 2023 Battle Road Classic at the Hayden Recreation Center in Lexington. The first line of Flaherty, Sophomore Cody Penniman and Sophomore Caden Lane combined for 13 total points on the night as Penniman and Lane each netted 1 goal and 2 assists. The team scored 4 first period goals to enter the first intermission with a 4-1 advantage. Penniman scored at 4:40 assisted by Flaherty and Lane to go up 1 - 0. At 5:29, Wachusett would go up 2-0 on a goal by Flaherty, assisted by Penniman and Thomas Willman. Lexington would make it 2-1 at 5:41 before Brayden Allaire would score his first goal of the season at the 6:58 mark, assisted by Flaherty, who also scored the last goal of the period with assists going to Lane and Penniman. The two teams would trade goals in the 2nd period with Lexington pulling to 4-2 at the 7:47 mark before Flaherty would extend the lead to 5-2 with an unassisted goal at 13:45. Both teams scored 3 goals in the third. Senior Nick Brousseau would score his first of the season at 5:57, assisted by Flaherty. Lexington made it 6-3 before Flaherty would score his 4th of the night at 8:16 assisted by Junior Tanner Watkins. Lexington would not go away, scoring at 9:25 to make it 7-4 before Caden Lane would score the last Mountaineer goal at 9:43 assisted by brothers Matt & Nick Brousseau. Lexington would score with under a minute to play to finalize the scoring at 8-5....Lot of fireworks that night. Freshman Goalie Kevin Shaw made 20 saves and Wachusett would improve to 5 and 1 on the season. This win sets up a rematch of the 2022 Battle Road Classic Championship between Wachusett and Concord-Carlisle in which CC won 6 - 0.