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Marblehead hammers Hornets

STONEHAM — Maybe you’re surprised that the Marblehead High hockey team is now in the North semifinals, two wins away from skating at the TD Garden in this, their first foray as a Division 2 club.
But the Headers aren’t.
“This was our plan from the start of the season. We expected this from ourselves,” said senior left wing Erik Powers, who scored twice in his team’s 4-1 quarterfinal triumph over North Reading last night at Stoneham Arena.
“What we’ve done, it is impressive,” added senior goaltender Miles Barry, when told it was his team’s 18th win of the season. “I think we all knew we had excellent potential coming into the season, and we’ve been looking towards this all year.”
Seventh-seeded Marblehead (18-5-1) took control early by scoring three times in the game’s first 7:43 and dominated the Hornets statistically, outshooting them 44-10.
The Headers now advance to the Division 2 North quarterfinals Monday at the Chelmsford Forum in North Billerica against the winner of last night’s late Masconomet/Tewksbury game (time TBA) at the Chelmsford Forum.
Marblehead’s Red (1st), Green (2nd) and Maroon (4th) lines all scored while its Grey (3rd) unit forechecked effectively the entire game and never let second-seeded North Reading (16-3-2) much in the way of an offensive attack. On the few occasions the Headers suffered a defensive breakdown, Barry was there standing his ground. The 5-foot-8, 140-pound keeper stopped Shane Driscoll on a semi-breakaway early in the second period before robbing Mike Driscoll on a clean break, catching the puck between his collarbone and mask.
“All four lines played very well,” said head coach Bob Jackson, “and Miles didn’t see a lot of shots but came up really big when he had to. And we did a great job on man-down situations (killing 5 of 6 penalties).”
Marblehead wasted little time establishing its first period dominance, scoring 64 seconds after the puck was first dropped. Powers netted his 13th goal of the season after collecting defenseman Trevor Gelineau’s shot from the point and depositing it in back of North Reading netminder Keith Linnane (40 saves).
“It was a great way to start the game,” Barry said. “Coming out fast like that catches everyone off guard.”
Senior fourth liner Chris Cormier, who didn’t score at all during the regular season, bagged his second goal in as many playoff games to make it 2-0 at 7:23. Setting up shop in front of Linnane, he took a pass from linemate Max Delvento  (who was stationed behind the net) and one-timed the puck home.
On the very next shift, the Headers broke out of their zone 2-on-1 as brothers Tom and Matt Koopman bore on in Linnane. Matt, the sophomore center, kept the puck and roofed a missile high glove side that Linnane couldn’t get to.
“We definitely caught them flat-footed in that first period,” said Powers, who added an empty net goal with eight seconds to play. “But we knew they were a good team and they’d come out after us the next two periods. But us playing those four lines I think wore them down.”
North Reading came out and played much better in the second stanza, getting a power play goal from senior captain Tom Day at 4:41. But those two terrific saves by Barry and some staunch penalty killing prevented further damage, a trait Marblehead continued in the final period until Powers’ empty netter sealed the deal.
Marblehead 4, North Reading 1
at Stoneham Arena
North Reading: 0 1 0 — 1
Marblehead: 3 0 1 — 4
First period: M, Erik Powers (Trevor Gelineau, Time Kalinowski), 1:04; M, Chris Cormier (Max Delvento, Liam Gillis), 7:23; M, Matt Koopman (Tom Koopman), 7:43.
Second Period: NR, Thomas Day (un), ppg, 4:41.
Third Period: M, Powers (un), eng, 14:52.
Saves: M, Miles Barry 9; NR, Keith Linnane 40.
Records: M, 18-5-1; NR, 16-3-2.

Additional stories:

• Marblehead 4, North Reading 1