NEWBURYPORT — For the second time in three years, the Newburyport Clippers hockey team, the reigning Division II State champs, are Bresnahan title-holders as they scored two goals in suspenseful shoot-out style amid a throng of clamorous Clipper fanatics to defeat the visiting St. Mary's of Lynn Spartans, 2-0, in the final game of the 15th Annual Newburyport Bank Ice Hockey Classic held at the Henry Graf Skating Rink.
"That's what you want to see," said Clipper coach Paul Yameen. "I thought it was a good tempo, a good atmosphere, and I don't think either team deserved to lose that game. (St. Mary's) is a good Division I school, and I think this is as good as we can get for a prep for the state tournament."
Three resilient periods of stoic goaltending by Newburyport's Anthony Federico (Tournament MVP with zero goals allowed) and St. Mary's Donald Hesse were all a local puckhead could beg for as all slapshots and ricochets were gobbled, slapped and shunned with graceful and crowd-pleasing ease.
A game dictated by close-calls and a handful of penalties that instantaneously switched momentum in the benefactor's favor, the first and second periods were a clean-cut trade-off between the Clippers and Spartans. When St. Mary's edged Newburyport in shots 11-6 in the opener, the Clips retaliated as offensive aggressors with a 12-9 shot scale.
The third period is where things began to get hectic, and likely and unlikely players on either team were stepping up to make great stands on both sides of the ice. Newburyport's Connor Wile, William Boudreau and Sean Hickman each made spectacular plays on defense, while Spartans like Nikko Markham, James Perkins, and Brendan Mageary proved invaluable.
However, succeeding a near goal by Newburyport's Derek Freeman with 10 seconds remaining, a collective sigh quickly melded into an anxious whisper as a shoot-out —truly the only way the game should have concluded — became reality.
With the crowd spitting venom across the ice, Spartan Michael Restuccia's first fake and swing to the low right corner was stopped in its tracks by Federico.
Newburyport's first attack was true blue.
Sophomore Cameron Roy shot low and right and slipped home the first goal of the game past Hesse's left skate.
The second try by St. Mary's Doyle Somerby was also low to the right, and once again, it was man-handled by a calm and collected Federico (25 saves).
And then, in absolutely righteous theatrics, Newburyport's Jeff Wile, in his first ice time all year, streaked down center ice, duked once, and nestled the puck directly between the legs of Hesse (24 saves).
"The kid has great hands, he's skilled, and we started talking as a coaching staff, and we decided to put him on the roster for our tournament and the state tournament, because he's as good as we have on the breakaways," said Yameen. "He's very smooth. He told me "Coach, 5-hole. I'm going 5-hole.'"
In clutch Babe Ruth fashion, Wile did indeed call 5-hole.
"I knew exactly what I was going to do, and I told Kyle McElroy before I went," said Wile, whose athletic participation has been stunted from a potentially life-threatening heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. "It's awesome. Watching the games from the stands for the last three years, two games from the bench this year, to just how bad I wanted to get out there, it was just awesome to finally get out there and play."
Sean Hickman's attempt was unfortunately quashed, but sealing the deal once again was Federico, who casually dismissed the upper left lob job from St. Mary's junior Perkins.
It may very well be the last game that the Clipper seniors will play at the Graf Rink, but if anything, it will be a memorable one.
"We talked about that before the game, and I think all the underclassmen really gave it their all for the seniors," Yameen said. "This will be the last time in our home building, and at least they can leave with a good feeling."
Being named to the All-Tournament team were Newburyport's Freeman, Federico and McElroy, and St. Mary's Hesse and Perkins.
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