PEABODY — Every coach expects his team to be playing its best hockey when the postseason is just around the corner.
Then consider Beverly High head coach Bob Gilligan extremely satisfied.
In its final regular-season contest yesterday afternoon, Beverly pounded host Peabody, 10-1, in the Carlin Cup at the McVann-O'Keefe Rink.
The Panthers' 10th straight victory was fueled by a dominant performance from its first line, which included four goals from junior captain Andrew Irving.
"They've been pushing themselves these last 10 games; we've really turned this thing around. You can see when they play hard, you better be able to skate with us because the kids can move and the puck gets moving pretty quick," noted Gilligan, whose team will enter the postseason with a 14-5-1 mark.
"We're hitting it at the right time (and have) to keep it going into the tournament, where it's a one-shot deal."
Once the Panthers' top line of sophomore center Connor Irving, senior Brenden Mitchell and Andrew Irving got going, the game got out of hand in a hurry. The group was on the ice for seven Beverly goals, including three of the visitors' four first-period tallies.
Connor Irving made a crisp pass from the corner to the crease, where Mitchell took the puck on his forehand, made a quick move to the backhand and roofed it over Tanner netminder Joe Powers four minutes into the game to put Beverly on the board.
The very same shift, Andrew Irving forced a turnover in the neutral zone, carried the puck across the blue line and then fired a wrist shot that snuck past Powers glove side.
"They're a great team," said Peabody (6-12-1) coach Mark Leonard. "We're very young, and they took it to us pretty good out there. We couldn't generate much offense against them. They skate and move the puck well. They're a much better team than us — today for sure."
After Ryan Santo tipped home a Sean Munzing slapper from the point, Andrew Irving notched his second goal of the game, this time on the power play, to close out the first period with the Panthers ahead 4-0.
"They move the puck and are effective once they get going," Gilligan said of his first line, before switching gears to talk about Andrew Irving, who made the move from defense to left wing during the season. "I think (Andrew) likes playing with his younger cousin Connor. They see each other, and there's good chemistry there. That can make things happen."
The left winger completed his hat trick in the second on a blast from the point during the power play to put Beverly ahead, 6-0. Earlier in the period, sophomore defenseman Matt Hamor scored off a spectacular feed from Mitchell behind the net.
Andrew Irving added his fourth goal in the third period on assists from both Connor Irving (4 assists) and Mitchell (2 goals, 3 assists) before the third member of the Irving clan, senior forward Colby (Connor's older brother) recorded the final Beverly marker.
Tommy Burns scored the lone Tanner tally in the third period on a feed from captain Eric Costa. But all in all, the Panther defensive foursome of Jack Morency, Manzing, Hamor and Nick Albano played near-flawless hockey, handling the puck with great security in the Panthers' own end.
Sophomore goalie Bryce Mitchell spelled usual Beverly starter Tim Birarelli and was phenomenal between the pipes, flashing the glove a couple of times to finish with 23 saves.
"We didn't let them get going too much. In the first period, I don't think they had more than two shots and we kept it going from there," Gilligan said. "We gave Timmy the night off and gave Bryce a shot. It's tough when you don't get a lot of shots, and then all of a sudden you get a tough one. He played well."
While Beverly awaits its seeding for the Division 2 North tournament this weekend, Peabody has two regular season games left in the Newburyport Bank Classic before the Tanners seniors hang up the skates for good.
"We just have to try and work. It's a tournament, and there's a little incentive; maybe we try and win it," Leonard said. "We just need to play a good game and get the seniors out there so they can enjoy their last couple games."
