SALEM — As much as a big goal can swing momentum in a tightly contested hockey game, sometimes it's the pucks that don't cross the goal line that can really crush a team's spirits.
Ahead by a pair of goals in the second period last night against Gloucester, the Marblehead boys took their foot off the gas and a furious flurry from the Fisherman had most of the Headers back on their heels.
All except senior goalie Mike Harper, who remained on his toes and kept the puck out of the net as Marblehead hung on in the third period for a 3-0 win.
"Mikey Harper kept us in this game in the second period and without him in that period it would have been a totally different game," said Marblehead coach Bob Jackson. "He was as focused as I've seen him the whole year. Mikey Harper played the best game of his career so far."
Harper had 17 second-period saves including back-to-back stops he had no business making. After denying Tyler Philbook's breakaway attempt with the left bad, Harper robbed Mike Russo off the ensuing face-off with a point-blank right pad save. For good measure, Harper added another left pad save when Russo tried a wrap-around just seconds later.
Visibly deflated heading into the locker room, Gloucester (5-6-4) managed just five shots in the third period before Ty Bates drained a empty-netter to ice the game. With some defensemen back from injury the Headers were able to go six deep at the blue line, keeping their guys fresh in the third when the Fisherman were drained.
"Gloucester came out (in the second period) and they were kind of panicking down 2-0. They came out and really out-worked us and out-shot us and we talked about the grit and the 1-on-1 battles we were losing," noted Jackson. "We said we had 15 minutes which was about 15 shifts and 80 battles and if won a majority of the battles we would be in good shape."
It wasn't just the defense that played a major role in Harper's 31-save shutout. Wingers like Cam Rowe and Erik Powers as well as center Matt Cashman worked hard on the half wall, taking punishment to clear the puck.
Marblehead's third forechecker, or F-3 as the Headers call him, remained high in the zone throughout the third period ,even following Gloucester's wingers to the red line when they were looking to cherry pick.
"We had him (the F-3) stay up and marry them (Gloucester forwards in the neutral zone) so the defensemen could stay at the blue line," explained Jackson. "That frustrated them. The last seven minutes we wanted to button the hatch and make sure they didn't get any odd man rushes."
The first period opened with a pair of Gloucester penalties and Austin Haley was able to convert for Marblehead, blasting a low hard shot from the top of the left circle that beat Gloucester's Jesse Glidden short side. Later in the period defensemen Liam Gillis fired a shot past Glidden to put the Headers up by a pair of goals.
Before Bates provided the empty-netter he suffered a cut to the head and popped his shoulder out of place, missing just a shift before he was back out on the ice. The junior also assisted on Gillis' marker, along with line mate Joe Newall.
"Gordie Howe would have been proud of him today, he took a hit in the head and now he's going to go get stitches," said Jackson. "He's a tough kid. The way he battled today, getting the third goal was the icing on the cake for him."
Gloucester's Johnny Interante also played through injury after taking a nasty head-first slide into the boards. Interante nearly lit the lamp in the second, but found iron. Defensemen Mike Muniz also played well throughout, clearing pucks and punishing Marblehead forwards throughout the bout.
But ultimately, Gloucester's six, first-period penalties and the play from Harper proved too much to overcome.
"The first period was a mess of penalties and everything else but basically Marblehead took it to us all night," said Gloucester coach Don Lowe. "And we didn't put the puck in the net."
With both Swampscott and Lynn losing last night, Marblehead takes a two point lead in the Northeastern Conference South.The Headers hold their own destiny with bouts left with all the South teams.
