WESTFIELD – My how things change in 12 months.
One year ago, the Longmeadow (WHS Co-op) girls’ ice hockey team was just happy to finally earn a tournament berth. Flash forward to today and the Lancers are not only bubbling with enthusiasm but are brimming with confidence as they prepare for a postseason rematch with Methuen-Tewksbury.
No. 12 Longmeadow and fourth-seeded Methuen-Tewksbury will meet in the quarterfinal round of the state’s Division 2 girls’ ice hockey tournament Saturday at Gallo Arena in Bourne, beginning at 3:15 p.m.
“We are bigger, faster, stronger, and have much more depth,” said Longmeadow coach Dave Pelletier, a Westfield native.
When the two teams met early last postseason, center Kelly Golini scored three goals and had three assists as top-seeded Methuen-Tewksbury overwhelmed Longmeadow 6-1.
Longmeadow’s Madison Pelletier, center, takes a shot against Methuen-Tewksbury in the 2015-16 girls’ ice hockey tournament. The two teams will meet again this Saturday at Gallo Arena in Bourne to determine who gets to advance to the frozen Final Four. (Photo by Chris Putz)
While Methuen-Tewksbury (18-1-3) is once again surging through the Division 2 tournament field, having already knocked off Oakmont and Burlington by the scores of 3-1 and 7-3, respectively, Longmeadow is on a run of its own.
Longmeadow (13-5-1) opened the tournament with a thrilling 3-2 overtime win over No. 21 Falmouth. In the next round, the Lancers won in convincing fashion, upending No. 5 Matignon, 4-1, with goals from three different players.
“I’ve been telling our girls that (Kelly Golini) is going to get a goal,” coach Pelletier said. “She’s going to get two. Just don’t let her get the goal to win the game. The question that everyone should be asking is ‘What are they going to do to try and stop us?’ … They have one player we have to stop. (We) have four to six (they need) to stop.”
Longmeadow has already gotten the best of Methuen-Tewksbury, avenging last year’s postseason loss by handing the Rangers their only regular season defeat, 6-3.
“Kelly Golini is, if not the best player in the league, undoubtedly in the conversation for the top three,” coach Pelletier said. “If there is a score for Methuen, it can be that she is getting the goal or creating an assist.”
Coach Pelletier said that while “offense wins games, defense wins championships. That will be what puts us in position to win this game.”
One of Longmeadow’s key moves this season came when Pelletier moved senior forward Lauren Munster back on defense, alongside fellow mates Mackenzie Pelletier (Westfield) and Brittany Kowalski (Westfield). Since that time, the Lancers have been nearly impenetrable.
Said coach Pelletier: “Golini is going to have to figure out how to beat us.”
