It was arguably the Malden Catholic girls hockey team’s biggest game to date on Jan. 3, and senior goalie Taylor Daley was sharp.

Fellow power Hingham, with a potent attack, brought a load of pressure in a big nonleague meeting that could very well match up again deep in the Div. 1 state tournament. The Lancers’ standout blue line had a bit of trouble limiting the Harborwomen, but whenever the ice tilted, Daley was nails.

One shutout period turned into two, and Malden Catholic took a 1-0 lead in the third. A Hingham breakaway eventually evened the score, though that’s all Daley allowed through overtime to help preserve a meaningful 1-1 tie.

It’s those kind of performances from Daley and senior defensive standout Mia Moretti that new Winchester head coach Tommy Scarpa won’t be surprised by when his Red and Black face the Lancers next on Monday. Or, at least he shouldn’t be after watching it first hand as their head coach over the previous two seasons through their time at Matignon.

After their program folded with the closure of the school in June, and everyone from an undersized group had to split off to find a new home, Daley and Moretti have the opportunity to excel to this degree at Malden Catholic. But in a way, it’s almost like they’re starring in the wrong colors.

“Personally, it’s a big game,” Scarpa said. “It’s kind of bittersweet, but we love to see them do well. … I’m extremely proud in one point, but also, between the lines, we’re not friends. But I’m very proud of both of them.”

Moretti and Daley both love their new colors and their new team, though they naturally feel they still represent Matignon. After all, their departure was forced and sudden, and came on the heels of one of the most challenging situations the state saw last year.

In the months before Matignon administration informed its community on a random Tuesday in April that the school was closing at the end of the school year, the Warriors were the team “nobody wanted to play” despite having only 11 players in the program. Moretti was one of three primary defenders that needed to work beyond the point of exhaustion to keep the team in games in front of Daley, and they were both key cogs within an environment that preached tenacity and grit.

Every game was a struggle, something they worked tirelessly at to stay in striking distance in any given game. That included forcing overtime with Arlington Catholic once with only seven players available. The group felt they were one or two skaters away from being a major threat, and almost in the blink of an eye, all they worked at was gone.

“It was pretty sudden, everyone was kind of in a panic,” Moretti said. “Mostly, it was that we had to leave our school our senior year when we had finally settled down. … I had just gotten comfortable.”

Between the two, there’s a friendly disagreement on which was more difficult — having to switch schools, or compete with only nine players. As a goalie, Daley quickly concedes, almost as quickly as they agree on the joy of landing at Malden Catholic.

For the first time, they’re on a team with plenty of depth. And with plenty of star power already on the Lancers, paired with the import of Abbie Poole from St. Mary’s (L), the group is highly regarded as a contender.

Malden Catholic is 6-1-1 entering Saturday, has a handful of quality performances against fellow contenders like Hingham, Bishop Feehan, Pope Francis and Peabody/Lynnfield/North Reading, and has an impressive 22-5 goal differential.

It’s quite the change.

“I was getting a ton of shots last year,” Daley said. “Our stamina got really built up last year. This year it’s a lot more laid back.”

Of course, it’s not just about the time on the ice. Everyone has made a big effort to welcome them.

“I was a little worried at first … but (the transition) didn’t take very long,” Moretti said. “You see the girls around the halls, we’re all saying hi to each other and sitting together at lunch. It makes all the difference.”

“The first week was definitely tough … but after a little bit I started settling in,” Daley added.

Head coach Alexa Hingston says they fit right in, too.

“I think overall, (Malden Catholic is also) somewhat of an underdog, we’re still a newer program,” Hingston said. “They definitely add (a lot).”

All the former Matignon players still keep in touch, and attend each other’s games when they can. They still also have a great relationship with Scarpa.

But make no mistake, Daley and Moretti love their new home, and are excited for how the rest of their senior season will play out.

One-timers

Almost half of what the Methuen/Tewksbury girls defense has allowed all year came in a 2-1 loss to Shrewsbury, leading the state with a 0.63 GAA. The Red Rangers, Lincoln-Sudbury and Shrewsbury pace a MVC/DCL Large that combines for a 1.45 GAA.

Overtime wins over Norwood and Medway highlight an impressive 7-1 start for the Dover-Sherborn/Weston boys. Since starting last year at 3-10, the program is 13-4 with a Div. 4 first-round playoff win.

The unbeaten tally in girls hockey is down to two (St. Mary’s of Lynn and Belmont/Watertown) as teams continue to show how unpredictable March will be.

The St. John’s of Shrewsbury attack is as explosive as any, bolstering a 9-1 record with 4.6 goals per game. Daniel Menyalkin and Chase Warsofksy are just two weapons around a red-hot Luke Gerardi (eight goals in three Catholic Conference games) within a deep scoring effort.

Ava Buckley’s game-winning goal against Marblehead was something Peabody/Lynnfield/NR coach Michelle Roach has never seen before, scoring with 0.3 seconds left in a 2-1 win.

Malden Catholic goaltender Taylor Daley makes a stop during practice Thursday. (Staff Photo/Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)