Woburn boys eliminate Newburyport
WOBURN — Home ice proved to be nice for Woburn on Wednesday night.
Playing its Div. 2 quarterfinal in front of a capacity crowd at O’Brien Arena, the Tanners scored three times in the second and third periods to earn a date with top-seeded Tewksbury on Saturday following a 6-3 win over No. 5 Newburyport.
“We kept fighting,” Woburn coach Jim Duran said. “This group is so close and such good friends. It’s great to see them have success.”
The 15-5-1 Tanners’ top line of Jack Lee, Jack McEleney and Matt Mahoney proved to be too much for Newburyport to handle. Lee had two goals and an assist while Mahoney had two goals, including the game-winner early in the third, and an assist. McEleney completed the unit’s work with four assists.
Woburn took the lead early in the second on Avery Powers’ goal. The Clippers (18-5-1) got back even on a Kane Brennan power play goal but Mahoney and Lee scored two minutes apart late in the second to make it 3-1.
Mahoney’s power play goal early in the third made it 4-1 before the Clippers got goals 38 seconds apart to get back within one.
Lee, however, answered those just :26 later to make it 5-3 before Hayden LaPrade scored a shorthanded empty-net goal with 2:08 left to ice the game for Woburn.