WATERTOWN – In a Middlesex League Liberty title race that Reading boys hockey coach Mark Doherty believes could be the tightest across all five teams it’s been in his tenure, he feels any ground his group can gain is a signature step forward.

With two goals in the third period and a standout defensive effort to limit one of the state’s most potent lines, the No. 5 Rockets (6-1) made major headway then by taking down No. 13 Belmont, 3-1, Thursday night at John A. Ryan Arena.

Marauders (4-3) sophomore goalie Ethan Bauer stood on his head with 36 saves to limit a high-tempo attack Reading often peppered him with. But defensemen Nate Vitarisi and Jack Filipski took advantage of screens in the final frame to score from the point, pulling away from a second period tie while holding off Belmont’s dangerous top line.

“It’s a good win for us,” Doherty said. “On any given night, we all can beat each other. It’s crazy. … We know, we’re never going into (league games) thinking we’re just going to dominate a game. It’s what makes our part of the league so good, and ultimately, it should make all of us more tournament ready. It’s going to take a real effort to win every game.”

All three periods saw Reading’s attack click, effectively gaining and maintaining the zone to put Bauer to the test. He saved almost everything his way through two periods, and Belmont headed into the third tied 1-1 despite the Rockets’ 26-11 shots-on-goal advantage to that point.

But Vitarisi’s shot from the right point snuck past Bauer for a 2-1 lead early in the third, and Filipski’s shot from up top gave the Rockets insurance with 7:21 left.

“We knew going in (Bauer) is pretty damn good,” Doherty said. “You’ve got to just keep pounding away at him.”

Reading’s fourth line played a critical role, contributing toward two of its goals.

Freshman Jack Barry scored his first career goal in the second period, finishing off a rebound with a heavily-contested backhand for a 1-0 lead. A power play helped Adam Bauer assist a Leo Packard goal only a couple minutes later for Belmont, but Reading’s fourth line wasn’t done.

After Vitarisi potted the game-winner, sophomore Kam Greatorex cycled the puck up top to Filipski, and Filipski’s shot over James Sullivan’s shoulder on the screen made it 3-1.

“I thought it was the fourth line’s best game of the year,” Doherty said.

Belmont threatened in response, most often through Adam Bauer, Packard and Liam Guilderson. Reading’s defense still held the Marauders to just 15 shots, which goalie Owen Holland saved 14 of.

“I would say our team D is pretty good,” Doherty said. “I get what they’re trying to do, they (were) trying to stretch us. … I thought we did a good job tonight staying on the defensive side of that. We really didn’t get exposed too much on it, which was good. So, give our D credit for handling those situations well tonight.”