WOBURN — Matchups like Tuesday’s matinee between the top two teams in the MIAA Div. 2 boys hockey power rankings are often the springboard for a “statement win” this late in the year.

Woburn was more concerned with just getting back in the win column.

Following a three-game skid in Middlesex League Liberty play, that’s exactly what the Tanners did by defeating previously unbeaten Billerica, 5-1, in the opening round of the Irish American Shootout in-season tournament.

Senior Jack Lee (goal, two assists) joined linemate Jack McEleney as 100-point scorers in the win. Dillon Scallese potted two goals. Special teams starred in a momentum-shifting second period, and Adam Gerry (25 saves) was clutch early on to stave off a hot Billerica start.

As far as bounce-backs go, beating the top ranked Indians (17-1-1) – the last undefeated team left in Div. 2 – is as good as it gets.

“We were just trying to win the next game because we’ve been leaking oil for the last couple weeks here,” said Woburn head coach Jim Duran. “We knew the schedule going down the stretch (was tough). We’re battle tested every night. … We’re looking at it as, we’re trying to get ready for the tournament and this is a good battle game for them, too.”

“We knew they were a great team, obviously, them being (No. 1) and us being (No. 2) coming into it,” Lee added. “We just try to not really think about that during the game. … We came and gave a great effort, but we’ve still got a lot more to go.”

A Billerica turnover at the point helped Lee generate an early rush and feed Scallese for a 1-0 Tanners lead, but much of the first period’s second half saw the Indians threatening in a major build of momentum.

A fast and physical forecheck kept the pressure up in long waves, helping Billerica get 10 shots on goal. Woburn didn’t have any over the last five minutes of the frame, while quite a few Indians chances were just another inch or second shy.

Gerry came up big to maintain the 1-0 advantage.

“(Gerry) had to save us a little bit in the first period,” Duran said. “They could’ve had two or three goals there. … We weren’t very good.”

Billerica picked up where it left off in the second, finally neutralizing the score at 1-1 when James Columbus cut in front of a shot toward the net to pick it off, change the angle, and score. Just 23 seconds later, a Woburn trip then put the Indians on the power play.

But Woburn’s Finn Murphy made a big-time hustle play to win a puck in the offensive right corner that Billerica was slow to gather. He cut in front with the puck off a nice move, and lifted it up and over for a shorthanded goal and the 2-1 lead.

Momentum really shifted as penalties racked up the rest of the frame for both teams, and Lee’s power-play goal from the point with 26 seconds left in the second proved a major boost heading into the intermission.

“They’ve got a really good power play,” Duran said. “(Murphy) made a great individual play. … Senior leadership is something that we talk a lot about and they stepped up, the seniors.”

“We just stuck to our game plan,” Lee added. “We knew they were a physical team. We kind of just took it and kept skating, which we knew we kind of had the advantage of. It worked.”

Frustration seemed to kick in for Billerica with three more penalties called against it in the third period to finish with seven. Woburn finished with six, but still generated two more goals.

McEleney tipped in a 4-1 lead in the first minute before he and Lee set up Scallese to blow it open.

Lee credited his rapport with McEleney when speaking about what cracking 100 career points meant to him.

“I know it’s a good accomplishment, but (I have) great teammates,” he said. “Jack (McEleney) is also on my line with 100. … Playing with him has been awesome the last few years. It’s helped a lot.”