FRANKLIN – As the regular season winds down, a non-league treat was as good as it gets in Division 3 as the two top power ranked teams came in unbeaten on the season.

Nauset’s record remained unblemished in the loss column with a 3-0 win over No. 2 Medfield (18-1-1) as Colin Ward scored a pair of goals in the pivotal third period to put things away in the final minutes of play.

“It is always tough when you play in these types of rinks. As a team, you have to find ways to win hockey games and you should be able to win in a multitude of ways,” said Nauset head coach, Connor Brickley. “We had to simplify a little bit, (Franklin) like to play a little north-to-south, so we just catered towards that a little bit more. We played mistake-free hockey, so we just had to be aware of things on the blue lines and it comes down to who makes that mistake first.”

In a very physical affair, Nauset took a 1-0 lead off their pressure on the boards behind the Medfield net which resulted in a loose puck and a breakout down the left side of the boards.

Logan Poulin slid the puck out of the left slot just as Nauset crossed into their own zone and the senior captain gave Nauset the 1-0 lead at 5:24 of the second period.

The score remained the same as the goal woke up the defense on both ends which limited the opportunities out in front of the net until two back-to-penalties doomed Medfield down the stretch.

A tripping penalty with 4:45 left in the game gave Nauset the man-advantage but just as the power play was about to expire, Medfield picked up another penalty with 2:51 left to play.

Nauset didn’t let the second chance power-play opportunity get away and put the game away with a unique set up top.

Logan Miller ran point and played pass and slide with Jake Eldridge on the right wing. Miller and Eldridge lulled the Nauset defense to sleep, and Miller deked the pass and shuffled the puck into the left seam as Ward went far side under the crossbar for the 2-0 lead at 12:55 of the third period.

“You have to have a couple of different looks, we have our main set that we’ve been going with all season, but those are things teams are looking for as they pre-scout us,” said Nauset head coach, Connor Brickley. “We have to make sure we have another set to throw them off a little bit and that’s what all that was. It was a little confusion on their part when you start moving people around, it opens up some seams and (creates) a few things we are looking for to attack the net.”

Ward’s second tally came on an empty netter after Eldridge’s empty-netter was waved off on the previous possession as Nauset remains unbeaten at 18-0-1, with only a 2-2 tie against Milton back on Jan. 1 as the only non-loss on the schedule so far.

“That was tough. On the first (penalty) our defense stepped up a little too early and we were racing to get back, but it was too bad as they were letting them play all game long,” said Medfield head coach, Jon Jepson. “You want to win of course but we have 23 really upset, ready-to-go guys in there as this is their first feeling of losing this year and they don’t want to feel it again. I think it will be great motivation.”

Nauset goalie Zach Coelho had a unique hat trick of his own in the win. This was Nauset’s third shutout in a row as the senior captain stopped 22 shots in net while Eldridge picked up two assists in the victory.

The buzz coming in was this would be a preview of the Division 3 state finals, but Brickley wasn’t buying it just yet.

“(Division 3) is very competitive, which is great to see, especially when you get into playoff hockey as anything can happen,’ said Brickley. “Win or go home mentality and you have to see who can handle it first and foremost.”