NATICK – It was a slow build to a wild finish at the William L. Chase Arena in Natick on Sunday, the rollercoaster ending with the Peewee Central Mass Cobras (3-2-0) heading home with a 7-5 win over the Natick Chill (2-3-0).
The Cobras garnered themselves a 2-0 lead through the game’s opening period, getting goals from Aidan Walsh and Max Shustak. While Central Mass took the lead on the scoreboard, the Chill controlled the majority of play in what was a back-and-forth, neutral zone game in the first. Natick held a slight edge in play, but the Cobras capitalized on the few chances they had in the frame.
Natick’s persistence finally began to pay off in the second period, netting a pair of their own in the frame to draw even with their guests. Tim Loftus cut the deficit to 2-1 with his goal at 6:50, while Billy Mullahy put away a backhand for the equalizer at 13:34.
The Chill’s momentum carried into the third, where they took the lead at 4:25 on a Mullahy breakaway score. Natick had been outplaying their opponent for much of the contest and, out front on the scoreboard for the first time, seemed to finally be full in control of the game.
And then things got interesting.
A low shot from the point by Cobras defender Daniel Barbato at 9:05 beat Natick netminder PJ Benites to tie the game 3-3 and begin a wild sprint to the finish in which the game’s goal total more than doubled over the final 5:55 and the lead kept changing hands.
Just over a minute after Barbato’s score, the lead went back to Natick, Thomas Harris scoring off a 2-on-1 rush to make it 4-3. Central Mass responded with a Jacob Mrva breakaway goal at 11:26. Mullahy buried a beautiful feed at 12:14 to complete his hat trick and net the Chill a 5-4 lead, but a shot from Cobras forward Camden Neddo went off the post and in just 25-seconds after Mullahy’s third tally to erase the Natick lead once again and make it 5-5.
The quick goal may have been the backbreaker the Cobras needed to get things going in their direction as another goal from Mrva about a minute after Neddo’s at 13:36 put the score back in favor of Central Mass at 6-5. They continued their attack over the game’s final 1:24, keeping the puck pinned deep in the Natick zone, not allowing Benites a chance to get to the bench for the extra skater. The Central Mass pressure quashing any hopes of yet another rally in the game’s final six minutes.
With Natick unable to get out of their own end, Casey Dmochowski added the insurance goal with just 10-seconds remaining, bringing the score to its 7-5 final.
