Thibodeau's OT goal gives Danvers icemen the win over Beverly in third meeting of season
Jan. 18—MIDDLETON — Although all of the attention will focus on the unfortunate postgame brouhaha, there was actually a pretty good hockey game at the Essex Sports Center Monday afternoon between long-time rivals Danvers and Beverly.
Meeting for the third time this season — all within a span of 25 days — the host Falcons captured a 2-1 overtime victory when Jimmy Thibodeau took a pass from linemate Jake Ryan backdoor far post and knocked it home during a 4-on-3 power play.
"Any time you come out of overtime with a win, that's a really good thing," said Danvers head coach Kevin Fessette. "It's an emotional situation, knowing you could get two points or none (with a loss)."
The game was marred due to a postgame altercation in which Danvers assistant coach Colby Mulry was send sprawling to the ice after Beverly head coach Greg Fonzi held out his two arms to keep Mulry from approaching him (see accompanying story).
The victory for Danvers improved the club to 6-3-1 at the season's midway mark and gave them wins in two of three contests vs. the Panthers.
With the loss — its fifth one-goal setback of the season — Beverly fell to 3-8.
"It was an even game, up and down ... just another tough loss," said Fonzi.
Freshman goaltender Brayden Holt made 24 saves for the Blue-and-White. His counterpart, Beverly junior Jimmy O'Connell, turned aside 20 of 22 shots.
Danvers got the scoring started with one minute to go in the first period when senior captain Aidan Lanphere produced his third goal of the season. His turnaround shot from the left circle, which was low and stayed along the ice surface, seemed to catch O'Connell by surprise and snuck by the keeper before he could go down to make a play on it. Fellow captain Connor Horn, a defenseman, assisted on the tally.
"That goal was a piece of who Aidan is as a player," said Fessette. "He's a tough kid that works hard and will get those rough-tough goals. When you see him score, you know he's really earned it."
The visiting Panthers tied it up four-and-a-half minutes into the second stanza as alternate captain Jaxon Thomas sent winger Jeff Hallinan into the DHS zone with a stretch pass. Hallinan deked his way around a Falcons' defenseman by taking him wide, then cutting back towards the cage and forcing Holt to make the first move before beating him far side with a backhand.
It was a physical contest between these long-time rivals, with numerous big hits delivered by both clubs. Beverly captain Cam Cook was in street clothes on his team's bench in the third period after being knocked to the ice in front of that same bench late in the middle frame.
A roughing call on Beverly along the end boards to O'Connell's right exactly one minute into the 5-minute sudden death session put Danvers on the power play, where Thibodeau ended it just 37 seconds later with his second goal of the year.
"This game had a playoff-type atmosphere against a strong team that's very well organized. I'm glad that our guys stepped up to the challenge."
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Danvers 2, Beverly 1 (OT)
at Essex Sports Center, Middleton
Beverly;0;1;0;0;1
Danvers;1;0;0;1;2
First period: D, Aidan Lanphere (Connor Horn), 14:00
Second period: B, Jeff Hallinan (Jaxon Thomas), 4:33.
Third period: No scoring.
Overtime: D, Jimmy Thibodeau (Jake Ryan), ppg, 1:37.
Saves: B, Jimmy O'Connell 20; D, Brayden Holt 24.
Records: D, 6-3-1; B, 3-8-0.
Contact Phil Stacey
@PhilStacey_SN
