Franklin busts by Hanover
BOURNE -- Hanover became the first team in more than three years to score more than four goals against Franklin in the Division 2 South sectional semifinals last night yet still lost, 8-6, in a wild contest in front of 2,200 at Gallo Ice Rink.
Franklin, the defending sectional champion, scored three goals in 29 seconds in the third period to defeat Hanover in a game that included 14 penalties and seven power-play goals.
The Panthers will play top-seeded Nauset, which defeated Plymouth South, 4-1, in last night's second semifinal. The title game is tomorrow at 6 p.m. at Gallo.
Junior Joe Peters scored four goals for Franklin, while classmate Mike DeLuca registered a hat trick and two assists. Junior Andy Jones added three points, including a goal, and senior Deb Spillane had two assists. Second-seeded Franklin (18-4-0) trailed, 5-4, entering the third period, but fired 16 shots, four for goals, on Hanover senior goalie Todd Olsson (27 saves) in the final 15 minutes. Peters tied the score on the power play at the 6:44 mark, backhanding a rebound in front of the crease. At 9:19, DeLuca drilled a slap shot from just inside the blue line for his second of the night and 13 seconds later, Peters registered his fourth on a deflection in front. DeLuca concluded the scoring barrage, again on the power play, at the 9:48 mark on a screen shot.
"Our last game, Jones scored a hat trick, and having that many scoring options is a sign of a good team," said Franklin coach Chris Spillane. "We've really struggled with the power play and have been working a lot on just getting shots on the net. You can't score without shots."
Hanover (16-5-2) cut the deficit to 8-6 with about three minutes remaining on senior Jack Rafferty's one-timer from the slot, but Franklin goalie Mike Giordano (24 saves) made several solid stops to preserve the win.
Junior Mike Natale had two goals and two assists and senior Greg Leary added a goal and two assists for Hanover.
Neither team led by more than two goals until Franklin's three goals in 29 seconds in the third gave it the 8-5 edge.
Nauset (18-2-1), behind another stellar performance by senior goalie Mike Bartolucci (34 saves), rebounded from a poor first period to advance.
Plymouth South (16-4-2) outshot Nauset, 18-7, in the game's opening period, but senior Dominic Nicotra's goal at 1:28 was the only shot to get by Bartolucci.
The lead was short-lived. Nauset freshman Alex Tuckerman tied the game 49 seconds later on a perfectly placed wrist shot from the slot.
Tuckerman had a little puck luck on his second goal, knocking home his own rebound off the inside of goalie Alex Broughton's left pad early in the second period. Senior Jake Pickard scored Nauset's final two goals, one on a breakaway in the second and one on a rebound in the third. Nauset fired 21 shots in the second period and finished with 42.
