Savio Prep needs overtime to ice Lowell

STONEHAM -- The coaches had exchanged compliments before the game, but when Lowell and Savio Prep met in the Division 3 North final last night at Stoneham Arena, it was a physical, penalty-ridden contest that stretched into overtime, where sophomore Mike Carr's goal gave Savio Prep a 4-3 victory.

''It's almost like a conspiracy, that we're always on opposite sides of the bracket," said Savio coach Joe Ciccarello. ''It was almost like it was meant to be, us and them."

Lowell took a 2-0 lead deep into the second period, but Savio responded with three unanswered goals to get within seconds, literally, of the championship. Red Raider senior Jim McKennedy (two goals) tapped in a goal with 1.1 second remaining in regulation to tie the game at 3.

At 1:31 of overtime, Carr passed the puck to senior Jake Sullivan in front of the net. Sullivan returned the pass to Carr, who slapped in the winning goal.

''There wasn't much separating the two teams," said Lowell coach Bill Donahue. ''They capitalized on the few mistakes we made. We knew them; we've played them so many times that I think we're on a first-name basis with them. There's no shame in losing to a team like that."

The Red Raiders scored first with 7:49 left in the first period when sophomore Mike DiDomenico, racing into the right faceoff circle, collected a loose puck and snapped in a wrist shot. Lowell scored again 5:35 into the second when McKennedy slapped in a one-timer from senior Andy Daly.

Savio began its comeback with 4:56 left in the second after senior Pat Loftus put in a rebound. Savio capitalized on a two-man advantage when sophomore Evan Yanovitch blasted in a shot from the top of the faceoff circle to tie the game at 2. Savio took the lead with 3:30 left in regulation after an odd-man rush and well-timed shot from senior John Collins.

''We had to beat the No. 1 seed, the No. 2 seed [Shawsheen], and the No. 3 seed [Bedford]," Ciccarello said. ''Now we're playing Scituate, also the No. 1 seed. So I told the kids, 'Let's just keep proving everybody wrong.' "