LOWELL - It wasn't quite status quo for Burlington hockey. Those 24 shots Needham put on net had the robust Burlington crowd inside Tsongas Arena chewing fingernails with a bit more ferocity. But, in the end, the scoreboard read much as it had all season, in the Red Devils' favor after a 2-0 defeat of second-seeded Needham.
The path to a Super 8 featured a couple of new curves for Burlington (18-2-1), but the squad met the challenges with the same muscle its defense throws around.
Burlington knew goaltender Ben Irwin would be tested from all angles, but the senior answered the call, turning aside all 24 shots.
"I think it was his best game," coach Bob Conceison said. "We were wondering what was going to happen when he had to face a lot of point-blank shots and a lot of quality shots. During the year, he didn't really have to, but he was up to the task tonight."
Irwin, red-faced after a long night's work, said, "There's not been many games when we've pretty much had an equal shot count."
Luckily, two of his squad's chances found twine.
The first period was a stalemate with both team's failing to capitalize on scoring chances. Needham's Kam Bumpus had two chances at an open net. The first came on a wide rebound just out of Bumpus's reach and the second came on a tight centering pass that the senior couldn't jam in.
Burlington drew first blood, relying on its talented senior line of Steve McLean, Kevin O'Neill, and Keith Vienneau. McLean sliced through Needham's defense and slid the puck past goalie Sam Gifford for an unassisted goal at 1:40.
The line was put together in the middle of the season, but it flourished in Burlington's defense-first system.
"Since then, they've been a spotlight for us," Concesion said.
The Red Devils continued cutting off passing lanes and clearing loose pucks, but Irwin couldn't shake his nerves.
"I was shaking the whole time, especially the first couple of periods," he said. "In the third period, I kind of settled down a little bit."
And just in time.
"We gutted it out in the third period. I think it was our depth and our balance that did it," Concesion said, noting that his team hasn't allowed a third-period goal since January and only four all season. I think a lot of that is our depth and our balance. Where we play a lot of guys, we have legs in the third period."
The Red Devils continued to pester Gifford and the energy left in the tank netted them an insurance goal. Sophomore forward Joe Yeadon - owner of 12 regular-season goals - snuck the puck inside the post for the backbreaker.
The game wrapped up a picture-perfect day for the Middlesex League, as eighth-seeded Winchester shocked Catholic Memorial earlier.
"We play really solid hockey in our league," said Conceison. "I think this is a testament that both of us can win some games here."
Said Irwin, "I just think all the Middlesex League teams are just looked down upon and they really shouldn't be."
If play yesterday was any indication, it won't be that way for long.
