GREENFIELD — The chemistry of the Greenfield hockey team is totally locked in at the moment.
The Green Wave downed Mount Everett, 5-1, in a Wright Division contest at Collins-Moylan Arena on Monday night. It was the seventh straight win for Greenfield.
After losing their season opener, things have progressed in a very positive direction for the Wave. Imposing defenseman Jacob Bryant helped limit the Eagles’ offensive attack in the victory.
“It’s been a bond,” Bryant said. “Our lines have bonded. Everybody is working together. It’s not a me thing, It’s a team thing.”
Sean O’Sullivan netted a hat trick in the win. O’Sullivan was the recipient of some superb passes from Aidan Roche and Bryan Baumann.
“Having Bryan (Baumann) and (Aidan) Roche is awesome,” O’Sullivan said. “They keep up with my speed. Just awesome having them on my line.”
Greenfield (7-1, 5-0) gave up a breakaway to face a 1-0 deficit against the Eagles early in the first period.
The goal came on a 2-on-1 breakaway in transition from Mt. Everett’s zone. Dylan Boomsma scored for the Eagles, assisted by Cam Raifstanger.
“That goal came off a face off in the offensive zone,” Greenfield coach Adam Bouchard said. “We really try to demonstrate and teach face off responsibilities. That particular face off we did not have our responsibilities in check.”
Kyle Barnes tied the game for the Wave with an assist coming from Mike McGoldrick. Barnes scored on a tough angle to even the score.
After the opening goal from the Eagles, the Greenfield defense shored up the back end.
“We go over it a lot,” Bryant said. “A lot of face off responsibilities at the start. We slipped up there. But we come together and work on it to limit mistakes when we can.”
Goaltender Riley Drew made 14 saves for the Wave.
“We have great leadership in that locker room,” Bouchard said. “Our captains, the rest of our seniors and all the way down. They are doing a really good job at understanding of what we need to do to compete.”
The Wave committed five penalties in the third period, and seven overall in the game.
“We like to be as disciplined as we can,” Bouchard said. “One good thing about that is we were able to kill them off. So as disappointed as we were in being undisciplined, it was very nice to see our penalty kill continue to shut it down.”
After Barnes’ goal, the Wave took the lead on a brilliant pass by Roche, who found O’Sullivan while falling to the ice draped by a Mt. Everett defender.
The pass from Roche gave O’Sullivan a point blank look at Mt. Everett’s net.
The go-ahead goal came with 1 minute, 43 seconds left in the first period. After the opening stanza, the Wave held a 2-1 lead.
O’Sullivan made it 3-1 when he swept across Mt. Everett’s net and scored using the backhand. Roche and MJ Paulin assisted on the goal.
Baumann netted a power play goal, assisted by O’Sullivan, to make it 4-1 going into the third period.
O’Sullivan scored quickly into the third period to complete the hat trick, with Baumann and Bryant notching the assists.
O’Sullivan camped in front of the net and scored when Baumann’s pass found his stick.
Josh Bordeaux made 10 saves in relief of Drew for Greenfield. It was Bordeaux’s first varsity action. Bordeaux had to react quickly as the Wave faced heavy pressure down the stretch due to multiple penalties in succession.
Greenfield next takes to the road to play at Wahconah on Wednesday night at 7 p. m.