The Winthrop High hockey team turned in a solid two way effort to post a 4-0 shutout over Medford Tuesday evening at Larsen Rink in a contest that had been postponed from Monday.
Although the Vikings led by a slim 1-0 margin at the first intermission on a goal by Chris LeBlanc (assisted by Matt Todisco and Mitch Paulsen), it was clear that this would be Winthrop’s night as they controlled the tempo and held the territorial advantage.
The Vikings’ dominance soon began to show on the scoreboard as Todisco (assisted by Paulsen and LeBlanc) and LeBlanc (assisted by Joe Scarfo and Jake Rand) lit the lamp in the middle stanza to make it a comfortable 3-0 affair.
Scarfo notched an unassisted marker in the final period for the 4-0 finale.
“We played well all around,†said WHS head coach Dale Dunbar, who noted strong efforts at the blue line by defensemen Rand and Mike Paulsen in front of WHS goalie Steven Waites, who earned his first shutout with a fine performance between the pipes.
The victory was preceded by an amazing comeback effort last Wednesday at Saugus that saw the Vikings overcome a 3-0 deficit and roar back for a 3-3 tie.
Rand lit the lamp on a power play goal (assisted by Mike Paulsen) and Scarfo rang up a shorthanded marker, assisted by Dan Eruzione, to pull Winthrop within a goal and set up a dramatic fight to the finish.
The Vikings had pulled out a tie under similar circumstances in their season opener when Eruzione notched the equalizer in the waning seconds. This time it was LeBlanc, with Waites having been pulled in favor of a sixth skater, who donned the hero’s helmet when he knotted matters with 1:03 to play. Mike Paulsen and Nick Clewer earned the assists.
Winthrop now stands at 1-2-2 on the season. Dunbar and his crew will host Martha’s Vineyard this evening (Thursday) at Larsen at 4:00 and will travel to Gloucester Monday. They will be back home next Wednesday with an encounter against Beverly at 6:10.