Spencer, Martucci net goals in a 2-1 victory over AC
By Cary Shuman
The Winthrop High girls hockey team again showed it belongs among the elite programs in Massachusetts, skating to a 2-1 victory over Arlington Catholic Saturday at Larsen Rink.
Senior captains Amelia Spencer and Talia Martucci each scored second-period goals to help Butch Masucci’s contingent improve its record to 4-0 as 2025 arrives.
A two-time Division 1 state champion, Arlington Catholic scored on the first shift of the game. The visiting Cougars held a 1-0 lead until Spencer tied it at 1-1 on an assist by junior Chloe Couture.
Late in the second period, Martucci took the puck off a faceoff win by junior center Reese Ferrara and scored a power-play goal for what turned out to be the game-winner.
The task of protecting a one-goal advantage grew tougher late in the third period when Winthrop incurred successive penalties. But junior goaltender Riley Towse and the Winthrop penalty-killing unit emerged unscathed during tense 5-on-3 and 6-on-4 situations.
“It came down to the wire,” said Coach Martucci. “At the end, they pulled their goalie to get to a 6-on-4, but we were able to finish it off.”
Martucci credited the PK group of Reese Ferrara, Amelia Spencer, Avalina Coffey, and Chloe Couture for preserving the lead. Towse played 42 minutes (out of a 45-minute game) of shutout hockey while rejecting 17 AC shots.
“We had both Martucci and [Tegan] Pereira in the penalty box late in the game, and that’s a tough duo to have in there,” said Butch Martucci. “But thanks to Riley and our defensemen, we were able to hang on.”
Viking Notebook
Amelia Spencer gave the offense the boost it needed with the Vikings’ first goal, cited Coach Martucci. “Amelia has been a key player since she started in Winthrop (as an eighth grader). She’s a fantastic defenseman who gives her whole heart and soul. This goal was a pretty one. She made a couple of nice moves and went right in and put it in the 5-hole. It’s always fun to watch Amelia score a goal, because she gets so excited during the celebration.” Talia Martucci leads the Vikings in scoring with 7 points (six goals, one assist). Tegan Pereira, who scored goals in each of the first three games, is second with 6 points. As one would expect, Talia Martucci is getting extra attention from opponents. In fact, an Arlington Catholic player committed a penalty while trying to contain the dynamic forward. Martucci made the Cougars pay when she scored on the ensuing power play. Longmeadow High School (“a big, physical team out of western Massachusetts,” according to Coach Martucci) is next on the Vikings’ schedule for a Saturday matinee (1 p.m.) at Larsen Rink. Next Wednesday (Jan. 8 at 5:15 p.m.), the Vikings travel to Peabody for a Northeastern League showdown with the No. 5-ranked Tanners. Peabody (4-0-1).
Peabody has wins over Falmouth (4-0) Medford (6-1) Woburn (2-1) and Beverly/Danvers/Ipswich (5-1) and a 3-3 tie with defending Division 1 state champion St. Mary’s in a Dec. 21 meeting. The common opponent is Medford, whom the Vikings defeated, 7-0, in their season opener. “We’re playing really well and we’re getting a lot of girls to step up and play some good, sound hockey,” said Martucci.
“Some of the younger players are making a big impact. Nora Zaffini (eighth grade) has stepped in well on the third line with Abby Githinji (freshman) And the senior, Tori Bates, is really leading that line. We needed some hard-working shifts from them late in the Arlington Catholic game and that line delivered for us.” Winthrop is currently ranked No. 11 in the Boston Globe Top 20 poll.