Jr. Redmen Squirt AAA Hockey Team Wins Cape Cod Classic Tournament

The Jr. Redmen Squirt AAA Hockey Team continued their strong play, running their winning streak to 6, and captured the Cape Cod Classic Tournament.  

The Jr. Redmen hit the road on Friday March 14th to Orleans, MA for the Cape Cod Classic Tournament.  The Jr. Redmen opened up the tourney against the Danver Elite Squirts and skated to a well-deserved 3-1 win.  Danvers jumped out to an early 1-0 lead scoring just 1:42 into the game.  The Jr. Redmen answered right back, tying the game just 10 seconds later on a hard-working goal by Jake McDonough, assists to Justin Rooney and Brady Chapman.  The remainder of the 1st period was fast-paced with both teams creating great scoring chances.  Great defensive efforts by Andrew Grieco and Andrew Della Piana kept the game tied.  Billy Doherty and Conor Cremin nearly gave the Jr. Redmen a 2-1 lead with just over 2 minutes to play in the period but Doherty’s wicked wrister rang off the post and Cremin’s rebound was gobbled up by the Danvers goalie.  The 2nd period was a scoreless battle thanks to great goaltending by Jr. Redmen goalie Ben O’Keefe who made 5 to 7 ESPN “Play of the Day” saves.  The Jr. Redmen came out flying in the 3rd period and took a 2-1 lead with 10:49 left in the game when Jason Cooke fired a bomb off the crossbar and into the net, assists to Andrew Grieco and Jack Griffin. The Jr. Redmen scored an insurance goal with 4:38 left in the game when Sean Murphy fired home a rebound, assists to Timmy Sweeney and Maci Chapman.  Danvers kept attacking late in the game but they were unable to get pucks past Ben O’Keefe and the Jr. Redmen players and fans left the rink with the win and headed to the Ocean’s Edge Resort for a fun day of street hockey, knee hockey, and swimming.

After a morning of rest and recovery, the Jr. Redmen players and fans were back at the rink on Saturday March 15th for an 11:50am puck drop against a different Danvers team.  The Jr. Redmen cheerleaders/”sisters-club” made up of Tory Sweeney, Abigail O’Keefe, Lyla Chapman, Allie Cooke, Sara Doherty, Molly and Colleen Cremin, Molly McDonough, Sophia Pescatore, Avery Della Piana, and Lexi Rooney welcomed the Jr. Redmen to the ice with a thunderous “Jr. Redmen” cheer.  The Jr. Redmen, motivated by the fans, dominated the entire game, skating to an impressive 9-0 win.  Maci Chapman got the scoring started midway through the 1st period when she tipped in a shot from the point, assist to Justin Rooney.  Jake McDonough made the score 2-0 just 1:27 later when he fired a hard backhander over the goalie’s catching glove, assists to Jason Cooke and Andrew Grieco.  Danvers had some chances late in the 1st period but they were unable to get anything past super-goalie Ben O’Keefe.  The Jr. Redmen scored 4 goals in the 2nd period to take a 6-0 lead.  Billy Doherty got things started with a breakaway goal just 2:37 into the period, with a beautiful soccer-style kick assist to Conor Cremin.  Jake McDonough made the score 4-0 just 54 seconds later, assists to Maci Chapman and Timmy Sweeney.  Justin Rooney used his speed to blow past 2 Danvers’ defenders to make the score 5-0, assist to Brady Chapman.  Jake McDonough closed out the scoring in the 2nd period, scoring his 3rd goal of the game for the hat trick, assists to Sean Murphy and Alex Pescatore.  The Jr. Redmen scored 3 goals in the 3rd period all on beautiful puck movement and cycling.  Sean Murphy got it started, making the score 7-0, assist to Andrew Della Piana.  Maci Chapman scored her 2nd goal of the game midway through the final period, assists to Jason Cooke and Alex Pescatore.  The Jr. Redmen closed out the scoring with just over 2 minutes to play in the game when Maci Chapman scored her 3rd goal of the game for the hat trick, assist to her brother Brady Chapman, and Billy Doherty.

The Jr. Redmen were back at the rink for a late-night battle against the Dual State Riverhawks with puck drop at 9:10pm.  The Jr. Redmen knew they’d have to dig deep as they were minus Jack Griffin who was battling a stomach bug.  The Riverhawks came out flying but were unable to get anything going in the offensive zone thanks to great defensive work from Justin Rooney, Timmy Sweeney, Andrew Grieco, and Andrew Della Piana.  The Jr. Redmen took the 1-0 lead with 3:32 left in the 1st period when Sean Murphy scored on a breakaway.  The game then turned into the Jason Cooke show as he scored 3 straight highlight reel goals (for the natural hat trick) in a 2:43 span to increase the Jr. Redmen lead to 4-0.  The Jr. Redmen carried play in the 2nd period as well, increasing their lead to 5-0 when Sean Murphy scored his 2nd goal of the game with 6:30 left in the period.  Jason Cooke scored his 4th goal of the game late in 2nd period to push the lead to 6-0.  The Riverhawks had some chances early in the 3rd period to get on the scoreboard but Ben O’Keefe was there to make all the stops.  Maci Chapman closed out the scoring for the Jr. Redmen with a great “toe-drag” move around a defender and a wrister through the 5-hole for the 7-0 win and a date in the Championship Game on Sunday. 

The Jr. Redmen arrived at the rink on Sunday March 16th knowing they’d have to be at their best to beat the Danvers Elite Squirts for the 2nd time this weekend.  Both teams came out to a packed house of screaming fans with signs, painted faces, and loud music.  The Danvers skaters had the early chances but outstanding goaltending from Ben O’Keefe and great defensive work from Justin Rooney and Timmy Sweeney kept the game scoreless.  The Jr. Redmen got their legs moving and had great offensive zone pressure from the line of Billy Doherty, Conor Cremin, and Jason Cooke.  The Jr. Redmen got the all-important first goal with just over 3 minutes to play in the period when Sean Murphy scored on a pretty backhand deke move, assist to Alex Pescatorey.  The Danvers Falcons opened the 2nd period looking to tie the game and did so with just over 8 minutes to play.  The Jr. Redmen battled right back, regaining the lead when Sean Murphy scored his 2nd goal of the game, assists to Brady Chapman and Alex Pescatore.  The Falcons had back-to-back chances to deadlock the game at two but great individual defensive plays from Andrew Della Piana and Andrew Grieco denied the Falcons.  Danvers came out in the 3rd period determined to gain control of the game.  Speedy #9 took the opening faceoff, split the Jr. Redmen defense and scored to tie the game just 8 seconds into the period.  The Falcons didn’t let up and took the 3-2 lead just 21 seconds later, leaving the Jr. Redmen fans in a state of shock.  The Jr. Redmen players never quit and great work on the forecheck by  Jake McDonough and Maci Chapman led to a Jr. Redmen powerplay.  Sean Murphy made the Falcons pay, scoring his 3rd goal of the game for the hat trick, assists to Jason Cooke and Andrew Della Piana.  The Jr. Redmen took the 4-3 lead with 5:30 left in the game when Sean Murphy struck again for his 4th goal of the game on a fantastic individual effort, skating around 3 Falcon defenders and beating the goalie with a great deke move.  Danvers increased their intensity looking to tie the game and force overtime but great team defense by the entire Jr. Redmen team and a handful of outstanding saves down the stretch by Ben O’Keefe allowed the Jr. Redmen to win the game and skate around the Charles Morre Arena with the Championship Trophy in front of their screaming fans. 

The Jr. Redmen players would like to thank their parents, sisters, brothers, and the Tewksbury Redmen Squirt AA and A teams for cheering them on and making this such a great weekend of hockey.