FOXBORO, Mass. – North Attleboro earned their first victory in five years over Mansfield, 2-1, Saturday night behind two goals from senior Tim Joyce and solid goaltending from junior Matt Raposo.
It is the program’s first win over the Hornets since varsity hockey was resurrected at North in the 2007-2008 season. The victory also clinched a postseason berth for Big Red, with their record at 10-3. Mansfield falls to 7-2-3.
“It feels great,” Tim Joyce said. “It’s one of the best feelings I’ve had. We’ve never beat Mansfield before so it’s nice.”
North didn’t waste much time to get on the scoreboard. Just over a minute after Mansfield goalie Rich Shipman robbed sophomore Sean Young, Mansfield was sent to the box.
Nine seconds in the power play, Joyce stuffed home a rebound off a shot from Matt Rosen at 11:11.
“He always plays well against Mansfield,” North Attleboro head coach Steve Snizek said of Joyce. “He stepped up for this game. He’s been a central part of that line all season.”
Mansfield was able to respond later in the first, as Kevin Flynn fed a streaking Adam Blackman in the middle. Blackman was able to make contact with the puck and took it with him as he went barreling into the net. The goal tied the game at one with 4:35 left in the first.
In the second, North Attleboro had a golden chance to double their lead, but Shipman was able to stop a 3 on 1 break with 11:30 to go. But just 28 seconds later, Joyce struck again on assists from Ryan Burns and Young.
Joyce has typically been the set up man for sophomore scoring machines Young and Marshall Blackman, but Saturday it was Joyce who took center stage.
“It’s phenomenal,” Joyce said of playing with the sophomores. “They work great with me. Usually they get the goals, I pass it to them. Tonight the puck was just finding me.”
Neither team was able to find the back of the net in the third period, but both goalies had a strong say in that. Shipman came up with a couple of point blank stops while Raposo stuffed Mansfield star Brendan Murphy on a breakaway late in the period.
“He’s been coming up big in big games for us,” Snizek said. “He’s been playing well all season. I don’t know he saved that one in the end but he made it.”
Raposo finished with 27 saves while Shipman picked up 23.
The road will not get any easier for Mansfield, as they travel to Franklin on Wednesday. The Panthers have won three straight, outscoring opponents 21-2. North will look to improve their record when they travel to Attleboro, who is coming off a 5-2 win over Taunton.