1/13/2025 - Week in review ... almost a clean sweep.

Last week was a hectic one for the LHS Varsity Boys Hockey Team, as they played three road games in just six days.

The first matchup took them to Veterans Memorial Ice Arena, where they faced off against

Captain Osh got the boys rolling in Somerville

the Somerville Highlanders. From the moment the puck dropped until the final whistle, the Minutemen controlled puck possession, offensive zone time, and shots on goal, securing a 5-2 victory. The score could have been even more lopsided if not for two defensive lapses—one late in the second period and one early in the third—that allowed Somerville to score both of their goals in about thirty seconds.

The newly formed line of Captain Adam O'Shaughnessy, Ryan Li, and Brady Kingsbury led the charge for the Minutemen, contributing three of the team’s five goals. The trio kept the pressure on all night, firing shots at the net, crashing the crease, and capitalizing on second-chance opportunities.

On Wednesday night, the boys traveled to the Chelmsford Forum to face the Lowell Catholic (LC) Crusaders in a tightly contested, low-scoring game. Lexington continued its dominant stretch of relentless forechecking and extended zone time, ultimately securing a 2-0 victory. Connor O'Leary and Chris Shu scored the goals, while sophomore goalie Tommy Rinaldi recorded his first varsity shutout, standing strong in net. Despite Lexington's territorial dominance, the final score didn’t fully reflect the team’s advantage, thanks to an outstanding performance from LC’s goalie and Senior Captain, who made an impressive 34 saves.

After strong back-to-back performances, the Minutemen aimed for a clean sweep as they visited Medford's LoConte Ice Arena to face the Mustangs in a Saturday matinee.

The first period was the most dominant of the season for LHS Varsity Hockey, as Medford iced the puck 14 times and the Minutemen relentlessly pressured the Mustangs in their defensive zone. Despite controlling the play throughout, Lexington found themselves inexplicably locked in a 0-0 tie at the end of the period. The ice was tilted heavily in the Minutemen's favor, but Medford’s goalie kept his team in the game, preventing what should have been a significant deficit after the first.

In the second period, the Minutemen finally broke through. Dylan Lane made a slick lateral cut just inside the Medford blue line, pulling a defender toward him before threading a backhand pass through the defender’s legs to a streaking Chris Shu, who had just jumped on the ice. Shu ripped a shot that created a juicy rebound, which Patrick Semanchick buried with a bar-down wrister.

However, the lead didn’t last long. Just a minute later, Medford capitalized on a breakdown in the Lexington defensive zone and tied the game.

As the game moved into the third period, the line of Pat Semanchick, Dylan Lane, and Captain Rob Semanchick continued to generate high-quality scoring chances. From slick drop-pass zone entries to great forechecking and cycling, the trio seemed to create one

Dylan Lane #9

opportunity after another. But despite their relentless efforts, they couldn’t find the back of the net. Again, credit to the Medford goalie, who must have finished with 40-45 saves.

Ultimately, in a recurring theme, LHS got caught in a poor defensive-zone structure, with too many players committed to one side of the ice and no one covering the high slot. Medford capitalized on this breakdown, winning the puck and finding the open man, who buried the shot to seal the game.

What should have been a straightforward Lexington victory, given their complete dominance, especially in the first period, turned into one of the most frustrating losses of the season. Instead of leaving Medford with a well-deserved win and a 6-3 record, the Minutemen found themselves dropping to 5-4 on the season.

Although the boys fell short of a sweep this week, there’s plenty to be optimistic about with the new line combinations over the past three games. The team has created more offensive chances, applied consistent pressure, and developed stronger line chemistry. While the goals haven’t yet matched the increase in chances and high-danger plays, it feels like it’s only a matter of time before the puck starts bouncing their way.

Up next is the Travis Roy Jr. Beanpot Tournament on Friday and Saturday in Foxboro, followed by a highly anticipated return to Hayden for a home game against Winthrop a week from today at 5:00 PM.