Undermanned Rebels Skate to Win Against Brockton

The Rebels boys' hockey team may be dinged up, but that didn't stop them from putting up seven goals on their way to a win over Brockton Wednesday night at Iorio Arena.

“Considering where we are right now, we’re pretty banged up. We have three defensemen out tonight. Two of them aren’t coming back, one of them is sick. Two-thirds of our second line is out. So to come out with a victory tonight, it’s a pretty good win,” said Walpole Head Coach Ron Dowd.

After being held scoreless in a sluggish first period the Rebels scored three goals in the second period and four goals in the third period to win 7-3.

Walpole was up 3-1 in the second period, but allowed two unanswered goals to let the Boxers back in the game, heading into the third period tied 3-3.

“We’ve got to tidy some things up but a victory is a victory and we’re pretty happy for it,” Dowd said.

“When we stick to the system and play as a team we’re a pretty good hockey team," he said. "We got a little bit of running around there in the second period. We have a tendency when we get up a couple of goals we kind of give up a little bit and that’s what we did, and Brockton, you can’t do that against a team like that.”

The Rebels came out firing in the third period when junior Ryan Brown scored on an unassisted breakaway only 24 seconds into the period.

Brown led the way for Walpole with two goals in the game. Matt Bender, Matt Johnson, John MacDonald, John White and Andrew Kelley each added a goal for Walpole as well.

“We rely on kids like John White, Johnny MacDonald, Matty Bender and those kids came through. I challenged the seniors coming into the game, challenged them after the first period. So that’s a positive,” Dowd said.

“We’ve got guys who are playing different positions. MacDonald and White have never played defense before. Tommy MacDonald has never played center before. So, we got a lot of different guys playing in a lot of different areas,” he said. “But the kids found a way to win and that’s the important thing.”

The final score may have been more lopsided had it not been for Brockton senior Ryan Macintosh who had a hat trick for the Boxers.

Walpole is now 5-1-1 on the season and will face Milton on the road Saturday at 6 p.m.

Brockton is now 1-4 on the year.