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Turnabout is fair play, and the Gloucester Fishermen invaded Peabody's McVann-O'Keefe Rink last night bent on turning the tables on a lopsided loss to the Tanners earlier this season.

An inspired Gloucester squad did just that and dispatched Peabody 7-2 on the Tanners' home ice. It was an emphatic statement for a Fishermen team that came in winless in its last four games and in danger of giving up first place in the Northeastern Conference for the first time all season.

Tonight is the night that the Gloucester boys hockey team has been waiting for.

Ever since Peabody handed Gloucester its first loss, a 7-1 shellacking on January 19, the Fishermen have been chomping at the bits to see the Tanners again.

High school hockey games have 45 minutes in regulation. But 4 minutes and 18 seconds made all the difference on Saturday night.

Visiting Revere (8-6-2) stunned Gloucester (10-4-2, 9-2-2) with three straight goals in that time span, turning a 2-1 Gloucester lead into a 4-2 Patriots advantage. Revere went on to defeat Gloucester, 5-3, in the Northeastern Conference battle.

When one hears the score 6-1, blowout is the first thing that comes to mind.

That may be true in most cases, but it was not the case in Gloucester's defeat at the hands of St. Mary's of Lynn. The Fishermen skated with St. Mary's for three periods and even outshot their Division 1 counterparts, 25-22. Gloucester, however, could not seem to catch a break in their end of the ice, which resulted in defeat in front of a rowdy crowd yesterday at the Dorothy Talbot Rink.

Ever since St. Mary's of Lynn released this winter's boys hockey schedule, Zak Borowski probably had last night circled with a bright red marker.

Borowski, who is a senior for the Spartans, played his first three years of high school hockey at Gloucester but was dismissed from the team for disciplinary reasons last February. He transferred to St. Mary's for his senior year.

When one thinks about the success 2007-2008 Gloucester Fishermen, Andrew Fulford, Brett Biondo and Paul Russo may be the top three names that come to mind.

Senior forward Marc Buotte may not be mentioned in the same category as those three teammates. But don't be fooled, Buotte has been a key piece of the puzzle in the Fishermen's 10-2-2 start this season.

Saturday's hockey game between Gloucester and Newburyport saw two teams come in with two contrasting styles of play. The Fishermen came in looking to use their speed and get into the open ice, whereas the Clippers wanted to throw their weight around and play physical.

It was just about the best compliment an opposing coach could have ever given Andrew Fulford.

The heart and soul of the Gloucester High hockey team, who had been struggling to find the back of the net this season, had just scored twice to lead his Fishermen to a 3-1 victory over their arch rivals from Danvers in another classic at The Tank.

First half analysis: Considering they've been without their top all-around player (Josh Salah), are playing with a first-year goalie (Bradley Robertson) and basically skate just two defensemen (Nick DeCoste and Paul Russo), it's been a remarkable first half. A nine-game winning streak and the emergence of Jeremy Fanning (26 points) as an elite scorer have been highlights.

Gloucester forward Jeremy Fanning took a perfect centering pass from line-mate Brett Biondo in an early-season game against Beverly and put it in the back of the net with relative ease.

It was quite evident watching the play that Biondo knew exactly where Fanning would be and that Fanning knew exactly where Biondo was looking. If one was to watch the duo play, one may come to the conclusion that the two have been playing together for a quite a while, and that's because they have been.