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HPNA one win from unbeaten regular season after rolling past Masconomet

HAVERHILL — With a landmark victory over Methuen/Tewksbury in the books, and a senior day matchup with rival Andover just days away, was the Haverhill/Pentucket/North Andover girls hockey team in danger of a let-down  against Masconomet on Saturday night?

Not a chance.

HPNA scored three goals in the first 4:34 of play and never looked back, rolling to a 7-0 victory over Masco at Haverhill’s Veteran’s Memorial Rink.

“We go into every game with the mindset that it’s going to be a battle,” said star forward Hannah Keating. “Our goal was to get as many shot on net as we could, and stay aggressive. We’re having a great season, but we don’t expect anything will be given to us. We expect to go out and earn every single victory.”

The win improves HPNA to 17-0-2 on the season. The MVC/DCL Division 1 champions need only defeat Andover (9-4-4) at home on Wednesday (5 p.m.) to finish off the first undefeated regular season in program history.

“This was a big win,” said tri-captain Deanna Bosco. “Each game is different. This might not have been as big as the Methuen win, but we wanted to prove today that we can win every game. We want to be undefeated going into the playoffs. I’m so pumped about the win.”

HPNA wasted no time taking care of business on Saturday against the Chieftains (10-5-3).

Less than three minutes into play, Bosco gave her squad the lead with her fourth goal of the season.

“I just try to be in my spot and put them in when I can,” said Bosco, who also had two assists. “It was some great passes, and it went in.”

Less than two minutes later, defenseman Reese Pascucci made it 2-0. Then, 19 seconds after, Katerina Yelsits made it 3-0 when she knocked home a rebound off a Bosco shot.

 “We took this game as seriously as Methuen or any other game,” said defenseman and tri-captain Eliana Kane, who finished the game with three assists. “We could have let the pace down, but we kept it up and played a great, complete game. Every day we emphasize what needs to be done. Everyone is so focused.”

Keating closed out the scoring in the first period, when she stole the puck and slid it home. She later added a score in the third, giving her 24 goals for the season.

Freshman Cassy Doherty added a goal, and Yelsits capped the scoring with her second of the day and eighth of the season with 7:12 left in the game.

“We start to click as a team early in every game,” said Keating. “We get a lot of shots on goal, we communicate well and we move the puck well.”

HPNA now wraps up the regular season against an Andover squad it beat 4-0 on Jan. 18.

“Andover has always been a huge rival, just like Methuen/Tewksbury” said Kane. “It’s senior night, so that means it’s going to be a huge game. We know that Andover is tough. We have to come out focused and do everything we can to win.”

And does an undefeated record add any extra pressure?

“It would be awesome to go undefeated,” said Keating. “But, for us, that’s just a record. We don’t talk about our record, because nothing is a given. We’re going to keep battling every night.”