Lynn Jets player Tony Uva maneuvers with the puck against Salem at Salem State University's Rockett Arena on Monday. (Item Photo / Reba M. Saldanha)

Lynn Jets settle for tie against Salem

By Joyce Erekson / The Daily Item

SALEM - When you're a young team and your top goalie is on the shelf indefinitely due to an injury, letting a two-goal lead slip away is not part of the game plan.

The Lynn Jets jumped out to a 2-0 lead early in the second period Monday, but they stumbled a bit and Salem was right there to take advantage in a game that ended in a 2-2 draw. The game was at Salem State University's Rockett Arena.


The Jets (2-3-1) attacked the net in the first period, peppering Salem goalie Brett Harring with 15 shots. The freshman held up until Lynn junior forward John Finnigan rocketed one from the top of the circle over his shoulder into the net for a 1-0 Jets lead.

The second period started off well for Lynn with Kyle Martin giving the Jets a 2-0 lead three minutes in, but Salem's Jesse Wilkins answered less than two minutes later when he fired one past Lynn keeper Michael Gately, cutting the deficit to 2-1.

Salem came up with the equalizer 2:42 into the final period when Gately made a nice stop on a Paule Dimarino shot, but the rebound went in off Wilkins' skate.

Jets coach Joe Conlon was disappointed with the tie.

"We played well early and then we went a little individual and when that happens, it's a tough game to win," he said. "Part of it was fatigue. We just did some things that good teams don't do."

It looked like Salem might come out of this one with two points when, midway through the third period, Spencer Collins knocked in a loose puck off a shot that Gately had stopped, but the goal was waved off because the official had whistled the play dead before the puck popped out.

Gately, who got the call after starting goalie Nick Comeau injured his knee, came up with some big stops for the Jets. He stopped a couple at point-blank range and he smothered the puck on a couple of scrambles in front of the net. Gately came up with two big saves in the final minute or so to preserve the tie.

"We were energized in the first period. We played like a team. We just couldn't sustain it," Conlon said. "When you give up two goals, you should find a way to get two points."

Salem coach Brian Adessa was happy with his team's ability to come back after falling into a 2-0 hole. He was also pleased with the Witches' penalty killing. Salem got called for the only two penalties of the game (either side) late in the final period and killed both off successfully.

"I think it was a winnable game," Adessa said. "I didn't think we played physical enough in the first period."

Salem is 1-2-1.

John Finnegan of the Lynn Jets had a hat trick in a 5-3 win over Marblehead at Connery Rink on Wednesday. (Item File Photo)

Lynn Jets rally in third to knock off Marblehead

By Matthew Roy / For The Item

LYNN -- The calendar might say it's a couple days before Christmas, but the Lynn Jets and coach Joe Conlon got one of those early presents that you can only dream of on Wednesday at Connery Rink.

The Jets (2-1) got a spectacular 41-save performance from Nick Comeau in net and Jordan Morelli's power play goal with 2:15 left was the winner as Lynn stunned defending Division 3 North champion Marblehead, 5-3.

"It's a huge win," Conlon said. "We have a ton of respect for Marblehead and they're the team to beat still in the NEC. We found a way (Wednesday) to get it done and it's truly a team win from the goal out."

John Finnegan was the leader for the Jets offense on Wednesday as he turned in a hat trick against a Marblehead team that had been scored on only once in six periods this season.

"Lynn did a great job. They were tougher than us and beat us to loose pucks," Marblehead coach Bob Jackson said. "That's a compliment to Joe and their preparation."

Comeau was on his game from the outset as he kept the game scoreless until the final seconds of the first period when Kyle Martin set up Finnegan, who beat Tony Cuzner, to send the Jets to the dressing room with a 1-0 lead and a huge momentum boost according to Conlon.

"One thing that came from that first goal was a lot of belief that we could get this done (Wednesday)," Conlon said.

The Headers (2-1-0) fought back early in the second as Hunter Whitmore polished off an Ian Maag assist to tie the game at 1-1. Lynn's response was swift as Martin put the Jets back in front at 6:57, assisted by Joe Lannon and Tony Uva.

It stayed 2-1 Jets through the rest of the second but the Headers began a roller-coaster ride of a third as Chris McLeod tied things, assisted by Ryan Dempsey.

Things stayed tied for a grand total of 58 seconds as Finnegan scored for the second time on the night, this one being an unassisted marker, to make it 3-2 Jets. Marblehead pulled even for a third time at the midpoint of the third when Dempsey tallied, assisted by Maag and Whitmore.

"When it got to 3-3, I really thought we were going to pull it out," Jackson said. "But that's more of a compliment to Lynn. They kept working the whole game."

That work ethic got the Jets a power play late and Morelli converted when he finished off a Kyle Devin rebound at 12:45. Finnegan completed his hat trick with 25 seconds left on an empty-netter and Lynn had its stunner.

"Nick deserves a ton of credit for this win," Conlon said. "It was a barrage at times and we knew it would be. He was focused, intense and played great."

Lynn's Kyle Devin, left, and Swampscott's Matt Videtta battle for the puck at Connery Rink during Wednesday's game. (Item Photo / Reba M. Saldanha)

Lynn Jets get off on the right foot

By Joyce Erekson / The Daily Item

LYNN -- The Lynn Jets got their season off on the right foot Wednesday with a 4-3 win over Swampscott at Connery Rink.


This one had something for everyone - power play goals, short-handed goals and even a penalty shot that ultimately turned out to be the game-winner for the Jets.

Although Swampscott seemed to carry play much of the game, the Jets took an early lead and didn't relinquish it despite the fact the Big Blue were banging on the door all night. Every time Lynn started to pull away, Swampscott would answer with a goal and cut the deficit to one.

"It seemed like we'd get a two-goal lead and before we knew it, we were back in a one-goal game," Joe Conlon said. "Swampscott has some talented forwards."

The first period was scoreless until the waning seconds when Kyle Martin scored off a pass from John Finnigan to give Lynn a 1-0 lead.

The Jets defense was put to a test when Kyle Devin received a minor and a misconduct for a hit from behind, putting him in the box for nine minutes. Conlon had to go a little deeper into his bench to make up for his absence.

"It was such a test for the four other defensemen, but we got out of it still leading 1-0. We don't won't to lose Kyle for any amount of time, but now the other guys know they can do it.

The Jets took a 2-0 lead 5:24 into the second period when John Finnigan took advantage of a turnover and put away a back-handed wrap around shot. Swampscott cut the deficit to 2-1 a little over a minute later when he scoped up a rebound off a nice save by Jets goalie Nick Comeau, went around the net and stuffed it in the open side. Gina Cresta had the assist.

Lynn, playing short handed due to a tripping call on Jordan Morelli, gave itself a little breathing room when Kyle Martin stole a clearing pass from behind the net and drilled it home for a 3-1 lead with just under three minutes left in the second period.

Once again. Swampscott answered the call.

Less than a minute later, the Big Blue's Cresta took a shot that Comean made nice save on, but Cresta followed it up and popped in the rebound to close the gap to 3-2.

The highlight of the game, at least for the Jets, came 34 seconds later when Morelli was hauled down on a breakaway and was awarded a penalty shot. Morelli, a senior captain, made beat Swampscott goalie Pat Sheehan for a 4-2 Lynn lead.

As it was becoming abundantly clear to anyone in attendance, no lead was safe in this one.

Thirty-eight second into the third period, Videtta, on a power play, scored his second goal of the game off a rebound on a Chris Carmine shot.

The final three minutes of the game were intense, with Swampscott pulling Sheehan for the final 45 seconds, but the Jets' defense withstood the challenge.

"I thought we outplayed them," Swampscott coach Gino Faia said. "We outskated them. We outshot them. But we had a couple of bad breakdowns sthat turned into goals."

Despite the loss, Faia was pleased with the way his team played.

"I can't fault the guys. I think they went out and played hard. They got the good bounce and we didn't.," he said. "We did all the little things we talked about going into the game. Cresta said the outing was a big improvement over a few days earlier in the jamboree.

"We were going after the loose pucks, winning the one-on-one battles," he said. "We were getting shots on them, which is something we didn't do in the jamboree."

Conlon was also happy with how his team played after shaking off some first-period jitters.

"We're still shorting some things out, seeing what we have," he said. "To be able to do that and get a win was very important."

Lynn Jets goaltender Nick Comeau gets ready to stop a shot at practice at Connery Rink on Wednesday. (ITEM PHOTO / REBA M. SALDANHA)

Lynn Jets have some work to do

By Joyce Erekson / The Daily Item

The Lynn Jets are coming off their best season, but sustaining the momentum will be a challenge given the hit the team took through graduation.

Ten players graduated from the 2009-2010 team that qualified for the state tournament for the first time since English and Classical merged their programs (2007-2008). Tech came on board the following year.


"It was kind of a special year," Jets coach Joe Conlon said. "It was a year to remember."

Although he had 26 players show up for tryouts, including 10 freshmen, Conlon lost a lot of experience with the graduation of 10 players and the transfer of another (senior Bucky Surette).

The good news for the Jets is that they do return a veteran in net. Senior Nick Comeau, who has been seeing significant playing time since he was a freshman, is back.

"Nick is going to be extremely important for us this year," Conlon said. "We're going to lean on him quite a bit."

The forward line will also feature a couple of experienced players in John Finnigan, Kyle Martin and Jordan Morelli. Sophomore Kyle Devin, who was up front last year, will shore up the defense this season along with junior D.J. Hunt.

Although he's happy with the turnout at the freshman level, Conlon knows it's tough to jump right in as a ninth grader.

"I think there's some potential there, but it's such a jump from middle school hockey to high school hockey," he said. "It'll be such a transition."

Of the 26 players, 16 are from English and 10 are from Classical, which is hosting the team this year (it alternates between Classical and English). Although Tech is part of the combine, there are no players from Tech on the team this year.

The Jets have a 22-game schedule, including a Christmas tournament in Haverhill, 14 Northeastern Conference matchups and nonleague contests against Bishop Fenwick, Rockport, Somerville and Latin Academy.

Conlon's coaching staff has plenty of familiar faces including Mike Deering, Ron Gaudet, Joe Gunning and Brian Greeley.

The Jets will play in the Northeastern Conference jamboree this Sunday at Salem State University. They'll face Peabody at 5 p.m.