Matt Lavoine and the Greenfield hockey team kept their Wright Division title hopes alive and well with a huge victory on Wednesday night.

Lavoine tallied the game-winning goal with just 20 seconds remaining in regulation, lifting the Green Wave to a 4-3 victory over Easthampton at Lossone Rink in Easthampton.

Greenfield improved to 8-3 overall, 4-1 in the league. The win capped a regular season sweep of the Eagles (7-4, 4-4), as the Wave also earned a 2-1 win back on Dec. 10.

“We took the first 15 [minutes], they took the second 15 and I'd say for about 14 minutes and 40 seconds it was very even in that third period,” Green Wave coach Adam Bouchard said. “We were very lucky to have one of our senior captains Matthew Lavoine pick that puck up and show why he’s one of our leaders and he was able to finish.” 

Greenfield goalie Josh Bordeaux made 21 saves in net, as the Wave outshot the Eagles by a 43-24 margin.

Greenfield stormed out to a 3-1 lead after one period, with goals from Hunter Smith, Lavoine and Brody Gagne. 

Easthampton’s Mikey Thompson had staked the hosts to a 1-0 lead just 1 minute, 59 seconds into the first period when he tallied with an assist from Ethan Marowitz.

Smith tied it just over two minutes later however, and Lavoine and Gagne tallied two goals in a 2:42 span midway through the opening stanza to give the Wave the 3-1 advantage.

Easthampton got right back into the game early in the second period. Marowitz scored 2:23 into the middle frame to make it a one-goal deficit, and Thompson netted his second of the night with 9:16 remaining to tie the game 3-3.

It stayed that way until the third period, and overtime seemed des tined until Lavoine notched the unassisted game-winner to secure the 4-3 win.

The Wright Division gauntlet continues for the Green Wave on Friday, when they travel to play at league-leading Belchertown (6-2, 5-0) at the Mullins Center Practice Rink (6 p.m.). The Orioles edged Greenfield, 2-1, back on Dec. 17.

]]>