Comeback win sends Marlborough boys hockey into state final

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Comeback win sends Marlborough boys hockey into state final
A goal by Marlborough’s Noah Lind gave the Panthers a 3-1 lead early in the third period of their semifinals game against Lynnfield. (Photo/Dakota Antelman)

MARLBOROUGH – The top-ranked Marlborough boys hockey team is now one win away from a state title after it beat Lynnfield 3-2 in the MIAA Division III semifinals in Lowell on Monday night.

Initially trailing in this game, the Panthers tied things up before quickly racking up the score.

“They haven’t panicked yet, which is a good thing,” Head Coach Mike O’Brien said of his team and their playoff run.

Flurry of scoring gives Marlborough a lead

Lynnfield jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first period.

They then held that advantage deep into the second period, before Marlborough’s Marcus Chrisafideis managed to punch the tying goal past Lynnfield’s goalie.

Chrisafideis then doubled the lead before the end of the frame to give the Panthers a 2-1 advantage.

Noah Lind scored the eventual game winning goal for Marlborough early in the third period, creating a cushion that the Panthers needed when Lynnfield managed to narrow the score to 3-2.

Marlborough held the line from there, securing the win and punching a ticket to the TD Garden for a state finals appearance.

Speaking after his team’s win, O’Brien acknowledged the difference between the tighter confines of Navin Skating Rink in Marlborough and the Tsongas Center on the UMass Lowell campus.

“This is a lot bigger rink, so you saw that it probably took us a good 15 minutes to get acclimated to the size of the rink,” he said.

Noting that, O’Brien lauded his team’s ability to bounce back, seizing momentum and weathering penalty kills particularly in the third period of this game as Lynnfield looked to force overtime.

“These guys, they really believe in themselves, they believe in their teammates,” he said.

‘The community has been awesone’

A season that has seen fireworks on the ice will now continue in Boston with a state championship on the line.

For O’Brien, who has seen crowds consistently pack Navin to cheer on this year’s dominant Panthers, this opportunity comes as a welcome one the larger hockey community.

“The community has been awesome to these guys and we can’t thank them enough,” he said.

The state finals are set for March 20, though no time had been set as of Monday night.

Marlborough will face either Scituate or Hanover, who will play their half of the Division III Final Four on Tuesday night.

“It will be a great hockey game,” O’Brien said. “It’s great for high school hockey.”

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