The game was over before it began. From the moment the puck dropped, Westfield was all over Cranford. Whether it was in transition or flying to pucks, Westfield was dominant in an impressive 11-1 win.
Minutes into the first period, junior Miriam Walsh put one in the back of the net. The scoring continued with Westfield netting one in the final minutes of the first period. The first period proved the Blue Devils had the upper hand, winning decisive loose pucks and passing swiftly.
“They did a good job,” said head coach Matt Gualtieri. “We’re seeing progress and getting better as a team.”
Westfield’s strong play continued into the second period, scoring three goals paired with its stout defense. Cranford’s scoring chances were few and far between, with only a few shots on net in the entire game.
Senior co-captain Lillie Martel and her fellow Blue Devils fought in a crowded goal area to net another goal. A quick reaction from Martel allowed her to put a previously blocked shot past the Cranford goaltender. Gualtieri credited “two-way puck movement and winning faceoffs” as to why Cranford had so few chances. Westfield’s defense essentially became its offense.
And it worked. Westfield would net six goals in the third period. Senior Paige Felter would lose a shutout in her first varsity win in the closing moments of the game when Cranford scored its sole goal of the match.
The Blue Devils lived up to Gualtieri’s expectations. “They’re doing things on the ice that we’ve talked to them about, like communicating,” he said. “They’re on the bench watching things that the other lines do.”
The Blue Devils will look to continue riding this wave of momentum into their next game, against Morristown Beard on Wednesday at Twin Oaks Ice Rink.
