Top-ranked Nauset Aces Final Regular Season Test With Win Over No. 2 Scituate

ORLEANS – The Nauset boys hockey team is ready for the Division 3 state tournament.

After being ranked atop the MIAA Power Rankings used to determine postseason seeding throughout the winter, the No. 1 Warriors received one final major test when they welcomed No. 2 Scituate to Charles Moore Arena for a heavyweight matchup between state championship contenders.

The No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup lived up to its billing.

Although the Warriors surrendered a 3-0 lead after the Sailors scored three unanswered goals to the tie the game in the third period, Nauset ultimately skated to a 4-3 victory after freshman Sam Mayhew redirected a shot by junior Logan Poulin to bury the game-winner with a power-play goal with 2:08 remaining.

“In practice, they harp on me about getting out front and tipping shots,” said Mayhew. “So, as soon as I saw the puck in the air I wanted to tip it.”

It marked the second goal of the game for Mayhew and second assist for Poulin, who opened the scoring with a power-play goal of his own 5:10 into the game. Mayhew put home a rebound to extend Nauset’s lead to 2-0 with 7:05 remaining in the first period, then sophomore Jake Eldredge scored to make it 3-0 midway through the second.

But then Scituate found its footing. Johnny Donohue put the visitors on the board with 4:13 left in the second period before Nate Sanella scored to make it 3-2 just 41 seconds into the third period. James Sullivan netted a power-play goal to even the score at 3-3 with 6:26 to play, but the Warriors dug deep and did what it took to defend their home ice and upend Scituate for a second time this season following a 2-1 road win Dec. 28 at Scituate.

“This was another great experience for us,” Nauset coach Connor Brickley said. “This is what we’re going to see in the playoffs, it’s going to go back and forth so we need to be able to ride the waves. You’re going to win shifts and you’re going to lose shifts. Obviously you want to win them all, but the other team has a say. It was good to see our guys ride the waves, get the momentum and capitalize on some special teams.”

In a season that has been full of dominant one-sided victories, Saturday’s nail-biter was a welcomed change of pace for the Warriors, who were scheduled to close out their regular season against Plymouth North on Wednesday after the Chronicle’s deadline.

“I’d rather be up 3-1 or down 3-1 than be up 10-0,” Poulin said. “We want to be in these games. We want to be the top dog. We want to play the best teams. We don’t care who we play, we could play the Bruins or the worst team on the Cape and Islands, we want to win and be our best no matter who we play.”

Brickley said he was especially proud of the way his players came out firing at the start of the game.

“We hadn’t been doing that in a couple games lately, but it was great to start on time and get the first goal,” the coach said. “It was another great example that, especially when you play against great teams, you have to play a full 45 minutes because it’s going to come down to the very end. They did a great job battling.”

The victory also gave the Warriors (17-1-1) a preview of what the environment will be like at Charles Moore Arena once the postseason begins. The stands were packed and standing spectators surrounded the boards to create an atmosphere the players said helped them push forward.

“It was awesome,” Poulin said. “It was a playoff atmosphere – that’s something that coach wants and we all want is that atmosphere. We really fed off the fans because they give us the energy.”