PEABODY — More than three decades after the late Bo Tierney launched an annual President’s Day hockey game to honor his uncle, Charlie Carlin, the tradition lives on.
The Peabody High and Bishop Fenwick girls hockey teams now carry the mantle that celebrates the history of hockey in the Tanner City. Monday afternoon’s 8th edition of the girls Carlin Cup did not disappoint and the Tanners skated away with a 5-0 victory over the rival Crusaders.
It was a classic case of the final score not reflecting the quality of the game. Peabody (16-3) led by one goal for much of the contest but got some breathing room in the late stages with a 5-on-3 tally and a pair of insurance goals in the last two minutes.
Junior center Mia Lava earned the Bo Tierney Award as Peabody’s player of the game. She had a point on three of her squad’s four third period goals, scoring from just outside the blue paint to set the tone 1:47 into the final frame.
“The third period was when we really stuck out. We knew we made to go the net for rebounds and get some dirty goals,” said Lava. “The way Ella (Tucker, Fenwick’s goalie) was playing, we weren’t going to get any pretty goals.”
Tucker, a junior captain, made 38 saves for Fenwick (4-14-1). The Crusaders’ Tierney Award, which is named for the longtime Fenwick boys head coach who wrapped up his Hall of Fame career as an assistant with the Peabody boys, went to senior winger Brynn Lally.
“Brynn played outstanding. She’s a senior leader and does a lot of things that might go unnoticed,” said Fenwick coach Kylie Currier. “The way she stays high in the offensive zone, which allows our D to pinch in and create chances, is very valuable. Brynn thinks the game really well.”
Junior center Ava Buckley also had a goal and two assists for the Tanners and winger Alexa Pepper handed out three helpers. Buckley’s goal on a 5-on-3 chance midway through the third made it 3-0 and essentially secured Peabody’s fifth Carlin Cup in eight tries; Lava started the play with a nice feed down the wall and Pepper sent it out front.
“We’re been working on the power play a lot and I thought it looked good today,” said Peabody coach Michelle Roach. “Mia has been a quarterback and a real play-starter at the top of the power play for us. I thought she had a very strong game overall.”
With a career-high 18 points on the season, Lava has been clicking with wingers Vanessa Steinmeyer (assist) and Shirley Whitmore, especially over the last few weeks. Having another threatening scoring line makes the Tanners even more dangerous heading into the D1 playoffs.
“Shirley and I have played together since we were three, and Vanessa since we were five. We do a lot of talking and communication,” Lava said. “We’ll come to the bench and say what we need work on for next shift, then take that out to the ice. We’ve been making really good passes … the work we’ve done on breakouts in practice is definitely showing in the game.”
Fenwick’s best scoring chance was a knuckling shot from sophomore Noella Miserandino that handcuffed Peabody goalie Alyse Mutti but was turned aside. Penny Levine-Stein and Mya Jewell also had a few strong shots on net for Fenwick while defensemen Reagan Van Horn, Maddie Faragi, Karissa Burgess and Lexi Salah played well with a lot of time in their defensive zone.
“We played pretty well for most of the game … this wasn’t a five goal game. I’m still impressed with the improvement that I’ve seen from a few months ago,” said Currier. “And Ella played terrific.”
Tucker made 14 saves in the first period alone but had no chance to stop the game-winner. Peabody’s Erin Dee was free at the far side of the crease and Pepper threaded through a nice pass for the tap-in tally. Late in the game, defenseman Maura Flaws scored on a blast from the point and Peabody captain Catie Kampersal capped the scoring only 24 seconds later.
“Being better with our response is one thing we talked about,” said Currier. “We want to have better shifts after they score; don’t let them come out and get another one.”
Mutti made 14 saves and posted her third consecutive shutout for Peabody. Daniella White had a strong game on the back end and the Tanners were pleased to finish the game strong with the four-goal third.
“It’s never going to come easy and that’s what we talked about going into the third,” Roach said. “You’ve got to push and I thought we did a good job with that.”
Peabody 5, Bishop Fenwick 0
8th Girls Carlin Cup at McVann-O’Keefe Rink, Peabody
Bishop Fenwick;0;0;0;0
Peabody;1;0;4;5
Scoring summary
First period: PLNR, Erin Dee (Alexa Pepper, Ava Buckley), 11:52.
Second period: No scoring.
Third period: PLNR, Mia Lava (Vanessa Steinmeyer), 1:47; PLNR, A. Buckley (Pepper, Lava), 5×3 ppg, 8:22; PLNR, Maura Flaws (Lava), 13:16; PLNR, Catie Kampersal (A. Buckley, Pepper), 13:40.
Saves: BF, Ella Tucker 38; PLNR, Alyse Mutti 14.
Records: BF, 4-14-1; PLNR, 16-3-0.
GIRLS CARLIN CUP HISTORY
2024; Peabody, 5-0
2023; Peabody, 8-0
2022; Fenwick, 2-0
2021; No game due to COVID-19
2020; Peabody, 4-2
2019; Peabody, 9-1
2018; Peabody, 4-0
2017; Peabody, 4-0
2016; Tie, 1-1
GIRLS BO TIERNEY AWARD WINNERS
2024; Mia Lava, Peabody; Byrnn Lally, Fenwick
2023; Jenna DiNapoli, Peabody; Kate Roddy, Fenwick
2022; Ava Buckley, Peabody; Lily Pregent, Fenwick
2020; Ella McTeague, Peabody; Catherine Salvo, Fenwick
2019; Jess Robert, Peabody; Daphne Jalbert, Fenwick
2018; Abby Buckley, Peabody; Allie Giguere, Fenwick