Balanced scoring attack lifts Somerset Berkley hockey to 9-2 win over Dighton-Rehoboth/Seekonk

FALL RIVER- Led by a strong offensive effort all around, the Somerset Berkley Raiders scored early and often to take a 9-2 victory over South Coast Conference foe Dighton-Rehoboth/Seekonk on Saturday at the Driscoll Arena.

“It was a good win for the team,” Somerset Berkley coach Kevin Snyder said. “Good team effort, a lot of kids scored tonight. You get a goal at the end of the period or the beginning of a period and it starts the momentum in the right direction.”

From the drop of the puck, the Falcons established early control, forcing the Raiders to stay on the defensive and goalie Dylan Belchior to make a few saves.

However, the tides began to turn with 10:36 left when Dighton-Rehoboth/Seekonk’s Zach Evans was sent to the penalty box for high sticking, setting up the first Somerset-Berkely popper play of the evening. Immediately, the Raiders went on the attack and just 25 seconds in, a Vincent Russell slap shot found the back of the net past Falcon goalie Daniel Deroche to open up the scoring with 10:36 remaining in the game.

From there, possession was fairly even split, with both teams making opportunities but the Raiders making the most of them.

Somerset Berkely doubled their lead with 3:27 left as Noah Yost came up the right wing and put a shot across the face of goal past Deroche’s left blocker to make it 2-0.

In the later minutes, the Raiders looked to be in control, adding one last goal before the period ended when Tyler Politano beat out Deroche in front of net with 48.8 seconds remaining in the period and the hosts headed into the first intermission up 3-0.

Just 16 seconds into the second period, the Raiders lit the the lamp yet again as Will Simons slid a shot under Deroche’s blockers to bring the Somerset-Berkley lead up to 4-0.

The Raiders looked as strong as they had late in the first, however a slashing penalty on Salema with 8:41 left in the period gave Dighton-Rehoboth/Seekonk their first power play opportunity of the game and just like their opponents the period before, the Falcons capitalized shortly after as Ben Lunnie sent a slap shot from the left wing to the left of Belchior’s blocker with 8:25 remaining, making it 4-1.

From there, both sides looked even matched again, going shot for shot on both ends of the ice. Things got a little chippy however with 6:53 left in the second period as a scuffle between Dighton-Rehoboth/Seekonk’s Liam Bradbury and Somerset-Berkley’s Evan Afonso saw the pair sent to the sin bin with game misconduct penalties.

Salema broke through for the Raiders with 1:45 remaining in the period as he put a shot in front of net over the head of a diving Deroche to put his team back up by four, and the 5-1 score line held going into the final period.

Just as they had in the middle period, the Raiders scored again within the first minute of the third period as a slapshot from John Salamone pointed straight on at goal went past Deroche with 14:31 to make it 6-1. They’d add another less than two minutes later as Salema beat out Deroche again in front of net with 12:54 remaining to make it 7-1.

The Raiders received another power play opportunity after Brenden Santos was assesses a two minute minor for holding with 10:57 left. Their short-handed success continued with 9:59 left as Russell launched a hard slap shot from the left wing that rang the left post and went in to make it 8-1 in the home team’s favor.

The Falcons were given a 5-on-3 opportunity with 7:00 left to play as both Josh Pacheco and Salema were sent to the box for roughing and charging respectively. However, despite the two man advantage, Dighton-Rehoboth/Seekonk were unable to capitalize on the opportunity.

The Falcons did add one more goal with 2:15 remaining as Carter Foley sent a hard shot in front of goal past Belchior’s head to make it 8-2, but just 10 seconds later Affonso, returning from his game misconduct penalty, beat out Deroche to make it 9-2. From there, the Raiders just had to skate out the time as they sealed an important SCC win and snapped a four game losing streak.

“I liked the way we moved the puck,” Snyder said, noting it was a key part of their practice Friday. “We finally climbed out of the hole we dug ourselves, so that was the key.”

The Raiders return to action Monday night as they face off with Durfee, while the Falcons are off until Wednesday when they play host to Bellingham.