Evan Simmons scored twice to spark a Greenfield High School’s four-goal third-period and the Green Wave reclaimed the Elks Lodge Steven C. Upton Franklin County Cup with a 6-4 Fay-Wright Division hockey victory over Turners Falls High School Saturday afternoon at Collins-Moylan Arena in Greenfield.
The Indians (0-6-0) took a 3-2 lead into the third but the Green Wave (4-2-1) scored four times in the final frame to overcome the one-goal deficit.
The win snapped a two-year winning streak by Turners Falls in the annual game, which began in 2003 and is sponsored by the founder of the Upton-Massamont Realty. Turners Falls is always the “home” team for the game at the rink shared by the teams. Greenfield won five of the first seven years of the Upton Cup, while the two other games finished in ties. Turners Falls won its first game in the series in 2010, but the teams tied again in 2011 and Greenfield won three straight following that. Turners Falls picked up the past two wins, including last year’s 5-2 victory, but the Wave brought the Cup back to Greenfield following Saturday’s big third-period.
“When you look at this game for hockey players, the Upton Cup is looked at as the equivalent to the Turkey Day football game,” Greenfield coach Adam Bouchard said. “And with the rebuilding years we’ve had the last couple of years, Turners Falls was able to win the last two, so it was nice to bring the cup home to Greenfield.”
Greenfield trailed 3-2 entering the third but scored four unanswered goals. Tyler Miner tied the game 4 minutes, 44 seconds into the period on an assist from Zack Geyster and Simmons took over from there, scoring the first of two straight unassisted goals 32 seconds after Miner tied it. Simmons made it 5-3 three minutes later, and Geyster finished off the flurry with 4 minutes left on an assist from Sean O’Sullivan.
Bryce Jordan got one goal back for the Indians with two minutes left on an assist from Camden Barnes, but Wave goalie Riley Drew closed the door from there and finished off his 20-save performance in the win.
“We’ve got a team mascot that really pulls our team together, it’s a rubber chicken,” Bouchard said. “As silly as it seems, it really symbolizes our team and how we are made up of four schools coming together. Our whole team really stepped it up in that third period. Simmons, Tyler Townsley and Miner really took over on offense, and Booie Harris and Sarah O’Sullivan really solidified our defense.”
The Indians led 2-1 after the first period as Jordan scored on an assist from Mike McGoldrick and Adam Coffin scored from Ethan LaFleur. Greenfield’s lone goal came from Geyster. The teams then traded goals in the second period with McGoldrick scoring from Mason Whiteman for the Indians, and Harris scoring from Tyler Miner and Sean O’Sullivan for the Green Wave.
Greenfield outshot Turners Falls, 26-24. Jordyn Lavallee made 20 saves in the loss.