High school hockey: Jake Jurek’s OT winner lifts Greenfield past Easthampton, 6-5 (PHOTOS)

Greenfield’s Brady Booska (10) celebrates with the bench after scoring a first period goal against Easthampton on Wednesday night at Lossone Rink in Easthampton.

Greenfield’s Brady Booska (10) celebrates with the bench after scoring a first period goal against Easthampton on Wednesday night at Lossone Rink in Easthampton. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE

Easthampton’s Mikey Thompson (5) scrapes a shot past Greenfield goalkeeper Cooper Smith (31) for a goal in the first period Wednesday night at Lossone Rink in Easthampton.

Easthampton’s Mikey Thompson (5) scrapes a shot past Greenfield goalkeeper Cooper Smith (31) for a goal in the first period Wednesday night at Lossone Rink in Easthampton. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE

Easthampton’s Mikey Thompson (5) celebrates a goal against Greenfield in the first period Wednesday night at Lossone Rink in Easthampton.

Easthampton’s Mikey Thompson (5) celebrates a goal against Greenfield in the first period Wednesday night at Lossone Rink in Easthampton. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE

Easthampton’s Zach Roy (7) fires a breakaway shot defended by Greenfield’s Derek Wissmann (22) in the first period Wednesday night at Lossone Rink in Easthampton.

Easthampton’s Zach Roy (7) fires a breakaway shot defended by Greenfield’s Derek Wissmann (22) in the first period Wednesday night at Lossone Rink in Easthampton. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE

Easthampton’s Drew Thompson (27) fires a shot against Greenfield in the first period Wednesday night at Lossone Rink in Easthampton.

Easthampton’s Drew Thompson (27) fires a shot against Greenfield in the first period Wednesday night at Lossone Rink in Easthampton. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE

Greenfield and Easthampton face off in the first period Wednesday night at Lossone Rink in Easthampton.

Greenfield and Easthampton face off in the first period Wednesday night at Lossone Rink in Easthampton. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE

Greenfield’s Hunter Smith (7), left, and Easthampton’s Gabe Growhoski (19) battle for possession in the first period Wednesday at Lossone Rink in Easthampton.

Greenfield’s Hunter Smith (7), left, and Easthampton’s Gabe Growhoski (19) battle for possession in the first period Wednesday at Lossone Rink in Easthampton. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE

Easthampton’s Hunter Stockseth (10) celebrates a goal against Greenfield in the first period Wednesday night at Lossone Rink in Easthampton.

Easthampton’s Hunter Stockseth (10) celebrates a goal against Greenfield in the first period Wednesday night at Lossone Rink in Easthampton. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

Staff Writer

Published: 01-03-2024 10:34 PM

Modified: 01-03-2024 10:34 PM

Goals came early and often when the top two teams in the Wright Division got together at Lossone Rink on Wednesday.

In the end, an overtime winner from Jake Jurek propelled Greenfield to a wild 6-5 victory over host Easthampton.

Greenfield got out to a blistering start against Easthampton and looked like it was headed for a blowout victory after scoring three goals in the game’s opening six minutes. Brady Booska kicked things off with a goal a mere 53 seconds in. 

The Eagles, which came into the game a perfect 5-0 in Wright Division action, weren’t going down that easily however. 

Easthampton’s Hunter Stockseth put the Eagles on the board 11:56 into the first, sparking a run that saw Easthampton then rip off two more goals before the first period came to a close to tie the game at 3. The Eagles carried that over into the second period, scoring twice in the opening three minutes to take a 5-3 lead. 

Then, it was the Green Wave’s turn to answer. Greenfield got a goal back in the second period before Jack Laurie tallied a shorthanded goal five minutes into the third period that tied the game at 5. 

Neither team produced a goal in regulation, leading to overtime. 

In a game of runs, it was the Green Wave that were able to capitalize in OT as Jurek scored an unassisted goal 2:10 into the extra period that lifted Greenfield to the 6-5 victory. 

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The Green Wave (6-2, 5-0) now move into first place in the Wright Division with the win. 

Jurek had the assist on Booska’s goal that opened the game. Hunter Smith scored an unassisted goal 3:17 in before Luca Siano tallied on an assist from Shawn Beckwith while on the power play that gave Greenfield its 3-0 lead. 

After Stockseth put Easthampton (6-2, 5-1) on the board, Rob Herman tallied off an assist from Mikey Thompson. Stockseth tied the game off an assist from Drew Thompson while on the power play that tied the game. 

Following a Greenfield penalty, the Eagles took the lead one minute into the second period. Mikey Thompson scored the goal, with Zach Roy and Gabe Growhoski picking up the assists. Growhoski scored just over one minute later off an assist from Anthony Torchia that put Easthampton ahead, 5-3. 

Brodie Gagne was the Green Wave goal-scorer in the second period, doing so while on the power play off assists from Jurek and Laurie. Smith had the assist on Laurie’s short handed tally that tied the game in the third. 

The teams will meet one more time during the regular season, when Easthampton visits Greenfield at Collins-Moylan Arena on Feb. 17.