By Kevin Wall Globe Staff
A tired Billy-Clifford blasted away from the top of the left faceoff circle in sudden death overtime yesterday to carry top-seeded Norwood to a 3-2 semifinal victory over Matignon in Division I of the Eastern Mass. Hockey Tournament. Arlington had gained the final a half hour earlier before 12,092 at Boston Garden outbattling North Shore League champion Beverly, 3-2, on Kevin Bartholomew’s power-play goal from the right point with less than four minutes remaining. ‘ But it was Clifford’s fifth goal in three tournament games which set up a matchmaker’s dream final tomorrow at 8 p.m. with the Norwood club which has lost only to Arlington over the past two seasons pitted against the Suburban League King, who is also defending champion in this tourney.
“I was trying to make a change,” explained Clifford on the winning goal. “I had been out on the ice a long time so I thought “Get a good shot off and get off the ice.”
Clifford unloaded a bomb from 35 feet as he broke down the right boards. Matignon goaltender Ray Rossi moved out at the shooter to cut down his angle and the drive broke between his pads and just trickled across the goal line. At 1:39 of sudden death Matignon was done for but certainly had put out the same kind of effort that helped it to victories over seeded Melrose and Braintree in previous action.
The Cambridge skaters led, 2-0, heading into the final period on a pair of working man’s efforts by George Garaffo who had a heck of a scoring binge over the past 10 days.
But undefeated Norwood sensing the season was coming to an end turned on the juice over the final period and tied the game with 2:04 left.
Mike Martin cut the lead to 2-1 at the 2:37 mark of the third period when he scored with a 35-footer inside the far post. Little Dan Bayer got the Norwood skaters even by being in the right place at the right time as the final minutes were ticking away. Bayer was standing in front of the Matignon net to deflect Greg Walker’s centering pass from in the left corner. Rossi never had a chance.
“I thought our goaltender (Bill Pierei) was unbelievable,” praised a relieved Don Wheeler whose club will be facing Arlington in the final for the fourth time in six years. “He has been a clutch goaltender all year and he was great in that first period.
“We were just standing around for a couple of periods. I think our players have heard so much about Walsh (Brian, the Matignon defenseman) they were standing around waiting to see what he could do.”
Veteran Arlington coach Eddie Burns was just as relieved when the final buzzer sounded and his club had pulled out a hard-earned victory.
“Beverly surprised us with their strength,” he admitted.” I thought they would tire but they didn’t. They certainly were stronger than we thought they would be.We were damm lucky to get out of here alive. I think they were a great hockey team.”
Beverly led, 2-1, at the end of the first 12 minutes on goals by Bill Gilligan and Bill LeClerc that were sandwiched around a goal oil the stick of Gary Burns. Jeff Corbett tied the game in the middle period and this set the stage for Bartholomew’s game winner, Pat Flanagan won the faceoff back to the point and Kevin just fired a shot that appeared to deflect in front of the Beverly net It took the Arlington power play five seconds to click. . Division II stories summaries, Page 77 5’wnin, 1-0; T ‘nt harp, Page 72 Lt Nurr, oihtT sports stories tm Pages 62-66.
(All articles originally published in the Norwood Messenger)