New season, renewed hopes: Peabody-Saugus targets high stakes in hockey

By Dom Nicastro

The Peabody-Saugus cooperative boys hockey team has had a slow start to the season with three straight losses, but it’s looking for improvement as the calendar turns another year. Jason Marshall, a former lacrosse and hockey player for Peabody High School, leads the Tanners for the second straight year as head coach. Marshall is in his sixth year coaching high school sports between hockey and lacrosse. The team is in its second season as a cooperative program between Peabody and Saugus High Schools.

What’s Marshall’s motivation this season? “Having the ability to stay involved with a sport that I grew up with and love and trying to impart that love on the next generation,” he said. “Especially rewarding to be able to give back to a program I was a part of.”

Earlier this month, tryouts surpassed expectations. They went great, according to Marshall, who added that the team has demonstrated “high intensity so far and is getting better by the day.”

Peabody-Saugus brought in 24 players to the team, which finished 3-17-0 last season. This year, they dropped contests to Everett’s coop team (9-6), North Reading (7-0) and St. Bernard’s (6-3).

In the latter loss, Peabody-Saugus held a 3-2 edge in the middle period but let the lead slip away. Peabody junior Tyson Higgins had two goals, each assisted by Trevor Pacheco of Peabody. Peabody sophomore Brandon Barone had the other goal.

As for the strengths of this year’s team, Marshall said that “high hockey IQ” and underclassmen, when mixed with upperclassmen leadership, have the potential to do something special. What the Tanners will need, however, is to improve in the skating department and creativity in the offensive end, according to Marshall.

The captains this year include:

• Ryan Jones of Saugus. “He’s contagious, has positivity and a love of the game,” Marshall said.
• Michael Ryan of Peabody. “He has a high motor and leads by example,” Marshall said.
• Pacheco of Peabody. “He’s a vocal leader and a defensive stalwart,” Marshall said.

Saugus senior defenseman Dominic Chianca is fantastic at moving the puck, according to his coach. Jake Ferraro, a senior forward out of Saugus, is a reliable penalty killer. Peabody’s Higgins is a great skater with a high offensive potential, his coach said. Zack Hartnett, a junior forward/defenseman out of Peabody, has great two-way ability. Peabody’s Barone is a forward with high offensive skill. Peabody sophomore goaltender Evan Tybinkowski has got the call in net.

Marshall’s coaching department includes:

• Donnie Shaw, assistant/defensive coach
• Aaron McDonald, assistant/goalie coach
• Andrew Sousa, assistant coach

“All three bring great knowledge of hockey that helps fill my own personal limitations in coaching,” Marshall said.

What are the big team goals this winter? Peabody-Saugus is aiming for nine wins and qualifying for the tournament as well as aiming to compete for the Northeastern Conference Lynch division.

“We are competing against two very solid teams in Beverly and Swampscott for the NEC Lynch division as well as the high-level teams of Danvers, Masconomet, Marblehead, Gloucester and Winthrop,” Marshall said.

The new MIAA rankings bring in challenges with non-league schedules and making sure there are good, quality teams. How is the team’s non-league sked shaping up? “We hope to have a competitive non-league schedule that allows us to play a lot of good and close hockey games in order for us to continue to improve as a program,” Marshall said.