O’Connor, Goffe lead Sentinels past Broncos

SMITHFIELD — The reigning state champion Burrillville/Ponaganset/Bay View co-op hockey team and reigning Division II champion Smithfield/Coventry/Moses Brown co-op each held serve at home.

A potential third meeting would be on neutral ice with plenty at stake.

After suffering their first league loss in two years last month at Levy Rink to the Broncos, the young Sentinels responded with a dominant performance Thursday night at Smithfield Municipal Rink. Sophomore forward Kaylin O’Connor scored twice and produced an assist, while linemate Keira Goffe added a goal and an assist in a 4-1 Division I victory.

“We just need to get more shots to the net, but we also need to be better in the defensive zone,” BPBV coach Cortney Lacey said. “You create offense by playing good defense and we just didn’t play well in the defensive zone. In order to get more shots on net, we need to be better in our zone. At the end of the day, we knew Smithfield was a good team.

“It’s not that this is a step back, it’s just that the girls know that they need to play their best when we’re playing against them, La Salle and South County. Going forward, if we want to win, we have to play our best.”

BPBV (6-2 Division I) saw its three-game league winning streak come to an end as the Broncos slid back to third place behind the Sentinels with the loss. Undefeated La Salle, which hosts the Broncos on Feb. 19, is cruising to another regular-season title.

The Broncos certainly improved in the final 15 minutes Thursday night and were rewarded with a goal with 2:34 left when Erin Gingell created a chance for senior winger Kelsey Wilson to bury behind goalie Ava Potter.

SCMB (6-1-2 Division I) has now won two straight games since last month’s 3-0 setback at the hands of the Broncos. The Sentinels dominated the first period and were rewarded with a goal with 2:47 left in the first period when Goffe fired a shot from between the circles that beat goalie Kirstyn Smith, but the puck hit the underside of the crossbar and laid on the goal line until O’Connor swept it into the net.

Smithfield doubled its lead 2:35 into the middle period when the Broncos allowed an easy zone entry and freshman Ashley Brousseau rifled a shot from the right circle that caught a little bit of the pipe before sliding past Smith.

“We have to cut down on their space and we need to be stronger on our sticks in the defensive zone,” Lacey said. “We’re letting girls walk in and shoot. In the defensive-zone coverage that we use, it’s supposed to cover everything right in front of the net. We didn’t do that and they had good chances. We need to be better in our own zone.”

The Broncos earned a power play 41 seconds after the goal, but they committed a penalty during the extra-man opportunity and that led directly to Goffe’s blast front the point that snuck past a screened Smith. Coventry junior forward Alyssa DiMaria earned an assist on the goal and she created the fourth goal with 4:14 left in regulation.

DiMaria ripped a shot from the left circle that Smith managed to get a stick on, but O’Connor was in position to score on the rebound. Wilson answered 1:40 later to finish the scoring.

The Broncos look to bounce back Friday night at Levy Rink when struggling East Bay co-op comes to town for a 7 p.m. contest. The Sentinels visit winless Cranston/EG co-op Friday before a showdown with La Salle next Thursday night in Smithfield.