Agony and ecstasy on senior day

Nauset ties MVRHS boys hockey in final second.

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The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High varsity boys hockey team played their best game of the year in the season finale, ending in a tie, 4-4, on a last-second goal by the 13-5-2 Nauset Warriors.

The Warriors scored the tying goal with 1.6 seconds left in a game in which the Vineyarders outplayed the tourney-bound Warriors.

Led by sophomore forward Colby Zarba’s first career hat trick, the Vineyarders entered the third period leading 3-2, and added another to lead 4-2 with seven minutes left. The Warriors mounted a furious comeback, cutting the lead to 4-3 with less than six minutes to play, before getting the equalizer just before the final horn.

On senior day at the MV Ice Arena, goaltender Zach Fullin made the most of his last appearance between the pipes, turning aside more than two dozen shots. Before the game, Fullin and fellow seniors Jack Murray, Henry Pardo, Nick Bischoff, and Jacob Gunderson were recognized, and the players presented flowers to moms and grandmoms in attendance.

Zarba scored the game’s first goal midway through the first period on a great individual shorthanded effort. He picked up his second score with 12:04 to go in the second period, with assists by Jack Murray and Colin Henke. Willson Slayton put the Vineyarders up 3-2 with 3:14 left in the second period before Zarba completed his hat trick with 10:02 left in the third, with an individual effort that began with a key Hoffie Hearn clearout of the embattled Vineyarder end.

If we were asked before this one whether a tie would satisfy us, we’d all have signed up, but the inspired and physical Vineyarder effort feels like a coulda-woulda-shoulda outcome against a top-quality team. The 2018-19 Vineyarders will miss their seniors, but a lot of freshman and sophomores got ice time and grew up quickly this year. These guys can play with anybody. Wait till next year. You’ll love it.