Hopedale’s boys hockey team survived a late surge to earn a 5-4 win over Westborough in a high-scoring, momentum-heavy affair Wednesday night. The Blue Raiders exploded early, building a 4-1 advantage through the first two periods thanks to two goals from Ricky Nashawaty and strikes from Joshua Balzarini and Jeff Corbin.
Westborough rallied in the third, pouring in three goals to make the final frame tense. Nashawaty sealed the game with his third tally, completing the hat trick, and Hopedale held on as the Rangers pressed for the equalizer. The win improves Hopedale to 5-8 and marks two victories in three games after a brutal five-game skid earlier in the month that threatened their playoff positioning.
The Blue Raiders showed they can both score in bunches and withstand late pressure, but the coaching staff will want more consistency over full 60-minute efforts. Hopedale heads into a winnable road test at Auburn next Wednesday; the Rockets have suffered four straight losses and will be hungry, but the Blue Raiders can take confidence from a comeback-resistant performance and Nashawaty’s finishing ability.
