Canton's Matt Cox and Salem's Wes Carr race for the puck during the second period of Monday's game. (photo by Ed Wright)

Canton clips Salem, 2-1, in
summer rivalry showdown

July 27, 2010, 12:15 a.m.

  Led by stone-walling goalie Spencer Craig, Canton repelled a last-minute Salem onslaught to post a 2-1 victory in a summer league contest played Monday night at the Arctic Pond Ice Arena in Plymouth.

  After the Rocks pulled goalie Andrew Magee with 70 seconds left, they fired a series of missiles toward the net that Craig somehow managed to steer clear of the goal.

  Magee was also stellar between the pipes, keeping the Rocks in it with a pair of solid stops in the game's closing minutes.

  The game was marred by an apparent serious leg injury suffered by Canton's Matt Cox six minutes into the second half. Play was halted for close to a half hour when paramedics were called to the arena to tend to Cox, a slick-skating forward.

  Canton led 1-0 at the half (the game was divided into two 24-minutes halves) thanks to a goal from Jimmy LaFontaine, who was assisted by AJ Rosales.

  Less than a minute after Cox was carted off the ice on a stretcher, Canton doubled its lead to 2-0 when Parker Pakula wristed a shot past Magee from close range. Rosales notched his second assist of the night.

  Salem answered 45 seconds later when Mike Manser scored off a helper from Mark Magee to cut its deficit to 2-1, but the Rocks couldn't register the tying goal.

  The final 19:25 was played with a running clock.

Canton goalie Spencer Craig peers around a screen to keep an eye on Connor Berlin's impending slap shot. (Ed Wright photo)

Unidentified players from Canton and Salem fight for the puck along the boards Monday night. (Ed Wright photo)