NEEDHAM - Needham looked for fireworks to conclude its regular season.
And it was junior Danny McEvoy setting them off for the Rockets yesterday against Acton-Boxboro.
McEvoy first forced overtime by netting the equalizer with 1:01 remaining in regulation and then provided a grand finale by putting home the game-winning goal with 53 seconds left in overtime to lift Needham to a 13-12 win at Memorial Park.
"Danny had some mistakes that he really wanted to make up on and he made do on it," said Needham coach Dave Wainwright, who earned his 250th career victory. "He's had a great season. That was a great perseverance game for him."
Needham (16-3), which never led until McEvoy's final tally, played catchup after Jake Erickson (four goals) put A-B (14-4) up, 11-8, early in the second half.
Two of Sam Eisenstadt's four goals plus a tally from Brendan Walsh got the Rockets within 12-11 midway through the fourth quarter before Michael Calcagni (four assists) set up McEvoy to tie it up with just over a minute to play.
In the extra frame, Jacob Northcutt (16 saves) denied Needham's first bid for a win.
But the Rockets remained patient and later in overtime, Walsh found McEvoy in front of the net for the victory.
"The whole game we never gave up," Walsh said. "We're not usually down in the beginning, but we just know how to fight back. We ran through the sets that we learned in practice and they just played out."
After A-B erupted offensively in the first half for a 10-8 halftime lead, Needham made several changes defensively.
The defense held the Colonials to two goals over the next 29 minutes to help the Rockets come from behind.
"That resiliency is going to go a long way for us in the playoffs," Wainwright said. "It's the momentum these guys need going into that second part of the season."
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