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Last night at the Graf ice rink, the Triton Vikings ended their season on a positive note by beating the Amesbury Indians, 6-0.

The Indians' (0-19-1) frustrating season finally came to an end, and the Vikings | who narrowly missed a tournament berth at 8-9-2 | will also be looking toward the future.

As the game clock ticked off the final seconds of last night's Newburyport vs. Triton tilt, the scene hardly resembled what hockey fans have come to expect from the classic River Rival matchup.

Newburyport's forwards, as had been the case all night, continued to pepper a Triton net, which at that point was being guarded by the team's second-string goalie. The scoreboard read 9-0 Newburyport, and fans who had long-since recognized the inevitable outcome began heading for the exit.

Triton (7-7-2) snapped a four-game losing streak. Craig White had a hat track, giving him 14 goals for the season. Paul Bishop, Caleb Woodworth, Brandon Middleton and Cam Robinson had assists.

Billy Enaire had a goal and an assist for Amesbury. Matt Enaire added a goal. Zack Pizo and Matt Bean also had assists. "It was better than the first time we played," Amesbury coach Peter Cignetti said. "That's all I can ask for. Griffin Lousier and Nick Fornier played well defensively."

Triton's Chris LeSage is worth the price of admission | a big, fast, do-it-all defenseman.

The Vikings' senior captain and his senior mates careers are headed down the home stretch of what has been a phenomenal four-year run.

In what has become easily the biggest River Rival game over the last five years, Triton and Newburyport played their usual slug-it-out, high-intensity hockey game yesterday afternoon.

After jumping out to a quick 4-0 lead, the Clippers barely hung on for a 5-4 victory.

Frederick Hein and Mark Moran scored two goals each for North Reading. Triton trailed 1-0 after one period and 5-0 after two.

"It was one of those nights," Triton coach Kevin Dodier said. "We have nine games left, and we're in position to make a run. We need to push through and regroup as a team."

The grand opening last December of the exquisite and state-of-the-art Whiston-Bragdon Arena on the Governor's Academy campus has opened new doors for two of the local hockey programs: Newburyport and Triton.

Two third-period goals lifted the Triton hockey team to a 4-2 victory over Pentucket Saturday night at Veterans Memorial Rink.

A boisterous and faithful crowd came to watch the Cape Ann League rivals square off. Both teams entered with the goal of redeeming disappointing losses to Wilmington last week (the Vikings lost to Wilmington last Saturday; the Sachems fell to the league-leading Wildcats last Thursday), and neither team was ready to concede to the other.

What looked to be billed as a game between potentially the two best teams in the Cape Ann League turned into be quite a one-sided affair with Wilmington routing Triton, 5-1.

Up 1-0 after an evenly played first period, Wilmington slammed the door on the Vikings by netting four goals in the second period. Cam Robinson scored the lone goal for the Vikes in the period, set up nicely by Brandon Middleton.

Perhaps no player brought more smiles to Amesbury hockey fans' faces over the last 10 years than Kevin Dodier.

The 2002 Amesbury High graduate was a two-time Cape Ann League most valuable player as a goalie. Over his junior and senior seasons, the Amesbury teams he captained logged a combined record of 30-8-8.