Rockland — The Mountaineer ice hockey team started off the season with its longest bus trip of the year, traveling to Rockland to take on one of the top teams in Division II, Whitman-Hanson. Wachusett did not have any bus legs opening up the game with 3 goals in the first period en route to a 4-2 win. Senior captain, Cody Penniman go things started scoring twice in the first 10 minutes. The first came at the 1:40 mark of the first period, assisted by linemates Travis Laidlaw and Ryan Flaherty. At the 9:58 mark, Penniman scored again with Laidlaw picking up his 2nd assist of the game. Senior Aiden Boyce would cap off the first period scoring with a power play goal at 13:56 of the first. Senior captain Caden Lane picked up the assist as Wachusett entered the 1st intermission with a 3-0 lead. In the second period, the teams traded goals. First, senior captain Matt Brousseau banged home a rebound to extend Wachusett's lead to 4-0 at the 6:25 mark. Lane picked up his 2nd assist of the game. Whitman-Hanson would get on the board at the 10:47 mark to make it 4-1 entering the 2nd intermission. Whitman-Hanson carried much of the play in the 3rd period and scored at the 3:35 mark of to tighten the score at 4-2. But, junior goalie Kevin Shaw remained strong stopping 31 of the 33 shots he faced. Players nominated senior Aiden Boyce as the player of the game for his intensity and strong play in the game. Next week Wachusett will look to win its 4th straight Boro's Cup. The team takes on Westboro at 6:10 pm at the NorthStar Ice Sports in Westboro.