HYDE PARK--Quite some time had elapsed for Norwood since defeating Walpole on Feb. 14, 2015.

Over 22 months, to be exact, spanning 25 games of hockey between the end of the 2014-15 season and last Wednesday.

But thanks to Ryan Johnson's blast from the point in the second period, the Mustangs have found their way back into the win column with a 3-1 triumph over rival Dedham, improving to 1-1-1 on the season.

"They were still playing tight, trying to get that first win," Norwood head coach Chuck Allen said. "I hope they play looser."

Allen, who was named head coach of the Mustangs in June after a year-plus at Bishop Fenwick, notched his first win Norwood's coach.

"It's a learning lesson for them now," Allen said. "Getting that off their back, I hope they play a little more relaxed now."

Making the win even sweeter for the Mustangs was a modicum of revenge over the Marauders, who last season snapped a 27-year winless streak vs. Norwood.

Dedham (0-3) looked primed to run its win streak to three against the Mustangs early, taking a 1-0 lead on a Steve McDonagh goal at 4:34 of the opening period.

The Marauders had a power play later on in the first, looking to go up 2-0, when disaster struck in the form of a Charlie Gover shorthander from Anthony Marchant to tie the game at 1-all.

Play remained tied into the second period, when Norwood took control of the game. The Mustangs were out-shooting the Marauders 13-1 at one point, but couldn't solve Dedham netminder Jack Rutherford for a second time.

"The first two periods we had the puck in the zone a lot," Allen said. "We cycled the puck great and all that stuff but we couldn't put it past them."

Allen has spoken often in the early going about his defensemen taking more of an offensive approaching, pinching in from the points.

"If they do their job, the third guy is high," Allen said. "The more time we have the puck, the less time they have it."

Brandon Walsh won a draw in the attacking end for Norwood, working the puck over to James Piatelli.

Piatelli sent it out to the right point for Johnson, who elevated the puck past Rutherford for a 2-1 lead at 10:00 of the second.

There were some tenuous moments in the third period, as the Marauders outshot the Mustangs 7-6. But a Kyle McCue empty net goal with just 1:21 remaining in the third sealed the deal for Norwood's victory.

"It's good for the school, it's good for the hockey program," Allen said, adding he hopes the Mustangs can play less tentative in close games from here on out. "The kids are looking forward to going to school tomorrow. I'm happy for them, but we've got a lot of work to do."

"It's huge," Gover said. "We wanted to win as early as we can, so get that out of the way and look towards the tournament, try to get to 20 points."

The meeting will be the second-to-last between Norwood and Dedham as Bay State Conference rivals, as the Marauders are moving to the Tri-Valley League following the 2016-17 school year.

"We need to be able to play 45 minutes of hockey, not 30," Dedham coach Dan Lynch said. "Right now, I'd say we're at about 39 minutes. We are certainly getting there; no team works harder than the team I have."