After playing four games over the weekend during Christmas break while many teams had a lesser schedule the hockey powers that be said to the 2010 Flames, “Try this on for size”. Coming off of the holiday break and two days back at school, the Flames were asked to play four road games over the weekend.
If you consider West Side Arena as the unofficial center of our hockey universe this season, then the weekend of road games looked something like this.
- Weekend miles for hockey: 426 miles with at least that many laughs
- Saturday – 134 miles
- West Side to Kearsarge (Proctor Academy): 84 miles round trip. 5-0 win in a cold but awesome rink.
- West Side to Northern Cyclones (Hudson): 50 miles round trip with a quick stop at Dunks. 2-2 tie in a great battle.
- Sunday – 292 miles
- West Side to Keene (Keene Ice): 66 miles one-way. 4-0 win in a great team effort to defend their net.
- Keene Ice to Providence Youth Hockey (Cranston Veteran’s Memorial Ice) by way of the Thirsty Beaver: 113 miles one-way. Great lunch with the kids, parents, and coaches. Football and World Juniors Gold Medal game on the TV’s, good food, and plenty of smiles. Oh, and a great game on the ice, with the Flames holding on for a 6-4 win, and a 3-0-1 weekend.
- Cranston back to home base: 113 miles one-way. Good night.
This Flames team has come a long way this season and they continue to grow as players and teammates. The parents have really gelled as well which makes all of this a lot more fun.
I didn’t take pictures at Keene Ice on Sunday morning but I did have a blast sitting up with all of our families to watch the game. I did take pictures down at the old Memorial Rink in Cranston though. Here are pictures through some seriously puck marred glass of the Flames fourth and final game of the weekend. As always, click on what you like, and zoom in for a look. Enjoy!
- Providence got on the board first. They would get some open looks all game long.
- Jax lets a wrister go early in the game.
- Travis looks toward the heavens in prayer.
- Travis calls everybody off as he yells, ” I GOT IT! I GOT IT!”
- Garrett scans the horizon for any would-be opponents.
- That there is a real beauty, eh. Oh, ya! She’s a kick save and a beauty!
- Legend has it that you can see fish swimming below the ice if you look hard enough.
- This is what it looks like when working hard pays off.
- Austin asks Jordan if he got the plate number of the truck that hit him. Jordan responds smartly, “No habla inglés.”
- Travis prayed and the defense responded in answer.
- James, “Teddy don’t be alarmed. Follow me, I got this.”
- Coach Nick has been harping on playing tough so Ian smacks The Mighty Fin in the face. Result, these two combined to score 3 goals.
- This is Austin doing a crossover, or it’s the tip-toe steps he takes to sneak peaks at the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve.
- The Flames saddle up and break out on the rush.
- This puck hit the inside apron of the net and came out. Goal! #82 gets some sledding in.
- Like a bolt of lightning, Finley powers into the offensive zone for the Flames 3rd goal.
- This puck did not go in the net this time, but it was close.
- Austin creates some room to work on his moves.
- Then, just like that, he rips a shot at the open side of the net.
- The puck tickles the twine for a shorthanded goal, and a 4-2 lead.
- Drew opts to shoot on net, while Teddy is already looking behind the goalie for any chance of scoring.
- Teddy is barely open, maybe. That’s a tough passing lane though.
- The ole wrap around from Austin was submitted but instantly rejected.
- Luke gets a shot away while #82 takes another turn sledding.
- I stepped back to get a blurred picture looking through puck blemished glass. The picture wasn’t great but I bet the boards could tell some good stories.
- Colby gets a shot through some traffic. Providence was tough to create space against.
- Nice passing play by the Flames but this one-timer was denied.
- Ian gets the puck over the line as the Flames refused to give up on the loose puck.
- The salute resonates throughout the land, announcing that Kaveney “The Magnificent” has indeed put the biscuit in the basket.
- Teddy makes a tremendous open field tackle on James. The referee retrieves the puck while knocking out a couple of squat thrusts. And Drew is laughing hysterically at all of it.
- A close look reveals that Travis has the puck on his right pad. Another great save.
- Jax barges through while politely saying, “Excuse me. Pardon me. Excuse me. Thank you.”
- #88 was an offensive force for Providence. He got behind the Flames defense several times on the afternoon.
- They say a picture speaks a thousand words. This one only spoke 3 words, not a goal.
- Garrett takes a shot from the blue line and then used his mind to make the puck float toward the net.
- Finley skates left, shoots right, and buries her second goal of the game to make the score, 6-3 Flames.
- There they are, all lined up and playing hockey down in Rhode Island on a January Sunday afternoon.
- Opportunity. Drew with the puck on his stick for a shot. Or Logan over at the left post open for a pass.
- Finley and Austin both slip on a patch of ice as the shot sails wide.
- Providence scored with 00:00.4 left to play. #88 was at it again.