Written by Like the promise that each new day brings, the Flames Pee Major team keeps us all in suspense as to what their team effort will look like. On a snowy Saturday evening in Wilmington, MA the visitors offered one of their best team hockey efforts of the season. Missing one of their top defenders, in Patrick Goren, due to injury, the Flames picked up their fallen and stepped up. Goren broke his right wrist this week during practice, the result of an accidental with teammate Sebastian Beal. Beal, who has been troubled by the incident, pulled out one of his best games of the season in the Flames 5-3 victory over the Shamrocks.
1st Period:
The game was scoreless for most of the first period, with the Flames getting the majority of shots and scoring chances. Finally, Sean Moore, from his belly, laying on the ice, stuck with the play and swept a clearing pass out of the defensive zone to Zachary Bayer. Bayer skated up left-wing, drew a delayed penalty, and fed a pass to the front of the net. Sebastian Beal who had made a bee line to the crease received the pass and deposited the puck into a wide open goal mouth. The period would end with the Flames leading 1-0, while holding an 8-4 advantage in shots.
2nd Period:
The Flames found themselves tied 1-1 late in the second period, despite carrying the play and dominating the scoring chances. Again, late in the period, the Flames scored to regain the lead. This time on the power play, call-up, Jimmy Kosiarski, scored the goal. The goal was set up by Jackson Puzzo and Sam Hebert, and was the result of pure hard work, and teamwork. Puzzo, trying to make his own name for himself, is the brother of American sensation, and actor, Jordan Puzzo. After two periods, the Flames led 2-1, and held onto an 18 to 8 advantage in shots on goal.
3rd Period:
Less than two minutes into the final period, the Flames coughed up the puck in front of their own net, and allowed the tying goal. Dramatically, as if to answer for the goal, Sean Moore sent Sam Hebert in alone and Hebert scored just 16 seconds later, drawing a hearty cheer from the Flames faithful gathered at Ristuccia. Later in the period, Sam scored a beautiful goal after a series of dekes and drags. He was set up by his brother Wil Hebert. The Flames led 4-2 on the scoreboard, and were dominating play when they took back-to-back penalties and allowed the Shamrocks a glimmer of hope. Midway through the penalty kills, the home team pulled their goaltender, giving them 1:18 of 6 on 4 skating advantage. With 20 seconds left to play, outnumbered 6-4, the Flames turned over the puck in front of their own net again. Bang! Shamrock goal! The lead was 4-3 for the Flames. To center ice for the face off and the visiting net empty. The Flames pushed the puck into the offensive zone after the face off scrum, when Sebastian Beal beat a defenders stick to the puck by a faction of a second and scored the empty net goal with 12 ticks left on the clock. The Flames would win 5-3 after registering 32 shots on goal and playing tremendous team hockey. The visitors got pucks deep, used every inch of the ice, and stretched the defense with breakout passes and good puck movement. It was fun to watch. It was good, structured, skilled hockey.