Written by Press Release: December 16, 2013
December 14: Kearsarge 1 @ Cardigan Mountain 2 (OT)
The destination of our drive north was to an old rink on a campus that is home to a fantastic hockey tradition. The temperature outside was only 11 degrees (Fahrenheit) as we drove north, which was odd enough considering the season’s first snowstorm was approaching and just a few hours south. We don’t get many snowstorms when the temperature is that far below freezing. Cardigan Mountain School in Canaan, NH was where we parked the car and unloaded. The hockey program at Cardigan has a storied history with numerous former students going on to play hockey at major Division I colleges, and some have even played in the NHL.
Finally it was game time, and as I walked in to the rink while the Zamboni finished up, I noticed that the temperature inside may have been colder than the temperature outside, or it felt pretty close. The teams lined up for the opening faceoff and I think the parents were more aware of the score from the previous contest with Cardigan a week before than the kids were. On December 7th, Kearsarge had been dealt a 4-0 loss by this Cardigan team.
The first period was played pretty even, with the edge going to the more aggressive, more physical home team. Both teams had chances, including a scoring opportunity from point-blank range for Kearsarge forward Matt Jarvis. The shot was saved and the period ended scoreless. It’s worth noting that the first period saw a lot of ‘stick work’, hooking, slashing, high-sticking, etc. to the point that the lead official warned the home team of such play.
With the threat of the buzz saw like stick wielding at bay, play opened up. The second period saw a lot of end to end, back and forth hockey with both teams getting numerous scoring chances. Kearsarge goaltender, Corey Henault, was huge in net especially in the middle period as transition hockey led to odd-man rushes, all of which he kept out of the net. Also, Noah Newton sent Jarvis in all alone on a breakaway that was turned away. After 30 minutes of play, there was no score.
Another point worth noting was Cardigan Mountain rostered 20 players, who were dressed, and skating in the game, while Kearsarge played with 10 players including their goaltender. With 15-minute periods versus the usual 12-minute stanzas, and half the skaters to fill the ice time, you’d think this would take its toll in a big way by the end of the game. I know the kids were tired but their effort didn’t waiver. The first two minutes of the 3rd period suggested that maybe both teams were tired as play was wide open. Cardigan skated in on a clear breakaway only to be denied by Henault. Then Jarvis walked in all alone and was robbed. Eventually play settled down a little bit. Then, with Kearsarge struggling to clear the puck out of their own end even with a delayed offside looming over Cardigan Mountain (I sensed my own frustration level rising), Nicole Kimtis flipped the puck out of the zone and up the left-wing boards to Matt Jarvis. Jarvis and Noah Newton had a 2-on-2 break that quickly developed into a 2-on-1 as a defenseman fell down. Up the ice they came, Jarvis across to Newton, everyone thinking a shot was coming, but Newton laid a perfect pass across the crease, and Jarvis was not to be denied. Kearsarge Goal! Shortly after the visitors’ goal, the home team struck for a goal their own, tying the game at one. Kearsarge and their defensive core of Kevin Kiernan, Ashley Thompson, and Alfie Rylander along with Henault in net had kept the home team off of the scoreboard for more than 36 minutes, which would equate to a shutout win of 1-0 in one of their standard 12-minute period games. Matt Jarvis, Noah Newton, and Nicole Kimtis were a forward line that supplied enough offensive pressure for Kearsarge that Cardigan had to be true to both ends of the ice. Then Sebastian Beal, Kirsten Westeberg, and Nick Ducharme also had shifts where they maintained puck possession in the offensive zone for entire shifts, they just could not get a clean chance to bury a shot. Regulation time ended with the score tied, 1-1. Normally, that’s it; the teams earn a tie, but not this time.
The home team and officials had five minutes put on the clock. There was going to be overtime. For some reason, maybe because I was biased toward the visiting team, or because I am an optimist especially as it relates to youth sports, I thought Kearsarge was going to score and win the game. Early on in the overtime it looked that way. Kearsarge had some great chances, but could not cash in. Then as overtime’s often end, the winning goal wasn’t pretty, flashy, or brilliant, it was just a good hockey play with players in the right place at the right time. Cardigan scored on a rebound that just barely inched over the goal line, while still under Corey Henault’s glove. The official was in position and called it a good goal. In the NHL, they may have called back to Toronto for a review of the goal, but the goal was good, and Cardigan won the game 2-1, scoring half-way through the 5-minute overtime. It was a good hockey game. Both teams competed hard, and both played pretty well. The end was a bit anti-climactic, but it was a good game, in an old rink that’s used to seeing good hockey.