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Hockey: Goffstown 7 vs. Lebanon-Stevens-Mount Royal 3

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Goffstown Hockey, Photography

From Thomas F. Sullivan Arena, St. Anselm College, Goffstown, NH – December 23, 2019

Monday night the Grizzlies hosted an always well coached team from Lebanon in their fourth and final game before Christmas. Goffstown exploded for 4 goals on their first 8 shots of the game and skated to a 7-3 win to improve their record to 4-0  so far this season.

It’s not uncommon to have the first attempt or two at a December game with Lebanon to be postponed due to weather between here and the Upper Valley. On Monday though, the weather could not have been much more beautiful for a 23rd day of December, with sun, blue sky, and temperatures in the 50’s. It was warm outside for this time of the year.

Photo by Charron

Photo by Charron

Goffstown started the game like they were warm and ready to go. Actually, they started like they were more like red hot and ready to go. By the time 10:21 of game time had run off of the clock the Grizzlies were up 4-0 and were shooting at an astounding 50% clip with four goals on eight shots. Lebanon took their timeout in the opening period and made a change in net.

The first period ended up being even in shots at 8-8. Goffstown just did a great job of creating golden chances to score and then converted on them. Before we get to that though, Madeline Sage made a real nice right pad save for the Grizzlies at 4:31 of the period to keep the game scoreless. Then Goffstown hit on one chance after another for about four straight minutes. First, Grady Chretien scored on a great feed from Theo Milianes at 6:07. At 8:07 Calvin Sage made a series of moves to get in tight before setting up Luke Ouellette for a sweet goal. It’s fun to watch plays that end up with the puck in the back of the net especially when there is maximum effort mixed with skills and patience to make the right play. Then at 8:33 Milianes took his turn scoring after Chretien and Colby Gamache moved the puck beautifully to set him up.

Photo by Charron

Photo by Charron

Photo by Charron

Photo by Charron

Photo by Charron

Photo by Charron

Then Chretien struck again from Gamache at 10:21 and it was 4-0 Grizzlies. The period would end with score at 4-0. Goffstown started mixing in deeper line changes and the next two periods would be played in a much different manner. The rest of the game would be even on the scoreboard at, 3-3.

It was pretty clear that Lebanon was a different team after the first 10 minutes of the game, and that wasn’t Toby Cromwell’s fault. He was the goalie pulled in the first period. He may want some of those shots back but Goffstown had point blank chances to score on all of them. Either way, the Raiders skated with much more conviction in periods two and three. Hunter Robb played net in relief for Lebanon, but Sage showed she was on her game when she made a tremendous save on Jon Cloud’s breakaway at 0:39 of the period.

Photo by Charron

Photo by Charron

Grady Chretien scored his third goal of the night at 2:31 on a play set up by Gamache and Brennan Pierce. Jack Wilkinson was whistled for interference at 3:18, giving the Raiders a power play chance.Then Eric Purcell came within a whisker of being ejected when he was called for a major penalty on a check from behind. This gave the Raiders a 5-on-3 power play opportunity and they cashed in right away. Jon Cloud who was not only the Raiders best player by far, he was fun to watch. He is a threat from anywhere on the ice with his speed, reach, and ability to get to the net. He scored on the power play from Griffin Auch to make the score 5-1 at 4:09. Goffstown killed the remaining time on the major penalty but the shots added up as a result. There was no more scoring in the period, but Lebanon had a 13-8 advantage in shots for the period. Maddie Sage made saves when she had to and kept Goffstown in firm control.

Cloud was flying again in the third period. He made a brilliant move to create a great scoring chance early in the final period, but Maddie Sage made the save at 0:40 of the period. Lebanon would end up winning the shots battle in the 3rd period too, 10-6. Despite that fact, Jackson Burke made his shot count when he cranked in a goal ‘bar-down’ on a set up from Eric DesRuisseaux at 5:09. Then Goffstown got a gorgeous goal, from Grady Chretien on a sensational backhand from the slot at 5:56. The goal was his fourth of the night, and was assisted by Jake Klardie and DesRuisseaux.

Photo by Charron

Photo by Charron

Lebanon’s Jon Cloud went on the equivalent of a 40-yard sprint and snagged his second goal of the evening at 6:23, from Andrew Duany. Cloud struck again at 8:38 for a hat trick of his own, with the lone assist going to Jake Kriplin. The Raiders took a pair of minor penalties in the last two and a half minutes but nothing came of it.

Chretien had a night that made up for all of the times that Ben Hardy robbed him a week ago against Merrimack. Maddie Sage played well in net for the Grizzlies and despite three goals from Cloud, two of them were scored when he was completely alone in on net after beating everyone on defense.

The Grizzlies will be playing hockey at JFK Coliseum in Manchester on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday in the Brian C. Stone Memorial Christmas Hockey Tournament. While Lebanon will play in the Hartford High’s Phil Bouthillier Holiday Classic in Hartford, Vermont.

Photo by Charron

Photo by Charron

With Christmas vacations in full-swing, there weren’t many games on the slate for hockey in NH Monday night.

In Division II, St. Thomas rebounded from their loss to Oyster River with a 6-1 win against Spaulding.

NHIAA Hockey:

Updated records.

Goffstown (4-0-0) vs. Lebanon-Stevens-Mt Royal (1-2-0)

Thomas F. Sullivan Arena, St. Anselm College, Goffstown, NH

Monday, December 23, 2019. 7:30 PM Start:

Photo by Charron

Photo by Charron

Summary:

Goals:

Goffstown: 4-1-2 = 7

Lebanon: 0-1-2 = 3

Shots:

Goffstown: 08-08-06 = 22
Lebanon: 08-13-10 = 31

Scoring:

1st Goffstown at 6:07. Even. Grady Chretien (3) from Theo Milianes (3).

1st Goffstown at 8:07. Even. Luke Ouellette (1) from Calvin Sage (1).

1st Goffstown at 8:33. Even. Theo Milianes (1) from Grady Chretien (2) and Colby Gamache (3).

1st Goffstown at 10:21. Even. Grady Chretien (4) from Colby Gamache (4).

 

2nd Goffstown at 2:31. Even. Grady Chretien (5) from Colby Gamache (5) and Brennan Pierce (1).

2nd Lebanon at 4:09. PPG. Jon Cloud from Griffin Auch.

Photo by Charron

Photo by Charron

3rd Goffstown at 5:09. Even. Jackson Burke (2) from Eric DesRuisseaux (4).

3rd Goffstown at 5:56. Even. Grady Chretien (6) from Jake Klardie (1) and Eric DesRuisseaux (5).

3rd Lebanon at 6:23. Even. Jon Cloud from Andrew Duany.

3rd Lebanon at 8:38. Even. Jon Cloud from Jake Kriplin.

 

Special Teams:

Goffstown Power Play: 0 for 2.
Lebanon Power Play: 1 for 2.

Saves:

Goffstown: Madeline Sage 28 of 31. (45:00)

Lebanon: Toby Cromwell 4 of 8 (10:21)

Lebanon: Hunter Robb 11 of 14 (34:39)

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The beginning of every article. (C) 1inawesomewonder 2017.

 

The thoughts and opinions expressed here are those of the individual contributors, mostly mine, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the schools, coaches, players, or characters listed in any of these blog posts. Or, maybe they do, but you would have to ask them directly. Either way, “It’s a great day for hockey” ~ the late “Badger” Bob Johnson.

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