From Rochester Ice Arena, Rochester, NH – Saturday night, February 1, 2020

Two weeks removed from something resembling winter and just as long since their last hockey game, the Goffstown Grizzlies roared into the new and improved Rochester Ice Arena for a tilt with Spaulding. Goffstown showed no signs of rust on their game jumping out to a 5-1 lead after one period and skating to a 10-4 win.

Before the game started, while the hustle and bustle of getting to the rink and into a bleacher seat before the opening face-off was still clattering through the rink, there was a special presentation. One that should stop us in our tracks if we’re listening and truly present in the moment. I know it stopped me. While the words were being spoken over the PA system a lump formed in my throat as I listened and scanned my own internal memory reel for the loving faces throughout my lifetime that have battled with cancer.

(Sage Photo)

It was Pink in the Rink night at Rochester Arena and both teams paid tribute with pink tape on sticks, pink socks for the home team, and a list of players on both sides as well as who (cancer battlers) they were playing for. Buckets were passed in hopes of raising a few dollars to be donated toward the ongoing battle with this life altering disease. Last I had heard there was well over $300 raised in that small gathering on a February night at the local hockey rink.

So, the time I had discussed with my wife on our phone call before the game, regarding when to expect me home after the game was no longer accurate. We had some plans but now that didn’t matter for the moment because I was glad to be in that place at that time, just to slow down, and take the time to honor others, and remember others still.

With a nicely paved parking lot, better lighting in the rink area, an open concession stand, and a full house it was time for some hockey. Due to sickness, injuries, and coaches decisions, the Grizzlies had roughly 8 goals and 17 assists not dressed for the game on Saturday night. Regardless, it took Goffstown only 10 seconds to get on the board first. Grady Chretien scored his 60th career goal from the doorstep after Eric DesRuisseaux made a shot pass to the front of the net that was deflected by Drew O’Brien and Grady tucked the puck into the net. That goal tied him for the all-time goal scoring record in GHS Hockey history.

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He tied Dan Mercier ’02, and Noah Charron ’18, with 60 career goals. Mercier scored his 60 in two seasons, while Charron tallied his goals over four seasons, leading the team in goals scored for 3 straight years.

Over the next 10 minutes of game time both teams had numerous shots on goal and a few penalties called as well. At 4:40 of the period James Amorelli made a miraculous sprawling glove save moving to his left to keep the Grizzlies ahead. Then at 8:03 he made a wonderful pad save on Spaulding’s Colby Stuart to hold the lead. At 9:12 of the period Spaulding was called for a tripping penalty and put Goffstown on the power play. The Grizzlies cashed in when Colby Wright scored on a gorgeous play from Grady Chretien to take a 2-0 lead. Spaulding had attempted to clear the puck from their own end boards after an offensive zone face-off for the Grizzlies. Chretien was in the right spot and picked off the puck before sliding a pass over to Wright. Wright’s shot appeared to hit a Spaulding player in front of the net and into the goal. Less than half a minute later, Grady Chretien made more history when he buried his 61st career goal on a set up from Drew O’Brien out of the left wing corner, and it was 3-0. Spaulding kept skating hard and creating chances. They were rewarded with a goal at 11:18 when Nate Gagnon scored from Hunter Camire to cut the lead to 3-1. Camire snagged a loose puck at center ice and dropped a nice pass to Gagnon as he curled into the offensive zone. Gagnon got past Eric DesRuisseaux who slashed Gagnon but the penalty time was nullified when Gagnon’s shot hit the net. Goffstown scored a pair of backbreaking goals in the final minute of the period to really open up the lead. First, at 14:26, after Luke Ouellette blocked a shot out high he was off to the races with Jack Wilkinson on a 2-on-2. Ouellette raced up the left wing and fed a pass to the front of the net. Wilkinson cut inside the second defender and redirected the puck into the net on a beautiful play.

(Sage Photo)

Then, at 14:55, Drew O’Brien scored on a sweet pass from Grady Chretien that sent O’Brien in all alone. Colby Gamache pilfered the puck right off a Spaulding stick and in one motion pushed it ahead to Chretien. Chretien made the pass to O’Brien right between a pair of defenders hitting him in stride, and Drew skated in, made a move and scored. It was a beautiful goal on a play that materialized in their own end. Both teams had 19 shots on goal in the period. Amorelli made 18 saves, while Matt Lacey made 14 saves.

In the second period, Goffstown picked up where they left off, scoring three more goals and allowing just one. Chretien scored his 3rd goal of the game on a brilliant feed from Gamache at 6:11 of the period. Drew O’Brien pushed the puck past a Spaulding player right in front of his own net and onto Colby’s stick. Gamache spun and made a perfect pass out to center ice where Chretien skated onto the puck and broke in all alone to score the goal. Matt Lacey was pulled from the net after the goal, and #30 came in to play goal for the rest of the game for Spaulding. A few minutes later, Gamache scored on a shorthanded bid set up on a rebound of Drew O’Brien’s breakaway bid at 8:27 to bring Goffstown’s lead up to 7-1. Spaulding got one goal back at 9:07 when Colby Stuart scored a goal assisted by Zach Egan and Ryan Hatfield. Stuart was given two or three whacks at the puck after Amorelli made the initial saves. Then, at 10:51 of the period O’Brien scored a goal on another great pass from Gamache. Gamache won a defensive zone face-off when Isaac McGregor kicked the puck ahead to Gamache who broke to the outside and up the right wing. O’Brien skated up through the center of the ice and tapped the puck into the net on the feed from Gamache at the goal mouth. Goffstown led 8-2 on the scoreboard after two periods even though Spaulding had the edge in shots at 31-28.

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The third period featured running time which is probably one of my least favorite rules in high school hockey. I am all for sportsmanship and also for competition, but this rule makes a mockery of the game at the high school level. Somewhat related, I can remember losing high school basketball games by more than 50 points a few times, and all that did to me was motivate me. Nobody had to soften the rules for me or my team, we just needed to execute better and improve if we wanted a less lopsided result.

Anyways, for the second half of this game Goffstown had scaled back the number of shifts that the top line was getting as a group. But then sometimes, everything goes your way, and that’s how it was for Grady Chretien. He only skated a couple of shifts in the third period and he had both Goffstown goals. The puck found him, and he found the net. At 4:20 of the period he scored on a deflection of a pass from Theo Milianes and Colby Gamache. Then at 9:40 he scored his fifth goal of the night on a power play, jumping, redirection set up from Brennan Pierce at the right point. Spaulding did strike for a pair of goals in the period, both being scored by Adam Enscoe.

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First, Enscoe scored after Nate Gagnon took a swipe at the puck out by the blue line and right on to Enscoe’s stick at 5:05. Then on the power play, Enscoe scored on a deflection of his own from Hunter Camire at 11:00. The game would end with a 10-4 final score. Spaulding did pile up 42 shots on James Amorelli who turned away 38 of them. Goffstown amassed 32 shots and had the better quality chances overall.

Goffstown improved to 9-2 in the season standings which moved them into first place as Keene and Merrimack both lost in the last week. The Grizzlies travel to the old barn in Wolfeboro to play an always tough opponent, Kingswood on Wednesday night, February 5th. Here are the standings in D-II through last night.

NHIAA Hockey:

Updated records.

Goffstown (9-5-0) vs. Spaulding (2-10-0)

Rochester Ice Arena, Rochester, NH

Saturday, February 1, 2020. 6:15 PM Start:

Summary:

Goals:

Goffstown: 5-3-2 = 10

Spaulding: 1-1-2 = 4

Shots:

Goffstown: 19-9-4 = 32

Spaulding: 19-12-11 = 42

Scoring:

1st Goffstown at 0:10. Even. Grady Chretien (23) from Drew O’Brien (7) and Eric DesRuisseaux (9).

1st Goffstown at 10:16. PPG. Colby Wright (1) from Grady Chretien (7).

1st Goffstown at 10:43. Even. Grady Chretien (24) from Drew O’Brien (8).

1st Spaulding at 11:18. Even. Nate Gagnon from Hunter Camire.

1st Goffstown at 14:27. Even. Jack Wilkinson (4) from Luke Ouellette (3).

1st Goffstown at 14:55. Even. Drew O’Brien (2) from Grady Chretien (8) and Colby Gamache (17).

2nd Goffstown at 6:11. Even. Grady Chretien (25) from Colby Gamache (18) and Drew O’Brien (9).

2nd Goffstown at 8:27. SHG. Colby Gamache (15) from Drew O’Brien (10).

2nd Spaulding at 9:07. Even. Colby Stuart from Ryan Hatfield and Zach Egan.

2nd Goffstown at 11:51. Even. Drew O’Brien (3) from Colby Gamache (19) and Isaac McGregor (1).

3rd Goffstown at 4:20. Even. Grady Chretien (26) from Theo Milianes (11) and Colby Gamache (20).

3rd Spaulding at 5:05. Even. Adam Enscoe from Nate Gagnon.

3rd Goffstown at 9:40. PPG. Grady Chretien (27) from Brennan Pierce (3).

3rd Spaulding at 11:00. PPG. Adam Enscoe from Hunter Camire.

Special Teams:

Goffstown Power Play: 2 for 3.

Spaulding Power Play: 1 for 2.

Saves:

Goffstown: James Amorelli  38 of 42. (45:00)

Spaulding: Matt Lacey 16 of 22. (21:11)

Spaulding: #30   6 of 10 (23:49)

Standings: Boys Ice Hockey Division II

NOTE: The following are not official NHIAA standings. They are only the accumulation of game results as reported by the athletic directors and coaches.

Click here to view the schedules for all of the teams below.

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(Sage Photo)

(Sage Photo)

~ Thank you Maureen, your photos are fantastic!

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