From Sullivan Arena, St. Anselm College, Goffstown, NH – Wednesday night, February 12, 2020

Goffstown finally returned to their home ice after 32 days away from Sullivan Arena. They played host to John Stark – Hopkinton (JSH), one of the better teams in NH high school hockey. The Grizzlies fell behind 3-0 and clawed back to tie things up, sending the game to overtime. Ultimately, the visitors won the game, 4-3 in another instant classic between these two programs. The Battle of 114. I will try to tell you a little bit about it. I hope you enjoy.

As one who has followed sports for my entire life, I have finally learned that in almost every single sporting event, there are multiple story-lines running simultaneously. Media coverage, schedules, faded memories, words and numbers on screens, or even the written word on paper will lead us to believe that the game is the story-line. Maybe the game is the main reason, the headline, but it does not guarantee to be the main attraction. There can be many attractions for many reasons. Wednesday night was one of those nights, at least from my humble, sheltered, and probably biased perch.

(Photo by Danielle)

First, the night was a special one because the senior players on the Goffstown roster had chosen their Charity of Choice, the ALS Association of Northern New England. 2/12/2020 was the date selected to collect donations at a home game, which followed the four seniors participating in their own Ice Bucket Challenge 2020 the week before. So, the doors at Sullivan Arena were opened, donations were collected, and all monies collected for admissions were donated to benefit ALS of NNE. Really, this cause, this night, probably started 5 or 6 years ago, or thereabouts. Senior, alternate captain, Theo Milianes lost his dad to ALS less than 2 years ago. Theo’s older brother Bryce also played for the Grizzlies. Their dad battled the disease while attending game after game. I will never forget his smile even in the face of a decided fate. So, the cause on this night was very close to many of us.

(Jen Webber Photography)

Wednesday night the wonderful families and hockey fans from up and down the Battle of 114 came together for a night of great hockey, a bigger cause, and generated perhaps the biggest crowd of the season, while helping the GHS seniors raise $1,113 for ALS of NNE over the course of a few hours. A few hours that took several years to unfold. Thank you to each and every one of you who participated and donated to this cause.

I have been covering the Goffstown hockey team for almost five seasons now, and I am a tad bit biased, and slightly competitive, so I pull for the Grizzlies. I can honestly tell you that after I got through the opening remarks before the game and then watched the various young kids in the stands throughout the game, all there because of the special night, another story-line, I colored the night a success regardless of the outcome.

(Jen Webber Photography)

Furthermore, I walked away from the rink with images in my mind, and thoughts running through my head that ran much deeper than a great hockey game between two really good hockey teams. I will get to the game, I promise. Close to my heart was my 9-year old twins with their home white hockey jerseys on, along with at least half of my 9-year old son’s hockey team. My wife was sitting with them and several other parents of this youth hockey team, all in the building for the cause, for the night, many in their own story-line.

With these young, energetic, excited, impressionable future high school players in attendance and running all over the place the deeper thoughts persisted. What did they hear? What did they see? Who did they watch? Were the scenes that they saw for their betterment? I am often reminded how players, parents, coaches, officials, the rest of us, are all on stage to these young eyes seeking and soaking everything in. These young players lined up to greet the Grizzlies players between the ice and the locker room, and man did they celebrate in their own way by being able to high-five high school players. It was awesome to see. You never know who is watching or when. As a rule, carry yourself well.

(Jen Webber Photography)

Then there was the matter of the game against the two-time defending Division III NH Hockey State Champions lined up across the ice. Last year these two teams played up at the old barn on the New England College campus (love that place), in one of the best games I have seen in the last five years. Both teams played outstanding hockey and the Grizzlies were able to secure a 3-1 win. The General Hawks went on to win the D-III Championship last season, and came into Wednesday night with a 9-3 record this season. I suspect they will be a force to be reckoned with in this upcoming post-season as well.

The game started with both teams testing the boundaries of their opponents, conservatively aggressive to see where the line was between taking chances and being hung out to dry. The General Hawks have a very talented and dangerous first line starting with Sophomore – Ethan Molnar, who I assume is the younger brother of the former JSH superstar, Paul Molnar. Seniors, Benny Madden and Brett Patnode complete the line adding size, much skill, and experience. They showed that you can’t give them an inch right from the first shift of the game. Maddie Sage made a couple of big saves in the first 20 seconds of the game against this formidable line. I believe Patnode has broken, and now holds, the all-time school record for scoring in their hockey history. And as good as he is on the ice, I know he’s an exceptional baseball player as well. He intends to pitch at AIC (American International College, Springfield, MA) this coming year after he graduates.

(Photo by Danielle)

It was Patnode who got the scoring started in this one. Although Melanie Riendeau was looking to make a quick pass to Luke Ouellette at the offensive blue line, her pass didn’t have the steam to get the puck there in time. Before Luke could collect the pass, Brett Patnode snagged the puck and split Riendeau and Xavier Bibaud on his way to a full speed breakaway. He made a quick move, with a quick shot and scored an unassisted goal at 6:40 of the period. Sage made a nice shoulder save at 8:23, holding the near side post just long enough after Benny Madden got around Eric Purcell and got an accurate shot to the net. Ethan Molnar scored on a short side shot that beat Sage through the five hole along the ice at 9:58. Brett Patnode got the lone assist after a play in the corner that looked a lot like interference on Colby Gamache as the puck was on Molnar’s stick as Patnode finished upending Gamache in the corner. Shortly after Isaac McGregor was whistled for a hand pass in the offensive zone on a 7-foot high lofted puck that I am not sure he even actually hit, the face-off was called back into the Grizzlies defensive zone.

(Jen Webber Photography)

I am not a referee of anything except my kids fighting at the dinner table, but I thought such an infraction would result in a face-off at the nearest face-off dot to the play that is closest to the offending team’s net. In other words, inside the neutral zone like an off-sides call. It was called back in the D zone and the puck wouldn’t leave the zone again until it was 3-0. Ultimately, Brett Patnode won a face-off that went back to Benny Madden for a shot attempt. Grady Chretien partially blocked the shot and somehow it ended up on Patnode’s stick between the circles. Brett had a clean look and buried the shot at 11:33 to give JSH a 3-0 lead.

After the third goal, Sage was pulled from the net, and she wasn’t happy about it. I generally sympathize with goaltenders and I am glad she was fired up about it. because in my opinion a competitor should be agitated in that situation. Now I don’t know if it went any further than that, but she wasn’t the biggest problem the Grizzlies faced to that point in the game. It was the second game in a row that a Goffstown goalie was pulled, and I know that in most of these cases it’s done to just change things up because as they say on my son’s PS4 hockey game, the coach can’t bench the whole team so the goalie gets pulled. In any event, Sage was pulled and Jame Amorelli came in to play net. The Grizzlies were home for the first time in over a month and they were down 3-0 with more than two periods left to play. The rest of the period passed with a chance here or there and the Grizzlies trailed 3-0. The Grizzlies actually had an edge in the shots department, 12-10.

(Photo by Danielle)

(Photo by Danielle)

The Grizzlies came out of the intermission with a big hill to climb against a very good team. Goffstown wasn’t playing poorly, they just weren’t finishing and the General Hawks had a lot to do with that. But as sports has a way of doing, the night was partly a showcase for the other side of the law of averages. Eric DesRuisseaux makes a nice little play stepping around a player at the right point to better his shooting position and rang a shot off of the near side post at 3:45 of the second. Then Grady Chretien, who has been piling up goals like nothing I have ever seen before, clanked a rocket of a shot off of the post-crossbar combo at 5:09 of the period. Then, after JSH was whistled for a penalty, Patnode and Jackson Burke had some grill to grill words as Patnode went to the bin. Whatever Jackson said, he backed up because at 8:10 of the period he took the puck following an Amorelli save, tipped the puck past a forward, up the half wall, and skated the length of the ice to put the first puck behind Caysen Allard. The Grizzlies were starting to carry the play, line after line, shift after shift. The Grizzlies drew another penalty on a holding call when the JSH defender took his hand off the stick to impede the players progress. This time, the Goffstown power play cashed in just 42 seconds later. The General Hawks had a chance to clear the puck after an offensive zone face-off but Grady Chretien smartly kept the puck in the zone and banked a pass off of the boards to Colby Gamache. Gamache stepped in and took a shot that was deflected by Drew O’Brien out in front of the net, and it got past Allard at 12:01. Goffstown had cut the deficit again, now it was 3-2. The Grizzlies kept the pressure coming. This John Stark – Hopkinton is a good team though, and on every shift there is a chance that they can put the puck in the net. At 14:03 of the period, Benny Madden dropped a pass to Ethan Molnar as Benny skated behind the net. James Amorelli was patient though and held the post despite Madden’s speed moving past the net, and it’s a good thing he did as Molnar ripped a shot to the near side post. Amorelli made this tremendous save to keep the game at 3-2. The period would end that way, and the Grizzlies had given themselves a chance in the third period after a solid performance in the middle period. Goffstown outshot the General Hawks 14-10.

(Photo by Dave DesRuisseaux)

(Photo by Danielle)

As the third period played out, both teams were getting chances, good chances. James Amorelli and Caysen Allard were going toe-to-toe from their own goal lines, with Goffstown getting the better of the play. Goffstown finally broke through to tie the game at 10:14 of the period. And yet another story-line was brought to the surface. Isaac McGregor made a nice, patient play from the left-wing corner and timed his centering pass perfectly to hit Grady Chretien at the front of the net. This time, Chretien buried the shot, the game-tying goal, the 32nd goal of this season, breaking the Goffstown single season goal scoring record, all in a moment. Patrick Kelliher had tallied 31 goals in the very first year of varsity hockey at Goffstown, back in 2000-2001. Now, in the 20th season of the program, there’s a new record to beat, and hopefully Grady is not done yet.

At 12:26 of the period James Amorelli had the place going crazy with a great save down low off of an Ethan Molnar shot at point blank range. The shot came after Brett Patnode was open (if that) for a fraction of a second in the slot and his shot got caught up in Chretien’s skates where Molnar reached in and nearly scored for the General Hawks. The officials put the whistles away and hooks, trips, and holds were just something to throw your arms in the air about. Regulation time would run out with the game tied at 3-3. Goffstown had 11 shots on goal in the final period, to just 7 for JSH. The Grizzlies had fallen behind, 3-0 in less than 700 seconds, and then held the General Hawks to 0 goals on 18 shots in the 33:27 since. Sudden death overtime would decide how this game would end.

(Jen Webber Photography)

(Jen Webber Photography)

In the overtime the Grizzlies continued to carry the play and the General Hawks looked for chances to counter punch. Goffstown had several scoring chances that either missed the net or were swallowed up by Allard in net. Then at 4:11 of the OT, Colby Gamache made a quick no-look pass to Chretien who skated to the left-wing circle and pounded a slap shot that beat Allard clean. The only issue was that the puck hit the crossbar and caromed away, and play went on as the Grizzlies crowd couldn’t believe that shot didn’t go in. Chretien has been burying shots like that all season, but not on this night. At 5:33 of the period I wrote ‘interference at least’ in my pad when Cabot Lineberry looked like he was chopping down a tree which was my mistake because it was just Jack Wilkinson’s legs. Then for good measure he shoved Wilkinson over backwards while the puck was being skated away by Tyler Scordo. It was one of those plays that just looked wrong, like it shouldn’t be a part of the game. Just a few seconds after Goffstown called their timeout at 6:02 of OT, the game would end. Xavier Bibaud dove to break up a one-on-one scoring opportunity to the right of James Amorelli and tripped Ethan Molnar at 6:15. The referee called a penalty and Bibaud skated to the penalty box. 24 seconds later the referee changed his call of a minor penalty to a penalty shot. You want to know how long 24 seconds is? Watch an NBA team run the shot clock to zero as they shoot, that’s how long it was between call and changed call.

(Photo by Danielle)

(Photo by Danielle)

Regardless of interpretation a penalty shot was awarded and Molnar skated in and roofed a forehand shot to the top corner on a tremendous individual display of skill to win it for the General Hawks. James Amorelli had come in to the game in the first period and left the building not allowing another goal all night during team play. The Grizzlies came out and took several body punches early on with the way John Stark – Hopkinton came out and willed their way to an early 3-0 lead. Goffstown picked up their play significantly the rest of the way and outshot the General Hawks 38-19 after trailing 3-0. Madeline Sage may not have earned the early hook, but it’s a team sport and usually good teams end up needing everyone on the roster in order to be better than average as a team, and tonight the tandem approach nearly pulled it off. The General Hawks are a good team with an exceptional first line. They will be a tough out in the playoffs.

Goffstown dropped to 10-3 in the season standings but still held on to first place as Keene and Merrimack tied 3-3 earlier in the day. The Grizzlies will travel to Keene for a game at Keene Ice with the puck drop scheduled for 5:15pm on Saturday, the 15th. Then on Sunday, the Grizzlies play host to Portsmouth-Newmarket at 4:15pm from Sullivan Arena.

(Jen Webber Photography)

(Jen Webber Photography)

(Jen Webber Photography)

(Jen Webber Photography)

NHIAA Hockey:

Updated records.

Goffstown (10-6-0) vs. John Stark – Hopkinton  (10-3-0)

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

Wednesday, February 12, 2020. 8:00 PM Start:

Summary:

Goals:

Goffstown: 0-2-1-0 = 3

JSH: 3-0-0-1 = 4

Shots:

Goffstown: 12-14-11-6 = 43

JSH: 10-10-07-03 = 30

Scoring:

1st JSH at 6:40. Even. Brett Patnode unassisted.

1st JSH at 9:58. Even. Ethan Molnar from Brett Patnode.

1st JSH at 11:33. Even. Brett Patnode from Benny Madden.

2nd Goffstown at 8:10. PPG. Jackson Burke (8) unassisted.

2nd Goffstown at 12:01. PPG. Drew O’Brien (4) from Colby Gamache (23) and Grady Chretien (9).

3rd Goffstown at 10:14. Even. Grady Chretien (32) from Isaac McGregor (3).

OT JSH at 6:15. Penalty Shot*. Ethan Molnar.

(Photo by Danielle)

Special Teams:

Goffstown Power Play: 2 for 2.

JSH Power Play: 0 for 0. Penalty Shot in OT.

Saves:

Goffstown: Madeline Sage 6 of 9. (11:33)

Goffstown: James Amorelli  20 of 21. (39:42)

JSH: Caysen Allard 40 of 43. (51:15)

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.

Sage Page

(Sage Photo)

~ Thank you Maureen, Jen, Danielle, and Dave, your photos are fantastic!

Honestly these articles are so much better with your contributions.

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